Technical Tour

Toyama Traditional Culture & Technical Tour

Oct 2nd (Friday), 8:30-17:00

Technical Tour Schedule

Places to Visit

Intelligent System Co.,Ltd. / factory of Mental Commitment Robot “PARO”

PARO is Mental Commitment Robot designed and developed by Dr. T. Shibata. Mental Commitment Robots are designed to provide 3 types of effects: psychological, such as relaxation and motivation, physiological, such as improvement in vital signs, and social effects such as instigating communication among inpatients and caregivers. There is the factory of PARO in JOHANA locate south-west on Toyama prefecture. The process of construction of PARO will be presented at this tour.

JOHANA HIKIYAMA Museum

At JOHANA HIKIYAMA Museum, all kinds of information and rare tools used in JOHANA HIKIYAMA MATSURI (decorated large floats on the wheel) are on permanent display. JOHANA HIKIYAMA MATSURI is festival which is held at JOHANA SHINMEI shrine over 300 years ago. And this festival showcases spring in JOHANA which called little Kyoto in ECCHU region. JOHANA HIKIYAMA MATSURI is designated as the nation's intangible folklore cultural assets at 2002. This festival is famous for its display of beautifully decorated floats and is filled with Japanese atmosphere. There is also a gallery which models a mud-walled warehouse of a wealthy merchant.

Historic village of GOKAYAMA

The Gokayama region is besides the Shogawa River running through the west part of Toyama with the remote mountains sight. In 1995, Ainokura and Suganuma Villages in the Gokayama region were registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. These villages have some museums made in Gassho-zukuri style houses as built at the end of the Edo period. The two museums display utensils that were used in daily life by people in that area, such as tools for paper-making and silkworm-raising. Visitors can get an idea of what the life confronting the severity of nature was for people in that area.

INAMI-ZUISENJI temple

Founded by Buddhist priest Shakunyo, the 5th head master of Honganji (the major temple of the Jodo-shin Sect of Buddhism), in the first year of the Meitoku era (1390), Zuisenji Temple boasts of tradition over 600 years. Its main feature is main gate with Unsui-ippiki-ryu (dragon) carved into it. This carving is a work of the carver from Kyoto who is alleged to be a founder of "Inami Chokoku", the woodcarving skill handed down thereafter from generation to generation in this town.