The Institute of Arts and Crafts (Research Center for Cultural Property Conservation and New Creative Technologies; also known as GIGEIIN) of the Faculty of Art and Design, University of Toyama, was established in April 2020. It is working to establish restoration techniques for various tangible cultural properties by actively incorporating digital technologies such as 3D CAD, 3D scanning, and 3D modeling based on conventional craft techniques developed till date. The main target of our activities is the restoration of tangible folk cultural properties. Tangible folk cultural properties are tools used in conventional events and customs, e.g., festivals. These may be subject to wear and tear owing to use. Therefore, these need to be effectively managed and transmitted as cultural assets. It is essential to preserve and restore these in a form that replicates their original appearance to the extent feasible to accurately transmit the traditions and history of the region. We consider that to achieve this, it is generally effective to incorporate various advanced technologies while respecting conventional techniques.

In addition, these new modeling techniques based on digital technology are used as highly effective means in the field of “monozukuri”. As a cost-effective and time-efficient method for reflecting new concepts and designs in the objects surrounding us, this technology would be essential for the future of manufacturing. The methods developed here are likely to play an important role in the design education of our students and in our department. In particular, with the advent of generative AI, which could be called the Industrial Revolution of 2022, technological innovation is progressing in the fields of art and design. By incorporating these digital modeling techniques into education, we expect to continue producing technicians whose capabilities would remain relevant for a long period.

We are also considering the feasibility of publicizing the results of cultural property restoration and information on new modeling in a new form: a virtual museum. Although it is still in the conceptual stage, we consider that it is compatible with digital manufacturing and would enable us to present the process from the generation of a concept to its realization in a more lively and convenient-to-understand manner. This booklet introduces the results of our work on the restoration of cultural properties and new forms. If you are interested, we would be pleased to consider your collaboration with GIGEIIN through joint research or other means.

GIGEIIN was officially started in April 2020. However, the groundwork was laid a few years earlier with the acquisition of a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research B from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The grant provided us with the most advanced digital equipment including 3D production applications and 3D printers. The Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Toyama is based on the Department of Industrial Crafts and the Department of Industrial Design of the predecessor Takaoka National College. It comprised a metal craft course, lacquer craft course, and wood craft course. Because of its status as a national junior college (which are few in Japan) and the efforts of the faculty members enrolled at the time, it is equipped with a remarkable array of mechanical equipment and crafts. This is true even from the perspective of the present author, who was transferred from an art university in Tokyo. The production environment was in Takaoka National College. The education there was a two-year junior college and differed from a four-year university education.

The first year was spent learning a specialized field. The second year was a demanding one, where students were required to complete their graduation project. However, in 2005, 24 years after its founding, the three national universities in Toyama Prefecture (University of Toyama, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, and Takaoka National College) were reorganized and integrated under the policy of the Ministry of Education, and the junior college was remodeled as a faculty. In addition to the field of crafts (which has received substantial resources since the time I was in college), it has been reorganized as a small fine arts department within a comprehensive university, with fields such as graphic design, product design, Japanese painting, Western painting, sculpture, architecture, and curation. We started off in an effective manner. In particular, in the field of crafts, conventional techniques are important, and remarkable everyday crafts and works of art have been created through honed techniques. Therefore, aspirational individuals can contribute substantially in their respective fields and materials. We need to learn. In the production of crafts, the term “gigei” becomes appropriate when the material handling technique, usage selection, work shaping, exquisite decoration, and appropriateness of the times are balanced effectively.

Meanwhile, modern artistic creative activities are diverse. One of the most distinctive features is expression using digital technology. Installations and performances that use music, video, and programming, as well as games and animation, attract attention and are essential for graphic design and product design. Digital technology has developed in the context of commercial production activities and become essential. However, it is necessary to consider the type of affinity it has with the analog methods that have been the mainstream of artistic expression to date. Digital recordings have become common in music, and photography and video have long been digitized. Most of these images are recorded in high resolution and can be accepted straightforwardly even by the most receptive human senses. The advantages of being capable of connecting and sharing remarkable music and images with many individuals are substantial. However, it is unnecessary to debate regarding which is better. In my opinion, this is because it is generally acknowledged empirically that a live performance is more compelling and moving for humans. Digital technology exists to support analog means, and we are in an age where analog thinking is necessary to develop and advance digital technology. However, advanced digital technology and various methods are incomplete and are still undergoing development. Developers and researchers worldwide are working ardently to develop this field because of their acknowledgement of the potential to create more effective and noteworthy works in the future. It is both noteworthy and peculiar that many individuals have accepted the fact that computers (which used to be considered as hard, cold calculators) have become tools for creating design and music. This may be reasonable for young digital natives. However, as an individual who has lived through a time when analog was the only option available, I consider this era of rapid transition highly energizing. Moreover, I consider that it has a substantial cultural impact.

The conservation and restoration of nationally designated important folk cultural properties such as food stalls associated with local festivals, with which we have been involved many times, has been conducted using analog methods for both research and repair techniques. The conventional techniques necessary for preserving and restoring cultural properties require the presence of experts with extensive training. However, the current situation in which the training of such engineers is not keeping pace with the demand is an issue that needs to be addressed. Because our university has conventionally been active in education and research related to various craft techniques, we consider that we can solve various problems by combining analog methods with advanced digital technology. The University of Toyama is a comprehensive university. Therefore, collaboration with other faculties within the Academy of Arts and Sciences is feasible. To date, we have collaborated with the Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Medicine to investigate, research, and produce problems that are difficult to solve by our faculty.

The five departments of GIGEIIN (Cultural Property Conservation, Architecture and Culture, Digital Museum, Digital Fabrication, and Design) has achieved several milestones. Each of these combine conventionally trained techniques and skills with advanced digital technology to contribute to the preservation and development of artistic culture. We aim to contribute through education, research, and social connections and become a core base in Hokuriku*.