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Beyond Tokyo

The XR School › Geography › Beyond Tokyo
$4.99 The Soap Collective • ANA 360 video • Interactive storytelling PC VR • SteamVR • Viveport
Released on Steam 30 July 2018 • Co created with All Nippon Airways and World Innovation Lab

Beyond Tokyo

A stylised VR adventure around Shibuya in Tokyo, mixing 360 video, photos, narration and interactive scenes. Stand in the middle of Shibuya Crossing, walk Harajuku's fashion streets, visit Meiji Shrine and hear the story of Hachiko.

Developer: The Soap Collective
Publishers: All Nippon Airways, World Innovation Lab
Platform: PC VR via SteamVR • Viveport
Subject: Geography • Japanese culture • Languages
6.0
/10
XR School Score
Worth a Look
Real Tokyo scenes in 360 video • Culture and stories • Inexpensive • Short • Few reviews • Needs room scale PC VR
$4.99 • Steam Too few reviews to score
Overview

Beyond Tokyo is a virtual reality travel experience developed by The Soap Collective with All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest airline, and World Innovation Lab. ANA created it to connect people around the world with Japan and to encourage travel there. It was released on Steam on 30 July 2018 for $4.99 and is also available on Viveport.

The experience is set in and around Shibuya, Tokyo. It combines a stylised version of the district with 360 videos, photos, narration and interactive storytelling. Highlights include a 360 video from the centre of Shibuya Crossing and an aerial time lapse, the fashion streets of Harajuku, a yakitori izakaya and a sushi restaurant where you catch your own fish, a rooftop shrine with views over the city, Meiji Shrine, the LOVE statue, the story of the loyal dog Hachiko with a view of Mount Fuji, and Kaze no Denwa, the Wind Phone. It needs SteamVR with a room scale play area of at least 2 by 1.5 metres.

Culture Through Stories Beyond Tokyo is less a map than a set of stories: a famous dog who waited for his owner every day, a phone box where people speak to loved ones they have lost, a shrine on a rooftop above the busiest crossing in the world. That makes it a warm introduction to Japanese culture rather than just a sightseeing tour.
Places and Stories
🚦
Shibuya Crossing
Stand in the middle of the famous scramble crossing.
👗
Harajuku
Explore the fashion streets.
⛩️
Meiji Shrine
Visit one of Tokyo's best known shrines.
🐕
Hachiko
The story of Japan's most loyal dog.
Practical Notes Beyond Tokyo needs a PC capable of VR and a room scale space. It has very few user reviews, so preview it before using it with a class. The Wind Phone segment touches on grief and loss, so prepare students for it.
Classroom Value
Cultural value
7.4
Engagement
6.6
Curriculum links
6.5
Ease of setup
4.5
Length and depth
4.5
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths
  • Real 360 video of Tokyo landmarks
  • Strong focus on culture and stories
  • Made with Japan's largest airline
  • Inexpensive
  • Covers both modern and traditional Japan
Considerations
  • Short experience
  • Very few user reviews
  • PC VR and room scale space needed
  • Focused on one district
  • Wind Phone story deals with grief
For Teachers: Japan in Geography and Languages Use Beyond Tokyo in KS3 geography on Japan or megacities, and in Japanese language lessons as a cultural hook. Ask students to compare Shibuya with a busy UK city centre, and to note examples of tradition and modernity side by side.
$4.99
PC VR via SteamVR • Also on Viveport
Get on Steam → More geography apps →
Quick Facts
Developer
The Soap Collective
Publishers
ANA, World Innovation Lab
Steam release
30 July 2018
Price
$4.99
Platform
SteamVR, Viveport
Play area
Room scale, 2 m by 1.5 m
Language
English audio
Verdict
Beyond Tokyo is a short, affectionate introduction to Shibuya and Japanese culture, built around real 360 footage and memorable stories. It needs PC VR and has few reviews, but at $4.99 it is worth a look for geography and Japanese language teachers.

Gareth Griffiths

Gareth Griffiths is a scientist and the founder of World of Teaching, a free library of over 1,000 teacher made PowerPoints. He set up The XR School to help teachers, schools and parents find virtual and augmented reality apps that genuinely help young people learn, and to give an honest view of what each app teaches, which headsets it needs and what it costs.