Yugo Chiba leads the way in new possibilities for spatial design and regional revitalization

Regional revitalization has become a major social issue in recent years, and various regions are implementing measures to attract tourists. Flapper3 is particularly skilled at creating spaces that incorporate the charms of the region. We work in collaboration with partner companies on everything from the grand design to the design, construction, and operation.

This time, we will introduce two projects centered around regional revitalization in Iwate Prefecture. Producer Yugo Chiba, who handled the spatial design, looks back on the "NIGHT ARTS GARDEN" event held at Hotel Shion in Morioka Tsunagi Onsen, and the Oshuku Onsen project that has expanded since the bamboo lantern inn Kagasuke in Oshuku Onsen.

HOTEL SHION NIGHT ARTS GARDEN: Expressing the world of Kenji Miyazawa's "Night on the Galactic Railroad" with fantastical light and sound

-Please tell us an overview of "HOTEL SHION NIGHT ARTS GARDEN."

This evening-night event has been held since August 2024 in the gardens of Hotel Shion in Tsunagi Onsen, Iwate Prefecture. Inspired by the worldview of "Night on the Galactic Railroad" by Miyazawa Kenji, a poet and children's story writer representing Iwate Prefecture, the space was designed with the aim of allowing visitors to enjoy a fantastical space by combining light and sound expressions.

To express the idea that "When you get off the Galaxy Express, this world unfolds before you," approximately 100 LED lights are lit in a space of about 40m x 50m, creating a fantastical installation space along with music and sound effects.

There is also a show that lasts about 10 minutes, once an hour. 100 32-dot LED lights are controlled. The way each light shines is linked to sound, creating a dynamic, three-dimensional effect.

When you walk into the light, or when you look down on the overall movement from the hotel lobby, the design took into consideration the differences in how it will appear in each case, so I hope you will enjoy it from a variety of locations.

-I understand that this content was directed by an in-house team, including planning and systems.

Yes. That's why we were very conscious of the question, "What kind of spatial production is unique to flapper3?" Many members of flapper3 have a background as VJs, and they usually handle a lot of live video production. This time, we wondered what would come out if we created something that was conscious of the harmony between sound and light in the special space of a hotel garden. What kind of lighting would be created by a video production company, rather than a lighting specialist company? I think this project provided one answer to that question.

-Please tell us about any memorable episodes that occurred during production.

This project was not just created by the members of flapper3, but by many other people. I was particularly impressed by the cooperation of local people. As I am originally from Iwate Prefecture, I even got the son of a classmate to help with the construction (laughs). Anyway, it was quite a challenge to set up around 100 LED lights. It made me realise how difficult it is to arrange a huge number of lights in a straight line on a gently sloping surface.

We also had to be creative with the design of the metal plate that will be stuck into the ground. We had to choose the metal plate material according to the geology, consider the length... we had to design it after taking into consideration many different aspects, so we worked together as a team with flapper3's director Yokoyama and technical director Inomata, and we made decisions through repeated trial and error.

Thanks to our efforts, we received comments such as, "This gave me an opportunity to visit a garden I would not normally visit," and not only adults but also children were excited and said, "It's so beautiful!" We felt that it was very meaningful to be able to create a mechanism that local residents and tourists could enjoy together.

"Kagasuke" is a light show themed around bamboo lanterns that changes with the seasons.

-You were also in charge of the spatial design of the Kagasuke Hotel in Oshuku Onsen.

When the hotel in the Oshuku area of Iwate Prefecture was renovated, the first thing we did was to completely redesign the entrance.

The concept is "healing and storytelling." The Oshuku area is originally known as the "nightingale's inn." After researching, I learned that the folktale "Princess Kaguya" is said to have been born from a nightingale's egg, so I decided to use the story of Princess Kaguya as the theme.

The wall you see as soon as you enter the entrance is lined with bamboo stalks with holes in them holding lights. The soft orange light filtering through the holes creates the fantastical world of "Princess Kaguya."

The installation of the lights was carried out in collaboration with the craftsmen of Ito Construction, a local construction company. We adjusted the layout design while cutting the bamboo lanterns of different lengths and thicknesses on site. It was a nerve-wracking job, but I'm relieved that we were able to put together the look we had envisioned.

The front was carefully finished down to the smallest detail by a craftsman based on a CG image.

The sofa, chairs, and books on the bookshelf were all designed to suit the project. The glass table was also made by a craftsman.

Following the renovation of the entrance, bamboo lanterns were also installed on the bridge leading to the hotel entrance. We cherish the local wish to "use Kagasuke as an opportunity to once again light up Oshuku Onsen, where the number of open inns is decreasing," and hope to spread from the interior to the bridge, and eventually to envelop the entire town in gentle light.

A grand design that focuses on the characteristics of the region and involves many people

-What do you keep in mind when working on projects that lead to regional revitalization?

When branding an area, I am conscious of how I can communicate that through a creative approach. Every area has its own charm, but there are many cases where the locals are unaware of that charm.


We would like to use our creative power to sprinkle these hidden charms of the region and create a mechanism that allows visitors to discover them for themselves.

To achieve this, a compelling grand design that is in line with the characteristics of the region is essential. The grand design for the project introduced here was based on "Kenji Miyazawa" and "Princess Kaguya." With these two as the core, we aim to uncover the "reasons why people visit that region" and incorporate this into the spatial design.

-Finally, please tell us about your future prospects.

We have plans to upgrade both of the projects we introduced this time. For example, in addition to the interior of "Kagasuke" other than the entrance, we would like to light up the entire area with bamboo lanterns using various approaches.

Flapper3 will continue to collaborate with many people and work on a wide range of spatial design projects that offer new experiences.