Rakuten Optimism, one of Rakuten Group's largest hands-on events, was held at Tokyo Big Sight from August 1st through 4th, 2024. A major feature was the Future Festival, which offered a wealth of content brimming with the latest technology, designed to give visitors "a taste of the near future." Sports booths featuring AI and VR were a massive hit with kids and adults alike. Does technology hold the key to making the thrill of sports more accessible than ever?

Get better scores with AI diagnosis! | Rakuten GORA

The longest line in the Future Festival was for the Rakuten GORA booth. Golf has become a popular sport especially among younger generations, and the booth offered two experiences: “Shopping Panda’s Putter Paradise” and an “AI Golf Swing Analysis Challenge.”

Visitors grabbed a club and turned into golfers. Where would the ball roll?

Everyone was fascinated by the science behind the AI analysis.

Even visitors new to golf were welcome to give it a try!

A radar chart made the swing evaluation easy to understand.

The AI golf swing analysis worked like this: visitors would swing in front of a camera, and the AI would check roughly 50 data points before displaying a comprehensive evaluation. It took Keio University and Rakuten Institute of Technology two years to develop the model. Visitors were noticeably impressed by the precision and accuracy of the analysis. Kouya Kuwahara from the Rakuten GORA booth’s Golf Business Innovation division explained: “Japan’s golf population is said to be around 8 million, but about 80% of golfers feel stuck on improving their skills. We hope this content gives people an objective look at their swing and serves as a catalyst for improving more efficiently.”

Experience the real thing| Rakuten Keiba / Rakuten K Dreams

The Rakuten Keiba / Rakuten K Dreams booth was all about making public racing sports feel accessible and fun. Visitors could enjoy a “VR Jockey Experience” and see what a real jockey actually sees on a racehorse, test their predictions against Rakuten Keiba’s AI forecaster Fukurai Emma in “Winning Horse Showdown,” and challenge the speed of a keirin cyclist in a “6-Second Watt Bike Challenge.” These tech-powered experiences had visitors buzzing with excitement.

A future jockey in the making?

Fukurai Emma is Rakuten Keiba’s original AI character.

The AI predictions looked promising on this day.

Six seconds of all-out effort to top the scoreboard!

Competitive racing athletes are professionals who complete rigorous training at specialist institutes. “Keirin” is an Olympic sport, even though it is not yet widely known. Maiko Hirai from the Dream Business Promotion Division explained: “Horse racing and keirin tend to be seen as forms of gambling, but the revenue they generate goes back into welfare, healthcare, sports promotion, and local government finances. We want to use IT to provide an environment where people of all generations can enjoy these sports regardless of where they live or what information they have access to.”

Smiles for players and viewers| Sports for Everyone

Among all the content in the venue, the “Sports for Everyone” booth stood out for the number of families enjoying it together. The “Sports Challenge,” where visitors competed for points against professional player avatars, was hugely popular with children. The “Tandem Cycling” experience had two-person teams navigating a front-and-back bicycle with the rear rider blindfolded, while an AI generated real-time sports-newspaper-style articles based on what each visitor did, stoking curiosity among visitors.

Visitors competed against player avatars of Rakuten Eagles’ Asamura Hideto and Rakuten Monkeys’ Lin Li ― an experience to compete with a professional pitcher and batter.

Taking a shot against a Vissel Kobe Maekawa Daiya avatar for maximum points!

Synergy between two riders with different roles is the secret to a high score.

Watching visitors light up as they each engaged with sports in their own way, Naoki Tanabe from the Brand Partnership Activation division reflected: “There are so many different kinds of sports, and actually experiencing one reveals a perspective you can’t otherwise get. I hope we keep creating those opportunities, building a future where everyone can enjoy sports and a better future through sports.”

Live sports energy is everything! The basketball court welcomes a famous guest | NBA Rakuten / UPRISING / WUBS

The NBA Rakuten booth and the UPRISING/WUBS booths both leaned into the live “feel” of sports. Basketball is growing in popularity in Japan, and the NBA is its heartland. The booth featured signed merchandise from NBA players and basketball hoops used in NBA games, giving the space a genuine courtside atmosphere. NBA Rakuten apparel was also on display, showing off the fashion of basketball. Takashi Inoue from the Sports Streaming & Live Commerce Division said: “I hope this helps bring the NBA closer to Japan. I was a boy who dreamed of the NBA myself. Dreams are what drive people. I want the NBA to be a way for people to dream and enrich their lives.”

A basketball hoop used in the NBA JAPAN GAMES 2022 was on display.

On the first day, current NBA player Jaren Jackson Jr. made an apprarance!

The WUBS booth showcased the World University Basketball Series, a global tournament held once a year since 2022 with growing attendance. The UPRISING/WUBS booth representative from the Entertainment Content/IP Content Division, Rui Hioki, said about WUBS: “Basketball fans tend to be interested primarily in the NBA or B.League, but I really want people to experience the high-level clashes and the passion that only university students ― potential future pros ― can bring.”

High-level university basketball battles are one of WUBS’ big draws.

The UPRISING booth featured a live skateboard demonstration. Ambassadors Nanaka Fujisawa and Momohei Yabushita performed, joined by Otodo Sasaki (world street ranking top 10) and Aoi Ishimaru. Fujisawa commented: “Getting opportunities like this means more people can discover skateboarding, so I’m really grateful.”

The sound of shuffling cards and the thrill of the game—experiences you can only feel at a live event!

Left to right: Nanaka Fujisawa, Aoi Ishimaru, and Momohei Yabushita, with Otodo Sasaki on his shoulders.

Technology makes it easier to enjoy sports. What kind of technology are you looking for? Let’s send our voices together into the future.

TEXT：Keisuke Honda
EDIT：Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)