The terror of the approaching earth and sand
Experience reality in VR!
-Kyoto City Disaster Prevention Center-

As natural disasters are increasing in various regions in recent years, we are being questioned as to how local residents should proactively think and work on disaster prevention. This time, I would like to introduce the work I was in charge of creating the "Earth and Sand Disaster Experience Corner" at the Kyoto City Disaster Prevention Center, and what I felt there.

Kyoto City Disaster Prevention CenterHomepage

One scene in a real theater, experience the terror of earth and sand on a huge L-shaped video screen.

Newly established corner where you can experience landslides realistically

Kyoto City Citizen's Disaster Prevention Center opened in September 1995 as a facility for citizens to acquire knowledge and skills related to disaster prevention through simulated disaster experiences, and to improve their ability to act in disaster prevention.
In addition to various disaster experience corners where you can learn the essential disaster prevention knowledge and actions by “seeing, listening, touching, and feeling”, we also have model stores, hotels, and condominiums for business offices. It is known nationwide as a disaster prevention learning facility for a wide range of people. This time, we carried out the work of renovating the "disaster prevention action experience corner" on the 3rd floor to the "landslide disaster experience corner".

Below is an overview of each floor and the renewed 3rd floor.

1st floor:
❶Reception ❷Orientation Stage ❸Earthquake Experience Room
❹Strong Wind Experience Room (Suspended as of February 2023) ❺Video Experience Room

2nd floor:
❶ Firefighting training room ❷ Evacuation experience room ❸ Report training corner (suspended as of February 2023)
❹Comprehensive training room ❺Life safety corner

3rd floor:

❶ 4D Theater Approaching Terror of Underground Mall ❷ Danger of Underpass
❸Going out!! Child Fire Brigade ❹Transform into a firefighter!! ❺Disaster prevention activity experience corner
❻ Fire helicopter ❼ Audiovisual room
❽Disaster prevention learning mini-game

4th floor:
lecture room

"Knowing ⇒ Experiencing ⇒ Thinking" leads to action

Kyoto City asked for a corner that leads to evacuation behavior in the following three points.

Point ❶ Firmly “know” the necessary information
Point 2: “Experience” more realistically
Point ❸ “Think” about landslide disasters in the region

Point ❶ "Know"
Aim: Before and after the sediment disaster experience, convey the necessary information in an easy-to-understand manner to firmly establish knowledge. A guidance video will be shown before the experience, and advance information will be provided together. Furthermore, to make it easier to reconfirm the necessary individual information, we have developed commentary panels that hold down points for each theme.

Point ❷ "Experience"
Aim: Experience the fear of landslides and evacuation behavior more realistically through video.
In terms of story, it is a development that relives the evacuation process of a landslide disaster in a drama style.
In terms of production, we aimed for a more realistic experience in two directions, using the latest VR (virtual reality) images.

Point ❸ "Think"
Aim: Have visitors to "think" through "knowing" and "experiencing".
By introducing panels of good examples of evacuation models and displaying large hazard maps, we decided to provide an opportunity to see the actual situation of the region concretely and think about regional disaster prevention.

Two spaces for self-thinking and evacuation

Based on the three points in the previous section, the theater was composed of two zones: "Know/Think" and "Experience" theaters. By going back and forth between these two zones, you will be able to acquire the skills to take proper evacuation action when you are about to encounter a landslide disaster.

Landslide disaster learning corner plan zone configuration diagram

Next, we will introduce the specific contents of the two zones: Zone ❶ Sediment disaster learning corner "Know and think" and Zone ❷ Real theater "Experience".

Sediment disaster learning corner
Enjoy pre-learning with the guidance of the mascotWanta-kun

Zone ❶ Sediment disaster learning corner "Know and think"
"Shiru" is first greeted by the mascot character Wanta-kun. Next, "Wanta-kun's Guidance Video" will be shown to learn about the "risks and mechanisms of landslide disasters." It introduces in a fun and concise way information prior to the real theater experience, such as the more than 2,500 sediment disaster special warning areas and warning areas in Kyoto City, and the three types of sediment disaster warning levels (landslides, debris flows, and landslides). increase. In addition, the basic knowledge of landslide disasters is displayed in easy-to-understand panels for each theme, such as "What is a landslide disaster?/How to act?/Where to evacuate?" Visitors who have gained knowledge finally enter the real theater.

real theater
Experiential video combining the latest VR technology (virtual reality) and animation

Zone ❷ Real Theater “Experience”
The greatest spatial feature of the real theater is the projection of VR images on the walls and floor in a three-dimensional direction, and the signs of disasters and landslides unfold. Predictive scenes such as pebbles falling from cliffs and falling rainwater becoming muddy are projected onto the walls.
Scenes of swollen rivers and landslides are projected onto the floor and come close to the feet of visitors, giving visitors the impression of encountering a real landslide disaster.

