Kotoba Stamp

2010
National Museum of Ethnology

A Japanese sound expressed in hiragana consists of a consonant and a vowel, except for a, i, u, e, and o. Sounds are combined to form words, phrases and sentences.
Kotoba Stamp is an interactive exhibit to show the relation between words and sounds using stamps. A stamp represents one sound. Various graphics and sounds come out when stamps are pressed on the table in different combinations and orders.
This is the first example of applying scientific expertise to an exhibit in the humanities, using techniques developed through producing scientific exhibits