Atsuta Shrine - A treasure trove of swords, Kusanagi-kan

As Atsuta Shrine is a shrine that enshrines the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan, the dedication of swords has been continuously practiced there throughout history.
The Kusanagi-kan, a treasure trove of swords, is a specialized sword displays hall unique to Atsuta Shrine, housing approximately 450 swords, including national treasures and important cultural properties, as well as swords that have been offered to the gods with prayers since ancient times. In addition to swords, visitors can admire paintings and historical documents related to swords, and there is an interactive corner where visitors can feel the weight of actual Japanese swords (katana and wakizashi) and two large tachi swords, the Shumei Sueno Aoe (Tarotachi) and Chiyozuru Kuniyasu (Jirotachi), which have been recreated to their actual length and weight.

Our company was responsible for the interior graphics, the explanations for the sword displays, and the video production.


The video is themed around "The Myth of the Origin of the Kusanagi Sword," which is also the origin of the name of the Kusanagi Hall. It presents the myth of the Kusanagi Sword's creation and the myth of its enshrinement at Atsuta Shrine in a graceful, picture-scroll style.
We paid close attention to the background music as well, starting with the melodies of traditional Japanese gagaku instruments and adding orchestral sounds to convey the magnificent moment of the shrine's creation.
The explanatory monitors for the sword displays follow established theories for appreciating swords, but with larger fonts and more furigana displays phonetic readings), making them easier for a wider range of people to read.


<Our project members>
[Sales] Izumiichiro Yamamoto, Kyoko Watanabe
[Planning, Graphic Direction, Video Direction] Yuki Shimokuni
[Fixture concept design] Daisuke Miyake