On May 19, 2020, "#ShibuyaGhostInTheShellNIGHT by au 5G" was held on "Virtual Shibuya," the official streaming platform of Shibuya Ward. Amidst various restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this initiative to explore new forms of entertainment using virtual space became a major topic, dominating the media. Furthermore, the speed at which it was realized was also noteworthy.As beforeIn this article, we explore the potential of "Virtual Shibuya" through a conversation with Chinatsu Wakatsuki (Future Designer, Shibuya Mirai Design), Naohiro Ukawa (Representative, DOMMUNE), and Ichiro Miura (General Manager, Innovation, KDDI), who spoke at the event.

MiuraThank you for participating in "#ShibuyaGhostInTheShellNIGHT by au 5G" the other day! We had over 50,000 visitors and it was covered by various media outlets. Today, we'd like to look back on the event and hear your thoughts. First, could you tell us about your connection to "Shibuya"?

WakatsukiI'm from Saitama, but I've lived in Shibuya for about 17 years.

UkawaDOMMUNE's studio moved to Shibuya Ward about 12 years ago. But you, Miura-san, were born and raised in Dogenzaka (Shibuya), weren't you?

MiuraThat's right.

UkawaWakatsuki-san, you're also from Saitama, so you actually visited Shibuya when you were younger and hung out here, right? I was born in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture. My adolescence was right in the middle of the '80s new wave, and I grew up watching the bustle of Harajuku from Shikoku. Back then, 'Takenoko-zoku' was at its peak, and Yamazaki Masayuki's "Cream Soda" (now Pink Dragon) was also a hit. Meanwhile, "Vivienne Westwood" became popular, and "Seditionaries" was reissued at "A Store Robot." Then hip-hop emerged, and everyone suddenly embraced dressing down and bought up "Adidas" and "Troop." Keith Haring also came to Japan and did a live drawing with chalk on the streets of Omotesando. That era in Shibuya was my youth (laughs).

MiuraHarajuku is also in Shibuya Ward. But even though they're neighboring towns, their characters are completely different.

UkawaIt truly has diverse faces. During my middle and high school years, I was deeply immersed in alternative and avant-garde music in my hometown, and influenced by that, I became obsessed with the so-called "Sezon culture." In the late '80s, I moved to Tokyo and witnessed the flow of cutting-edge things moving from other cities to Shibuya within a few years. One of those was the "Shibuya-kei" of the '90s. The people involved are still hesitant to categorize it. At that time, it was the height of the bubble economy, and Japanese record collectors were digging up rare grooves (quality music that didn't get attention at the time) from all over the world and assigning new value to them, causing global vinyl prices to soar. Then, in the '90s, artists like Pizzicato Five and Flipper's Guitar began to deconstruct those sounds stylishly through sampling. Therefore, in those days, all the world's music was concentrated in Shibuya, and it became a cultural hub of the '90s, with people digging for records and then heading to clubs. I believe I was one of those who enjoyed Tokyo during that era.

MiuraLike any city where many people gather, "Shibuya" is a place with special memories for everyone. For me, it's my hometown, so my parents even came to Virtual Shibuya and seemed to enjoy it while reminiscing about the old days. When I was little, the area around Don Quijote was still an empty lot, and the Ishihara Gundan (a group of actors led by Tatsuya Fuji) often filmed there, with explosions happening almost every week.

WakatsukiWhat! They were doing car chases there? I can't imagine... I first came to Shibuya when I was 17 and was scouted there. It was the era when the word "charismatic" was popular, and the "Amura" fashion with platform boots was at its peak. So, when I think of Shibuya, I think of "gyaru" (young women with a distinctive fashion style). I admired Shibuya and was scouted, and my agency was also in Shibuya. So, it's always been a city I've admired, and I feel like I continue to live there because I want to know more about it.

UkawaEven while in "Virtual Shibuya," I was reminded of the times I was immersed in Shibuya almost every day. During the event, we walked around the town together at Wakatsuki-san's call, and the memories of that time flooded my mind within the virtual space.

MiuraStrangely, many people felt a sense of nostalgia, even though it was just a virtual representation of present-day Shibuya.

WakatsukiHow did "Virtual Shibuya" originally begin?

