Discussion: World Yuru Sports Association × Aisareru Seat

Aisareru Seat Concept

Kaku：

My initial thought was that I wanted people to use our seats for years to come, so, therefore, we must ensure our seats become a “well-loved presence” (Aisareru means “to be loved” in Japanese) in which people want to sit. That was the inspiration for the name Aisareru Seat and the starting point for developing the seat system. Beginning with the concept of “enjoyment,” we sought to add new value to the experience of sitting. The trend in the automotive industry is to propose such things as being able to sit back and watch a movie or work in the cabin of a self-driving vehicle, but the value of “sitting” has not really changed. We are, of course, researching such things in-house, but the basic meaning of “sitting” itself has not changed. We discussed the fact that if we could change the image of sitting in a vehicle from simply “moving” to “enjoying,” then we could change the meaning of “sitting,” which would be a true example of innovation! However, there was initially a tepid response to this idea, with people thinking that it would be difficult to evaluate.

Sawada：

If we could change people’s views, that would be the greatest compliment, wouldn’t it? I think that it’s important to steer away from the mainstream when creating something. What’s popular in the sports industry right now is the use of the latest technology to expand spectatorship, but I feel like everyone is simply moving in the same direction. “Yuru sports” is based on the belief that if you are going to use technology, then it’s better to use it to create a new sport, so you can say that we’re also outside of industry trends and the mainstream. For better or worse, our competitors are all swimming together like a great school of sardines, and they could be gobbled up by whales like Google or Tesla. I get the feeling that we are both small fish, swimming away from the main school and starting to head out together into the great blue sea.

The Concept of Yuru Sports

Sawada：

I’m not very good at sports, but when Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2013, I decided to come up with something that would allow people to enjoy sports. In 2015, I founded the World Yuru Sports Association based on the concept of “creating a world where no one is disadvantaged at sport.” Our starting point for thinking about sports that everyone can enjoy was the people who are not good at sports, and we sought to develop ideas with the aim of creating sports that these people can take part in. The key point to bear in mind is that you don’t get to the heart of essential issues simply by interviewing people who are not good at sports because they may feel defensive talking about such things. So we worked to befriend such people. By working closely with them to develop content, it was possible to identify unique challenges and create unique output (sports).

Kaku：

So in the case of “Kankyuso,” the involvement of “Beyond Girls,” a dynamic trio of women in wheelchairs, was vital, wasn’t it?

Sawada：

Absolutely. The three women helped us in our trials for “Kankyuso” and assisted us in fine-tuning it so it would be easy to use for women in wheelchairs. We then let everyone at Yuru Sports Land 2019 try it out. Development of “Kankyuso” really started with these three women, so it means that everyone can get a good result in this sport.

How the Joint Development of “Kankyuso” Began

Kaku：

It all started in the autumn of 2018, when I was in the process of developing the Aisareru Seat, and I happened to hear a lecture by Mr. Sawada. At the time, I was thinking that we needed a new community different from the automotive industry to further promote the Aisareru Seat, and this sparked my interest in Mr. Sawada’s work on fashion shows and productions from the perspective of persons with disabilities. I remember going up to introduce myself right after his lecture ended.

Sawada：

Mr. Kaku spoke with tremendous enthusiasm as he showed me an introductory video, telling me that he was starting to think about sports-related content using the Aisareru Seat. His enthusiasm was infectious, so we continued our discussions, and when I got to try the Aisareru Seat at the start of 2019, I really felt that this could provide a new experience.

Kaku：

The period from that point until May, when we unveiled “Kankyuso,” was one where we were able to overcome all the barriers that we had found ourselves up against. Our encounter with Mr. Sawada and the World Yuru Sports community enabled us to bring in perspectives and ideas that we didn’t have ourselves.

The Future of the Aisareru Seat

Kaku：

Looking to the future, our aim is to increase the amount of socially meaningful things we do and for the Aisareru Seat to become a technology-nurturing platform in the midst of the community that has been created. If the concept of “enjoying sitting” becomes widespread, more people will want to use the seat, which will inevitably lead to business opportunities. What we are trying to do is increase new content that goes beyond the automotive domain.

Sawada：

When thinking of content, it can be divided into that which is place-dependent and that which is not. I would say that the more unforgettable experiences that remain so deeply etched in our memories are ones that are place-dependent. In that sense, as the Aisareru Seat itself is a place, “Kankyuso” can become a more memorable type of experience. In what kind of places would you like to use the Aisareru Seat, Mr. Kaku?

Kaku：

I think it would be interesting to see people sitting in a car or on a train enjoying themselves in an Aisareru Seat.

Sawada：

I think cars may be a surprisingly good option. Today, when we’re all sitting in a car, each of us is fiddling with our smartphones separately, making it difficult to maximize the value of the cabin space as a communication tool that builds human relationships. So, for example, if you had the “Kankyuso” game in the car, you might get the value of everyone looking in the same direction. It could create a situation where everyone in the car is laughing loudly, even though there might be a frustrating traffic jam outside.

Kaku：

That would be brilliant. Linking people together—that is truly the vision of the Aisareru Seat.