The Institute of Editorial Engineering (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; President: Akiko Ando) has produced a booklet titled "NARA CODE" (Nara Code), which systematically organizes the wisdom embedded in Nara's history and culture. This project was commissioned by Nara City (Mayor: Gen Nakagawa) for editing information aimed at Nara's future.

This booklet re-edits Nara's history and culture in light of contemporary societal issues, utilizing the "Editorial Engineering" methodology cultivated by our company. It attempts to reinterpret regional culture from a new perspective, presenting historical and cultural assets held by the region as "codes of wisdom (patterns)" for readers to deepen their own thoughts.

https://www.city.nara.lg.jp/site/oldhistorynewdiscovery/naracode.html

Nara City and Institute of Editorial Engineering's "NARA CODE" presentation (March 30, 2026)

Background of Production: Re-editing "Wisdom" for a Confused World

The instability of the international order, the rapid advancement of AI, the deepening environmental crisis, and the widening disparities and divisions. Modern society faces complex situations that cannot be grasped by simply extending past trends. Amidst this, the Institute of Editorial Engineering has focused on "editing knowledge" through its "Editorial Engineering" methodology to re-examine the relationship between people and nature, and people and society.

Nara is a "repository of wisdom" that has accepted diverse cultures as the origin of Japanese culture and rewoven them into unique forms. Based on Nara City's philosophy of "Old History, New Discovery.", this project re-edited Nara's knowledge as a resource for envisioning the future while learning from the past. "NARA CODE" is an attempt to share "clues" for us living in the present to gain new perspectives.

Editorial Engineering Approach

"Editorial Engineering" is a methodology that creates new meanings and values not by simply accumulating information and knowledge, but by relating and recombining them. It is positioned as an "OS for thinking" to reinterpret existing knowledge from a different perspective and apply it to modern times. In this project, this concept of Editorial Engineering was applied to unearthing regional culture.

Nara's history and culture, previously treated as "knowledge," have been reorganized as "codes (patterns)" connected to contemporary questions. This attempts to reinterpret the city of Nara as a "library of thought for living in the modern age." Readers can use the fragments of wisdom presented in the booklet as clues to formulate their own questions, think, and find hints for opening up the future.

About NARACODE: Six "Codes" to Unlock Knowledge

This booklet extracts the wisdom accumulated in Nara as six "CODES." It is structured not to present specific values, but as "reference points" for readers to perceive on their own.

It unfolds around concepts symbolizing Japanese thought and values, such as "Harmonizing/Raging," "Otozure (Visitation)," "Naimaze (Mixing)," "Aoniyoshi (Beautiful Green/Blue)," "Shuhari (Learn, Detach, Transcend)," and "Omokage (Vestige/Impression)."

https://www.city.nara.lg.jp/site/oldhistorynewdiscovery/naracode.html

Using each code as a clue, readers can draw fragments of knowledge accumulated in Nara into their own thoughts, formulate questions, and gain opportunities to consider their future way of life and the state of society.

The wisdom of "Naimaze" (mixing) alive in Nara – not excluding heterogeneous elements, but weaving them into relationships

The sensibility of "Omokage" (vestige/impression) – time and meaning emerge by envisioning what is not there

Comment from Akiko Ando, President, Institute of Editorial Engineering

Modern times are at a turning point in values that cannot be grasped by simply extending past trends. Japan has wisdom that views people and nature as one, and one of its origins is in Nara. "NARA CODE" extracts the history and culture accumulated in Nara not as knowledge, but as "usable wisdom."

We hope that each reader will use these codes as clues to formulate their own questions and utilize them as tools for thinking about future society and ways of life.

Booklet Overview

Booklet Name: NARA CODE Publisher: Nara City Production: Institute of Editorial Engineering (Planning Supervision: Akiko Ando / Composition and Editing: Yoko Nirei, etc.) Content: Systematizing wisdom embedded in Nara's history and culture as codes (patterns) Purpose: Re-editing Nara's cultural assets as thinking resources in modern society

Company Profile

Based on "Editorial Engineering" founded by Seigow Matsuoka, this is a group of creators and directors who advocate "learning from life, unfolding history, and playing with culture." They engage in corporate branding, consulting, educational programs (ISIS Editorial School), and spatial production. In an increasingly complex modern society, they support the transformation of individuals and organizations by converting Japanese cultural patterns and historical wisdom into "weapons of thought."

・Company Name: Institute of Editorial Engineering Co., Ltd.

・Location: 2-15-3 Akatsutsumi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

・Representative: Akiko Ando, President

・Established: July 1987

・URL: https://www.eel.co.jp/

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: News