Apr 17, 2014

"ONE SKY, ONE ROAD" - Join Us on a Journey Across Japan

Panasonic Corporation has produced a full-length movie recording a 4,500-kilometer drive from Cape Sata in Kagoshima Prefecture in the south to Cape Soya in Hokkaido in the north, using a highly functional driving camera mounted on "Gorilla EYE", the immensely popular portable car navigation system in Japan. The 80-hour continuous website, dubbed "ONE SKY, ONE ROAD", features the trans-Japan drive and is available for public viewing with an access to http://gorilla-eye.jp/ for a limited period of time from April 14, through May 31, 2014.

ONE SKY, ONE ROAD -Trailer - SSD Portable Car Navigation "Gorilla EYE"

Unlike a conventional drive recorder, the "Gorilla EYE" combines the car navigation system with a drive camera to offer a new form of driving for fun by chronicling beautiful scenery and chance encounters. Panasonic has organized this public viewing event to share the joy of driving around the Japanese archipelago with people in Japan and around the world.

SSD Portable Car Navigation "Gorilla EYE" (Japan model)
Great SETO Bridge at Okayama Prefecture, taken by Gorilla-EYE's driving camcorder

Composition of the "ONE SKY, ONE ROAD" Website

The viewer can enjoy the following four movies.

ONE SKY, ONE ROAD Special Website

The 80-hour full playback movie, covering the route from Cape Sata in Kagoshima Prefecture to Cape Soya in Hokkaido with stopovers in places like Nichinan Phoenix Road, Miyazaki Prefecture; Great Seto Bridge, Okayama Prefecture; Fujimi Boulevard, Shizuoka Prefecture; Shibuya Bunkamura Street, Tokyo; and sharply winding Iroha Slope road in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture.
The high speed digest movie lasting about 2 minutes.
The map-linked movie simultaneously showing footage and maps.
The making movie showing footage of happenings during the eight-day drive.

Comments from members of the filming crew:

We filmed scenes over the 4,500 kilometers from Cape Sata in Kagoshima Prefecture to Cape Soya in Hokkaido in eight days. The 80-hour movie has been realized by a combination of the outstanding filming performance of the "Gorilla EYE," favorable weather and the physical strength of the crew members.
As Japan was hit by a severe cold spell during our tour, the filming crew had to cope with many unforeseen events like road closures and frozen roads due to heavy snow. At Cape Soya on the final day of our tour, we were blessed with clear skies and were deeply moved when we saw Sakhalin Island across the sea.

Comments from members of the production staff:

We needed the unprecedented website technology capable of transmitting 80 hours of video continuously as well the technology for streaming transmission. We became the first to transmit 80 hours of video without a break as we fully utilized what we had gained from our past experiences.

Music by GO HIYAMA, the up-and-coming sound designer

LisM a.k.a. Go Hiyama

The music for "ONE SKY, ONE ROAD" was composed by the leading young techno musician, LisM, a.k.a. Go Hiyama.

The four songs composed by this up-and-coming artist match the cuts and speed of the visuals as the video takes the viewer on a journey across the countless roads and through the diverse scenery of Japan, and with their rhythmic, relaxing tempo, are sure to put your heart at ease.

In parts, filled with a sentimental atmosphere, and in others, a lively, positive ambiance, the songs evoke a wide range of feelings in the listener and complement the atmosphere of the video perfectly.