Music Design for an Architectural & Historical Experience Film

I was responsible for the music design for the architectural and historical experience film presented at the Honmaru Palace of the former Nijō Castle.

The Honmaru Palace is a site that contains multiple historical layers: from the beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate, through the Taisei Hōkan (the return of governing power to the Emperor), to its later use as an imperial villa.
Rather than presenting history through explanation, this project sought to create a viewing experience in which visitors could stand within the space and physically sense the overlap of time embedded in the architecture.

The shared premise regarding music was clear from the outset.
The music should not overly manipulate emotion, should not attempt to explain history, and should not diminish the inherent quietness and presence of the architecture itself.
For this reason, the sound was not designed to leave an impression through melody or dramatic development, but to function as a subtle framework that organizes the flow of time between the image and the space.

Responding closely to the structure and chapters of the film, the music changes only gradually.
This allowed the visitor’s awareness to move naturally from the screen toward the architecture itself, maintaining an appropriate distance between image, sound, and physical space.

The music never becomes the focal point.
Instead, it supports a continuous viewing experience, sustaining a state in which visitors can remain fully attentive to the space without interruption.

This project was not about placing music onto a completed film.
It was a process of defining the role of sound itself, based on a careful consideration of architecture, history, and the experience of viewing.

At Drifter, I approach projects in cultural heritage sites and public spaces by engaging with the time and meaning inherent to each place, designing music intended for long-term use and quiet coexistence with its environment.