Embodied Media Project at Keio University’s Graduate School of Media Design has been developing Mirrored Culture, an interactive initiative centered on Kyrgyz nomadic traditions since 2023. The project explores how creating “cultural twins” through generative technologies can foster deeper cultural understanding and enhance digital tourism experiences.
We are pleased to announce that a Mirrored Culture project is currently exhibited at the EXPO 2025 in Osaka/Kansai in collaboration with the Kyrgyz pavilion.
Since its launch at EXPO 2025, Mirrored Culture has been successfully presented to 36 representatives from the tourism sectors of Japan and Kyrgyzstan. The project now invites all EXPO participants to create their own cultural twins in a Kyrgyz nomadic style.
Exhibition Details:
Dates: September 29 (Mon) – October 13 (Mon)
Location: EXPO 2025, Osaka Kansai, Kyrgyz pavilion (Common A)
Project Background:
In Kyrgyz culture, one of the most essential elements of life has always been the yurt – a portable dwelling and a symbol of harmony that connects people, traditions, and nature. In the Mirrored Culture interactive design project, the yurt becomes a portal into Kyrgyz heritage, inviting you to create your own cultural twin and immerse yourself in a variety of traditions and experiences by reflecting them alongside your own.
Mirrored Culture was initiated in 2023 as part of a master’s design project by Aziza Kanimetova. Since then, it has continued to grow within the Embodied Media Lab at Keio University’s Graduate School of Media Design, under the supervision of Professor Kouta Minamizawa and Project Assistant Professor Takatoshi Yoshida. The project aims to introduce Kyrgyz nomadic culture while creating new opportunities for cultural exchange.
Over the past years, Mirrored Culture has focused on developing interactive media that enables people to learn about different cultures through perspective-taking experiences. Its design emphasizes creating a space where participants can explore both the differences and similarities between cultures by generating their own “cultural twin” and reflecting themselves through the lens of Kyrgyz traditions.
