Photo/Illutration Students explain what they are working on to create a metaverse version of the Gero Onsen hot spring resort to Gero Mayor Noboru Yamauchi, left, at Gifu Women's University in Gifu on July 28. (Fumiko Takaki)

GIFU--Avatars will soon be able to enjoy a trip to Gero Onsen, with the exception of taking a relaxing dip in the hot spring baths.

Students of Gifu Women's University here are creating a metaverse version of the onsen, one of Japan's three most famous hot spring resorts in Gero, also in Gifu Prefecture.

Online visitors will be able to look at the exterior and interior of real-life ryokan inns, buy souvenirs and enjoy other activities as avatars.

The effort is also aimed at studying potential tourism needs.

"Even if Gero is far away in real life, we want visitors to enjoy the ambience (of the resort) in the virtual-reality space to promote its charm," said Nodoka Kojima, 20, a third-year student in the Faculty of Cultural Development.

She is currently working to digitally re-create the university campus.

Noa Aoki, 20, is in charge of filming, using a drone to collect aerial stock footage.

About 30 students in the faculty are engaged in the project, they said.

The project was launched after the university signed a partnership deal with the Gero city government in July to re-create the city hall and buildings of the hot spring area in virtual reality in three years.

"I hope things that go unnoticed by tourists will be featured in the metaverse," said Gero Mayor Noboru Yamauchi.

Reiko Matsukawa, the university's president, added, "With humanities and science courses increasingly integrated, it is of great significance for humanities students to work on the construction of a metaverse."

The university will establish a course where students can learn about the metaverse in the next academic year.

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