Sumitomo Pavilion Creator’s Voice Vol.11 Shungo Ota (MONTAGE)
Hello from the Sumitomo Pavilion.
In this series, Sumitomo Pavilion Creators’ Voice, we introduce the “voices” of the creative staff behind our exhibits, architecture, and productions—one by one.
Each story is filled with passion for the Expo and the Pavilion, challenges overcome, and uncompromising dedication.
This time, our speaker is Shungo Ota of Montage, producer of the overall production team for UNKNOWN FOREST, including the many experiences within the forest and the Performing Theater.
＜Profile＞
After graduating from the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Science and Technology at Tokyo University of Science, Ota worked as a graphic designer before joining the video production company MONTAGE in 2016. From an architectural perspective, he produces spaces that integrate not only video software but also the surrounding environment and experience design.
https://montage.co.jp/members/ota/
What led you to get involved with the Sumitomo Pavilion?
Right after finishing work on the Japan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, I was invited by General Producer Jun Naito. I first worked with him in Dubai, and then came the Sumitomo Pavilion. I was thrilled to be entrusted with another large-scale project in succession.
What made the Sumitomo Pavilion project special was the opportunity to be involved from the very beginning—from concept and story development. I had a strong conviction that this would allow us to create something truly exciting.
The greatest challenge: the lanterns at the heart of the experience
The Pavilion aimed to deliver an unprecedented interactive experience that combined video, sound, lighting, mist, and lanterns. From the start, we knew it would require trial and error once we got on site.
The toughest part was adjusting the lanterns, which form the core of the experience.
Since no one had ever tried anything like this before, the process was one of constant hypotheses, testing, and problem-solving. We checked success and failure patterns one by one, piling up verification after verification. Up until opening day, we spent every possible moment testing—morning to night.
Together with DNP(Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. ), who led lantern development, and all the companies involved in the Pavilion, we shared ideas across organizational boundaries, testing and improving as a united team. UNKNOWN FOREST is truly an experience created by everyone working as one.
The Performing Theater as my culmination
If I had to highlight one element, it would be the Performing Theater. A performance combining video, sound, lighting, and mist—created in collaboration with choreographer Kenta Kojiri and costume designer Tamae Hirokawa, whom we invited to join the project. For me, this stage production, led by the Montage team, feels like the culmination of all my experiences to date.
Each dancer brings a unique expression of “wind,” a key motif, and the layered visuals look different depending on where you sit. That variability, where each performance offers new discoveries, is one of the Theater’s special appeals.
Challenges Accumulated, a True Reflection of the Team’s Will and the Pavilion’s Message
What I came to realize again through the Sumitomo Pavilion was the importance of experience design. UNKNOWN FOREST is a collection of many different contents, each infused with technology and creativity. Yet no matter how excellent each piece may be, if the environment in which visitors experience them is not well prepared, the true appeal can be diminished. Even a carefully crafted performance like the Performing Theater can feel disconnected if visitors are not mentally prepared, leaving a gap that spoils the experience.
Who is experiencing it, how they move through it, what mindset they bring, and what they take away afterward—unless the flow from beginning to end is designed as one seamless experience, it is difficult to create something that truly remains in people’s hearts.
That is why we created the Pavilion with the hope that visitors would take away “something to remember” from their time here. Whether the Pavilion’s message resonates, or whether it sparks realizations and inspirations for the future, may only become clear after some time has passed.
Still, because the Expo 2025 Sumitomo Committee Secretariat, along with the architecture team, production team, operations team, and communications team, all worked in the same direction, we were able to create a Pavilion with a coherent story and a powerful message.
In large projects where so many people are involved, it is vital that everyone faces the same way. In this sense, the accomplishment of the overall production team in uniting the entire project was truly significant.
With the hope that the experience of the Sumitomo Pavilion will connect to the future, I believe that the challenges we faced and overcame together are themselves the will of everyone involved in this project—and the very message the Pavilion wanted to share.
