Itoman City Tourism and Cultural Exchange Center Facility Kukuru Itoman

Unraveling the history and culture of Itoman and passing on its diverse charms to the future

  • Cultural Spaces
  • "Sabani Theater" combines the Sabani (small wooden boat), a symbol of seafaring culture, with cutting-edge Video techniques to bring new dynamism to tradition.

    "Sabani Theater" combines the Sabani (small wooden boat), a symbol of seafaring culture, with cutting-edge Video techniques to bring new dynamism to tradition.

  • "Sabani Theater" Video projection. A dynamic display of countless sabani sailing through the sea on a large screen.

    "Sabani Theater" Video projection. A dynamic display of countless sabani sailing through the sea on a large screen.

  • "Sabani Theater" Video presentation. Impressive Spatial Production of the "Itoman Harley" event, which is held according to the lunar calendar.

    "Sabani Theater" Video presentation. Impressive Spatial Production of the "Itoman Harley" event, which is held according to the lunar calendar.

  • Play in the Sea of Itoman: An interactive experience that brings to life the fish that live in the Ino (a shallow sea surrounded by coral reefs in the Okinawa dialect)

    Play in the Sea of Itoman: An interactive experience that brings to life the fish that live in the Ino (a shallow sea surrounded by coral reefs in the Okinawa dialect)

  • The formation of Itoman: Using floor Video effectively, visitors can get a bird's-eye view of the changes in Itoman's topography, as if they were going back in time.

    The formation of Itoman: Using floor Video effectively, visitors can get a bird's-eye view of the changes in Itoman's topography, as if they were going back in time.

  • Itoman's Gusuku: A combination of immersive aerial photography using high-speed drones, diorama models, and excavated materials reveals the site from a different perspective

    Itoman's Gusuku: A combination of immersive aerial photography using high-speed drones, diorama models, and excavated materials reveals the site from a different perspective

  • A town of agriculture, fishing and commerce: The image of the old Itoman market Spatial Production through the use of sculpture and sound effects. It also shows how Ichiman Ammar (Itoman women) sell fish.

    A town of agriculture, fishing and commerce: The image of the old Itoman market Spatial Production through the use of sculpture and sound effects. It also shows how Ichiman Ammar (Itoman women) sell fish.

  • The site where the Battle of Okinawa ended: A sculpture of the Itoman Rotary, a symbol of the city, is recreated. A monochrome world view shows the city's recovery from rubble.

    The site where the Battle of Okinawa ended: A sculpture of the Itoman Rotary, a symbol of the city, is recreated. A monochrome world view shows the city's recovery from rubble.

  • Traditional culture still lives on: Introducing traditional lunar calendar events that remain in various parts Itoman City, such as the Itoman Harley and the Itoman Great Tug of War. Sending people off to cultural Tourism in the city.

    Traditional culture still lives on: Introducing traditional lunar calendar events that remain in various parts Itoman City, such as the Itoman Harley and the Itoman Great Tug of War. Sending people off to cultural Tourism in the city.

  • Itoman City Tourism and Cultural Exchange Center Facility Kukuru Itoman
  • "Sabani Theater" Video projection. A dynamic display of countless sabani sailing through the sea on a large screen.
  • "Sabani Theater" Video presentation. Impressive Spatial Production of the "Itoman Harley" event, which is held according to the lunar calendar.
  • Play in the Sea of Itoman: An interactive experience that brings to life the fish that live in the Ino (a shallow sea surrounded by coral reefs in the Okinawa dialect)
  • The formation of Itoman: Using floor Video effectively, visitors can get a bird's-eye view of the changes in Itoman's topography, as if they were going back in time.
  • Itoman's Gusuku: A combination of immersive aerial photography using high-speed drones, diorama models, and excavated materials reveals the site from a different perspective
  • A town of agriculture, fishing and commerce: The image of the old Itoman market Spatial Production through the use of sculpture and sound effects. It also shows how Ichiman Ammar (Itoman women) sell fish.
  • The site where the Battle of Okinawa ended: A sculpture of the Itoman Rotary, a symbol of the city, is recreated. A monochrome world view shows the city's recovery from rubble.
  • Traditional culture still lives on: Introducing traditional lunar calendar events that remain in various parts Itoman City, such as the Itoman Harley and the Itoman Great Tug of War. Sending people off to cultural Tourism in the city.

Photo: INDIE BOND NETWORKS

About the Project

Overview This is a Tourism and cultural exchange facility that opened in 2022, the historic milestone of the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's return to Japan and the year in which Itoman City held its 50th anniversary ceremony. In a social context where Okinawa is receiving increasing attention, the facility was developed with the aim of "passing on the memories of the region to the younger generation" to pass on Itoman's seafaring culture and lunar calendar events to the next generation. It consists of a theater exhibit centered on the Sabani and a thematic exhibit featuring local resources, and introduces the history and culture of Itoman by interweaving actual materials and Digital Contents.
Issues/Themes To promote the charm of Itoman so that it will lead to travel throughout the city and cultural exchange. To pass on the local culture, including the lunar calendar and traditional events, to the next generation.
Space Solution/Realization The story of the exhibition unfolds as the fishermen look out over the beaches of Itoman from the sea on their sabani. A place has been created where visitors can experience the diverse charms of Itoman as they follow the scenery that leads from the sea, gusuku (castle), market, fields, and the town where the traditional culture of the lunar calendar lives on. By creating a new sabani, a symbol of the fishermen's culture, for the exhibition, the museum is putting traditional techniques into practice. Furthermore, the museum has responded to the issue of passing on and preserving the lunar calendar and traditional events that are rooted in the city, which have been canceled due to the impact of COVID-19, to the next generation by systematically and daily introducing traditional events that can only be seen in that season, and passing them on to the future with an exhibition that introduces them in a way that is easy to understand and understand.
Design for Environment Energy-saving design: Energy-efficient Video, audio and information equipment has been selected.
Universal design: We aimed for content design that is easy to understand and has good visibility for everyone, as well as simple operability.
Safe design: The fixtures are designed to be safe and durable, taking into consideration group use.

Basic Information

Client Itoman City
Services Provided Research & Analysis, Facility Concept Planning, Display Planning, Design, Layout, Production, Construction, Video Production
Our Team Creative Direction: Yoshitaka Aguni
Planning: Noriaki Tanigawa, Ryoko Ohashi
Design, Layout: Atsushi Takayanagi, Takashi Fukuda
Location Okinawa Prefecture
Open April 2022
Website https://www.kukuru-itomancity.jp/
Tag
Yoshitaka Aguni

Creative Direction

Yoshitaka Aguni

We are involved in planning in a wide range of fields, with a focus on museums. We value the "narrative" aspect of finding stories from objects, people, and themes, and building new concepts, while giving shape to what our clients truly want to communicate.

Main Achievements

Renewal of the Global Gallery at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Intermediatheque, Eiji Tsuburaya Museum, Takamatsu Miraie (Takamatsu Children's Future Museum), renewal of the Mitsubishi Minatomirai Industrial Museum (Aerospace Zone and Ocean Zone), renewal of the Sapporo Sewerage Science Museum, and more

*The shared information and details of the project is accurate as of the date they were posted. There may have been unannounced changes at a later date.