When night falls on The Land of the Rising Sun, Osaka Castle Park comes to life with ‘Sakuya Lumina’, an interactive night walk that blends lighting effects, soundscapes, scenography, audiovisual technology together with beautiful surroundings. Canadian multimedia studio Moment Factory has created an engaging experience inspired by the area’s beauty and local culture. Tempest’s Blizzard and Cyclone enclosures are used to protect projectors powering a series of impressive visuals created to delight guests year-round.
“What’s so impressive about this immersive installation – aside from its obvious beauty – is the way Moment Factory has harnessed a host of complex technical elements to enhance the aesthetic of the park, and guide guests through a fun and engaging narrative for all ages,” says Tim Burnham, Tempest’s president. “It’s clear that visitors young and old are enjoying the experience. Given that it is running every day, it’s vital that the projection equipment remains ultra-reliable. That’s where we come in; ensuring that projectors are well protected from the elements, eliminating the possibility of deadly condensation, and keeping everything running at an optimal temperature.”
A total of 10 Panasonic laser projectors – six PT-RZ12s and four PT-RZ21s – are protected by Tempest enclosures. Of the six PT-RZ12 projectors, two were placed inside Tempest Blizzard 52.100.U enclosures, and used with ultra-short-throw lenses. The other four PT-RZ21s using standard lenses were placed inside Tempest Blizzard 52.100.L enclosures. All PT-RZ21 projectors were installed inside standard Cyclone 55.210.L enclosures.
The experience tells the story of Akiyo, a teenager from the future, who falls through a portal and becomes lost in the present-day Osaka Castle Park. Guests are invited to follow her on her quest to get back to the future, meeting a host of colourful characters along the way. Projection elements are used to map a host of animated content, bringing the story to life. Park features – such as the park’s stone walls – are translated into lively animated cartoons which drive the story forward. The use of augmented reality allows revellers to become part of the spectacle, creating their own ‘joylights’ through face recognition, which is then mapped onto an animated display alongside other visitors at the end of the walk.
With six different Lumina installations in Canada, one in Singapore and now two in Japan, Sakuya Lumina is a collaboration between Moment Factory and Yoshimoto Kogyo, one of Japan’s biggest entertainment companies; the Dentsu Group, a worldwide advertising and communication company network headquartered in Tokyo; and Osaka Castle Park.
Sakuya Lumina takes place at Osaka Castle Park in Osaka, and will run for three consecutive years.
