This CLIENT WORKS REEL focuses on the opening title and main footage of the program, on which we also worked from the logo design stage.

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)

The Akanko Ainu Craft Cooperative, which is engaged in awareness-raising activities to promote Ainu culture, and the NPO Akan Tourism Association Town Development Promotion Organization, which works on destination development as a Japan-style regional DMO, have revamped the lineup at the Akan Lake Ainu Theater “Ikoro*1.” A new program, “Akan Yukar*2: Lost Kamuy,” which combines digital art and traditional Ainu dance, began public performances on March 19, 2019. WOW was responsible for the stage video direction and production. This program was created to introduce the traditional culture inherited by the Ainu people of Akan Lake Onsen, including their songs and dances, to the many visitors who come to the area from Japan and abroad. Creators attracting attention in fields such as photography, digital art, and sound design, including Nagi Yoshida, Kuniyuki Takahashi, UNO, WOW, and Daisuke Sakamoto (JTB Communication Design), gathered in Akan Lake. Combining traditional Ainu dance, contemporary dance, 3DCG, and 7.1-channel surround sound, they produced the new performance “Lost Kamuy,” which brought the stage to life through five projectors. In the work, a story themed on “the coexistence of the Ainu and the Ezo wolf” is dynamically brought to life through digital technology and dance, allowing audiences to fully experience the Ainu worldview, born from the songs and dances of a people who have revered nature and lived in harmony with it. In addition, the performances “Ainu Traditional Dance” and “The Iomante Fire Festival” have also been renewed, introducing Ainu culture through both traditional and innovative staging. *1 “Ikoro” means “treasure” in the Ainu language. The small “ㇿ” represents an Ainu sound. *2 “Yukar” is a word meaning “epic poem” passed down among the Ainu people.