Background

The Odakyu Line extends from Shinjuku station in Tokyo, handling the greatest number of people in Japan, through Kanagawa. Improvements made in the railway’s facilities and timetable had contributed in reducing congestion during the rush hour as much as possible, however many passengers still experienced a stressful commute, so ways to reduce the passenger’s stress, including psychological ones, were asked for. The community-based railway company also had the aspiration to transform the station from being just a waypoint into a “destination-worthy station”, making people grow fond of the area that Odakyu operates in.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

The Fujiko F. Fujio Museum in Kawasaki-city exhibits the works including original pictures of manga artist Fujiko F. Fujio, known as the creator of the world-famous Doraemon, famous to all Japanese, and partners with Odakyu Line Noborito Station, its closest station. Spotting the color tone similarity between Odakyu’s corporate color and Doraemon-blue, we suggested Noborito Station to undergo a collaborative redesign with Doraemon, assured that it will heal the daily passengers off to work or school, as well as be warmly welcomed by the tourists heading to the museum. As it encompasses the spirit of Doraemon, a mascot loved by men and women of all ages, we were certain that people will grow attached to the station. With the project, we aimed to make Noborito a one-of-a-kind station, found nowhere else in Japan, and add value to it by becoming a new destination for many.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

It was essential for the central piece of the project to draw attention from most users, so the station sign, a consistent design throughout all 70 stations of the Odakyu Line, was redesigned into a Doraemon original for Noborito. There was an option to prominently feature Doraemon in the design, although the station users vary, and the design needed to be considerate of those who feel uncomfortable with, or lack interest in Doraemon. Therefore, much care was put into finding just the right amount of Doraemon to blend into the design, as too much spotlight on the mascot will foster a negative image, given that the designs were intended for a public space. The design was developed to unify the station facilities and Doraemon by “Doraemonizing” not only the signs, but items varying from stairs, escalators, elevators, chairs and digital contents.

List the results (20% of vote)

The project reached a record of 30,000,000 on twitter in a month, with still some items yet to be completed. Featured repeatedly on TV and various online media, “Odakyu” and “Noborito Station” both experienced exponential growth in awareness. In February 2019, when the project was implemented, station traffic excluding commuter pass users increased 9.2% year on year, proving that this drove people to the now “Doraemon-ized” Noborito Station. The most remarkable of all, is that every day, you can witness people of all ages taking pictures at Noborito Station with big smiles on their faces.