Renewal of Jutaro Komura Memorial Museum

We will create a community-participatory displays as part of the "Town Museum Created by Everyone" project, showcasing the charm of Obi.
Obi in Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture, is a castle town that has been preserved as an important traditional building preservation district with scenic beauty dating back to the feudal era. It is undergoing revitalization through private sector initiatives, such as the construction of a hotel converted from a former samurai residence.
This project involved renovating the memorial hall for the renowned local figure, Komura Jutaro, and, based on the concept of "50% displays + 50% sightseeing," aimed to enhance visitors' intellectual curiosity and satisfaction with their stay, thereby encouraging them to explore the town.
The museum has two displays rooms. The "Welcome to Obi" displays is a displays designed to encourage visitors to explore the town, introducing the history, culture, and charm of the samurai residences that thrive in this castle town through interactive exhibits.
The Komura Jutaro History Collection features a large-format picture book narrative space and a citizen participation video that traces Jutaro's life, making it a dramatic and enjoyable displays even for those who are learning about Komura Jutaro for the first time.
Furthermore, this project, themed "A Town-Wide Museum Created by Everyone," involved citizens in creating displays throughout the year. This included displays treasures of the town discovered through workshops with children, and over 100 citizens participating as actors, makeup artists, and costume designers in the Komura Jutaro video.
Based on these considerations, the aim of the memorial hall was to instill pride in the citizens, serve as a testament to their involvement, and be cherished by locals and visitors for many years to come.
 

(1) We would like to make active use of the facility to promote tours of the history and culture of the town (Obi castle town), and use it as a base facility for tours to increase the number of customers and provide guidance.
(2) We would like to convey in an easy-to-understand manner the great achievements and life of Komura Komura, a great man in this area, and to make it possible to re-recognize and rediscover it, including the local people.
(3) We would like to make it a facility that can contribute to the revival of inbound travelers in the future, support groups such as school trips inside and outside the prefecture, and extend the length of stay.
(4) Pursue fun and enjoyment as a facility that visitors can easily enjoy even on rainy days.

To convey the charm of local resources and the achievements of Komura Jutaro, we have incorporated interactive exhibits throughout displays that allow visitors to displays the wonders of the local area, including historical and cultural elements such as the Taihei dance, Yagoro-sama, samurai residences, Obi cedar, and food culture.
・The space utilizes locally sourced domestic timber, "Obi cedar," for columns, beams, fixtures, and benches, allowing you to feel the texture of the wood.
• In video production, we involve the local community and its people, with many participating as staff and actors, resulting in a community-participatory video.
・In creating displays, we received cooperation from various community groups, who helped with graphic concept design and video production to convey the charm of the region.
These projects were realized through a collaboration between NOMURA Co.,Ltd., Ltd., Smiles Inc. (creating experiential value), and a local concept design firm (pursuing the unique character of Obi).