Information Visualization System For Activation of Shotengai

This paper attempts to activate a large scale shopping district (shotengai) using new internet techniques. Recently decline of shotengai is a serious problem by development of large shopping centers. We made a new approach with internet techniques to activate shotengai, which is a typical Japanese shopping district. The Osu Shotengai is one of the most famous shotengai in Nagoya, Japan, which includes about 400 stores. We developed Osu shotengai official web site, called “At Osu.” First, the information of 400 stores in Osu shotengai, which includes 9 streets, was collected. Then we created an interactive “Information Visualization System” to put fresh information of shotengai on the web site in real time. It includes “Comment Upload System, ” where store owners can upload their comments and informing news directly on the web site. Further, we developed a new approach to stimulate store owners motivations for participating in the web site. And we also mention about an attractive and interactive web design using twitters to get opinions of users. By developing the new web site, the number of visitors of “At Osu” has increased rapidly. Many articles about this new approach to activate shotengai with a web site were published in newspapers or magazines and we have receives many inquiries.