The Toei Studios and Park has been an essential part of the history of Japanese film ever since 1926 when the Uzumasa Studio was built on the site. Now they have torn down the Edo-era street sets that have been used for decades for period dramas and other media. Collaborators at Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto) got emergency access and took over 7000+ photographs before demolition that can now be used to document the site and reconstruct a 3D model. The Hollywood Kyoto project is a collaboration between the University of Alberta and Ritsumeikan University using digital humanities methods to extend this documentation so as to preserve information on the sets demolished and their history. In 2024 we got a grant from the Prince Takamado Japan Centre for this project. In this panel we will discuss:
- The origins of the project capturing photographs before the Park was demolished.
- The creation of a 3D model that researchers and teachers can explore online.
- The development of a bilingual web site documenting the Park and gathering other sources of information including interviews.
- Negotiations to secure permissions so as to deposit for preservation the materials gathered in a digital research archive at both participating institutions.
Presenters:
5:00 - 5:15 Introduction of Project: Dr. Geoffrey Rockwell
5:15 - 5:40 Origins of the Project Presentation: Dr. Akinori Nakamura
5:45 - 6:10 Toei Period Drama (Jidaigeki) Presentation: Dr. William Carroll
6:15 - 6:40 Demo of Virtual Tour: Dr. Eric Kaltman, Victor Cervantes, and Hyunsung Rho
6:45 - 7:00 Website Presentation and Demo: Moe Fujiwara and Erika Gauvin
For more information or questions about the conference please reach out to RA Erika Gauvin, ecgauvin@ualberta.ca
Thank you, Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research, with the Seed Grant Program we were able to conduct this research project.
website created by Erika Gauvin, March 2026