namahage-in-tokyo

[namahage-in-tokyo]

Namahage in Tokyo / 都市のナマハゲ

“NAMAHAGE in Tokyo” is an attempt to reinterpret the functions of the traditional deities and folklore myth, and implement these in the city of modern era.

In Japanese folklore there exists a beast-like deity called the Namahage. It can be found all over Japan, taking on different appearances and even names depending on the region.  In the traditional Japanese ritual, men would dress up in demon masks and parade through town, visiting houses along the way. Although harmless, it exists to scare those who are lazy or wrongdoing out of their bad habits. Inspired by this tradition, I decided to create a modern-day version of the Namahage specifically for Tokyo, and unleash in onto the streets of Shibuya, Harajuku and Akihabara. This work aims to expose political aspect of these myths by mixing fiction and reality, rituals and cutting edge technology.

Focusing on the contemporary urban relevance of the "NAMAHAGE ritural", "NAMAHAGE in Tokyo" seeks to reconstruct and implement the "NAMAHAGE" system in a modern city. It translates and reinterprets for the urban context the ritual's functions including maintenance of rural community through mutual surveillance, initiation for children to become adults, and reinforcement of family bond.

Making the city their habitat and evolved in adaptation to individual areas like Akihabara, Harajuku, and Sugamo, the "urban NAMAHAGE" identify "bad children" (=adults in need of discipline) in each neighborhood based on the data accumulated by mutual surveillance via social media as well as other networks of surveillance spread across the city. When they emerge on New Year's Yve, these "NAMAHAGE" enforce discipline by mind hacking, taking full advantage of sensing and VR technologies and bringing growth, happiness and blessings to the people of the city.

[Keywords]

urban primitive ritual, images of monster and fear, primal life force, feast, community maintenance, society, of surveillance, theory of urban space, noise, panopticon, the Big Brother

Movie (Full ver.)

[namahage-in-tokyo]

Work Details

Software

[Basic Specifications / Software Concept]

-The purpose of software design is to convert the power of God into a system in modern society by using technology. -We analyzed that concealed functions of visiting deities are community maintenance and surveillance. And we updated those functions to modern era.

【Research Process】 -Researched on common points of visiting deities appeared all over Japan and rural area in Europe, thorough several field work and interview. -As a result, we found that Myths and the existence of folktales actually have very political meaning. those stories has been passed down to the next generation for maintaining the community, such as maintenance of security and mutual surveillance at the village. -We designed system for community maintenance available in modern cities with the motif of "NAMAHAGE note" which is believed that all information of residents in village are recorded by namahage deities.

【Software Design / Functions】

-People in each city can report "bad children = bad mannered people" through social network service named "NAMAHAGE-note", the service created to protect safety of the community.

-The person is identified by those information. When the number of posts reaches threshold, they are added to Namahage-Registry.

-The data of "bad mannered people" in cloud system can't tampered with block chains

-GPS data and address is also identified by personal information. On the night of New Year's Eve, the mysterious existence visits those people. -In "rehabilitation room" by NAMAHAGE, ”discipline" was held by mind hacking, taking full advantage of sensing technologies and Virtual reality."bad mannered people" are forced to see their own bad behavior by projection.

Hardware

-The costume of visiting deities is ordinary made by material of local area and their feature depends on geographical characteristics. 

-The appearance of Namahage changes depending on the geographical characteristics of each village. For example, seaweed is used in seaside settlements, and zelkova bark is used in mountain villages.

-So we made original visiting deities in 3 cities in Tokyo, such as "Akihabara" which is huge electronic city, "Harajuku" where younger people gathering, "Sugamo" which is the city of older people.

-The costume of "NAMAHAGE in Akihabara" was created by Mashing up local speciality in electronic cities such as drone, VR goggles, gaming headphones, plastic models, electronic boards, to express the "urban primitive rituals".

-The "NAMAHAGE in Akihabara" mask, the centerpiece of the present "NAMAHAGE in Tokyo" display, was created by the artist Ikeuchi Hiroto, with the costume by the fashion brand chroma, both offering their own interpretations of "NAMAHAGE in Akihabara" in design and fabrication.

Photo: Cédric Riveau @colorlounge

Technical Requirements

[Specification of the artwork]

Mask : 61cm(W) x 60cm(H) x 61cm(D) / Costume : 81cm(W) x 160cm(H) x 61cm(D) Movie : 07.18 min

[Required] -Display or Screen for movie projection *1 -Male mannequin with head *1 -SmartPhone *1 

[namahage-in-tokyo]

Exhibition View

‘Digital Shamanism: Japanese Funeral and Festivity’ at NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC]

at Spiral

at The Yebisu Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (TOP Museum)

[namahage-in-tokyo]

Artists / Credit

Etsuko Ichihara (JP)

Credit: Tom mesic

New media Artist, Fantasy inventor, Digital Shamanist

Born 1988 in Aichi. Graduated in Studies of Media, Body and Image from the School of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda University. Has been creating artworks that interpret Japanese culture, customs and beliefs from a unique point of view, and present new, technology-based approaches. Thanks to their strong impact, these works have been introduced across a wide range of media, such as Japanese newspapers and TV programs, online media, and foreign magazines. Main works include “Sekuhara Interface,” a device featuring a seductively moaning radish; the “SRxSI system that substitutes reality with delusion” in which users can meet a fictional beautiful woman; and the “Digital Shaman Project” spending 49 days with household robots endowed with impressions of deceased people. Ichihara’s works were included in the Excellence Award at the 20th Japan Media Arts Festival, Entertainment Division in 2017, and in 2016, chosen for the INNOvation program from The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. She won Honorary Mention (Interactive Art＋) in PRIX Ars Electronica 2018 and received a STARTS Prize Nomination in the same year recently.

