Hitachi City in Ibaraki Prefecture and Hitachi, Ltd. have opened "Mirai no Machi Hitachi" (Future City Hitachi), a metaverse imagining everyday life in the city in 2035. The launch is framed as a pilot within a co-creation project, intended to let residents experience possible futures and give their views on them. It went public on 4 November 2026.
How it works
Visitors move through the online virtual space as avatars and tour four areas themed on coolness, exchange, challenge and housing use, completing missions along the way. The experience runs in the web browsers of PCs and smartphones, with no special app to install, and the press release lists internet-connected smartphones, PCs and tablets as supported devices.
Purpose and participation
The pilot tests the metaverse as a method of citizen participation and opinion gathering. Feedback collected from participants is meant to inform the project and future town planning, and Hitachi, Ltd. says it will analyse citizens' needs, expectations and concerns about future social infrastructure. Nikkei reports the work is part of a wider effort toward a smart city using digital technology and AI.
Availability
- Open to Hitachi City residents and anyone else.
- Public period: 4 November 2026 to 5 March 2027.
- The metaverse is also offered at the co-creation booth of the Hitachi City Industrial Festival on 7 and 8 November 2026.
