Planner, go to the aquarium.

Long time no see.
I'm Yuga Okamoto, a storytelling planner.

Do you like aquariums?
In fact, NOMURA Co., Ltd. has been involved in a wide range of aquarium projects.
We planners are very often involved in various aspects such as concept creation, exhibition presentation, experience story planning, etc. for such aquarium business proposals.

Under such circumstances, Mr. Hideki Sato (hereafter: Hideki), who is NOMURA Co., Ltd. best aquarium planner and boasts the highest number of updates in this nomlog, and a young freshman who has recently started working in the aquarium business in his third year at the company. Mr. Ryohei Sakaki (hereafter referred to as Sakaki-kun), the planner, heard the strange story of "Two men going around an aquarium in Tohoku", and I was able to accompany him without hesitation!
So this time, I would like to report on the "Michinoku Aquarium Trip" by Hideki, Sakaki, and Yuga!
(*The date of the visit was December 2, 2019.)

Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium

Oh, looks like fun. It seems that they are really good friends. After all, aquarium lovers, do the wavelengths match?

Actually, this aquarium is one of the places that NOMURA Co., Ltd. has been involved in, and Mr. Hideki was in charge of planning the exhibition environment and experience exhibition!
Since the three of us took the time to walk slowly around the aquarium, we asked Hideki about the points of this facility!

thoughts in the concept

Sakaki
It's an entrance that uses a lot of wood, which is rare in an aquarium.
What was the concept behind this facility? ?

Hideki
The concept is "people and the sea".
This aquarium, which was born after the Great East Japan Earthquake of 3.11, aimed to be a facility that reminds us of the life and connection between the sea and people. Because of the tsunami damage caused by the earthquake, there were quite a few people who had a negative image of the sea.
That's why I proposed using wood produced in Miyagi prefecture to create a design that uses wood, which is not normally used in aquarium interiors, to create a warm atmosphere and to support the reconstruction of the region.
In addition to simply treating living things and the environment in the sea as exhibition content, planning was carried out with the theme of the exhibition experience to let you experience "the lives of people connected to the sea unique to the Sanriku region." It's

Sakaki
I see. By creating a concept from the social background, it seems to be a facility with a stronger message.
Moreover, the message can only be sent from this place. This is a very important factor in planning.

To show people and the sea

What suddenly appeared was a large water tank that spreads all over the field of vision

Is there such a person in the world who looks good in a large tank?
The silhouettes of the two people were surprisingly similar, and it was completed as an aquarium scene. Aquarium planner.
Even so, Sakaki-kun, you have a great style.

In fact, as you can see in the photo, this large aquarium was designed so that it can be seen from the upper floors, so I was able to enjoy the entire aquarium from various eye heights.

Yuga
In my private life, I rarely go to aquariums, but when I do, it's very exciting.
Have you devised anything to create a sense of anticipation for visitors throughout the space?

Hideki
In fact, at the design stage, I heard that the client requested the architectural design to make the next exhibition area invisible. The aim is to raise the expectations of visitors as they walk through the museum, wondering what kind of space the next area will be. In addition, we planned various different exhibition methods so that the exhibition experience would be related to the theme of each area.

Yuga
I was walking unconsciously, but the ingenuity is perfect even in such places!

Hideki
Also, when it comes to design, the colors and materials of the floors, walls, and ceiling were carefully selected by Nomura's designers together with the architectural design team.
It's hard to tell just by looking at it, but if you take a closer look, you'll see that the color of the carpet and walls are also elements that create the overall space.

Yuga
Certainly, sandy carpets and wooden huts play a major role in creating the worldview!
It was impressive to see a small customer crawling and looking at the exhibition. I thought it was a scene unique to this calm design area based on trees, which cannot be seen in other aquariums.

Hideki
It seems that even small customers are properly conveying their thoughts (laughs).

Exhibits in aquariums

Sakaki
I love aquariums and often go there, but it's really interesting to see how different aquariums have different display methods and environmental effects.
At Sendai Umi-no-Mori Aquarium, were there any parts that were devised in terms of how to present the exhibits and how to direct the environment?

