Projection mapping has colored buildings and open spaces brilliantly at festivals and events around the world. In recent years, with the majestic scale and fantastical world views of its works, it has grown more and more popular globally. In Japan, works expressing the concept of "Japaneseness" are gaining greater attention.

Projection Mapping Is the Talk of the Town in Japan and Other Countries!

Have you ever seen projection mapping? Also called video mapping, projection mapping refers to techniques of projecting a computer-generated three-dimensional video onto a three-dimensional object. Anything, from small object such as a shoe to a huge building, can be the screen for images and video. A complex video displayed on a three-dimensional object with an uneven surface gives the illusion that the object is moving, transforming or glowing. So we can experience a dynamic world not possible with images shown on a flat surface.

Projection mapping works that are well known internationally include the shows on Cologne Cathedral in Germany and Sagrada Familia in Spain, both of which are registered World Heritage sites. The breathtakingly beautiful light and sound shows have attracted large crowds. Designers and artists in Japan as well have been polishing their techniques and creating reputable works that are shown in other countries too. Let's take a look at attractive projection mapping shows in Japan.

Japanese Culture Experienced As a Combination of Tradition and State-of-the-Art Technology

First, let's look at projection mapping applied at the historic site of Marugame Castle in Kagawa Prefecture. Many Japanese castles were built about 400 to 800 years ago by the lords of their regions. Today, people can experience traditional Japanese aesthetics at castles, whose history, architectural beauty and other characteristics symbolize Japan. Marugame Castle is built on a base of piled-up stones, which form huge stone walls with a height of 60 meters. The stone walls and castle walls above them were the screens for projection mapping at the castle. Images projected one after another on the walls changed the look of the stone from all gray in the daytime to simply overwhelming colors in a spectacular show.

In Kyoto, Kodaiji Temple (a Buddhist religious facility) presented a fantastic work based on the Buddha's teachings of muga (a caution against self-obsession) and rinne (a belief that the soul goes through an endless cycle of birth and death). Visitors were thrilled by the entertaining video, when the gravel on the ground rippled like waves on water and a large dragon appeared in front of them.

Somewhere else we can enjoy projection mapping is at a sento (a public bath that customers pay to use) – Japanese people go to a sento to relax while bathing. One sento, founded in Tokyo in 1956, provides the highest degree of luxurious relaxation with a light show inspired by the movement of hot water. Projected images with a geometric motif dance freely across the ceiling of the bath during the show.

This Is How Cool Japan Is: The Latest Technology Shows Off Popular Anime!

What does it mean to be "Japanese" lately? Projection mapping works based on anime and manga comics can show you what it's like. An example is a show based on the popular anime series "Evangelion," playing (as of January 2017) at an amusement park in Yamanashi Prefecture. A full-scale bust of one of the mecha appearing in the anime is the screen, with projection mapping used to tell an original story that unfolds with a flashing laser light show and pounding music. The show has won great popularity. One spectator said, "The battle scenes felt so real, like I was there. It got me excited, feeling like I was in the story too!"

Japan is home to the culture of anime and manga comics. Did you know that Japanese people also enjoy the characters and stories featured in free prizes included with snacks? Of these, a chocolate wafer snack sold with an original character trading card was greeted with enthusiasm and is now loved by children across Japan. In 2015, the manufacturer hosted a projection mapping show featuring about 1,300 past and present characters to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the product launch. The fans who came to watch broke into loud cheers when the characters appeared to jump out of a huge screen, which was part of the gorgeous effects of the show.

People never get tired of seeing the projection mapping works created in Japan because of their magical effects. They move us to see traditional sightseeing spots in new ways or take us into our favorite anime worlds. We look forward to what future shows will be like. What kind of shows do you want to see?