The visuals begin with the Yushan peaks, flow toward Jiaming Lake, and traverse a sea of summits—each scene transition poetically reveals the island’s geological features. Clouds drift along ridgelines, light breathes across the spines; these images recount the island’s enduring symbiosis with nature.

ULTRACOMBOS uses imagery as a bridge, transforming the deep cultural ties between the people of Taiwan and their mountains into a language that resonates worldwide. In the international setting of the World Expo, the presentation is unassuming and tranquil—the imagery quietly embodies the height of Taiwan, a natural majesty that moves the soul.

Named With the Mountains, the Clouds, and Us, the theater pays tribute to Tadao Kano, the Japanese naturalist who, during the Japanese colonial period, became one of the first to observe Taiwan’s mountains through both scientific inquiry and literary sensibility. His meticulous records of the island’s landscapes and Indigenous cultures remain an invaluable legacy today.

Throughout the immersive visuals, fragments of Kano’s writings emerge and dissolve into the scenery. They are more than historical references—they become a dialogue across time. Through a contemporary digital language, ULTRACOMBOS continues his way of seeing, allowing the mountains he once witnessed to be rediscovered as landscapes that resonate with audiences today.

To authentically capture the spirit and light of the mountains, the creative team journeyed up Yushan, conducting field studies guided by mountain researcher 雪羊. Every step taken, every press of the shutter, was a genuine approach to the subject.

The mist before dawn, the swift-changing clouds of afternoon, the star-studded night sky—these fleeting moments of nature can’t be rehearsed or replicated. The Cicada ensemble was also invited to compose music, translating the mountains’ spirituality—and our reverence and humility toward them—into an immersive theatrical experience.

ULTRACOMBOS has long explored the intersections of culture, nature, and contemporary technology through digital art. This time, we move in the opposite direction—bringing the island to the world with a digital touch. At the 2025 Osaka Expo, we let the mountains break past maps and language, quietly imprinting themselves on the hearts of viewers worldwide. It is both a journey abroad and a homecoming.