Does your museum exhibit Japanese material?
Then this page is for you
"[We live in] a very special time where you can bring field trips to people."
Professor Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab
Executive Summary
- We are Japan based specialists on creation of metaverse spaces and content with a global perspective.
- Metaverse technology offers a completely new, high-impact exhibition method.
- We have a solid track record of working with Japanese local and national government, Buddhist temples and other cultural institutions. This allows us unique access to cultural heritage assets in the country.
- Click to scroll down for more information.
- Production of 3D assets and metaverse environment can be time consuming and costly.
- We have a turn-key solution to get you started quickly and affordably - a digital twin of a real life Zen temple in Japan
- This page details how the temple works, what the benefits are, and how you can access it
- We also build custom solutions and help connect you to Japanese partners
- We are certified resellers of ENGAGE, the leading Metaverse platform for businesses, educational institutions, and professionals
- You are invited to a private guided tour of our metaverse temple (yes, we do Zoom too :) )
The metaverse-native museum
To enter or not to enter the Metaverse...
As a decision maker at a museum, you are always looking for new ways to engage your audience, showcase your collection, and expand your reach. You may have heard of the metaverse, a term that describes a shared virtual reality where people can interact with each other and with digital content.
But have you ever considered creating a metaverse-native museum? A metaverse-native museum is not just a replica of your physical space in the virtual world. It is a space that has been built in and for the metaverse, with content that has been designed or adjusted specifically for the usage, interaction, and existence within the metaverse.
But have you ever considered creating a metaverse-native museum? A metaverse-native museum is not just a replica of your physical space in the virtual world. It is a space that has been built in and for the metaverse, with content that has been designed or adjusted specifically for the usage, interaction, and existence within the metaverse.
We specialize in metaverse world and content creation
Our company specializes in producing content for the metaverse, such as immersive experiences and 3D models. The above example was featured in the "Most Popular top ten" cultural heritage list [LINK] on Sketchfab.
We can help you transform your museum into a metaverse-native one, by offering you:
We can help you transform your museum into a metaverse-native one, by offering you:
- A competitive edge over other museums that are still stuck in the physical world
- A wider reach and exposure to global audiences who may not be able to visit your physical location
- A stronger brand identity and reputation as an innovative and forward-thinking institution
- A fast and cost-effective route to the metaverse by using a turn-key solution that is up and running today
By creating a metaverse-native museum with our services, you can benefit from:
- A customized design of your virtual space, based on your vision and goals
- A variety of interactive features and events that can enhance your visitors’ experience and engagement
- A cross-platform accessibility that allows your visitors to access your museum from any device or platform
- A marketing strategy that leverages social media and influencers to attract new audiences
Turn-key solution: The temple of the Jewel Dragon
Our firm has been painstakingly recreating the interior of the Zen temple Gyokuryu-ji (Temple of the Jewel Dragon) in Gero City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, in virtual reality since the summer of this year. The goal is to give people all over the world their first fully immersive experience of a Zen temple.
We began guided tours in January 2023, and you are welcome to request a private tour.
We began guided tours in January 2023, and you are welcome to request a private tour.
You might be wondering how a temple that is still in use can also be a museum. That is possible with a digital twin in the metaverse, accessible from anywhere, at any time, and without visitors invading a sacred space. This method opens up a whole new level of accessibility.
"We were successful in creating a virtual cultural heritage site that can be used for in-person meetings without the need for physical proximity."
We were successful in creating a virtual cultural heritage site that can be used for in-person meetings without the need for physical proximity. For example, guests can interact with the abbot as if they were in the same room. The intimacy of in-person meetings in Virtual Reality using VR headsets far exceeds that of Zoom meetings on flat screens. However, flat screen users are not excluded because our VR platform ENGAGE will provide a window into the world via its PC and phone applications.
"First-time users are frequently surprised by the strong intimacy of in-person meetings, resulting in emotional and strongly positive reactions."
