HAKONE, KANAGAWA PREF. ¨C Odakyu Hakone will begin to operate a new gondola equipped with a surround sound system on its ropeway in the popular tourist and spa resort town of Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Monday, offering passengers an immersive experience that combines scenery and sound.
The gondola, named Otobaco and unveiled to the media Monday, is equipped with a Dolby Atmos system, creating a theater-like surround sound experience. Otobaco is the first gondola to have the system in the world, according to the Odakyu Electric Railway unit handling transportation and tourism businesses in the town.
With eight speakers and two woofers installed inside, the gondola envelops passengers in rich sound designed to complement the surrounding scenery. The audio content will vary depending on weather conditions.
On sunny days, a piano concerto is played inside the cabin, while rainy or cloudy conditions feature digital compositions intended to evoke the landscape of Hakone, according to the company.
The special gondola will be operated for a one-way ride from the Hakone Ropeway¡¯s Sounzan Station to Owakudani Station, with each trip taking about 10 minutes and accommodating only a single group of up to 16 people. The new audio experience costs ?2,500 ($16) per group, in addition to a regular ropeway fee.
¡°We will create new tourism values by offering deeply immersive experiences that can only be enjoyed in Hakone,¡± said Takayuki Aikawa, head of Odakyu Hakone¡¯s ropeway business.
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