AI x Smart Glasses Visualize the City: New Tourist Experience "Local Lens AR" for Understanding Harajuku Conducts Demonstration Experiment

Tokyu Fudosan SC Management Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President: Jiro Okubo, hereinafter referred to as "Tokyu Fudosan SC Management") and STYLY Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Yukihiro Yamaguchi, hereinafter referred to as "STYLY"), in cooperation with XREAL Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President: Chi Xu, hereinafter referred to as "XREAL"), conducted a demonstration experiment of the AR tourism guide solution "Local Lens AR" utilizing smart glasses for four days from March 19 to March 22, 2026, within Tokyu Plaza Harajuku "Harakado".

This demonstration aimed to provide a deep understanding of Japan's charms, such as the culture and history of the city, through multilingual guidance using AI and AR, while simultaneously resolving the "language barrier" faced by foreign tourists visiting Japan. The survey results indicated that the system resolved "insufficient guidance" and "language barriers" simultaneously, provided a sense of immersion exceeding that of conventional smartphone-based guides, and offered evaluations that deepened the understanding of the city's history and culture in a new way, thereby verifying its future business potential.

■ Background of the Demonstration

With the evolution of XR*1 devices such as smart glasses and the rapid spread of generative AI, interest in experiences that connect the real and digital spaces is growing. This marks a significant turning point in how information is presented in urban environments. On the other hand, with the increase in foreign tourists visiting Japan, challenges such as "insufficient guidance" and "language barriers" due to signs and notices not conveying enough information, as well as safety concerns from looking at smartphones while moving, still persist.

Harajuku, a urban tourism hub attracting diverse visitors from both domestic and international sources, is an ideal environment for verifying the social implementation of new tourism experiences. This project explores the possibility of fundamentally changing the quality of the city walking experience through AR tourism guidance that allows information to be received without lowering one's gaze.

*1 XR: Abbreviation for VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and MR (Mixed Reality)

■ About "Local Lens AR"

"Local Lens AR" is a next-generation tourism solution that allows users to experience the culture and history of a region through AR, going beyond map applications, with a focus on local information. By simply wearing smart glasses, users can overlay historical images of Harajuku onto the modern cityscape, with real-time explanations of historical background and cultural significance. It also intuitively presents AR-specific spatial information such as recommended stores within the facility and menu displays.

■ Providing Information on Harajuku's Origins and Cultural Background in Cooperation with Local Media "OMOHARAREAL"

In this demonstration, the historical context and cultural background of the town of Harajuku were provided in cooperation with the local media "OMOHARAREAL", which is familiar with the area.