First-time users are frequently surprised by the strong intimacy of in-person meetings, resulting in emotional and strongly positive reactions. Furthermore, the temple's interior has a long story to tell from many perspectives, including art and craftsmanship, Zen philosophy, the history of the temple and the surrounding region, and so on. We meet visitors at regular events in which the abbot participates.
This is a world first, and the same idea can be applied to any museum presentation of Japanese material.
This is a world first, and the same idea can be applied to any museum presentation of Japanese material.
- We can, for example, add custom content based on the Zen theme. Zen is central to Japanese culture.
- Parts of the temple can also be recycled to create a different but still affordable Japanese environment.
- We can also create something from scratch.
- The space can be used for guided tours by your curators.
- Anyone from anywhere in the world with access to the Internet is able to attend.
- Anyone from anywhere in the world with access to the Internet is able to attend.
- We will assist in the training of guides for your space.
- ENGAGE was designed for educators and is widely used by academic institutions such as Stanford University and Oxford University.
- ENGAGE was designed for educators and is widely used by academic institutions such as Stanford University and Oxford University.
How will this provide value for my museum?
As a decision maker, we understand that you need to consider several important factors to ensure that it aligns with your museum's mission and values and provides an enriching and meaningful experience for our visitors. We believe these are some important requirements that you will have, so let us briefly explain how we will meet them.
Authenticity
The metaverse Zen temple should be an authentic representation of Zen Buddhist practices and traditions. What steps do you take to accurately depict the architecture, art, and rituals of a traditional Zen temple?
We have worked in close collaboration with the Priest-in-Chief of the Gyokuryu-ji Zen temple to accurately capture the interior of the building. We were able, for example, to scan in full detail the very rare buddha statue which is dangling one leg. The statue was removed and lowered to the floor for the first time in memory, and was captured in exquisite detail as can be seen in the Sketchfab viewer here below. Another example is the floor of the main hall, which in our model reveals the wooden flooring under the tatami mats in the middle. This is the true style of a Zen temple; however it is normally covered by tatami in the Gyokuryu-ji for practical reasons.
Educational Value
The metaverse Zen temple should provide an educational experience for our visitors. This means that it should be informative and offer insights into the history, philosophy, and practices of Zen Buddhism. It should also be age-appropriate and accessible to a wide range of visitors. How will you provide this educational value?
Since the inception of our company, we have worked in close co-operation with cultural workers in our region, such as the experimental archaeologist Sokei Aoyama who has reengineered the production method of the white tenmoku tea bowl. Our 3D model of the bowl was featured by the Sketchfab cultural heritage team.
Recognizing that visual representation is only a first step, we spent a summer interviewing the pottery master more than 30 times to create text material and video telling the story of this ceramic tradition. We continue in this tradition with interviews of the priests of the Gyokuryu-ji temple to create stories to be told in the metaverse temple, which serves as a stage.
Using the ENGAGE technology we both provide events that play back automatically on demand as well as in real time. Visitors are able to engage with the Gyokuryu-ji Priest-in-Chief, Hokaku Sasaki, in real-time. This is the first time a Zen priest is able to meet attendees in-person irrespective of physical proximity. You can engage him in a discussion of Zen or any other topic related to the temple. This is all possible thanks to the unique properties of VR technology. In fact, Mr. Sasaki has just acquired a VR headset to be able to appear embodied in his avatar, for a more personal experience.
Recognizing that visual representation is only a first step, we spent a summer interviewing the pottery master more than 30 times to create text material and video telling the story of this ceramic tradition. We continue in this tradition with interviews of the priests of the Gyokuryu-ji temple to create stories to be told in the metaverse temple, which serves as a stage.
Using the ENGAGE technology we both provide events that play back automatically on demand as well as in real time. Visitors are able to engage with the Gyokuryu-ji Priest-in-Chief, Hokaku Sasaki, in real-time. This is the first time a Zen priest is able to meet attendees in-person irrespective of physical proximity. You can engage him in a discussion of Zen or any other topic related to the temple. This is all possible thanks to the unique properties of VR technology. In fact, Mr. Sasaki has just acquired a VR headset to be able to appear embodied in his avatar, for a more personal experience.