MiuraInitially, the plan was to have people explore "real Shibuya" using 5G technology. Shibuya Ward wanted people to visit places other than the Scramble Crossing and to stimulate consumption. One of the initiatives was a campaign project with "Ghost in the Shell" and au 5G. However, the COVID-19 outbreak occurred, and people could no longer come to Shibuya at all. We had to ask ourselves, what now? Then, the word "cyberbrain" from "Ghost in the Shell" reminded us of "Cyber Shibuya," which led to the idea of creating another space called "Virtual Shibuya." That's how it became an officially recognized project by Shibuya Ward. It was built in an extremely short period, about a month and a half from conception to completion, so there's still a lot of room for growth.

WakatsukiBut the visuals were incredibly beautiful! I thought it would be more like a drawing, but it was the real Shibuya streets. I was excited by the night scenery and enjoyed the event.

UkawaThe level of realism is incredible. If it had been a completely fictional city, I don't think I could have immersed myself in the space to that extent. Many participants have their own nostalgic stories of Shibuya—whether it's their original experiences, their aspirations, or scenes they've seen in the news—etched in their hearts. Considering that, the city of Shibuya always carries the presence of its memories. Even in a virtual space, the fact that I felt a "real sense" the moment I accessed it made me realize that my own "nostalgia" had automatically tuned into the "archive" that the city holds. Emotions were instantly externalized and shared. That was a major discovery. What moved me the most was when we all re-experienced the place where Wakatsuki-san was scouted.

WakatsukiWe wouldn't do something like that unless we were extremely close friends (laughs).

Ukawa(Laughs). In other words, there was a "door to nostalgia" that could only be opened because it wasn't real Shibuya. And there was also the "pleasure" of sharing it while supplementing it with imagination. Also, LOVE-chan discovered that there was a "Yoshinoya" and, being hungry, ran towards it (laughs). Following her desires. I thought that was proof that the stomach was directly connected to the avatar, which was our body cast adrift in the virtual space. I was moved to witness the moment a ghost inhabited a cybernetic body (laughs).

MiuraIndeed, there are such strange synchronicities.

UkawaBut when I went there, it wasn't "Yoshinoya" but "Konoya" (a pun on Yoshinoya)! The way they played with words was brilliant, and it was full of things to comment on. It seemed high-resolution but was actually low (laughs). In that space, the boundary between virtual and parody was blurred. In that way, there were "multiple layers." That's why each individual's personal history dissolved into the virtual cityscape as Shibuya's story, and we could freely enter Wakatsuki-san's story, whom we met for the first time that day. I felt tremendous potential in being able to virtually experience a "composite reality" for releasing and sharing such memories and recollections.

MiuraWhat was the view like from the stage?

WakatsukiEven though it was an avatar, it felt like I was watching the audience clapping and commenting from the stage. I could move on my own, go down the stairs, and it felt the same as a real stage.

UkawaYeah, it felt like we were genuinely operating with Hachiko and the station police box in front of us. But it was a sensation I had never experienced before, wasn't it?

WakatsukiOnce we get used to it, will that become the normal world?

UkawaIt was the perfect space to experience what is called a "digital twin." It felt like being invited to the house of Kenichi Mikawa's impersonator, not to Mikawa Kenichi's house itself. Does that make sense? (laughs). That's why the signs were altered, for example, instead of "Mikawa," it said "Mishuu." The mirror world, alternating between "Mikawa" and "Mishuu," or between "Mikawa" and "Korokke," was Virtual Shibuya. Does that make sense? (laughs).

MiuraHahaha. Looking at the Twitter timeline, I saw people taking photos with Wakatsuki-san and LOVE-chan.

WakatsukiIs that so? But it's great that you can take photos with your favorite artists "casually and safely."

UkawaAn acquaintance told me, "You were walking right beside me, but you didn't notice me at all!"

WakatsukiMy child told me the same thing! "Mom, I was clapping the whole time!" I didn't notice at all.

MiuraThat's also an area for growth. There's still potential for interesting business developments. For example, Wakatsuki-san's brand could have a pop-up store in "Virtual Shibuya." If you buy a bag for your avatar there, you could receive the same bag in real life. Many things can be considered.

