Regional DX: Commemorative Photos with Yokozuna via App-Free WebAR! ThinkLayer Provides Experiential Measures for Visitors at Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament

ThinkLayer Corporation (TSE Standard: 1724, President: Michimasa Yamaguchi, Headquarters: Nagoya City), a solution provider for broadcasting and telecommunications operators, announces that it collaborated with Iruma Cable Television Co., Ltd. (President: Teiji Shikakura, Headquarters: Iruma City, Saitama Prefecture) to provide its AR (Augmented Reality) service as an experiential measure for visitors at the 'Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament' (organized by the Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament Executive Committee) held in Saitama Prefecture on April 26, 2026. In recent years, there has been a demand for improved visitor experiences, visualization of event value, and advanced sponsor measures at regional events and sports promotions. However, traditional digital measures often face challenges such as the burden of installing dedicated apps and operational costs, leading to many cases where digital measures are not adopted. Against this backdrop, ThinkLayer's WebAR was adopted as a digital measure for visitors at the 'Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament,' for which Iruma Cable Television served as the promoter, allowing anyone to easily create event memories. ■ Venue-Exclusive! Commemorative Photos with Yokozuna. Memorable AR Photos The Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament, an event symbolizing 'Iruma, the town of sumo' nurtured with citizens and local organizations, garnered high popularity, with tickets selling out immediately for its first holding in 10 years, attracting many visitors. While handshake events with sumo wrestlers were also held at the venue and were a popular activity desired by many visitors, participation was limited, meaning not all visitors could take part. Therefore, ThinkLayer developed WebAR content that recreates a popular Yokozuna on smartphones. By simply scanning a QR code installed at the venue, visitors could easily experience it without needing to install an app. Through the unique expression of WebAR, visitors could enjoy taking photos with a realistic sense of being right next to a Yokozuna. This initiative provided new experiential value, allowing each visitor to freely and enjoyably create memories, even at popular events where direct photo opportunities are limited. ■ Background of Introduction: Comment from Iruma Cable Television The 'Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament' commemorating the 60th anniversary of Iruma City's establishment was also a milestone for our company, marking our 35th anniversary, and we wanted to provide a new, memorable experience for visitors. Furthermore, with tickets selling out quickly, attracting high attention, we were looking for a project that would allow even those who could not enter to feel 'Iruma, the town of sumo,' regardless of whether they had tickets. Therefore, we implemented this project, which allows anyone with a smartphone to easily take virtual commemorative photos with a Yokozuna without needing to download a dedicated app. As a media closely tied to the community, this initiative to provide new experiential value using digital technology was very significant. We feel that it became a memorable project for all visitors. We will continue to liven up regional events with participatory content utilizing digital technology. ■ Introduction Effects: Experiential Value and Operational Efficiency Created by WebAR Utilization in Events On the day of the event, visitors were seen experiencing WebAR even before the opening, with comments like 'Amazing' and 'Glad I could take a photo here.' The operation, which could be enjoyed by people of all ages and did not require queues, crowd limits, or constant staff presence, led to both congestion relief and visitor satisfaction. Unlike physical photo panels, the ability to take photos anywhere the user prefers, and to consider safety while reducing operational burden, makes it an effective option for future event measures. ■ What is App-Free, Easy-to-Enjoy WebAR? WebAR is Augmented Reality that can be experienced on a web browser, allowing easy access without downloading a dedicated application. When a dedicated application is required to experience AR, it often leads to user abandonment due to reasons such as 'troublesome to download,' 'don't want to add more apps,' or 'data communication charges when downloading apps outside.' Against this background, WebAR is attracting attention as a method that lowers the barrier for visitor participation and provides easy digital experiences. ■ Event Outline Event Name: Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026 Venue: Iruma City Gymnasium Organizer: Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament Executive Committee Please check the official website for more information on the Grand Sumo Iruma Tournament. ThinkLayer Corporation will continue to contribute to the construction of regional DX services through initiatives utilizing AR technology. ThinkLayer Corporation 〒460-0012 Nagoya