Interactivity
This type of museum can add value by providing interactivity in several ways:
- It can allow visitors to explore the museum at their own pace and preference, choosing what to see and how to see it
- It can enable visitors to interact with the exhibits and each other, using voice, text, gestures, and avatars
- It can offer visitors immersive experiences that can transport them to different times and places, or create surreal and impossible scenarios
Accessibility
"People can now, with a very modest investment in time and money, go to places and meet people they would never have encountered in the pre-metaverse world"
A metaverse application such as ENGAGE makes it possible to access people and places normally far beyond people's every day's life experience. Starting on phones and PCs as observers, and upgrading into full, embodied VR presence by wearing a VR headset, people can now, with a very modest investment in time and money, go to places and meet people they would never have encountered in the pre-metaverse world. The remaining obstacle is time difference. One elegant solution is to create a fully automade event where the presenter will meet you as a hologram any time and date of the year, with a push of a button.
Cultural Sensitivity
The metaverse Zen temple should be culturally sensitive and respectful of Zen Buddhist traditions and practices. This means that it should not appropriate or misrepresent the culture in any way.
Our company has one foot firmly planted in Japanese culture and the other firmly planted in Western culture. Hans Karlsson, our CTO, arrived in Japan in 1986 and has been a permanent resident since 1989. Because he was immersed in Japanese daily life for decades, he is fluent in the language, culture, customs, and norms. He founded our company on the belief that virtual reality can now help him share this experience in a way that allows people to feel what it's like to live and work here, interact with people, and be immersed in the culture. This mission would be impossible to carry out unless the local culture was respected.
We can only gain access to cultural heritage assets if we demonstrate respect for the owners of those assets. As core members of the team, we also have a Japanese CEO, Kana Oiwa, and a British designer, Jason Miller. To create our metaverse experiences, we collaborate with international designers and programmers. As a result, we are proud to say that we understand and respect both the East and the West. Cultural sensitivity should be reciprocal.
We can only gain access to cultural heritage assets if we demonstrate respect for the owners of those assets. As core members of the team, we also have a Japanese CEO, Kana Oiwa, and a British designer, Jason Miller. To create our metaverse experiences, we collaborate with international designers and programmers. As a result, we are proud to say that we understand and respect both the East and the West. Cultural sensitivity should be reciprocal.
Low-cost and high-value
Without a doubt, this is a source of contention for many museums and educational institutions, and we saved the best for last:
Creating 3D environments is an expensive endeavor. So we built it ahead of time for you. This means that we have already gone through the costly and time-consuming process of laying the groundwork for an exhibition, saving a significant portion of the investment required to get started.
Mimir is a for-profit organization, but we decided that we needed to do our part to help our clients. We spent months and a lot of money building the temple. It can be used as is or disassembled and repurposed for another Japanese story.
The point is, we did the heavy lifting, and if you want to save time and money, you can use the environment as is or modify it. In either case, the cost and time will be much lower than if you start from scratch.
The point is, we did the heavy lifting, and if you want to save time and money, you can use the environment as is or modify it. In either case, the cost and time will be much lower than if you start from scratch.
Technical Requirements
The metaverse Zen temple should meet our museum's technical requirements, including compatibility with our existing digital platforms and accessibility for visitors with disabilities. How do you propose to do this?
Mimir is working with two of the most capable platforms for metaverse content available today -ENGAGE and Sketchfab. ENGAGE has a long history as an educational VR platform and has worked hard to meet the challenging technical requirements of schools, which means accessibility for users of a variety of devices that often underpowered.