UkawaThe Scramble Crossing, long a symbol of liveliness, became a testing ground for observing social distancing during the pandemic. In this post-pandemic, with-corona era, the Scramble Crossing has become the benchmark for people's behavior. Amidst this, "Why not hold Halloween in Virtual Shibuya?" to compete with extreme originality—that's what all the speakers discussed that day. However, for that to be meaningful, all audience avatars must be shareable with others. "Virtual" and "costume" are two sides of the same coin.

MiuraI believe we have to do it. While there are various restrictions now, these are problems that can be solved with effort. Personally, I'd like to try regular programs hosted by Wakatsuki-san, like "Chinatsu's Room." We could even collaborate with DOMMUNE. Creating a real-life "Bar Chinatsu" would also be interesting.

UkawaBefore the pandemic, we at Shibuya Mirai Design and KDDI were holding meetings to envision new urban development for Shibuya. One of those was the "Bit Valley Concept" to revitalize IT ventures during the day, and we also discussed the "Nighttime Economy" that governs Shibuya at night. However, the situation changed drastically with the pandemic, and a "Cyberspace Economy" is now emerging. The idea of linking this metaverse Shibuya with the real Shibuya Ward and making "Shibuya" as a "Mirror World" a global brand is taking shape. "Virtual Shibuya" has the potential to be the breakthrough for this.

MiuraWakatsuki-san, is there anything you'd like to do in "Virtual Shibuya"?

WakatsukiWe can easily go to Shibuya, but the good thing about virtual is that people who live far away can also visit easily. It would be interesting if the areas you can experience continue to expand, allowing you to experience them virtually before actually visiting, or to experience what Shibuya was like in the past.

UkawaIf you went to Center Gai around 1995, your avatar's "Air Max" bought in "Virtual Shibuya" could get stolen (laughs).

MiuraWe want to expand the domain as a "place." It's also possible to transcend the present, past, and future. If we could create versions for the 1990s and 2000s, we could transcend time and space.

WakatsukiIt was interesting that we could use the empty spaces in Virtual Shibuya. This time, the city was created based on "Ghost in the Shell," but it would make fans happy if the entire Shibuya could become "a city of their favorite artists" in that way.

MiuraWhat do you think will happen to the real world from now on?

UkawaI'm going to the DOMMUNE studio (Shibuya Parco 9F) after this, and I'm still active in the real Shibuya. But I think it will take time for Shibuya to regain its former liveliness. To be precise, I don't think it's possible to completely return to the previous daily life. However, with so many online meetings, I've been forced to reconsider the meaning of "meeting." While "faces" are displayed on computer screens, when people talk, they're not just looking at "faces"; I've realized anew that they are sharing "space." Therefore, while "dialogue" might be possible online, a true "gathering" might not be. I believe that by delving deeper into art and entertainment with this in mind, something richer will emerge.

MiuraThe value of communicating in person is being highlighted, isn't it? That's why we should do what can be done online. As someone who loves to travel, the importance and value of travel are being highlighted. Ultimately, I recognize anew that communication in "real life" is the most important.

UkawaToday, having a real-life conversation after a long time made my heart flutter. That's quite important, isn't it?

MiuraRegarding "Virtual Shibuya," while our engineers worked hard, it was crucial that people like Wakatsuki-san, Ukawa-san, DJ LOVE, and Anju Katrina appeared in that space, and that felt real and showed potential. So, there were many things we didn't know until we tried. After doing it, we were saved many times by the improvisational skills of professionals like Wakatsuki-san and Ukawa-san. I learned a lot. Ultimately, it's about "just trying it."

UkawaWhen there was a line trouble and it was just Wakatsuki-san and me on stage, I thought, "Do I have to confess something?" (laughs).

WakatsukiHahaha. We were genuinely alone.

UkawaThose kinds of "real troubles in a virtual space" were also thrilling and fun! To recap, the theme for "Virtual Shibuya" going forward will be how to project reality. Another is the interaction with reality as a "Mirror World." For example, distortions in the real world might be resolved in "Virtual Shibuya." Or, transcendent experiences that cannot be realized in reality might be possible within "Virtual Shibuya." Also, the fusion of memory, emotion, and virtual worlds. I felt such incredible potential.