"Real Theater" A scene of a landslide that approaches your feet

real theater
Dramatic story that feels like you

A feature of the real theater video story is that the process of evacuation is developed in a drama style that features close family members and the elderly. We planned the deployment of the characters to evacuate by catching disaster information and signs according to my home timeline (disaster prevention action plan).

1. Get "evacuation order" information from smartphone area mail, radio, etc.
2. Prepare a shelter. Keeping in touch with elderly people in the neighborhood
3. Evacuation of elderly people. Occurrence of signs before and after
4. Sediment disaster occurred after everyone evacuated

The characters are anime-style, and at the same time, the aim is to have people of all ages, from children to adults and the elderly, relive the psychology of the characters who have encountered disasters. I'm here. In the actual video, there are scenes that make you nervous, but I would like you to experience it once.

"Real Theater" characters. Father acts as leader of voluntary disaster prevention

"Real Theater" one scene

Sediment disaster learning corner
Have them think about disaster prevention in the region by looking at the map of special warning areas and areas with more than2,500 locations

Zone ❶ Sediment disaster learning corner "Know and think"

"Think" is a place where visitors who have experienced the real theater can think again about local landslide disasters. In the theater video, we emphasize evacuation behavior corresponding to the warning level issued, but it is only a model in the video story. I need you.
​As an opportunity to "think" about this, we displayed a large map on the floor showing the more than 2,500 sediment disaster special warning areas and the same warning areas in the city. It is also meaningful for visitors to check each other's maps, such as whether they overlap with the area where they live, where they commute to work, school, or shopping. Explanation panels introduce case studies that serve as models for local evacuations, information transmission routes for determining when to evacuate, and information gathering methods.

Transcribed from the HP "To Kyoto City Citizen Disaster Prevention Center" "What about the area where I live?"

Don't be afraid to evacuate in vain. Don't forget the importance of early evacuation and information gathering

What is especially important is to have a mindset of "I'm glad my life was saved" without fear of "failed evacuation", even if there was no actual disaster after evacuating due to landslides in the past. Also, always remember the importance of early evacuation and information gathering.
We would like all of our visitors from Kyoto City to discuss with their families how to create their own disaster prevention action plan "My Timeline"*1 after returning to their homes and communities. .

*1 “Kyoto City My Timeline”

Transcribed from the leaflet of Kyoto City's Disaster Prevention Action Plan for My Home "My Timeline"

Towards “Disaster Preparedness for Disasters”

If you look up the word "disaster prevention" in a dictionary, it means "to prevent disasters." On the other hand, when considering "disaster prevention" from the standpoint of individuals, families, and communities, there is a perspective of "self-help/mutual help" that has been established since the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake. This time, in the "know and think" sediment disaster learning corner established based on Kyoto City's policy, "Protect yourself by yourself. I felt that it contained the message of "self-help and mutual help" that everyone should think about the local situation in order to cooperate and protect their own area. All of our project members worked with this new corner in mind to convey the message of "self-help and mutual help".

How do you reconsider disaster prevention in your own family and community, and how do you think you can get involved in "self-help and mutual assistance" in community disaster prevention? I think the first step is to think about what you can do now, such as My Timeline, and take action.

 

Members of the Kyoto City Fire Department and the Kyoto City Disaster Prevention Association
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our project members and cooperating companies.

Facility name: Sediment disaster experience corner (Kyoto City Disaster Prevention Center, 3rd floor)
Location: 7 Sugata-cho, Nishikujo, Minami Ward, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture 601-8445
Opening date: April 2020
Business owners: Kyoto City Fire Department, Kyoto City Disaster Prevention Association
Type: Permanent exhibition facility
Exhibition area: about 58㎡
Exhibition renovation design and exhibition production: NOMURA Co., Ltd. Co., Ltd.
Producers: Haruya Miwa, Hiroko Yamase
Designer: Taketoshi Yoshitani
Planner: Shigeo Fujii
Production management: Yuki Higashihara, Manabu Noguchi (Nomura Techno)
Video software: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. (real theater VR video software)
Acros Co., Ltd. (Wanta-kun's guidance video software)
Graphics: Live Ad Co., Ltd.

 

profile
Shigeo Fujii
Creative Headquarters Planning Center Planning Department 4th Room 10 Planning Director
"Experience the terror of approaching earth and sand realistically with VR!"

For more than 20 years at NOMURA Co., Ltd., I have built up my career in the fields of administrative cultural exhibition facilities and corporate exhibitions.
We have work experience from research work at the initial stage of business to basic concept, basic plan, basic/implementation design, and operational support. In particular, we are involved in a wide range of fields, including historical exhibition facilities that handle important cultural properties, literary exhibition facilities (Manyoshu, haiku, etc.), disaster prevention enlightenment facilities, castles, World Heritage/Japan Heritage guidance facilities, and corporate museums. Together with our customers, we will help create spaces and environments that energize the region and organization.

One scene in the real theater, the mascot character "Wanta-kun"