- The ENGAGE platform is compatible with everything from high-powered VR headsets to tablets and smartphones. The platform has attracted some of the most famous educational institutions in the world, such as Stanford University and Oxford University. Users can go to film school on ENGAGE or learn how to do surgical procedures. That the platform works for all these non-technical users is a strong indicator of its accessibility and usability.
- Sketchfab is the leader in online 3D visualization. Their robust 3D viewer lets you showcase interactive 3D models anywhere. In our experience the Sketchfab 3D viewer is unmatched for visual quality, is easy enough to use for anyone, and works anywhere where there is an Internet connection.
Hardware and software
In order for virtual visitors and event participants to experience the temple and its content they will need to use a VR headset for an immersive experience, or a flat screen device such as a PC, tablet or smartphone to visit as a non-embodied observer.
Simply put, headset users will feel like they visit the temple physically and met the people there in person. Flat screen users will experience these things as they would do a TV show, with the main difference that they can navigate within the show. Whether the visitors use full VR or non-embodied VR, they need a device with ENGAGE installed on it. These devices will need to be provided by the museum or by the users themselves.
Simply put, headset users will feel like they visit the temple physically and met the people there in person. Flat screen users will experience these things as they would do a TV show, with the main difference that they can navigate within the show. Whether the visitors use full VR or non-embodied VR, they need a device with ENGAGE installed on it. These devices will need to be provided by the museum or by the users themselves.
It is also possible for priests and others connected to the temple to record their presence in the space, which can be re-experienced in virtual reality by visitors at their convenience. The history of this ancient temple will be presented through a wide range of rich media formats in these recordings.
"Gyokury-Ji was founded by the monk Gyoki during the Nara period, about 1,300 years ago. Gyoki, who was on a pilgrimage around the country, visited this area and enshrined the Yakushi Nyorai (Medicine Buddha) there, as he felt it was a sacred place. It has been worshipped as a sacred place with great spiritual significance. In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), among other works, a statue of the Kannon (Goddess of Mercy) by Jikaku Daishi was brought to the temple from Kamakura, and a statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha by Eshin Szu was brought from Mount Hiei in Kyoto. Both statues, created by famous Japanese high priests, are more than 1,000 years old."
(Excerpt from a Gyokuryu-Ji original text)
Working with this temple and its young chief priest, we have found them to be remarkably receptive to the potential of new technology and to opening up to the outside world. You may be aware that Japan was isolated from the rest of the world for hundreds of years during the so-called Sakoku period (1633–1853), and that this created a cultural and language barrier that has persisted to the present day and hinders communication between Japan and the rest of the world. Without having to travel, we can now facilitate face-to-face meetings between Japanese and non-Japanese, opening up the possibility of a brand-new kind of cross-cultural dialogue.
A walkthrough of the PC VR (high-end) version when it was about 80% finished. This versions is made for local base installations.
Museums and their curators all over the world are invited to collaborate with us to make this possible for visitors at any time and from any location through live performances that include audience participation and dialogue with the priests, the artists and artisans involved in the restoration of the temple, and so forth. These events can take many forms, such as Zen meditation sessions, lectures, Q&As, etc.
Introduction to the cloud-based version, which we provide for social VR events. The temple serves as a stage which we populate with a variety of rich media for events and meetings.
Sessions can be accessed through the Engage Link platform on a wide range of devices, from the most common flat screen devices like smartphones, tablets, and PCs to, of course, VR headsets, which will enable the immersive experience afforded by this new medium.
Mimir is documenting the temple's construction with videos and providing directions for visiting and attending events. Our team also contributes to the presentation of the temple's cultural history and helps arrange actual temple visits.
I look forward to discussing the possibility of providing this experience to your visitors.
Hans Karlsson
CTO, Mimir LLC, Japan
About Mimir LLC
Mimir is a virtual reality creative agency based in Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Since 2016, we have provided VR experiences for visitors to the country, including interactive virtual travel experiences and on-location VR. Our work has focused on cultural heritage, such as the collections of the Gifu Prefecture Museum of Modern Ceramic Art and the Daijuji Zen temple in Aichi Prefecture, which we transformed into a fully gamified VR experience. We have extensive experience working with local and national government agencies.