She has recently presented her works in exhibitions such as ‘Digital Shamanism: Japanese Funeral and Festivity’ at NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC], Japan Media Arts Festival. ,  ‘Cyber Arts Exhibition 2018’ at Ars Electronica Festival in Linz.

ISID Open Innovation LAB (JP)

Developing cutting-edge information technologies or even writing thick reports is not our mission. That’s because these are already available somewhere else in the world. For instance, idea and basic technologies for AR (augmented reality) or iPad existed over a decade ago. By the same token, the cutting-edge technology at our disposal right now should also make it possible to create the future a decade in advance of the present. That’s why we collect and share cutting-edge technologies from all over the world, and try to create a service that no one has experienced. Once it takes shape, we assess its potential by subjecting it to a demonstration experiment. That is because making prototype with technologies – which is neither research nor inquiry – is the very mission of OPEN INNOVATION LAB. We have collaborated with not only companies but also individuals transcending nationalities, generations and industry categories. This has meant, for example, new communication between a large corporation and a venture startup was generated in the project of technology development for a location data service, and was led to an opportunity for a new project. This and other instances of bringing different parties together represent the kind of chemical reaction as only OPEN INNOVATION LAB. is capable. One role of us is to consider what is possible and what can then be put into practice by acting as a hub that brings together people with other people, technologies with other technologies, and people with technologies. Think of us not as a think-tank style venue for R&D but rather a technology boutique that strives to be a place for open innovation to which others can bring their insights.

Credit

Media Art Director: ICHIHARA Etsuko Communication Planner: ABE Genki (ISID OPEN INNOVATION LAB.) Strategist, Manager: KAWAUCHI Yukie Technical Producer: NOZAKI Kazuhisa Supervisor: MORITA Hiroshi (ISID OPEN INNOVATION LAB.) Video Original Writing & Planning: ASO Kamo Video Direction: MATSU Hiroaki (TYO) Video Producer: WATANABE Masashi (MAZRI Inc.) Videography Assistant: ISHIBASHI Hiroki (MAZRI Inc.)

Mask Production of NAMAHAGE in Akihabara: IKEUCHI Hiroto Costume Production of NAMAHAGE in Akihabara: chloma Costume of NAMAHAGE in Harajuku: chloma Mask and Costume Production of NAMAHAGE in Sugamo: korotoro NAKASAKA Akiko UI Visual Design: NAKAMURA Keiichi, YOKOYAMA Naoto (flapper3 Inc.) Motion Graphic: NAKAMURA Keiichi, YOKOYAMA Naoto (flapper3 Inc.) Logo Design: HATA Yurie Website Production: CHONO Kaoru (602 inc.) Cooperation: Oga City, Akita

[namahage-in-tokyo]

News

2019.2.8  Exhibit at “The Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2019” at  Tokyo Photographic Art Museum

“Namahage in Tokyo” was displayed as main work at “The Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2019″, JAPAN.

Artist Talk

Outside

2018.5.10 Exhibited in Spiral - Wacoal Art Center

I showed “Namahage in Tokyo” at female artists group exhibition “Ascending Art Annual” supported by Wacoal Art Center

This exhibition was reported by several magazines such as「BRUTUS」「Bijutsu techo」「AXIS」「Tokyo Art Beat」「Fasion snap」「CINRA.NET」.

2017.5.10  Introduced by “Spoon ＆ Tamago”

Spoon and Tamago, international blog that is based out of New York City and Tokyo Japan, reviewed “Namahage in Tokyo” on their media.

Etsuko Ichihara’s Namahage Deity Invades Tokyo

 2017.5.1  Introduced by “Toco Toco TV”, France

2017.5.18 Chosen as a Best 10 Project of Basic Policy for Promoting Measures related to Preparations for and Management of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 of  Goverment.

“Namahage in Tokyko“ was chosen one of Best 10 Project from more than 40 cultural projects by Japanese reading companies. Thank you so much.

2017.2.26  Appeared at Japanese TV Show ”Surfing Genius” hosted by Japanese major Idol group.

Japanese popster group “Johnny's WEST” experienced “Namahage in Tokyo” at their tv show.

2017.2.8  Exhibit at “Digital Shamanism” at  NTT Intercommunication Center [ICC]

emergencies! 030 ICHIHARA Etsuko ‘Digital Shamanism: Japanese Funeral and Festivity

Themed on a fusion of technology and Japanese folk belief, the “Digital Shamanism” exhibition showcases ICHIHARA Etsuko’s “Digital Shaman Project” and the “NAMAHAGE in Tokyo” cooperative project with ISID Open Innovation Laboratory.

2017.2.1  Founded “JAPANESE MATSURI(Festival) RE-DESIGN LAB”

2016.12.13 NHK reported documentary about making process of “Namahage in Tokyo” at Akita Pref

NHK ( Japan Broadcasting ) reported our making process of Namahage in Tokyo.

2016.8.15 Got a grants from Basic Policy for Promoting Measures related to Preparations for and Management of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 of  Goverment.

[PDF]

2016.8.1 Joined ISID Open Innovation LAB as a Collaborative partner (Media Artist, Japanorogy researcher)

Etsuko Ichihara joined ISID Open Innovation LAB as an External partner (Media Artist, Japanorogy researcher). 

http://innolab.jp/