Dentsu and Heibonsha release free of charge “72 Seasons” Calendar app in English to enhance the enjoyment of people travelling to Japan
Dentsu has released “72 Seasons: A year seen through the ancient Japanese calendar” mobile device application developed in collaboration with publisher Heibonsha under their joint project “Beautiful Living Research Lab” that was launched in November 2010. This application, which is available in English, is designed to enhance the enjoyment of visitors to Japan, a country in which people’s lives are closely attuned to the seasons.
“72 Seasons” is the English version of the free-of-charge “Everyday Life Almanac” Japanese calendar app for the iPhone, iPad and Android devices which has been downloaded 350,000 times. In the same way as the Japanese app, the English app divides the yearly calendar into the 24 solar terms and 72 seasons that have been used in Japan since ancient times. The calendar is updated approximately every five days. Designed in the format of a traditional Japanese scroll that unrolls horizontally, the commentary explaining the changes in nature is interspersed with haiku poems and content such as photographs of seasonal food and illustrations that enable people to immerse themselves in the Japanese lifestyle and culture. Since it is free of charge, it is the ideal app for people from outside of Japan to learn more about the country’s seasons, and also for Japanese people who would like to introduce Japan to visitors.
Looking ahead, the number of people visiting Japan is expected to increase, and demand for content that can introduce Japan to tourists is also expected to grow. Under the auspices of the “Beautiful Living Research Lab” project, Dentsu and Heibonsha will continue to disseminate Japanese culture worldwide through the “72 Seasons” app, as well as developing it into a new medium for inbound tourism. The two companies also plan to create and market proposals for customized “72 Seasons” content that is tailored to the needs of companies and local governments.