"SOIL" 1.4

This application, titled "Soil," has been redesigned with refreshed illustrations emphasizing the soil as the central theme of the scene—specifically focusing on terrains—drawing inspiration from the masterwork of Satoshi Kako, a renowned Japanese author of picture books, notably "The Earth" (Chikyū: Sono Naka o Sagurō), published in 1975.

The Earth's radius measures approximately 6,370 km, yet our habitation resides on the outermost layer known as the Earth's crust, which is only 5 to 40 km thick. This outermost layer contains soil, the shallow surface we often touch and observe.

While soil has been familiar to us for as long as we can remember, few can articulate its composition in detail—how it forms, its origins, and its influence on living organisms and human activity.

This work endeavors to explore "soil," a ubiquitous but often overlooked element in everyday life. It also examines the complex relationships among animals, plants, and human activities related to soil and the natural environment. The creator of this app aims to foster widespread interest not only in soil but also in natural science broadly. The intention is for this application to serve as a small catalyst encouraging users to consider environmental topics more deeply. Nevertheless, recognizing the creator's limitations, there may be imperfections in this work—an issue compounded by the enthusiastic effort poured into its development. User support and feedback could be invaluable in both aiding the creator’s learning process and enhancing future iterations of this project.

Questions addressed within the app include:

• What is soil?
• How deep do persimmon tree roots grow?
• What shape do western hydrangea roots resemble?
• How does groundwater accumulate?
• What shape is a burdock leaf?
• How does a peanut plant grow?
• Why does the old world swallowtail lay eggs on carrot leaves?
• What differentiates Japanese soil from that of other regions?
• What living organisms inhabit paddy fields?
• What aquatic plants are found in rivers?

The content offers answers to countless "Why," "What," and "How" questions that may arise in your curiosity about nature. However, it must be emphasized that all experiences within this app are simulated through software; they cannot replicate the full complexity of real-world ecosystems. After engaging with this digital representation, visiting actual natural environments is highly recommended. Recognizing the difference between virtual and real nature can be an enlightening and rewarding experience for users—and one that would surely make the creator proud.

[Languages]

• Japanese
• English

*Users can switch the app's language from English to Japanese, which will also change interface language accordingly.

[Supporters]

• NPO Arakawa River Clean-aid Forum
• Miyata Bussan Inc.

[Development Team]

• Design, Illustration & Text: Kakinuma Tsutomu (OLTVECTS)
• Programming: Iwase Keijiro (act1 corp)
• Supervision: Tanaka Haruo (Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology)
• Supervision (Ant Nest): Sato Toshiyuki (Associate Professor, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology)
• Supervision & Text (Arakawa River Stage): Imamura Kazuyuki (Director/Secretary-General, NPO Arakawa River Clean-aid Forum)
• Music: Matsushita Shouhei (M-Swift)
• Sound Effects & English Translation: Horino Yuki
• English Proofreading: Bloomberg L.P. Staff

[Acknowledgements]

• Attkun
• Fiona san
• Joe
• Jun
• Mitsuharu
• Ohashi san
• Sakumoto
• Shinjuku Mitsubishi

Contact information: [email protected]