The chirping of birds, the drops of rain, the crash of waves ... A total of nine sounds to envelop your body and mind.

This is a space where you can fully enjoy the acoustic works created by artist AOKI takamasa. He recorded environmental sounds from around Japan as well as electronic sounds and instrumental music recorded in a studio, creating a culmination of sounds that can only be heard here in this art room.

The center of the bed is where you can enjoy the most stereophonic sound. With four speakers and one subwoofer, it’ll be the best acoustic experience you’ve ever had. I’d like you to choose your favorite music from the field recordings of natural sounds and pair it with the music created to overlap with them. You’ll be able to travel to somewhere far away in your mind, while your body stays here. Relax on the bed and let the sounds take hold of you.

AOKI takamasa is an artist who creates intricate audio and stimulates the listener's inner emotions. Let’s listen to the message he put into his work.

-- Please introduce yourself.

My name is AOKI takamasa. My main job is music, but I've done other work in the past like installation and photography. I'm still DJing, performing live, making music, and taking pictures, too.

--What kind of music are you making?

My style is different now than it was before, as I’m always looking for something new. But my focus remains the same since the start, which is to “create bodily sensations” through music. Not just listening with your ears, but also feeling the sound through the vibration of the air on your skin.

--I’d like to ask you about this installation. First of all, what’s it called?

I named it "TRAVELING ROOM". With four speakers and one subwoofer, we created a 4.1 surround sound. The area with pillows on the bed is a kind of sweet spot, so you might enjoy sleeping there and listening to the sounds. The basic aim is to experience sound in a three dimensional way.

--- I see, so the center of the bed is where you can experience the most three-dimensional sound.

To get the most out of this experience, ideally, you should sleep in the center. Sorry, that means sleeping alone.

-What kinds of sounds can you experience here?

In one compilation you can listen to the woods of Wakayama-- the sound of the swaying wind and the singing birds. Another one is the sound of the river flowing in Nara. After that, while hearing the waves flow in and out at the Wakayama beach, there's also the sounds of civilization-- such as the sound of a ferry, an airplane, and the sound of people talking.

There are also two patterns of my own constructed sounds and a version that mixes my sounds with those of nature, and you can listen to the different versions here.

-- Do you have anything you’d like to say to our guests?

This room was created with the intent of “synchronizing with the movement of the earth,” so I hope you spend as much time as you can here in this room. We’re all part of nature, and this realization will come to us as we feel that sense of alignment within ourselves. I hope you can experience the room from that perspective and feel the connection.