Monday, March 6, 2023
On Saturday, March 4th, from 4:00 PM, a collaborative event featuring "Sky Lanterns®", "Planetarium Projection with Projection Mapping", and "Hokuryu Taiko Drum Performance" was held at the Hokuryu Town Rural Improvement Environment Center Gymnasium.
- 1 1st Sky Lantern® & Projection Mapping Planetarium
- 2 Sky Lantern®
- 3 A talk by Nobuyuki Murakami
- 4 Moderator: Ikuko Sugimoto (25 years of resident status in Hokuryu Town)
- 5 Hokuryu Taiko Welcome Performance
- 6 Greetings from Mayor Yutaka Sano
- 7 Projection mapping and Hokuryu Taiko collaborative performance
- 8 Projection mapping onto the ceiling
- 9 Everyone's wishes and pictures drawn on lantern balloons
- 10 Sky lantern launch
- 11 Gifts of sweets to children
- 12 YouTube videos
- 13 Other photos
- 14 Related articles and sites
1st Sky Lantern® & Projection Mapping Planetarium
Approximately 150 people, including nursery school, elementary school, and junior high school students, their families, and related parties, participated in the event and shared the heartwarming moment of the fantastic lights.
- Organizer:Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen
- plan:Hokuryu Town Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team (Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki)
- cooperation:Hokkaido Information University, Hokuryu Taiko
- Contents:
15:30~ Advance registration
16:30~ Hokuryu Taiko Live Performance
17:30~ Sky Lantern® Launch
18:00 End
Planning: Hokuryu Town Regional Revitalization Cooperation Volunteers Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki
Projection mapping: Hokkaido Information University
The project was planned and produced mainly by Associate Professor Keitaro Oshima, Lecturer Dai Kawahara, and third-year students at Hokkaido Information University.
The students are Ochiai Nanaka, Kawamura Yuki, Shibukawa Masahiro (leader), Torii Seiji, Tsutsui Teruto, Naito Yuki, Arai Tsubasa, and Yamazaki Yuuki.
Planetarium projection
At this event, in addition to the video that was projected onto the exterior wall of Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen in October last year, a newly produced planetarium video of the night sky of Hokuryu Town was projected. The video of the night sky and starry sky was created by students from the University of Information Science who stayed overnight at Hokuryu Onsen and took long-term video recordings of the actual night sky of Hokuryu Town.
Sky Lantern®
Approximately 70 Sky Lanterns® were prepared. Before the event began, approximately 130 participants (66 children from kindergartens, elementary schools, and junior high schools in the town, and 63 parents) gathered in the exchange space inside the Kaizen Center, where they wrote wishes and drew pictures on the lanterns, each with their own thoughts and feelings.
Fire-free helium LED lantern
The lantern balloons being launched this time are fire-free "LED Sky Lanterns®," square vinyl balloon-shaped lanterns inflated with helium gas and with LED lights attached to the bottom with double-sided tape.
Each kite comes with a string and weight, so it can be retrieved after launch.
The launch was divided into seven booths.
During the launch, participants will be divided into seven booths and each person will launch their own lantern from their own location.
After the event, everyone was able to take home their lantern balloons as souvenirs.
A talk by Nobuyuki Murakami
"We have prepared 100 LED light balloon lanterns. They are safe because they do not use fire, and they come with string so they are easy to collect. The children can take the lantern balloons home as souvenirs after the event.
For this event, we decided to recruit people to help with the launch party from after-school childcare centers in the town, Shinryu Elementary School, and Hokuryu Junior High School. With the cooperation of the schools, participation information was distributed and attendance was tallied, which made the event go smoothly.
We would like to thank the Hokkaido Information University staff who provided the projection mapping in October last year for their generous cooperation this time as well. The planetarium will feature projection mapping of photographs of the actual starry sky of Hokuryu Town, which will be projected simultaneously with the lantern launch.
