Meiji Memorial Oiso Villa Garden Okuma/Mutsu Area (former Okuma Shigenobu Villa, former Furukawa Villa, former Mutsu Munemitsu Villa site, former Furukawa Villa)

The Meiji Memorial Oiso Residence and Garden was established in 2017 as part of the "150th Anniversary of the Meiji Era" related initiatives, and is being developed to showcase the historical residence and garden as a single integrated space.
In the Okuma-Mutsu area, which opened to the public in November 2024, we planned and produced video content introducing the architectural features and highlights of the residences, displays conveying the achievements and personalities of people associated with the area, and renovation projects aimed at repairing and strengthening historical buildings. We also handled the repair of furniture, furnishings, and interiors.
displays, which uses a model to clearly and visually represent the differences between the former building and the current building, and allows visitors to see not only the differences in appearance but also the differences in room layout by making the roof section of the model accessible, has been well-received by visitors.

Because the building where displays are to be installed is designated as a cultural property, we had to work around the constraint that we could not attach displays panels and other materials to the building by nailing them. Furthermore, we anticipated that many visitors would want to enjoy the building itself and the view of the garden from it, so we needed to strike a balance between minimizing obstruction to their view and ensuring that the information they wanted to access was clearly visible.
Furthermore, there was a need to create content that would convey to visitors the efforts and significance of the many people involved in preserving the historical buildings.

To minimize the burden on the building from displays, we devised a wooden, freestanding stand with a wide base to distribute the load. For the explanatory stands that guide visitors through the features of each room, we thoroughly tested prototypes on-site and made final size adjustments to ensure they were at a height that did not obstruct the view and were clearly visible.
In one corner of the room, a video is being shown that showcases how the repair and reinforcement of cultural heritage buildings are achieved through the application of various technologies, and the significance of such efforts. This video content includes documentary footage of the building renovation work, along with interviews with the craftsmen, designers, and supervisors involved in the project.