Source: Peatix

Shibuya Asobiba Production Committee (hereinafter referred to as Shibuya), a general incorporated association and the project team of 404 Not Found, will hold the Shibuya Sakuragaoka Chouchikai, a regularly held event that explores the forms of "play" and "play areas," on July 25, 2024.

In preparation for the opening of Shibuya Sakura Stage, Shibuya has been holding a series of talk events since April to talk about the town's history, culture, and creators, building momentum for the start of a new Sakuragaoka.

On July 25, 2024, the opening day of Shibuya Sakura Stage and 404 Not Found, we will be holding an opening reception and a "Shibuya Sakuragaoka Chounai Kai" event, inviting Shibuyano's directors and people associated with 404 Not Found.

This Chouchikai will also feature a report session on BitSummit Drift, which was held at Miyako Messe, Kyoto Kangyo Kaikan, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto Prefecture from July 19th (Fri) to July 21st (Sun). This year's BitSummit Drift, which featured many indie games that are not yet well known but are full of originality, will be looked back on from various perspectives, including by organizers, streamers, and producers. In addition to the BitSummit Drift report session, we hope to create a forum for discussion on what kind of initiatives 404 Not Found should undertake as a stage for indie creators to thrive.

A challenge/play begins to develop a vacant lot in the middle of Shibuya where various creators can gather and play freely according to their own sensibilities. We would like to celebrate the opening with everyone. If you are even slightly interested or would like to know the whole story, please come and visit us.

Theme: The world's fastest!? The earliest "BitSummit Drift" report session

Date and time: July 25, 2024 (Thursday) 18:00 - 21:00

Participation is free

*Entry and participation is free, but please purchase one drink.
■ Talk: 18:00 - 19:15
■ Party: 19:20 - 20:45 (closes at 21:00)
*After the event, participants plan to head to a nearby restaurant for an after-party.
Capacity: 60 people
Venue: 404 Not Found (4th floor, Shibuya Sakura Stage, 1-4 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku)

Party host / Talk session speaker

■ Guest speakers

Akira Ito
ITO AKINARI

Freelance Producer, BizDev / Content Producer
He worked at Sony Interactive Entertainment, focusing on launching the indie game environment in Japan, and founded Game Publisher at Sony Music Entertainment. He is currently working as a freelancer in business planning and management, content production planning, and creator support.

Layer Q
Indie game distributor
A streamer who mainly produces videos and live streams for indie games. He aims to create content that can be enjoyed by as many people as possible by refraining from using technical terms. He has worked at Kakehashi Games for five and a half years, and is currently the representative of the indie game group Indie Freaks.

Keiji Kariya
KARIYA Keiji
Board game developer, director and producer
He served as the operations manager of Japan's largest board game event, Game Market, for 10 years from 2013 to 2022. He also has over 20 years of experience in book and board game editing. He currently runs his own company and has released "Divee!" as a board game maker. Subsequent titles are also in development. The main titles he has been involved in as an editor include "ito", "Love Letter 2nd Edition", "Monster Maker", and the "Nobinobi TRPG" series.

There may also be guest appearances by developers!

■ 404 Not Found Speaker

Masahiko Murakami
MURAKAMI Masahiko
Shibuya Play Area Production Committee
Skeleton Crew Studio Inc. / CEO
Japan Independent Game Association / Director

After graduating from a design college in Japan, he moved to the US. After graduating from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, he entered the game industry. He returned to Japan in 2009 and joined a game development company in Kyoto as an artist. After working as a producer and representative of a subsidiary, he founded his own company, Skeleton Crew Studio, in 2016. With VR/AR content and game development at its core, he is currently taking on new challenges in various fields, such as running the indie game event BitSummit and the art event UNKNOWN ASIA.

Akihiro Shoji
SHOJI Akihiro
Shibuya Play Area Production Committee
Representative of Shibuya Label LLC
Executive Producer, EGGS Inc.

With the idea of turning the streets of Shibuya into a stage, he participated in a live event called "Uta no Calendar," where he sang classic songs on the streets of Shibuya during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in the "Shibuya Street Gallery" event. Currently, he is creating opportunities for collaboration between indie creators and entertainment companies, regardless of genre, through his activities as an advisor to the Shibuya Ward Tourism Association and a collaborating professor at Aoyama Gakuin University's Media Station Lab.

■ BitSummit Executive Committee Speakers

Takeshi Ishikawa
ISHIKAWA Takeshi
Shibuya Play Area Production Committee
Director of Sanka9 Co., Ltd.
UNKNOWN ASIA Producer
digmeout Creative Partner

For 18 years, he has worked as a teacher at a design school, where he has been involved in department and school management, the establishment of new departments, student guidance, and industry-academia collaboration. In 2017, he joined SkeletonCrewStudio, Inc., and is involved in the development of VR/AR. In addition, he has been a board member of the UNKNOWNASIA Executive Committee since 2015, launching an art fair, working as a creative coordinator and event planner for government facilities, as a management staff member for the indie game event BitSummit, and as a producer for Kyoto Prefecture's XR promotion project. He is also active in a wide range of activities, including creating works as an artist and developing natto.

■ About 404 Not Found

This is a creative hub for indie creators that will open in July on the 4th floor of Shibuya Sakura Stage. Aiming to be a mecca for indie creators active in various cultural fields such as games, art, music, and food, it will support creators' creative activities and create opportunities for co-creation among creators by hosting a variety of events such as exhibition events, workshops, live music performances, and limited-time restaurants. The approximately 150 m2 floor will feature an event space with an LED display over 10 meters wide, a merchandise and cafe space, a kitchen and restaurant space, and a distribution studio, allowing creators to engage in creative activities regardless of genre.

Official site:https://www.404shibuya.tokyo/

■ About 404 Not Found Planning and Management, Shibuya Asobiba Production Committee

The Shibuya Play Area Production Committee was established in June 2023 by Tokyu Land Corporation and creators and producers active in the creative field with the aim of "treating Shibuya as a huge play area and creating a new creative scene." Utilizing the diverse connections and networks of the members of the organization, we will plan and manage "404 Not Found," a mecca for indie creators that will be created within Shibuya Sakura Stage. By revitalizing "Shibuya Sakura Stage," we will promote and propose new urban appeal for the entire Sakuragaoka - Daikanyama - Ebisu - Harajuku area.

About Shibuya Sakura Stage
Shibuya Sakura Stage is a complex that is garnering attention as a new, next-generation landmark for Shibuya, scheduled to be completed in November 2023 and open in stages until the entire building opens this summer. Located on a site of approximately 2.6 hectares in the Sakuragaoka area, adjacent to Shibuya Station and with good access to Daikanyama and Ebisu, the facility will consist of offices, commercial facilities, residences, and more, and aims to be a vibrant town where people of all generations can live and visit.

Official site:https://www.shibuya-sakura-stage.com/

List of press releases from the Shibuya Play Area Production Committee
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/141174

Venue