From the neon-soaked streets of Shibuya to the ancient gardens of Kyoto, Moment Factory has spent the better part of a decade reimagining how technology can honor Japanese tradition while creating entirely new forms of wonder. The international multimedia studio’s Tokyo office, now marking its eighth anniversary, has become something of a cultural translator—turning subway stations into immersive art installations, collaborating with Indigenous Ainu communities on a luminous Night Walk, and excited to contribute to Japan’s ambitious plan of doubling its tourism numbers by 2030.

What sets Moment Factory apart isn’t just their ability to make spaces glow and pulse with digital life, but their commitment to deep listening before creating. Whether working with Sony and East Japan Railway to transform Shinjuku Station’s daily commuter chaos into “The Colour Bath” or spending over a year developing technology that would minimally impact Lake Akan’s delicate ecosystem, the studio has proven that cutting-edge innovation and cultural sensitivity aren’t just compatible—they’re essential partners.

In this Bridges Magazine conversation, Tokyo Office Director Normand-Pierre Bilodeau reflects on nearly a decade of creative bridge-building between Canada and Japan, sharing insights on everything from pandemic-era problem-solving to the untapped potential of Japan’s emerging nightlife economy.

Bridges: This year marks a meaningful milestone for Moment Factory in Japan—eight years since opening your Tokyo office in the creative heart of Shibuya Cast. Looking back, how has this space shaped the studio’s journey in Asia, and what does this anniversary represent for your team creatively and culturally?

Normand-Pierre Bilodeau: Japan was Moment Factory’s first Asian destination, chosen for its leadership in digital art and technological innovation. Since opening our Tokyo studio in 2017 at Shibuya Cast, it has become a vibrant hub for bold ideas and collaborative growth. For almost a decade, this dynamic space has served as a creative playground to craft projects, including collaborating with Universal Studios Japan, contributing to the Namie Amuro Final Tour and creating The Color Bath at Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station—a large-scale, multimedia ecosystem that transforms the passageway into an immersive passenger experience, to name a few.

^{© Moment Factory, The Color Bath at Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station}

From immersive celebrations like your recent anniversary showcase in Shibuya to projects that connect technology with emotion, Japan continues to inspire bold ideas. How has the country’s unique blend of tradition, innovation, and community collaboration influenced the work coming out of your Tokyo studio?

Our mission has always been to create human-centered experiences that connect people in the real world, starting with listening, learning, and building authentic relationships. From the moment we opened our Tokyo office, we immersed ourselves in local culture and collaborated closely with the community. Together, we have explored new ways to share and celebrate Japanese culture through innovative entertainment and immersive environments.

One standout project is The Colour Bath at Shinjuku Station, developed in partnership with Sony Music Solutions Inc. and East Japan Railway Company, which transformed a bustling transit hub into a captivating multimedia experience. This project also exemplified the strong collaboration between Canada and Japan, as both nations worked closely together to overcome the complex challenges posed by the pandemic. Collaboration remains at the core of everything we do, and maintaining a deep connection to local culture is essential to our ongoing success.

Signature projects like Kamuy Lumina—developed with the Ainu community—and the long-term launch of Light Cycles in Kyoto show a deep commitment to storytelling and place-making. What have these experiences taught you about co-creation in Japan, and what makes them particularly meaningful to Moment Factory?

Both Kamuy Lumina and Light Cycles have brought us meaningful and distinct learnings. Kamuy Lumina, an enchanting Night Walk at Lake Akan that just reopened for its 6th season, was an incredibly formative project for Moment Factory. It marked our first collaboration with an Indigenous community—a valuable learning experience that we’ve since carried into other projects around the world, such as Onhwa’ Lumina in Canada, which showcases Wendat culture through an immersive story world. This collaboration allowed us to create an experience that engages visitors with Hokkaido’s Ainu storytelling tradition, inviting them to rediscover Akan Mashu National Park in a new way, through the lens of ancient wisdom. Over a year of development went into crafting custom technology, and collaborating with the Ainu community of Lake Akan, the Ministry of Environment and Akan Adventure Tourism Co. to ensure the impact on the site’s flora and fauna was as minimal as possible.

^{© Moment Factory, Kamuy Lumina}

Light Cycles Kyoto was the result of a trust-based collaboration with the Kyoto Botanical Gardens, Kyoto Prefecture, Mitsui Fudosan, and local businesses. The project aimed to explore how creativity and multimedia could help transform an iconic landmark into a night-time experience that supports local tourism and celebrates the natural and cultural heritage of the Botanical Gardens.

Listed as a flagship initiative of the Kyoto Action Plan for Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, the immersive art exhibit reimagines Japan’s oldest botanical gardens as a nighttime destination where nature and technology converge. Winner of [d]arc Awards’ top honor in the Art category, Light Cycles Kyoto reopened as a long-term installation, continuing to energize the Kitayama-Kitaoji district.

As your work continues to shape public spaces, tourism, and cultural dialogue—from night walks to Expo 2025—what kind of creative frontiers do you see Moment Factory exploring next in Japan? What excites you most about where this journey is heading?

Aligned with the Japanese government’s ambition to boost tourism and double visitor numbers by 2030, we’re motivated to deepen our collaborations in Japan and continue pushing the boundaries of creativity and technology in the country, with several exciting projects already underway. Together with our local partners, we aim to create new forms of entertainment that spark real-world connections and collective wonder. Japan remains a key creative hub and an endless source of inspiration for us, and we look forward to growing our network of collaborators to deliver groundbreaking experiences that celebrate Japanese culture and enhance the country’s tourism landscape.

^{© Moment Factory, Light Cycles Kyoto}

We’re happy to see the government’s interest in growing Japan’s nightlife economy. A sector that remains underexplored but is gaining traction with international visitors in major cities, and one that aligns well with our multimedia experiences. It’s inspiring to see Japan opening up to new ideas and actively seeking trusted international partners. With eight years of presence on the ground and a hybrid local team, we are prepared to support this vision and create experiences that resonate with local communities and international visitors.

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