OSAKA MOMOYO
400 years of destruction, rebirth, resilience, and daily life seen from an Osaka street corner, from Edo to Reiwa.
Commissioned for the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, Osaka Momoyo is a 360-degree fixed-point journey through four centuries of urban metamorphosis. Positioned at the historic crossroads of Sakaisuji and Hiranomachi, the piece witnesses twelve pivotal eras—from the canals of the Edo period and wartime destruction to modern skyline rebirth.
Through meticulously illustrated architectural detail and dynamic character animation, the work captures the unbroken vitality and daily rhythms of the people who rebuilt and sustained Osaka across generations.
Director’s Statement
Osaka Momoyo invites you to dive into over 400 years of Osaka’s history and ride its dramatic ups and downs like a roller coaster. While the setting remains the same throughout, the eras shift and so do the people who appear in each one.
Osaka’s history doesn’t follow a straight, linear path. Like a pendulum, it swings through devastating fires, wars, and times of prosperity.
Yet in every era, the vitality of Osaka’s people has supported the city, enabling it to rise again and again.
I hope that those who experience this work can absorb that Osaka energy and walk away feeling uplifted, with a “que sera sera” spirit, ready to face whatever the future may bring.
Credits
Director: Jonathan Hagard
CG Director: Masaya Inaba
Character Designers, 2D Animators: Takuto Kawakami, Mari Takahashi
Sound Designer: Eiji John Mitsuta
Assistant Illustrator: Suh Jiseong
Graphic Designers: Tsubasa Suehiro, Junpei Katafuchi
Producers: Takahiro Okamoto, Tetsuya Ohashi
Format: 360° VR Animation
Duration: 10 min
Year: 2025
Commission: Osaka Metro
Production: CinemaLeap
Exhibition
- Osaka Museum of Housing and Living — Special Exhibition (2025)