The  new  project  based  on  the  folklore    “Fox  with  Nine  Tails”  descended  in  Nasu  

“ Project 9b ” Start-up

Cartoonist  Akira  Himekawa  Ar?s?c  Direc?on Press conference documents

November  06,  2017 Nasu Tourism Association

Project 9b @ Nasu ‘Project 9b’ Press documents / Nasu Tourism Association

The folklore “FOX with Nine Tails” is story in Heian Era which fox monster was busted and changed to “Sesshoseki Rock”. But we in Nasu think that the fox is reflected our nature and the life itself of the people living here. It is told that this folklore might come from India or China, and there are similar stories in Korea, Vietnam. Recently this is spread to the world via TV drama, cartoon and “Monster boom” as Japanese pop culture.

       

We Nasu Tourism Association start information transmission activity utilizing new technology of AR(Augmented Reality) and digital contents services. We newly present “Kyubi-Gitsune” character coming from our folklore. It is overwhelming presence in our town, and provides you relationship, communication and delight. “Kyubi-Gitsune”, the image of the power and mystery would also spread the beauty of Nasu to all

over the world, mainly Euro-American who feels Japanese culture so cool. It also would tempt you into interest for Nasu, knowledge about Nasu, and trip to Nasu.   Akira Himekawa known to all over the world as cartoonist and illustrator will cooperate with us to present original character, and be responsible for artistic director of this project. And Seiichi Tanaka, always innovating something new for Japanese cartoon field with teaching at Bunsei University of Art, also collaborate with us as Editor. The project to spread fascination of Nasu to all over the world will finally kick-off.

“Project 9b”  

Project 9b @ Nasu

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‘Project 9b’ Press documents / Nasu Tourism Association

Project 9b Art Director : Akira Himekawa / Cartoonist, Illustrator Planning partner/Editor : Seiichi Tanaka

Professor : Bunsei University of Art Vice-director of Tetsuya Chiba Manga innovation research laboratory

Planning/Operation : Nasu Tourism Assositation Produce(AR/motion picture) : AID Co.,Ltd. Partnership : Nasu Town

　　 Tochigi Prefecture (Tochigi Destination Campaign) Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan

  …And thanks to all concerned in Nasu town  

Taskforce

Project 9b @ Nasu

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‘Project 9b’ Press documents / Nasu Tourism Association

Project 9b @ Nasu

Informa?on  transmission  u?lizing  AR(Augmented  Reality)  and  digital  contents. (1)  Appearance  of  “Kyubi-­‐Gitsune”  inhabi?ng  Sesshoseki,  symbolized  as  power  and  

mystery  of  Nasu. ‣　Akira  Himekawa  newly  presents  “Kyubi-­‐Gitsune”  character  to  represent  image  of  Nasu. 　‣　The  character  appears  here  and  there  in  Nasu.  “Himekawa’s  Ar?s?c  world”    will                  surround  whole  of  our  town. ‣　You  can  find  it  on  internet,  in  leaflet,  or  at  campaign  etc. ‣    In  near  future,  its  ac?ve  field  will  be  expanded  more  and  more  (cartoon,  anima?on,                            Japanese  culture  exhibi?on  at  abroad  etc.). (2)  “Kyubi-­‐Gitsune”  is  your  pilot.  Giving  you  sightseeing                  informa?on  at  the  site  with  mul?-­‐language. ‣　The  boards  with  QR(Quick  Response)  cord  and  “Kyubi-­‐                  Gitsune”  picture  are  posted  at  specific  site  in  Nasu                        town 　‣　Scanning  QR  code  on  the  board  by  your  smartphone,                    mo?on  pictures  with  voices  and  words  are  appeared                    on  your  phone. ‣　It  provides  you  origin  of  the  site  and  sightseeing                  informa?on  with  trilingual  edi?on(Japanese,  English                  and  Chinese). ‣    Most  famous  9  places  having  historical  background  are                nominated  first  as  specific  site.            (Places)  Sesshoseki  Stone,  Nasu  Onsen(Spa),                  Komadome  Waterfalls,  Nasu  Heisei  no  Mori,                                Mt.Chausudake,  Yahata  azalea  park,                Yugyoyanagi    willow,  Kurodahara,  Tosando  area

Contents

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‘Project 9b’ Press documents / Nasu Tourism Association

Project 9b @ Nasu

(3)  U?lizing  AR,  you  can  enjoy  taking  pictures  with  the  character,  and  joining  mobile  stamp  rally. ‣　Scanning  “Kyubi-­‐Gitsune”  picture  on  the  board  (AR  marker)  with  “cocoar2”  applica?on,  the              character  appears  on  your  smartphone.            You  can  take  photos  with  it  against  real  scene.            Unique  pictures  at  each  site,  newly  presented  for  this  project  by  Mr.Himekawa.

▶ ▶ ▶

‣　Collec?ng  all  the  9  characters,  we  will  present  you  special  gid.

‣　Ader  taking  photos,  change  to  stamp  rally  window.          To  join  the  rally,  you  collect  the  character’s  data  at  every  site  in  your              phone.

 ★First  special  gid  will  be  mo?on  pictures  newly  illustrated  by  Akira  Himekawa. ★Changing  the  gid  seasonally,  offer  you  to  enjoy  again  and  again

Let’s  try  undiscovered  experience  for  fully  enjoying  whole  of  Nasu  Area. 5

‘Project 9b’ Press documents / Nasu Tourism Association

Project 9b @ Nasu

Opera?on  star?ng  day:  April  01,  2018

〇All  the  contents  will  be  available  from  Apr.01,  2018.   〇The  project  starts  with  9  sightseeing  spots  at  first.      der  the  period,  we  will  make  it  much  more  func?onal  informa?on  plajorm  for  the  future,  which    more  sightseeing  facili?es  would  join  the  project,    and    the  marker  be  akached  on  various  goods          to  enjoy  more  character’s  ac?ng.    〇We  no?ce  this  project  as  one  of  our  main  campaign  program  of  “Tochigi  Des?na?on  Campaign”  and  con?nue  even  ader  the  Campaign.  〇Department  of  Ministry  of  the  Environment  Government  of  Japan  supports  us  to  post  all  the      ar?cles  for  this  project  in  Nikko  Na?onal  Park  area.  〇Bunsei  University  of  Art  researching  about  “Mo?on”(moving  cartoon)  is  also  suppor?ng  this  project.

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‘Project 9b’ Press documents / Nasu Tourism Association