The idea of holding the event in the gymnasium was actually proposed by Deputy Mayor Toshimasa Takahashi, who decided to hold it there because it would be warm and safe, considering the winter wind, snow, and cold.
I would be happy if the children of Hokuryu Town could leave their memories of Hokuryu in some form. I was also glad that the mayor of Hokuryu gave a speech this time.
The children are looking forward to getting together and having fun doing all sorts of things together. We feel that this atmosphere of having fun with friends and family will be a valuable experience.
"Everyone seemed to enjoy participating, so I think it was really great," said Murakami.
Moderator: Ikuko Sugimoto (25 years of resident status in Hokuryu Town)
The event was conducted smoothly, harmoniously and enjoyably thanks to the excellent host, who moved around the gymnasium and conducted live interviews with participants.
Hokuryu Taiko Welcome Performance
Two songs were played, and a soul-stirring, heroic beat reverberated throughout the gymnasium.
Greetings from Mayor Yutaka Sano
"Today, Hokuryu Town Regional Revitalization Support Team members Nobuyuki Murakami and Yui Sasaki organized a wonderful event. It was a major event that combined Sky Lanterns® with projection mapping and a planetarium.
For this event, students from Hokkaido Information University cooperated with us in the projection mapping. Last October, we also showed a video produced in collaboration with the Hokuryu Taiko group at Sunflower Park Hokuryu Onsen. We heard many comments from the townspeople saying they were moved by the video, so we are very much looking forward to this year's event.
After this, there will be a dynamic performance by Hokuryu Taiko, and with images projected onto the ceiling, I am really looking forward to seeing how the Sky Lanterns® will fly through the air, creating a fantastical atmosphere. I hope that this event will be a great success.
"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the nursery school children, elementary school students, junior high school students, and parents who participated, and conclude my opening remarks. I hope you all enjoy the event. I look forward to your continued support," said Mayor Yutaka Sano.
Projection mapping and Hokuryu Taiko collaborative performance
As the Hokuryu Taiko drums sang, images were projected onto the stage showing a number of scenes of the Himawari Girls performing the drums with splendor.
A wonderful projection mapping image that perfectly matches the beating of the drums.
Projection mapping onto the ceiling
The video projected onto the ceiling was a combination of several scenes, including countless stars shining in the winter sky of Hokuryu Town, Himawari Saki-chan (Hokuryu Town's image character) taking off into space on a rocket, and a rabbit hopping.
Everyone's wishes and pictures drawn on lantern balloons
"May the coronavirus disappear."
"May this world be at peace."
"I hope you become good at volleyball"
"I hope you don't catch a cold."
"I hope your sprain heals."
When MC Sugimoto introduced the comment, "I hope you don't get into a fight with your friend Ino-chan," the audience erupted in applause and exclaimed, "That's wonderful!"
Lots of wonderful comments and pictures!!!
Sky lantern launch
As soon as the lights in the gymnasium were turned off, the orange light of the lantern balloons rose into the air, and a cheer of "Wow, it's beautiful!" erupted!!!
Lantern balloons float up in the air in unison against the Hokuryu Town night sky projected onto the ceiling!
These unique lantern balloons float up to the ceiling, some slowly and softly, while others spin around quickly like spaceships.
Embracing everyone's precious thoughts, the beautiful lantern balloons float in the air, emitting a warm, cozy light. Be enchanted by the fantastical space.
It was a touching moment that made my heart feel light and warm.
Gifts of sweets to children
We will be giving away sweets to the children who participated!
The children headed home with their families with big smiles on their faces, clutching tightly the lantern balloons filled with their wishes and the sweets they received as gifts.
We put the warm feelings and countless feelings of gratitude we hold in our hearts into the soft light of the lantern balloons, and pour our boundless love, gratitude, and prayers into the "Sky Lanterns® & Projection Mapping Planetarium," a fantastical space that the whole family can enjoy to the fullest.
YouTube videos
Other photos
Related articles and sites
◇ Photography and editing: Noboru Terauchi Interview and text: Ikuko Terauchi