Company profile
Address: 1-3-4 Onadacho, Tajimi-shi, Gifu 507-0004, Japan
Year of establishment: December 5, 2016
Representative: Kana Oiwa
Co-representative: Hans Karlsson
Year of establishment: December 5, 2016
Representative: Kana Oiwa
Co-representative: Hans Karlsson
Services
- High quality 3D model production
- 3D/VR contents production
- Metaverse space production / Metaverse event management
- 3D-CG video production
- High quality 360°image production
- Drone base image and 3D production
- Support for overseas business communications
- Certified resellers of the ENGAGE metavers platform
Major Government and Local Government Funded Cultural Projects to Date
April 2017-Present
Tajimi City Tourism Association
Overseas promotion of Tajimi City for inbound tourism
Website https://www.discovertajimi.com
Metaverse tea room event space https://rec.net/room/TryArchery
Metaverse Virtual Tours of Tajimi City https://www.discovertajimi.com/vrtour.html
Oct. 2021
Gifu International Ceramics Festival Mino '21
High quality 360° image production
https://tinyurl.com/gifufestival
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu
The Power of Contemporary Taiwanese Ceramics: Works from the Collection of the Yingge Ceramics Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan High-resolution 360° image production
https://tinyurl.com/gifutaiwan
March 2022
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu
Production of 17 high-resolution 3D models of works in the collection
https://sketchfab.com/momcagifu/models
The Agency for Cultural Affairs, FY 2021 "Project to Promote the Attractiveness of Japanese Culture through the Use of Advanced Technology".
Okazaki City Night Time Economy Promotion Council
Production of high-definition VR model of the sliding paintings of the Okazaki City Okazaki City Okazaki City, Japan
Programming and gamification of local based VR experience
https://sentan.bunka.go.jp/reportr3/19/
As of March 2023
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu
48 high-resolution 3D models of works in the collection are currently under production
Tajimi City Tourism Association
Overseas promotion of Tajimi City for inbound tourism
Website https://www.discovertajimi.com
Metaverse tea room event space https://rec.net/room/TryArchery
Metaverse Virtual Tours of Tajimi City https://www.discovertajimi.com/vrtour.html
Oct. 2021
Gifu International Ceramics Festival Mino '21
High quality 360° image production
https://tinyurl.com/gifufestival
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu
The Power of Contemporary Taiwanese Ceramics: Works from the Collection of the Yingge Ceramics Museum, New Taipei City, Taiwan High-resolution 360° image production
https://tinyurl.com/gifutaiwan
March 2022
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu
Production of 17 high-resolution 3D models of works in the collection
https://sketchfab.com/momcagifu/models
The Agency for Cultural Affairs, FY 2021 "Project to Promote the Attractiveness of Japanese Culture through the Use of Advanced Technology".
Okazaki City Night Time Economy Promotion Council
Production of high-definition VR model of the sliding paintings of the Okazaki City Okazaki City Okazaki City, Japan
Programming and gamification of local based VR experience
https://sentan.bunka.go.jp/reportr3/19/
As of March 2023
Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gifu
48 high-resolution 3D models of works in the collection are currently under production
About Engage
Mimir LLC is one of the few certified resellers of ENGAGE licences in the world. We promote the platform in Japan.
Used extensively for virtual events, corporate communications, education and training ENGAGE is used by clients such as 3M, Stanford University, Lenovo, HTC, KIA and many other fortune 500 companies globally to help make their virtual metaverse strategies a reality.
ENGAGE is a metaverse platform designed for professionals, event organizers and corporations to build their own virtual worlds to provide metaverse services directly to their own clients and to build out new business models.
ENGAGE is a metaverse platform designed for professionals, event organizers and corporations to build their own virtual worlds to provide metaverse services directly to their own clients and to build out new business models.
