KotobaMedia has been developing software for handling geospatial information and supporting others in doing the same. At the same time, we have decided to expand our activities into the physical world as well by starting our own research and development farm. For now, we will focus primarily on avocados, using the technology and knowledge we have built up so far to carry out cultivation experiments.

One of my core missions for KotobaMedia is the idea of “being a bridge”: connecting the digital world and the physical world, and making it possible to move between them with a stronger sense of reality. I intend to develop this farm as a place for experimentation in the spirit of this mission.

Around the beginning of the year, I started looking for land, and it turned out that a relative was willing to let me use a piece of former farmland that was no longer being used. Since the land had been unused for about 20 to 30 years, we had to begin by clearing and leveling it. We were also able to borrow heavy machinery, and on most weekends with good weather, I have been out there working on-site.

At G-Spatial Expo 2026, which I visited in late January, I was able to see many exhibits featuring high-precision positioning technologies. One company even provided RTK surveying equipment on a trial basis, which gave us the opportunity to work on creating highly accurate maps ourselves.

By orthorectifying drone imagery and overlaying it onto the farm area, we can precisely design where each tree should be planted.

That said, RTK has two major weaknesses: its dependence on internet connectivity, and its dependence on GNSS satellite reception conditions. After I get some more experience actually using the hardware, I’ll share more details about what we are doing on the farm using RTK.

We will be experimenting with a combination of many different technologies, including software, geospatial information, surveying, drones, practical land use, and fruit tree cultivation.

Going forward, I hope to continue sharing not only the work happening on this farm itself, but also the products and technical insights that emerge from it.

Previously, I’ve been using the “KotobaMedia” name for my freelance software development business, but it is now time to launch full-scale operations as an incorporated company. As a professional, I have had the opportunity to gain diverse experiences thanks to the support of many people around me, and I have been involved in numerous fascinating projects — with location-based services leaving a particularly lasting impact.

In fact, my journey began with location-based technology. During my university commutes, connecting from the train to the bus was bothersome because of the inconsistent timetables. In search of a solution, I utilized GPS to simply determine whether the bus stop near the university or the one at the station was closer, and then displayed the time remaining until departure. This experience, while extremely simple, was my entryway in to location-based technology.

Throughout the process of solving various challenges, one common element emerged in every project: the concept of a “bridge.” It became clear to me that location-based technology serves as the most powerful bridge — a bridge that can connect the virtual world and the physical world.

Moving forward, my strategy is to further explore the potential of location-based technology and to take on the challenge of creating new services that more closely integrate the virtual and physical worlds. In particular, we will focus on areas where location-based technology has not been fully utilized or where implementation methods have been challenging, and we will propose innovative solutions.

If you are still exploring how to effectively harness the power of location-based technology, please feel free to reach out — even for a casual chat.