SAGA--Just like in a scene from a Toho Studios movie, a giant Godzilla rears its terrifying visage over visitors at the Iwayagawachi dam.

The dam, a 10-minute drive from an onsen resort in Ureshino, Saga Prefecture, displays a massive Godzilla mural on a wall measuring 60 meters tall and up to 190 meters wide.

The image was created by a dedicated team dispatched from the German headquarters of cleaning equipment giant Karcher.

Using high-pressure cleaners as paint brushes, the company is staging its “dam art” campaign worldwide, where moss, soil and other kinds of dirt are removed to depict pictures on walls like on canvases.

The Godzilla image was the latest example in the drive and unveiled on the site during a ceremony on Nov. 15, 2024.

The team’s leader, Nick Heyden, said he takes pride in participating in an art project involving the globally renowned monster.

Asked in an interview about a specific aspect he focused on, Heyden described as particularly challenging the process’ irreversible nature once the dirt is removed by the pressure washers. 

GODZILLA AS TOURISM AMBASSADOR

The Godzilla mural project came to fruition to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Iwayagawachi dam, which is operated by Saga Prefecture, in 2024.

Learning of the dam art program, Toshimasa Tanaka, an official of the prefecture’s land planning division, contacted the Japanese arm of Karcher to commemorate the anniversary year.

“I desperately want people to see this impressive mural and to become aware of the dam at the same time,” said Tanaka.

Depending on rainfall and other weather conditions, the vibrant artistic mural is expected to remain in good condition and accessible to visitors from Nov. 22 through the end of January 2025.

Being Godzilla enthusiasts, a couple in their 30s visited the dam from Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Nov. 23 to look at the painting. They both called the mural “impressive” and “worth viewing.”

Why did Godzilla make an appearance at the dam? This mystery can be unlocked by turning a map of Saga Prefecture 90 degrees to the left.

The eastern part of the prefecture near Fukuoka Prefecture resembles a Godzilla head in shape, while the jagged prefectural border along the Chikugogawa river seems like the fictional monster’s back fin.

Facing the Ariake Sea, the southwestern section of the prefecture looks like its tail.

Highlighting the resemblance in shape, Saga Prefecture appointed Godzilla as an envoy to promote tourism in October.

The dam art was among Godzilla’s “official duties.” Also among Godzilla’s roles is peering into an observation hall in the prefectural government office in Saga city: a Godzilla-painted sheet is applied to the building’s window.

An event likewise started in which participants tour designated spots across the prefecture to collect themed stamps. Specialized “Godzilla spots” for amusement purposes have been set up at three stations within Saga Prefecture as well.

While the similarity in silhouette had previously been pointed out on social media and elsewhere, an advertisement agency proposed this past summer that the local government take full advantage of this feature. That way, the prefecture created the ambassador post for Godzilla.

With 2024 marking the 70th anniversary of Godzilla’s birth, fans from outside the prefecture are turning out for Saga Prefecture’s planned events. The response on social media has reportedly proven to be generally positive.

“The name recognition of Godzilla is overwhelming,” said Yosuke Fujiyoshi, an official from the prefecture’s public relations department, who is responsible for the campaign.

Expressing his high expectations, Fujiyoshi said that the program could help “foster residents’ affection for our hometown” because it can provide a good opportunity for them to check Saga’s map again.

RANGE OF COLLABORATIONS

Saga Prefecture earmarked 36 million yen ($240,000) for the collaborative program, which is part of the Sagaprise publicity endeavor.

Under Sagaprise, the prefecture is mounting collaborative campaigns with a video game title, an anime work and other brands and corporations. The endeavor aims to attract attention and thereby promote Saga Prefecture primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The predecessor of Sagaprise was launched in 2013. A total of 40 projects, including the latest Godzilla-themed one, have been organized under the umbrella campaign.

Saga Prefecture worked with the Beams apparel chain in fiscal 2014 to open a limited-time-only boutique to sell collaborative items inspired by local specialties.

In its tie-up with confectionery maker Morinaga & Co. in the same fiscal year, specialized chocolate packages were developed with ingredients from Saga Prefecture and regional Arita ware.

A joint campaign with the Zexy online matchmaking service invited women living around Tokyo to visit Saga Prefecture in fiscal 2015 to meet local men and see attractions over three days and two nights.

The Yobuko district in the prefecture, which is famed for its squid, teamed with the video game Splatoon in fiscal 2015 because the software’s protagonist is a squid. A festival themed on Saga took place in Splatoon.

In fiscal 2016, Saga Prefecture joined hands with the high-profile “Yuri on Ice” anime title, starring a figure skater character. An event was organized at a skating venue in the capital.

Yutaka Hara, the creator of the popular children’s book series “Kaiketsu Zorori,” helped the prefecture to release an original story set in Saga on the internet in fiscal 2021.

In 2023, Kosaku Shima, a businessman from a popular manga franchise of the same name as the main character, became the prefecture’s vice governor.

The local government deems Sagaprise as a gimmick to “create the chance” of building up a following for Saga Prefecture.

Sagaprise is expected to provide people with more information on tourist destinations and regional specialties in the prefecture, which, in turn, will lead to the growing number of visitors spending more in Saga.

Tomoko Mishima, a representative of the prefecture’s public relations department, emphasized that Sagaprise has successfully reached out to a wide variety of individuals over a prolonged period, such as the collaboration with “Kosaku Shima” winning support among business people in particular.

“The long history constitutes our strength,” said Mishima.

How about the practical effectiveness of Sagaprise?

Saga Prefecture estimates the total advertising value equivalent for the 39 projects preceding the Godzilla drive at 19.7 billion yen, compared with the 1.7 billion yen invested in them.

The project featuring “Kosaku Shima” reportedly stood out with a remarkable advertising value equivalent exceeding 1.1 billion yen, despite it costing only 45 million yen.

Saga prefectural officials announced at a meeting in November of the prefectural assembly’s special committee to discuss financial results that the “Kosaku Shima” program helped draw more visitors, for example, through an event held by a local sport team in the prefecture together with the franchise.

However, an assembly member stressed that “an approach should be taken as well that can allow prefectural residents to see firsthand the direct benefits for their lives” during the committee gathering.

EFFECTIVENESS ALWAYS IN MIND

Takayoshi Kawai, a visiting professor of studies on authorities’ public relations at Tokai University, who once served as a Shizuoka Prefecture official and is knowledgeable about local government’s promotional campaigns, noted that these endeavors should be evaluated in several stages.

For example, these promotional phases are comprised of the awareness acquisition stage, intended to win over a broad audience of casual fans, as well as the behavioral facilitation step, which is designed to encourage people to visit designated locations and make donations via the “furusato nozei” (hometown tax payment) program.

Admiring Sagaprise for its “excellent awareness acquisition effect,” Kawai cautioned at the same time that assessing its impact solely from the standpoint of advertising value equivalent has its limitations.

With this barometer alone, the target categories of people where publicity efforts have been especially successful cannot be identified in detail. It is therefore difficult to work out subsequent measures to maximize the campaigns’ impact.

Kawai cited the recall rate as one of optional indicators to be combined with the advertising value equivalent. To calculate the ratio, respondents should select three prefectures the words “Kyushu region” reminds them of via an online survey to see how often Saga falls into the three recalled prefectures for example.

“The effectiveness of campaigns must always be carefully taken into account,” said Kawai.