We named the project "Hanami" because it stemmed from "Seeds of the Sakura", a digital media project completed in 2019 that aimed to increase understanding about Japan’s cultural history through the life experiences of a former University of the Pacific student, Sanji Muto. Hanami comes from the Japanese word hana meaning “flower” and translates to “flower viewing”. It is a traditional Japanese custom of enjoying the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms in the Spring. The popularity of viewing Sakura blossoms grew when Japan shifted focus to adopt an appreciation and sensitivity towards nature, many centuries ago.
This site provides a description of a digital media project, Hanami, that aims to increase understanding about Japan’s cultural history through a series of Augmented Reality experiences installed in Sanji Muto study room located on the 2nd floor of William Know Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center. Augmented Reality allows you to display digital content overlay of an object in real life through a screen on a smartphone or table. Through Augmented Reality experiences, this student created project highlights of some of Sanji Muto’s timeless messages and Japan’s graceful cultural practices. You can learn more about Sanji Muto and go through the Augmented Reality experience by downloading the app from the Google Play store.