Hideki
How to convey the theme of the exhibition, "The Connection between the People of the Sanriku Region and the Sea"? Right.
Aquariums, after all, are centered around sea and waterside creatures, and that is the area of responsibility of the keepers. Our experiential exhibition team thinks about spaces and experiences that allow people to learn about the lifestyles and environments unique to each region related to the sea, along with living creatures.
That's why I've traveled down the Sanriku Coast from Aomori to Sendai many times for research, and I've done a lot of "searching for stories" in each region (laughs). It was very difficult, but it was a lot of fun. There are a lot of ingenuity that was born because of that.

Sakaki
Can I ask you specifically? ?

Hideki
In the area where sea squirts are the main character, which is rare for an aquarium exhibit, we planned an exhibition space where you can feel as if you are watching sea squirt farming from the sea with wall graphics that have a sense of unity with the ceiling tank.
In the open sea zone, which is a rich fishing ground, we have set up a place where marketers at each port can develop promotions so that they can reproduce the "fish market" and make use of it for regional revitalization. By the way, the audio of the auction is played as background music here, and the sound and the background photos were recorded at the local market at dawn and taken at the same time. I jumped in the day before and got permission from the person in charge of the market (laughs).
In addition, I wanted to introduce the episode of oyster farming with France at the time of the earthquake, and set up a "marriage shooting spot" that makes use of local content for couples who visit the aquarium on a date. A lot of things...

Sakaki
I see! It's very interesting that every device clearly expresses the concept and also serves as an accent in the exhibition.

to feel connected

Yuga
While looking at various things, it is very interesting to see the "connection between the sea and people" unique to this place through the exhibits.
It's good. However, I feel that simply conveying "connection" through exhibitions is somewhat unsatisfactory.
How did you incorporate the concept of "connection", which is the most important concept, into the experience of visitors?

Hideki
In the route, we included not only exhibits where you can feel "living and environment", but also elements of experiences that make you become a part of the exhibits.
For example, there is a tank where you can observe the living creatures of the tidal flats, and if you look into the sea, you can meet people fishing there. In the encounter with these fishermen, we incorporated a mechanism that allows you to bring back a little "surprise" and "memories". The one Yuuga was looking at earlier! smile
By having visitors take action themselves, I think that discoveries and emotions that are different from ordinary viewing will be born.
I want to cherish this "own action". That's why I'm happy to see people enjoying and experiencing the completed exhibition.

Yuga
I see! By becoming a part of the exhibition, new fun and discoveries were born, and I was able to feel a little closer to the exhibition!
Sakaki-kun and I couldn't help but be in high spirits... We both felt like we had become Ama! smile

What is an aquarium from the perspective of a planner?

Finally, we asked two aquarium planners, a young and a veteran, about what they value in planning an aquarium.

Sakaki
Aquariums are visited by people with a variety of purposes, from those who want to enjoy an extraordinary space to those who like the creatures of the sea. Therefore, what I value most is to create Shikake that will make everyone who visits become a fan of the aquarium.
At Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium, I feel that communicating the connection between people and the sea in an easy-to-understand and deep way through various experiences has led to the creation of opportunities for a wide range of customers to like the aquarium. rice field. I learned a lot. Thank you to everyone at Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium!

Hideki
I have loved aquariums since I was a child.
Of course, I still love watching fish and spending time in spaces that feel like I'm in the water. I think that's the biggest driving force in getting involved in aquarium planning.
So, if you were to ask me what I value most, I would probably say, "Don't forget your point of view as an aquarium fan." You may think, "I'm selfish," but rather than asking visitors to the aquarium, "What do you want them to see and feel?" or "I wish I had an aquarium like this!"

Well, I intended to accompany you quietly, but it turned out to be a very meaningful time to hear various ingenuity and behind-the-scenes stories about the aquarium. In addition to this Sendai Umino-Mori Aquarium, I also visited the Oga Aquarium in Akita, so I hope I can write about that in my next article!

※please note
・The linked website is not the website of NOMURA Co., Ltd. and is not under our control.
・The address of the website posted in this notice is the one at the time of creation of this page.
・The website address may be abolished or changed.
Please check yourself for the latest address.
・Please check with the linked organization/organization regarding the linked website.
・As of April 23, 2019, the museum is temporarily closed. Please see the official website for details.