Japan’s first national facility dedicated to sharing the history and culture of the Ainu people, Upopoy, opened in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, on Sunday, July 12, 2020. It consists of a folk museum, an interactive field museum, and an Ainu coexistence park, and has drawn attention as a base for reviving and developing the fading Ainu culture. What JKD was in charge of this time was the highlight of Upopoy’s nighttime program starting on Saturday, July 18, 2020: a large-scale show combining projection mapping and lighting. It depicts the Ainu creation myth through a delicate yet dynamic hand-drawn full animation running for just under 14 minutes, synchronized with soul-stirring music and sound design. The visual work is projected mainly onto the walls of the dome-shaped Experience Exchange Hall, as well as the surrounding hills, river, and statues. Lighting placed throughout the vast grounds is tightly synchronized with the music and mapped visuals, creating a mystical spatial experience that draws viewers into the story. Among the audiovisual works JKD has produced so far, this is one of the top three. The music is by OKI, a musician internationally acclaimed for his work with the OKI Dub Ainu Band, and Kuniyuki Takahashi, also based in Sapporo and known worldwide for his activities. To pursue truly authentic expression, the four animators, Ryoji Yamada, Hana Ono, Yutaro Kubo, and Tatsuhiro Ariyoshi, took part in this serious collaboration. The opening and ending motion was handled by Shotaro Tomiyama and Ko Kudo of the JKD visual team, and the overall visual direction was by Shane Lester. The story unfolds through the Ainu creation myth in a vast site facing a beautiful lake. We believe we were able to create an experience that draws viewers in. If you ever have the chance to visit Hokkaido, please be sure to see it.

Upopoy, Japan’s first national facility dedicated to sharing the history and culture of the Ainu people, opened in Shiraoi, Hokkaido on Sunday, July 12. Comprising a folklore museum, an interactive field museum, and an Ainu symbiosis park, it has drawn attention as a base for reviving and developing the Ainu culture that is gradually being lost. What JKD was responsible for this time was the large-scale projection mapping and lighting show that began on Saturday, July 18, and serves as the highlight of Upopoy’s night program. Through a delicate yet dynamic hand-drawn full animation running just under 14 minutes, synchronized with soul-stirring music and sound design, it depicts the Ainu creation myth. The visuals are projected mainly onto the walls of the dome-shaped Experience Exchange Hall, as well as onto the surrounding hills, river, and statues. Lighting placed throughout the expansive grounds is tightly synchronized with the music and mapped imagery, creating a fantastical spatial presentation that draws viewers into the story. Among the audio-visual works JKD has produced so far, this one ranks in the top three. The music was created by OKI, the world-renowned musician known for the OKI Dub Ainu Band, and Kuniyuki Takahashi, also based in Sapporo and known internationally for his work. To approach truly authentic expression, the animators—Ryoji Yamada, Hana Ono, Yutaro Kubo, and Tatsuhiro Ariyoshi—took on the project in a serious collaborative effort. The opening and ending motion were handled by Shotaro Tomiyama and Ko Kudo of the JKD visual team, and the overall visual direction was led by Shane Lester. The story of the Ainu creation myth unfolds across the vast grounds facing a beautiful lake. We hope we were able to create an experience that truly draws people in. If you ever have the chance to visit Hokkaido, please be sure to see it. (Through 8/30: daily except Mondays. From September onward: every Saturday and Sunday, and on public holidays at night, several screenings after sunset)

リニューアルオープンした池袋西口公園「Global Ring 」に常設で設置されたオーディオビジュアルインスタレーション「Blue Parclock」。 2019年11月のローンチ以降、毎時0分になると、その時の天気、気温、時間帯等の情報をリアルタイムに解析し、自動生成されるサウンドに、スクリーンの映像、噴水、リング照明がシンクロしながら約５分感のオーディオビジュアルショウが展開されています。 コンセプトは「結界」「地球の自然」。制作は、JKDとJunichi Akagawa / ワントゥーテン（1-10） デザインとのコラボレーション。音楽、サウンドデザインは Kuniyuki Takahashi 氏によるものです。

アイヌ文化の普及啓発活動に取り組む阿寒アイヌ工芸協同組合と、日本版地域DMOとして観光地域づくりに取り組むNPO法人阿寒観光協会まちづくり推進機構が、阿寒湖アイヌシアター「イコㇿ※1」の演目を一新。デジタルアートとアイヌ古式舞踊を融合した新プログラム「阿寒ユーカラ※2『ロストカムイ』」が、2019年3月19日から一般上演開始となった。WOWは、舞台映像の演出・制作を担当した。 本プログラムは、阿寒湖温泉のアイヌの人々が継承してきた歌や踊りなどの伝統文化を、国内外から同地を訪れる多くの人々に知ってもらうために企画された。ヨシダナギ、Kuniyuki Takahashi、UNO、WOW、坂本大輔（JTBコミュニケーションデザイン）といった、写真やデジタルアート、サウンドデザインなどの分野で注目を集めるクリエイターが阿寒湖に集結。アイヌ古式舞踊、現代舞踊、3DCG、7.1chサラウンドを組み合わせ、5台のプロジェクターで舞台を立体化した新演目「ロストカムイ」を制作した。 同作では、「アイヌとエゾオオカミとの共生」をテーマとした物語がデジタル技術と舞踊で立体的に再現され、自然を尊び共存してきたアイヌの人々の暮らしの中から生まれた歌や踊りなど、アイヌの世界観を存分に体感することができる。加えて、「アイヌ古式舞踊」と「イオマンテの火まつり 」の演目もリニューアルし、伝統的かつ斬新な演出でアイヌ文化を紹介している。 ※1「イコㇿ」はアイヌ語で「宝物」の意味。小さい「ㇿ」はアイヌ語音を表現したもの。 ※2「ユーカラ」はアイヌ民族に伝わる「叙事詩」を意味する言葉。