On July 18th, DMM GAMES will release the Japanese version of ``Kingdom Come Deliverance'', an open world RPG set in the medieval Czech Kingdom of Bohemia.
Developed by Czech game studio Warhorse Studios, this game faithfully recreates 15th century Czech Republic with thorough historical research, and has become a hot topic as it has doubled the number of tourists from all over the world. We also participated in the media press tour held in conjunction with the release of the Japanese version. I will thoroughly report on this work and the charms of the Czech Republic that I encountered over the course of 9 days.
The Czech Republic is a country that you may not know about, but you might be surprised to hear about. It is located next to Germany and Austria, and is about the size of Hokkaido. The writer Kafka and the painter Mucha, who influenced game creators, are also from the Czech Republic. The musicians mentioned in the textbook, Smetana and Dvořák, are also from the Czech Republic, and the capital, Prague, is home to a music studio where Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts were recorded, and has produced soundtracks for many movies and games. The ``FILMharmonic Orchestra'' that I am in charge of is also a Prague-based orchestra.
This time, we will introduce you to the so-called "regional cities" of the Czech Republic, such as Olomouc, Brno, and Kutná Hora.
◆Olomouc
On the first day, we visited Olomouc. It is located in the Central Moravia region and can be reached in about 2 hours by train from the capital, Prague, where the airport is located.
Olomouc is the Czech city with the second largest number of cultural assets after Prague, and was once considered one of the most important cities in the Kingdom of Bohemia, the setting for Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Although it is now a thriving student town, it developed as a religious city after it was established as a bishop's seat in the 11th century, and is full of historic churches and castles and palaces that look like those in fantasy RPGs.
Among them, St. Wenceslas Cathedral is a historic building built in the 12th century and is also known as the second tallest building in the Czech Republic. At the adjacent Archbishop's Museum, Mozart is said to have composed his Symphony No. 6 in F major.
Tvarushki, the only cheese of Czech origin and characterized by its strong odor, is a specialty of Olomouc. You can also enjoy restaurants that serve this cheese, which has a history of 600 years, in a modern way.
A great service is that they will take you up the stairs to the upper floor and let you listen to live music from a pipe organ.
◆Brno
On the second day, we visited Brno.
If Prague in the Bohemian region is Tokyo in Japan's Kanto region, Brno is the central city in the Moravia region, which is called Osaka.
The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul on Petrov Hill is a historic building that is even engraved on Czech money, the 10 Koruna coin. This is a Catholic church built in 1107. The bell here rings at 11 o'clock, when other bells usually ring at 12 o'clock. There is a legend that during the Thirty Years' War, during the Thirty Years' War, when the enemy was under attack, he happened to hear a soldier from the enemy saying, ``If we can't get in by noon, we'll go home,'' so he rang the bell a little earlier, at 11 o'clock. It has been ringing at 11 o'clock ever since.
Brno is said to have become a wealthy city due to the mining of silver and the production of silver coins, and in the 16th century, 45% of the silver in Europe was produced in Brno. In the coin minting cellar, you can learn about the history of silver coins in Brno and see how silver coins were actually produced at the time.
Don't miss the 13th century Spielberg Castle. You can also tour the inside of the castle, which was rebuilt as a military fort during the 17th and 18th centuries, and later became a prison. The hill offers a beautiful view of the city of Brno.
Brno is famous for its underground passages, and in the past, even ordinary households had storage rooms underground, which were connected to form underground passages. Currently, underground passages are not used, and the whole situation is not fully understood, so it is a problem that even though they want a subway, they cannot get one. Although there is no subway, the sight of streetcars and trams running on the tracks laid throughout the city is fascinating.
The Old Town Hall is decorated with a wooden wheel and, for some reason, a stuffed crocodile. According to legend, a brave young man slayed an evil dragon that ravaged Brno long ago and enshrined it...
Speaking of courage, Brno is also a prosperous art town, and the Statue of Courage in Moravian Square is especially popular among young people. As for why it's so popular...it seems like only people with courage will understand.
Prague is famous for its beer, but the southern Moravia region, centered around Brno, is also famous for its wine production. For those who don't like alcohol, we recommend Cabbage Square's vegan ice cream! The ice cream we had in the historic plaza with its cobblestone pavement was exquisite.
As a side note, ordering Czech Mac was self-service!
◆Kutna Hora
On the third day, we visited Kutná Hora.
Just one hour away from Prague by train, Brno is a silver mining city, and in the 14th and 15th centuries it was as prosperous as the capital, Prague.
St. Barbara's Church, located in the historical center of Kutná Hora, has the same gothic exterior and beautiful stained glass as it did during the time of Kingdom Come Deliverance. It is the second largest church in the Czech Republic and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it one of the must-visit places.
The Sedlec district is home to the Cathedral of the Virgin Mary and the ossuary, whose interior is made of human bones. The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary, which has a beautiful baroque exterior, was originally built in the 13th to 14th centuries and was destroyed by fire in the 15th century. It was rebuilt in the 17th and 18th centuries. The monastery next door
It is here in Kutná Hora that there is a cemetery church that was so shocking that it competed in the first and second positions of this press tour. This cemetery chapel was built in the 14th century, and the interior is made of human bones. The cemetery, made from soil brought back from the holy city of Jerusalem, quickly became a hot topic and was flooded with reservations. Once you see the interior, you'll never forget the chandelier made from the bones of an estimated 40,000 people and the Schwarzenberg coat of arms.
At the silver museum, you can go into the cave where silver was actually mined, but those who are afraid of cold, dark, and narrow places are asked not to force themselves into it. I was shocked to see that...)
In the Czech press tour sightseeing section of the world of "Kingdom Come Deliverance," we will be introducing the sights of Sasau and Rattay, which appear as key points in the game!
Interview cooperation: Czech National Tourism Board, DMM GAMES