Japan VR Case Study21705
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 CaptureMember Osaka, Japan |
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| https://tours.virtualtour.productions/virtual-gyusha/index.htm Hello, I’m Daniel Brown (https://danieljohnbrown.com) from Meidansha Inc. Today, I'm showcasing a project from 2022: "Virtual Cattle Barn," a VR experience that lets users immerse themselves in daily life on a cattle farm.  The cows were curious about the cameras. Virtual Cattle Barn The "Virtual Cattle Barn" project was originally created for the 14th National Wagyu Cattle Show ( commonly known as the "Wagyu Olympics" ), held in Kagoshima Prefecture in October 2022. We wanted event attendees to feel as though they were stepping directly into an authentic cattle barn. We were also honored that this project was nominated for the Digital Twin Awards 2022, co-hosted by Captur3D and Matterport.  Every cow had a unique name. Entrance to the Virtual Cattle Barn Opening the door to the "Virtual Cattle Barn" transports you to a quiet farm in Kagoshima Prefecture. Visitors are greeted by 360-degree photography, ambient field sounds, and the serene late-summer countryside. From there, you can explore four separate barn areas. Clicking on any barn opens a Matterport spatial viewer in a pop-up window. Inside, you can clearly hear the hum of large ventilation fans and the distinct clinking of cattle hardware against metal fences. Integrated video clips give users an intimate look at the daily routines shared by the farmers and their livestock. Visual tags made browsing easy.  The Journey to Kirishima The project was filmed among the lush natural landscapes of Kirishima City, Kagoshima Prefecture. The client chose Kirishima partly for its accessibility, given its proximity to Kagoshima Airport. Because we needed to manage gear battery life carefully, we traveled by bullet train the day before the shoot. After navigating several public transit connections, we completed the six-hour journey and arrived at the Kagoshima Airport Hotel. Filming took place in early September 2022. The air in Kirishima's bamboo groves was hot and humid, filled with the constant buzz of cicadas. On site, we met up with team members from Dentsu Live Kansai Branch and met the host farmers and their families. Watching the farmers interact with their herd—and seeing the genuine care in their eyes as they checked each cow's health—was deeply inspiring. Each of the 100+ cattle on the farm had its own name written above its stall. When it came time for feeding, the farmer’s wife and daughter called each newly weaned calf by name. We captured moments including calf feedings, the sons feeding adult cattle, and a field veterinarian conducting pregnancy checks. As a fun bonus, we even captured 360-degree footage of curious calves walking right up to my RICOH THETA Z1 camera and giving it a full lick—a moment that is surprisingly thrilling to experience in VR!  Because drone noise unsettled the cattle, we mounted cameras on 3-meter tripods to capture high-angle overhead views of the barns safely. 360-Degree Panoramas Most of the "Virtual Cattle Barn" photography was shot using a Sony α7R IV mirrorless camera paired with a Samyang 14mm fisheye lens. These shots were converted into 360-degree panoramas and overlaid onto the core Matterport Pro2 scan data within the Matterport Capture app across all four barns. This approach allowed us to edit images before uploading them to the Matterport Cloud. Because the cattle moved too quickly for the Pro2’s slower shutter speed, we used the mirrorless camera to take nine rapid bracketed exposures per shot, combining them into HDR images. This helped bring out details on dark-furred cattle inside dim barn interiors, which was crucial given the harsh sunlight streaming through the open-air barn walls. The large full-frame sensor on the Sony α7R IV minimized image noise in low-light conditions, allowing us to capture crisp imagery even in challenging lighting. Filming was not without its challenges. Even with HDR bracketing, quick cattle movements meant we could only use the 3 frames with the least motion blur out of each 9-shot sequence. Additionally, the farm entrance was coated in white disinfectant powder to prevent diseases from spreading via car tires or shoes. This powder poses a constant risk to camera equipment; it settles into gear bags and floats in the air during lens changes. We kept air blowers on hand to clean the bodies and lenses continuously throughout the day.  Two friendly farm dogs make frequent guest appearances throughout the virtual tour. Video Production Video clips were recorded using the same Sony camera paired with a 20mm prime lens mounted on a gimbal, along with an iPhone on a gimbal and the RICOH THETA Z1. I handled most of the video capture and in-house production at Meidansha (with the exception of a birth scene filmed directly on the farmer’s smartphone). Video editing was handled by Kevin Doyle Jr. We extend our sincere gratitude to Kagoshima Prefecture and the National Wagyu Cattle Show organization for commissioning the project, and to Dentsu Live Kansai Branch for selecting Meidansha. We also thank the panel of judges who nominated "Virtual Cattle Barn" for the Digital Twin Awards 2022. Closing Thoughts Thank you for reading! As a bonus, below is an unreleased 360-degree video clip filmed on the RICOH THETA Z1 in the calf barn that didn't make the final tour cut. It has an unexpected ending—we hope you enjoy it! Related Links If you are interested in learning more about Meidansha’s 3D tour capabilities, please visit our Professional Virtual Tour Production page.  |
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| Hi Daniel, What a marvellous tour! I’m reminded of the then Google Business View virtual tour we created of an automated milking parlour that the manufacturer built at the National Ploughing Championships trade show. This event is the largest outdoor trade show in Europe with 300,000 visitors over three days. The milking parlour was complete with a herd of cows who queued up patiently behind each other when they felt like being milked. They are very curious and friendly creatures. I love that you are always looking for different end uses for virtual tours. Oliver |
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Capture Member Osaka, Japan |
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| Please post that on the forum @Gladsmuir, I’m looking for case studies to try in Japan |
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