Amami Acoustic Heritage Archive

A sound & acoustic heritage 3D audio library to preserve and promote the unique ecosystem & culture of Amami-Oshima. Listen, connect, grow.


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Knowledge Base

The Amami islands constitute one of the most bio-diverse environments in Japan, accounting for nearly 50% of endemic national species. In fact, Amami-Oshima was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (UWHS) in 2021 (along with Tokunoshima, the northern part of Okinawa, and Iriomote), due to their diverse and unique to the region ecosystem of plant and animal species. UNESCO defines "World Heritage" as the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity, which are protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. This includes both cultural and natural sites that have been inscribed on the World Heritage List through an international treaty.

While there is little consensus on the terminology and definitions of the interdisciplinary study of acoustics/sound and heritage [1], "acoustical heritage" normally refers to the physical acoustic characteristics of the heritage, but also, in a general sense, to the music, buildings, sites, artifacts, folklore, etc. associated with it. Therefore, the focus seems to lay on the "cultural", "archaeological", and "architectural" components of sites, as opposed to the "natural".

OTOMONO, on the other hand, aims to address this incongruity and to re-balance the weights by adopting a wider and more inclusive definition of "acoustical heritage", extending what proposed in [2]. To this end and hereinafter, acoustical heritage will be intended as "any sounds that form a testimony of an acoustic environment or situation, from a natural and cultural perspective".

REFERENCES
[1] Xiaoyan Zhu, Tin Oberman, Francesco Aletta. Defining acoustical heritage: A qualitative approach based on expert interviews, Applied Acoustics, Volume 216, 2024, 109754, ISSN 0003-682X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2023.109754.
[2] Meri Kytö, Nicolas Rémy, Heikki Uimonen, Françoise Acquier, Gabriel Bérubé, et al.. European Acoustic Heritage, [Research Report] 83, Tampere University of Applied Sciences; Phonogrammarchiv, the Austrian Academy of Sciences ; The multidisciplinary collective Escoitar; The Isle of San Simón Foundation; CRESSON. 2012, pp.108.

As often is the case, many of the initiatives relating to Amami-Oshima's UWHS status tend to document the biodiversity through visual (photographic) material, neglecting the acoustic component. With the climate crisis continuing to unravel before us, many ecosystems are becoming endangered and may eventually succumb and disappear. When they do, all sensory experience of them is lost unless visual, olfactory, gustatory, tactile, genetic, and acoustic records are kept. Therefore, acoustic preservation is a fundamental factor in ecological preservation, as the acoustic component of an environment, hereinafter defined as “soundscape”, should be regarded as an important element of a place's identity.

3D spatial audio is a technology that creates an immersive sound experience by simulating sound coming from various directions, including above and below the listener, rather than just from the front and sides. It uses advanced techniques to replicate how we naturally perceive sound in three-dimensional space, enhancing the realism of the listening experience. The Amami Acoustic Heritage Archive initiative will use this technology to render accurate & immersive acoustic snapshots of Amami-Oshima's world heritage sites.

Photo Gallery

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Promotional Video

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What is OTOMONO?

An open collective focused on sound-based perspectives on ecology, engaged in educational, scientific and community-driven initiatives.


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Stefano Kalonaris

Former Research Scientist at the RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (JP), and visiting researcher at Sensilab, Monash University (AU). Alumnus of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Sound and Music, Queen's University Belfast (UK). Member of the Society for Bioacoustics and the Soundscape Association of Japan. Specializes in sonic interaction design and machine learning with particular interest in environmental applications.

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Haruka Saito

Graduated in Visual Cultures at Goldsmiths, University of London, Haruka Saito is an independent art project manager and coordinator with extensive experience in Japan, Europe, and the US. Her recent focus is on exploring alternative ways in which contemporary art and cultural practice can raise questions and intervene in the ecological discourse, cultivating new kinds of peripheral attention and reimagining the relations entangling microbiome, plant, animal and human lives.

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Haruka Hirayama

Haruka Hirayama is a sound artist and researcher who explores new forms of expression through sound and technology. She holds a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Manchester (UK), and has been active in the fields of computer music, sound art, and interactive art. She is currently engaged in research and education as an Associate Professor at the Department of Information Media, Hokkaido Information University in Hokkaido, Japan.

Purpose

This funding campaign is spearheaded by OTOMONO to raise funds for creating the first ever Amami-Oshima sound library using immersive 3D spatial audio, hereinafter the Amami Acoustic Heritage Archive (AAHA).

Context

OTOMONO has deep roots in the Amami islands network. The founding member, for example, has already worked on the acoustic monitoring of endemic species such as the Amami rabbit, and has ties with several local institutes and laboratories involved in the promotion of Amami's world heritage status, such as the Amami Wildlife Center, the QuruGuru Museum, and the Amami-Oshima World Heritage Conservation Center.

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Assurance

OTOMONO has many years of experience in audio engineering, bioacoustics, sound art, and education, and can guarantee a high level of professionalism in all stages of the initiative, from field recording to web-based repository deployment and maintenance, all in accordance to national & international protocols and laws.

Sample Playlist

The following audio samples are meant to give you an idea of what sounds would possibly be included in the final version of the archive.

IMPORTANT: these are not 3D audio samples!

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Timeline

The timeline will largely depend on the amount raised through the fundraising campaign. One year of continuous recording, for example, would allow a complete representation of the acoustic biodiversity & sound heritage across the seasons.

Funding Targets

  • Full funding (~12 milion JPY): 2 months of preparation, 12 months of recording, and 2 months of web-based archive development. Backers rewards.

  • Half funding (~6 milion JPY): 1 month of preparation, 6 months of recording, and 1 month of web-based archive development. Backers rewards.

  • No funding: time-unbounded, best-effort based on volunteering contributions. No rewards.

AAHA

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