We held a farewell party that transcended time and place by creating a virtual space with Kamakura Shinsho.

Tanseisha, together with Kamakura Shinsho Co., Ltd., a company that provides end-of-life related services, held farewell parties in both real and virtual spaces through "Story" (hereinafter referred to as "Story"), a farewell party Produce provided by Kamakura Shinsho.

The digital twin "farewell party," held for the first time by the two companies, was able to avoid crowding by linking a pre-constructed virtual space with the actual venue, providing a farewell opportunity that more people could attend.

Going forward, both companies will continue to leverage and combine the advantages of real and virtual spaces to work toward solving social issues while staying in tune with people and the times.

Official YouTube Channel Video:
https://youtu.be/eLd7UqZ7QAM (90 seconds)

In the video, you can see an explanation of the virtual space and how it connects with the real space.

News Release

Tanseisha and Kamakura Shinsho create a virtual space to hold a "farewell party" that transcends time and place
~Avoiding the Three Cs using a digital twin and creating a grief care space where people can participate from remote locations~

Background

In recent years, consumption trends have been shifting from material consumption and experience consumption to time consumption and meaning consumption. Kamakura Shinsho's farewell party Produce "Story" also sees farewell parties as "a place to celebrate the life of the deceased and provide grief care (※1) to help surviving family members live a better life in the future," but these important opportunities are being lost due to the aging population and travel restrictions caused by the recent spread of COVID-19.
So, by having Tanseisha, a space-creation professional, materialize the farewell party space provided by Kamakura Shinsho in a virtual space, we were able to create a safe and easy-to-attend farewell space for many more people. We believe that this will help to expand the connections between people living in the present, even after their loved ones have passed away.
(※1) Grief care: Providing support to those who are grieving the loss of a loved one so that they can recover from their grief.

Details of the initiative

Tanseisha created a virtual space for the farewell ceremony, which is normally held at a venue, including signing the memorial book, creating an altar, projecting a memorial video, listening to farewell words, etc. In addition, by creating a walk-through video (※2), the farewell ceremony was held in both a real and virtual space.
The digital twin "farewell ceremony," held for the first time by the two companies, linked the farewell ceremony held at an actual venue with a virtual space, allowing people to participate in it in real time from remote locations and access archived Video for a month, providing a venue for grief care to even more people.
(※2) Walk-through video: A video that graphically recreates a real-life space, allowing the user to experience the experience as if they were actually walking around that space on the web.

Comments from people who have experienced a "farewell party" with a digital twin

• ・I was glad to be able to participate in VR, since I couldn't go to Tokyo due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also very helpful that they provided an archive for a month. (Shizuoka Prefecture/Woman in her 40s)
• ・There is a time difference with Japan, so I was glad that I could say goodbye at a time that was convenient for me. (Germany/Woman in her 60s)
• ・I was able to listen to the memories of many people and reminisce together. The VR design also had a soft and gentle atmosphere, which I thought was perfect for a leisurely reminiscence. (Woman in her 30s, Mie Prefecture)
• ・As someone who got to know the deceased during the latter half of his life, I was able to learn about his upbringing and his journey, and I was able to understand even more how wonderful he was. (Saitama Prefecture/woman in her 50s)
• ・I actually participated, and after accessing the target page, I was able to watch the video to the end without any problems. Considering the travel time to the venue and the risk of infection at this time, I thought it was a groundbreaking and very sensible method. I think the deceased had acquaintances all over the world, so I think a lot of people were able to mourn the deceased. (Woman in her 30s, Kanagawa Prefecture)

Comments from the person in charge of "Story", the farewell party Produce for Kamakura Shinsho

The two companies will jointly develop a farewell ceremony that combines the real and virtual worlds, aiming to commercialize the first version around July 2021 and the second version around autumn of the same year. Specifically, they are considering expanding the functionality to include the exchange of condolence money and floral tributes in virtual space. They will also strive to create an interface that is easy to use for elderly people who are not familiar with the Internet, and to create a space where more people can remember the deceased.

Comment from Tanseisha

As part of Tanseisha's initiative to "create spaces that fuse the real and virtual," we participated in creating a virtual space for this farewell party. Utilizing the experience we have gained in creating real spaces, we focused on creating a story that would create a sense of unity and emotion through an experience unique to virtual space, in collaboration with the real venue. After the event, we heard joyful comments from the organizers and participants of the farewell party, and were able to realize the new possibilities that transcend time and place that are born from the fusion of real and virtual spaces. We will continue to create new spaces that enhance the value of space.