- The “Digital Entertainment City Namba” will be the world’s first smart city that integrates AI, XR and Depin.
- Mawari will use Edge Computing and Rendering devices for the properties of Nankai for decentralized streaming.
- Nankai Electric Railway Rail Network includes more than 100 stations over several lines in Japan.
In a groundbreaking cooperation, Mawari, a leader in spatial computer use and decentralized physical infrastructure networks (Depin), has entered into a partnership with Nankai Electric Railway Co., Ltd., Meta Osaka Co., Ltd., and e Stadium Co., Ltd. To create the “Digital Entertainment City Namba”.
This ambitious urban development project, which takes place in Osaka, Japan, promises to be the world’s first fully integrated ecosystem that combines artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR) and Depin Technologies on a city scale.
The collaboration brings complementary strengths together. Meta Osaka contributes strategic innovation and localized expertise and ensures that the project is in accordance with the unique cultural and economic materials of the region.
On the other hand, e-stadium, a Nankai group company, uses its focus on e-sports and community involvement to meet social challenges and to promote a thriving digital culture. Together these organizations lay the foundation for a smart city that integrates advanced technology with daily life.
The role of Mawari is crucial, the implementation of Edge Computing and Rendering devices in the properties of Nankai to deliver decentralized streaming infrastructure. This set-up brings calculations closer to users, minimizing delays and making real-time interactions possible with 3D AI agents who own both ‘body and soul’, as described by the company. The result is a scalable, efficient system that can support a wide range of applications, from entertainment to practical services.
For Mawari, the project represents a milestone in his mission to democratize driven experienced experiences through AI. According to the CEO Luis Oscar Ramirez, “Uniting AI, XR and Depin in ‘Digital Entertainment City Namba’ is a milestone moment for the entire industry, which demonstrates a clear path to massive social impact adoption.”
A visionary merger of technology and urban life
The core of the project “Digital Entertainment City Namba” is Mawari’s groundbreaking technology, which drives real-time 3D streaming of lifelike AI-driven Avatars. These Avatars, displayed with minimal latency, offer a new level of immersion and interactivity, able to perform tasks, such as guide lists, helping customers and facilitate human -like communication about language barriers.
The project builds in particular on the extensive experience of Mawari, after successfully implemented more than 50 XR projects worldwide since 2019.
By integrating AI, XR and a decentralized network of Edge Computing devices, the Digital Entertainment City Namba will transform the train stations and properties of Nankai into lively digital hubs that seamlessly merge virtual and physical experiences.
Nankai Electric Railway, founded in 1885, is one of the oldest private rail operators in Japan, with a network of more than 100 stations over several lines, including connections with Kansai International Airport and the Koyasan World Heritage.
Traditionally, Nankai now embraces a transport powerhouse and is now embracing a daring vision to develop his infrastructure that goes beyond merely transit points. Under the leadership of President and COO Nobuyuki Okajima, the company has been working since 2023 to reconsider the Namba area as a “Crees-Diver-City”-a dynamic hub of entertainment and co-creation.
Momentum received this vision with the opening of the Namba Main Branch e-stadium, an e-sports facility, in August 2024 in Namba Parks, a commercial complex that is managed by Nankai. The addition of Tsutenkaku, a historical orientation point of Osaka, to the Nankai Group in December 2024 further expands the scope of this digital transformation.
Through the Digital Entertainment City Initiative, Nankai strives to weave compelling experiences such as virtual idols, anime characters and interactive stories in these physical spaces, creating an entertainment cosystem of the next generation.
Projected Impact of the Digital Entertainment City Namba
The Digital Entertainment City Namba is ready to have a significant impact on multiple sectors.
For tourism, the project uses the growing incoming travel market in Japan, which in 2023 saw 23 million foreign visitors. Multilingual 3D guides and XR content will offer tourists intuitive navigation and compelling cultural experiences, stimulate local companies and increase the global attraction of Osaka.
In addition to tourism, the initiative will respond to the imminent labor shortage of Japan, which is expected to create 11 million employees in 2040, by creating flexible, external work opportunities. AI-driven Avatars will enable different groups, including care providers, seniors, parents and people with disabilities, to participate in industries such as customer service and tourism through compelling interfaces.
This inclusive approach not only increases accessibility, but also comes in accordance with the needs of Japan for innovative personnel solutions.