At the heart of the pavilion lies the pulsating core, the Super Space-Time Theater. This immersive chamber serves as the experiential nucleus of the entire pavilion. The boundaries between body and machine, myth and science, individual and collective, are made manifest in Deep Vision “499 Seconds: My Gattai”, an ambitious and deeply symbolic installation that merges cutting-edge technology with a ritualistic sensibility.

The title alone, “499 Seconds: My Gattai”, invites multiple layers of interpretation. “Gattai” (合体), commonly translated as “combination” or “fusion”, becomes an existential gesture, the fusion of human consciousness with that of others, with nature, with technology, and ultimately with the cosmos itself. It is a spiritual and philosophical convergence, a moment of synchronicity in which individual boundaries dissolve into collective becoming.

Deep Vision “499 Seconds: My Gattai” © Shoji Kawamori / Vector Vision

The experience unfolds within a fully enclosed theater space that defies traditional screen-based media. Visitors are enveloped by a seamless 360-degree visual dome, enhanced by spatial sound and sensor-based interactivity. The entire environment is designed to respond to the presence and movement of the audience, making each journey through the 499 seconds subtly unique.

What distinguishes “499 Seconds: My Gattai” from other immersive digital experiences is its philosophical and emotional depth. As Kawamori said, one of the main challenges was temporal: “how do you compress these vast, interconnected life cycles into a short immersive experience and still make people feel them? The answer was to lean into emotion, not just information. I wanted to create a space where the viewer could intuitively sense the intelligence of nature, not through data points but through experience, by being the fish, the algae, the solar beam. Only through that can we begin to dissolve the boundaries of self and rediscover our place in the living continuum”.

Deep Vision “499 Seconds: My Gattai” © Shoji Kawamori / Vector Vision

At the heart of the experience is a technology that allows viewers to wear a virtual reality headset and enter a space where the dimensions of time and space are fluidly manipulated. Alongside 29 other participants, each becomes an actor in an adventurous journey where humanity mixes with nature and technology, questioning the fragility of our world. It is a true immersion in a universe where the audience becomes one with the world they discover. Indeed, the XR (cross-reality) technology developed for this project allows physical interaction with the virtual space, where participants find themselves connected by a common experience and a shared journey. This paradox between individuality and collectivity is one of the elements that gives this experience its depth. The notion of community, of connection between human beings, echoes the themes of fusion and transformation that Kawamori and his team wish to explore.

Deep Vision “499 Seconds: My Gattai” © Shoji Kawamori / Vector Vision

The fundamental concept underlying “499 Seconds: My Gattai” is that of the continuous fusion and transformation of life. Through a series of visual and sonic metaphors, the work explores the essence of life, its capacity to evolve, transform, and renew itself in every moment. Viewers are invited to cross the boundaries between reality and imagination, to observe the cycles of life, and find themselves in an environment where natural elements, such as birds, insects, and the sun, disappear. This disappearance is not a simple act of destruction, but a profound questioning of the resilience of life. What are the invisible forces that allow life to persist, even in the darkest moments? This question is answered by the immersive experience, which allows us to experience life as a dynamic and interconnected process, where every being and every element plays a role in a perpetual cycle. Through this installation, Kawamori reinvents immersive theater as a return to the origins of human culture: a primitive cave, a circle around a fire, a collective celebration of existence. In other words, a profoundly human work faithful to the spirit of the Expo.