News Teaching foreign travellers manners in a metaverse onsen

To educate foreign visitors about onsen etiquette, students at Gifu Women's University have created a virtual reality replica of Gero hot spring resorts. This initiative, which spans three years, was launched by the "metaverse club" of Gifu Women's University at the request of a group of ryokan managers in the prefecture to promote the spa culture among international tourists. The students utilised artificial intelligence and motion capture technology to mimic natural movements in virtual reality, thereby introducing cutting-edge technology to their local communities.


In July 2022, a partnership agreement was signed between Gifu Women's University and Gero City in the prefecture to create a virtual version of the Gero Onsen resort, among the country's top three most famous hot spring areas. The project will enable virtual visitors to navigate metaverse duplicates of the actual inns and facilities at the resort, both inside and out. Information about tourist attractions and souvenirs will be displayed alongside these digital replicas. The developers aim to attract more visitors by enabling tourists' digital avatars to explore the onsen town in the metaverse before their actual visits.

Motion capture technology was used to create the character's movements. Sensors were put on a student's head, hands, legs and other body parts to scan realistic motions. An AI voices the virtual instructor in five languages, including Chinese, English and Thai. The etiquette simulator is accessible from hotels and ryokan in Gifu Prefecture. The service was developed after Gifu Manmaru Okami no Kai, a group of hospitality managers, asked the students last August to create an app to "explain manners in onsen resorts in an easy-to-understand way." The request was prompted by an influx of overseas visitors and young Japanese travelers after the COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted. "Manners at ryokan are hard to figure out from text explanations alone," said Keiko Taki, chairwoman of Gifu Manmaru Okami no Kai. "We will be making full use of the app as part of our hospitality to help guests enjoy their trips."

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Other virtual tours created by the Metaverse Club include factory tours and instructions on how to use chopsticks.

That video screen grab is admonishing foreigners not to step on the threshold between rooms, and not to tread on the borders of the tatami mats, meanwhile you got guys in Tokyo using the trains as a jungle gym. (The picture below was lighting up gaijin twitter yesterday).

The weak yen and the gaijin urge to go wild in Tokyo is going to create some friction, I fear.

Majestic said:

admonishing foreigners not to step on the threshold between rooms, and not to tread on the borders of the tatami mats

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I didn't know this was a thing. I never paid any attention.

When I was in Fukuoka , about 2/3's of the businesses had signs "no gaijins allowed" due to the bad antics of military members. I found if you spoke Japanese when entering , they usually said you were OK to enter.

mdchachi said:

I didn't know this was a thing. I never paid any attention.

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I knew about the threshold thing, as I have been chastised for it a number of times, but I have never heard the tatami boarder prohibition before.

The thresholds at my mother-in-law's house are quite worn so I don't think I am the only guilty party for that one.

Grandpa Frank said:

When I was in Fukuoka , about 2/3's of the businesses had signs "no gaijins allowed" due to the bad antics of military members. I found if you spoke Japanese when entering , they usually said you were OK to enter.

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I've experienced similar. Personally, I don't blame the businesses. They're just trying to make a living.