[Held on Sunday, October 25] Kurashiki City × Fortnite Opening Event ～ The Bikan Historical Area comes to life inside a game played by 500 million people worldwide. Play alongside professional esports players!

Have you heard of the game Fortnite?

It is a popular game with more than 500 million registered accounts worldwide. The writer’s child has also been playing it for more than four years, since fifth grade.

Wouldn’t you be curious to hear that a remarkably lifelike version of Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Area appears in Fortnite?

Here’s an introduction to the free-to-attend “Kurashiki City × Fortnite Opening Event,” held on Sunday, October 25, 2026.

What is the “Kurashiki City × Fortnite Opening Event”?

The “Kurashiki City × Fortnite Opening Event” will be held on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management Center at Kurashiki City Office.

It is said to be the opening event for the “Kurashiki City Tourism Digital Content (3D City Model × FORTNITE) Project,” which Kurashiki City is undertaking.

The project uses “PLATEAU,” open data for 3D city models provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, to recreate Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Area in detail within the globally popular game Fortnite. It aims to help children in Kurashiki rediscover the charms of their hometown through digital technology and share them with the world.

The day’s schedule is divided into morning and afternoon sessions, with the following program planned.

1. First look at the map and explanation
   The completed Fortnite map of Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Area will be unveiled. The team will clearly explain key aspects of its creation and the many spots showcasing Kurashiki’s charms that are scattered throughout the game.
2. Talk: “How to Become a Creator” (tenshabi Inc.)
   A clear explanation of how games and digital content are made.
3. Pro esports players: demonstration and talk
   A Fortnite demonstration by players “Hagi” and “Choco,” followed by a talk session about their paths to becoming pros. Kawase will provide live commentary on the gameplay.
4. Match with pro players (Prop Hunt format)
   Event attendees will play the Bikan Historical Area map. The two pro players, “Hagi” and “Choco,” will join the same map for a “friendly match” in which everyone can enjoy playing hide-and-seek together. Kawase will provide live commentary on the gameplay. Participants must bring their own gaming device.
5. Game-making experience workshop (tenshabi Inc.)
   A workshop where participants can try creating an actual game scene.
   Each session is limited to 10 people (or groups), and there will be three sessions in total.

Participants must be elementary school age or older. Fortnite is normally intended for players aged 12 and up, but elementary school students can participate in this event as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Capacity is 200 people. Participants will be selected by lottery from advance applications submitted through the Kurashiki City Electronic Application Service.
See the image below for details.

Interview with a Kurashiki City Tourism Division representative

We spoke with Manabu Daigen of the Kurashiki City Tourism Division about the “Kurashiki City × Fortnite Opening Event.”

Could you tell us how the project came about?

Daigen (surname only)

At Kurashiki City, the department responsible for urban planning created 3D data of the Bikan Historical Area to assess its landscape. It is comprehensive 3D data that includes details such as building heights.

Since we had gone to the trouble of creating this data, we wondered if there were other ways to use it. That led to the idea of attracting game users as tourists. As we discussed the idea with several game companies, we realized that using this data would allow us to create a detailed recreation while keeping costs down, so we decided to move forward with this project.

We chose Fortnite from among the many games because it allows for a more accurate recreation than the 3D environments of other games, and because it has a large global user base. As part of Kurashiki City’s city promotion and inbound tourism strategy, the project began with the desire to create new connections with people around the world by building a lifelike Kurashiki within a globally recognized game.

Fortnite was originally a battle royale game, but its developer, Epic Games, began offering a feature called “Creative Mode” for free, allowing users to create games freely.

Several tourist destinations across Japan have already been recreated using this feature. Kurashiki City is following suit, incorporating the latest gameplay features while working toward a highly accurate recreation.

What are the highlights of this event, and what would you like people to look out for?

Daigen

Above all, it’s how realistic the recreation is. I think you’ll be amazed by how lifelike it is when you actually play.

The game uses “Prop Hunt,” a hide-and-seek-style game in which players are divided into those who hide (Props) and those who seek them (Hunters).

Those hiding transform into various objects found around town and blend into the scenery, while those seeking them try to find everyone within the time limit. There are no depictions of attacks or destruction. One of the game’s distinctive features is its peaceful nature.

We’ve also incorporated a feature that displays Kurashiki’s history and fun facts throughout the game, and we hope people will naturally grow fond of Kurashiki as they play.

On the day, we’ll welcome two pro players from the local esports team SETOUCHI SPARKS. First, you’ll get to see their impressive skills up close. It’s a chance to experience in person the amazing abilities of pros, whom you usually only see through screens on YouTube and other platforms.

After that, we’re planning a friendly match featuring the pro players for those who registered in advance. It won’t be a fiercely competitive game; it’s designed for everyone to have fun together, so we hope you’ll join us.

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Finally, do you have a message for our readers?

Daigen

Everyone at the game development company, the pro players, and we Kurashiki City staff are working hard to get everything ready.

It’s quite an unprecedented challenge for a local government to take on game development, but we’ve pursued it because we want to provide children with the things they want to do in a way that lets them enjoy them safely.

We hope you’ll listen to your child when they say, “I want to go,” and join us as a family.
Games tend to be seen as a bad thing, but enjoying them as a tool can help children learn more about the Bikan Historical Area and give them an opportunity to grow more attached to their hometown.

We’re sure children will find it exciting and fun, so we hope you’ll come along.

From the Writer

Fortnite is famous as a battle royale game, so I thought it must be quite a challenge for a local government to undertake an initiative using a game like this.

“It’s outrageous to make the Bikan Historical Area a battlefield.”

Some people may feel that way, but it seems the project has taken such concerns into consideration.
Images of the 3D Bikan Historical Area are posted daily on the official X account. Why not show your support for this new initiative as it gets underway?

Fortnite × [Official] Kurashiki City Tourism (@kurashiki_ft) on X

X (formerly Twitter)

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