From October 19 (Wed) to 23 (Sun), Sapporo, Hokkaido will host "NoMaps"! Previously held mainly online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is returning to the physical city streets for the first time in three years. This year, an even wider variety of programs are planned, promising exciting encounters with a diverse range of people.

How can we unlock the potential and excitement this city holds? We spoke with General Producer Shinichiro Igarashi to find out.

Shinichiro Igarashi, General Producer of NoMaps 2022

This year marks the 6th official year of NoMaps. It began with a pre-event in 2016, spearheaded by leading Sapporo companies and government agencies with the goal of creating a festival in Hokkaido similar to "SXSW (South by Southwest)," one of the world's largest multi-faceted festivals held annually in Austin, Texas. In collaboration with the Sapporo International Short Film Festival and music industry professionals, it launched as a "festival to pioneer a future without maps."

Takafumi Horie, founder of Interstellar Technologies Inc., participating in a NoMaps conference (2019)

An interactive experience booth at the Sapporo Ekimae-dori Underground Walkway (Chi-Ka-Ho) (2018)

NoMaps has hosted conferences with top players at the forefront of the times, covering a wide range of themes from cutting-edge business to lifestyle. It has also held exhibitions to experience new technologies and services, events offering creative experiences like film and music, and a series of demonstration experiments for state-of-the-art technology. The meetups, where people from different generations and industries interact, have sparked exciting movements toward the future, born from unpredictable encounters.

A self-driving vehicle demonstration in Sapporo. The public could also experience a ride by reservation (2019)

Events like this are often called "urban festivals," with examples in Japan including "Myojo Waraku" in Fukuoka and "078KOBE" in Kobe. These were created by various local players, including startup companies, to generate new festivals that energize their hometowns.

"While NoMaps has undertaken various initiatives, I think it's still not widely known to the general public, partly because it has had a slightly strong business focus," says Mr. Igarashi.

After two years where meeting and interacting with people was difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Igarashi took on the role of General Producer to lead the restart. His first move was to redefine NoMaps as "a festival from Sapporo and Hokkaido to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting with tech, entertainment, and creativity." He also adopted the slogan, "It's not the future if it's not fun."

"I want to make this a special annual 'festival' that gets everyone living in this city excited, not just a specific group of people," he says, sharing his passion.

NoMaps has always been a blend of culture, like film festivals and music, and technology, but this year it's expanding its scope even further. Over 40 talk sessions will be held on diverse topics ranging from business and startups, education, and the trending topic of web3, to film, music, and even saunas. More than 100 programs will unfold across Sapporo.

The talk sessions will feature top players from various industries, including media artist Yoichi Ochiai and Takafumi Horie, founder of Interstellar Technologies Inc.

For example, at the Sapporo Ekimae-dori Underground Walkway (Chi-Ka-Ho), there will be an exhibition featuring a new para-sport experience called "CYBER BOCCIA S" and robots from a high school team that competed in a world robotics competition. Social experiments will also be conducted, such as setting up co-working spaces, food and drink booths, and play areas in Odori Park.

Providing a new sports experience with enhanced entertainment through projections and automatic measurement by sensing technology.

"I believe that when passionate people gather all at once during this period and meet, it will create all sorts of chemical reactions and generate a new wave," Mr. Igarashi says, his excitement palpable. Each event is designed to be cutting-edge yet accessible and exciting for the general public, coloring the city of Sapporo this year with a new kind of event.

"Sapporo Lantern Night," planned by the Junior Division of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Sapporo's municipal government.

"This year, we were able to collaborate with the Sapporo Junior Chamber and the Junior Division of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There are many organizations working to liven up this city, and that's why I wanted to work together rather than having everyone act separately. Numerous groups are creating all kinds of projects at the same time. It will definitely be chaotic, but I hope that chaos creates space, flexibility, and opportunities for people to get involved. In the future, I hope NoMaps becomes a fixture in the city, where shops spontaneously start their own events during the festival period, or restaurants offer special menus—I'd love to see all sorts of challenges emerge," Mr. Igarashi explains.

Mr. Igarashi further discusses the significance of holding NoMaps: "I think both 'hare' (the sacred/extraordinary) and 'ke' (the profane/ordinary) are important. By creating a space that is different from the everyday, I believe it can lead to a new normal for the city. Doing things you don't usually do, turning your attention to new people, new things, and new ideas. By establishing such a space as a 'festival' in Sapporo, I hope it will update the daily life not just of this city, but of all of Hokkaido."

When asked about the total number of programs, he replies, "Probably over 100? (laughs)." Because it doesn't target a specific audience, there's bound to be at least one program that resonates with everyone. Each program is shaped by someone's passion, and high-energy events will be happening all over the city.

During NoMaps 2022, a diverse range of programs will be held at various locations throughout Sapporo.

"When someone participates in a program, they get inspired by that energy and take a new step forward. As a result, their daily life, which is connected to the extraordinary, changes. I want to grow NoMaps into a festival unlike any other. This year is the first step toward that goal."

If you feel even a slight desire to experience that passion, why not head to NoMaps 2022? You're sure to encounter an energy that resonates with you personally.