First Introduction to Tourism Sector: Real-time Crowd Visualization System 'Imakomi' Launched for Fukushima City's Summer Campaign 'Fukushima Peach Holiday'

Shobunsha Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shigeo Kuroda; TSE Code: 9475, hereinafter 'Shobunsha Holdings') and Organon Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yuuichi Soyama, hereinafter 'Organon') announce the introduction of the crowd visualization system 'Imakomi' into 'Fukushima Peach Holiday,' a popular summer campaign hosted by the Fukushima City Tourism Convention Association (hereinafter 'Fukushima Tourism Convention Association').

This marks the first implementation of 'Imakomi' in the tourism sector, following its prior use in transportation systems and university libraries. From July 15 to September 30, 2026, real-time congestion levels at participating stores will be visualized on a dedicated website (https://peachholiday.jp/). This initiative aims to improve visitor convenience and safety, while promoting seamless circulation within the region during this major annual event that attracts numerous tourists.

Tourism Solutions Provided by the Crowd Visualization System 'Imakomi'

'Imakomi' is a congestion-mitigation solution combining Shobunsha Group's expertise in map data with Organon's AI and image analysis technologies. It directly addresses summer tourism challenges in Fukushima City, where high demand from tourists for information on store congestion has led to overcrowding at specific locations. The solution tackles this issue through three key approaches:

Easy Implementation Without Major Construction – Rental-Based Model: By simply installing compact cameras (existing security cameras can also be used) and an AI image analysis device (Imakomi Edge), the system enables real-time AI analysis of in-store congestion. The 'rental model,' available only during the campaign period, allows organizers and stores to implement and operate the system easily while minimizing upfront investment and large-scale infrastructure costs.

Intuitive Comparison and Destination Selection via Integration with 'Vector Map': Congestion data analyzed by Organon's AI technology is overlaid onto high-precision 'Vector Maps' provided by Mapru Co., Ltd., a member of the Shobunsha Group. This enables tourists to intuitively and instantly compare availability between their desired store and nearby participating stores via smartphones, creating a seamless and user-friendly interface.

Avoiding Heatstroke Risk in Summer and Promoting Harmonious Regional Circulation: By encouraging visits during off-peak hours (peak shifting), the system helps avoid long outdoor queues under the summer sun, reducing heatstroke risks and enabling tourists to enjoy safe and comfortable sightseeing. Simultaneously, it promotes circulation to nearby attractive but less crowded stores, smoothing store operations, mitigating congestion impacts on local residents and surrounding roads (overtourism), and revitalizing the entire region.

<Operational Concept of the Crowd Visualization System 'Imakomi' in 'Fukushima Peach Holiday'>

Comment from a Representative of the Fukushima City Tourism Convention Association

'Fukushima Peach Holiday' is a popular campaign enjoyed by many customers each year. However, past surveys have consistently received feedback such as 'We wanted to know the store's congestion level' and 'It would have been easier to plan if we knew the congestion in advance.'

By introducing 'Imakomi' this year and visualizing the best times to visit busy stores, we expect to create a more comfortable environment for customers to enjoy the campaign. We also anticipate that spreading out peak congestion times will help reduce the burden on staff at participating stores.

Our association aims to promote customer circulation and extend their stay within Fukushima City. By collecting data to understand congestion trends, we plan to further enhance convenience in future campaigns and support store operations. We will continue striving to make the campaign more enjoyable for all customers.

Through this initiative, we aim to contribute to the further revitalization of customers, stores, and the entire local community.

Overview and Details of the Implementation

Implementation Period: July 15, 2026 – September 30, 2026

Target Area: 9 stores participating in 'Fukushima Peach Holiday'

Implementation Details: Compact cameras and AI image analysis devices will be installed in 7 of the 9 target stores. For the remaining 2 stores, a system to reduce waiting times will be introduced. Real-time congestion data will be published and demonstrated on the map of the dedicated website (https://peachholiday.jp/).

Privacy Protection Measures: Video footage captured by the installed cameras will be immediately processed within the device to mask personally identifiable information (privacy masking), then converted into data. This ensures user privacy is protected during operation.

Learn More About 'Imakomi'

⇒ https://next.mapple.co.jp/imakomi/

↓ Download the PDF of this press release here.

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