Experience new form of communication using digital technologies with staff who cannot hear “Miru Cafe” to open in Harajuku, Tokyo from Wednesday, November 15!

Sign language art and Deaflympics videos of the past will also be displayed in the shop

The Deaflympics, an international sports competition for deaf athletes, will be held for the first time in Tokyo, Japan from November 15 to 26, 2025 in two years time. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government （TMG） is taking various initiatives to raise interest in the Deaflympics.

At a Harajuku cafe popular with young people, we will use this time coinciding with the period two years before the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics are held to open the concept cafe “Miru Cafe” for a limited time from Wednesday, November 15 to Sunday, November 26. It will use digital technologies to make language “visible” and allow everyone to connect regardless of whether or not they can hear.

1.Miru Cafe

Using technologies that changes different forms of language such as voice into words and makes them “visible,” Miru Cafe is a concept cafe that aims to create an environment in which everyone can communicate comfortably regardless of whether or not they can hear, and to promote understanding of an inclusive society through the experience. In the cafe, you can use digital technologies from entering the shop to ordering, interactions with the staff, and paying the bill, and you can smoothly communicate with staff with hearing impairments （staff who cannot hear）.

You can communicate with shop staff including those who cannot hear using digital technologies that can display the contents entered by voice or keyboard on a transparent screen, convert voice to text on a smartphone or tablet, display handwritten characters, and convert sign language to text.

In addition, the shop will exhibit pop art with sign language motifs based on the concept of “TALKING HANDS” by KADO Hidehiko*, show past Deaflympics videos, place a tactile deaf emblem monument, and display sign language picture books. The exhibition will provide a variety of information to help people experience the world of the deaf.

*KADO Hidehiko: Born to deaf parents, he began drawing from a young age to express feelings that could not be fully conveyed through spoken or sign language. He has created many sign language art pieces with sign language motifs, and has been involved in a wide range of activities such as animation, confectionery packaging, interior art for restaurants, and hotel room decor.

2.Overview

Period:

From Wednesday, November 15 to Sunday, November 26, 2023

Opening Hours:

11:00 to 20:00

Location:

ECO FARM CAFE 632
Piazza Annex 1F, 6-32-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 150-0001

Menu:

A wide variety of desserts, homemade bread, vegetables from their own farm, and their specialty homemade roasted coffee.

You can experience communication with staff who you
cannot hear through digital technologies in the shop

The shop is filled with sign language art by KADO Hidehiko

3.Main Digital Technologies at Cafe

KIKI, sign language CG avatar

A photo-realistic sign language CG avatar, delivering messages in sign language to visitors. Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Support Ambassador.

Speech Translation Display（TOPPAN Co., Ltd. and others）

Enable face-to-face communication by displaying content input by voice or keyboard on a transparent screen. It can also handle multilingual translations.

Koetora SpeechCanvas（FEAT Limited）

In addition to converting audio into text on your smartphone or tablet, it can also display handwritten characters.

SureTalk（The University of Electro-Communications / SoftBank Corp.）

Interactive communication system using sign language and voice

Ontenna（Fujitsu Limited）

This device that you wear on your hair, earlobes, collars, sleeve openings, etc. allows you to feel the characteristics of sound through vibrations and light.

Hapbeat（Hapbeat LLC.）

This device transforms sounds such as sounds from competitions and spectator cheers into vibrations, and allows the body to feel the direction, intensity, and rhythm of sounds.

4.Other Initiatives

Illumination of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

The building will be illuminated in the four colors that represent the Deaflympics logo （red, blue, yellow, and green） from 17:00 to 19:00 on Wednesday, November 15 through Sunday, November 26.

※Please click here for the original Japanese release.