REALITY holds metaverse event for Okinawa’s Shuri Castle restoration

REALITY, developer of a smartphone-based metaverse and a subsidiary of GREE, is holding a metaverse event from December 21 to January 18, 2023 to support the restoration of Shuri Castle that was destroyed in a 2019 fire. 

The event is being held in conjunction with the DIJI SHURI XR project, which aims to restore the iconic castle in Okinawa Prefecture. 

DIJI SHURI XR is a project launched by Otonari, a company involved in regional revitalization, together with Konan Gakuen, a junior high school and high school club that has guided visitors to Shuri Castle for over 10 years. REALITY’s services includes a communication platform that allows users to easily create original avatars from their smartphones, and a “world” function that allows users to move around in a virtual space via their avatars.

A special virtual space was set up on REALITY’s platform to raise funds in October. A digital version of Shurijo Castle’s main hall has been generated from more than 80,000 photos submitted from both Japan and abroad.

When users move their avatars up on the stage in their avatars, they can enjoy a dance performance called “Kachashii” and music, including the theme song from the TV drama “Nobuta.” The music playing in the area is supervised by music producer zopp, who wrote “Seishun Amigo,” and is produced by Okinawan DJ HELKTRAM. 

During the event period, students from the Kounan Gakuen Act Club, which has been guiding visitors around Shurijo Castle as a club activity, and other supporters of the project will deliver their messages. Video viewing sessions and Shuri quizzes will be held alongside and a music roundtable discussion hosted by zopp.