I received an invitation to give a special talk at the “Action Taitung Award” awards ceremony, so I went back to Taitung, Taiwan 🇹🇼 for the first time in two weeks on a tight 3-day/2-night trip.
Last time, the event was held in Chenggong Township, further out from central Taitung. This time, I stayed in Taitung City, and because there was less travel involved, I had the chance to spend more time communicating with the teams from
At this awards ceremony, our initiatives at nottuo / Tenten, along with the work of SAGA COLLECTIVE—a group in Saga committed to zero-carbon emissions—were introduced from Japan. We were given a dedicated stage and each delivered a one-hour presentation with interpretation.
What stood out most was the uniquely warm atmosphere of this awards ceremony and the award itself. It wasn’t the kind of tense, cutthroat event you might associate with “winners and losers.” Instead, as recipients were announced for each category, people celebrated in their own styles, and the audience praised them—shouting encouragement, even singing—so the whole venue was filled with smiles and a gentle, joyful energy.
When I traced back the faint sense of déjà vu I felt, I realized it reminded me of a wedding I attended in Okinawa a few years ago: an enormous, lively celebration where the main couple and the guests all mixed together, cheering and feasting as one big party.
Taitung isn’t a region with particularly convenient transportation, and like many local cities in Japan, it faces its own inconveniences and social challenges. Precisely because this award honors people who choose to see those “hassles” as part of their town’s character—and who take them on positively through business and public-minded initiatives—the spirit in the room felt less like “competition” driven by market principles, and more like “co-creation,” where everyone struggles and works together toward shared regional challenges. I think that mindset is what created the venue’s sense of closeness and solidarity.
The presentation by Mr. Yamaguchi from SAGA COLLECTIVE—who was invited alongside us—was also fascinating. From his personal story, to discussions with project members, to the initiatives that followed, he shared a rich, real-world account of process: how a coalition of like-minded organizations aligns their intentions and decides what to do, and how. It was full of insights and felt like a truly valuable opportunity.
It was also interesting to meet someone abroad whom I had never met in Japan. It’s proof that our respective efforts are being recognized and valued across the sea. Even though our regions and projects differ, it was joyful to discover common ground in the kind of future society we aim for from a broader perspective. On the flights between connections, I ended up chatting at length with Mr. Yamaguchi, who happened to be seated next to me—though I’m sure I must have been an overly talkative guy and a bit of a nuisance (sorry! haha).
Speaking on a proper stage like that is something I’ve done before, but I still felt uneasy—wondering whether I was truly providing value worth hearing. In reality, though, so many people listened attentively, and later, when I asked the staff, they told me that some attendees were seriously debating whether to start poultry farming themselves. Hearing that, I felt genuinely rewarded—grateful that I had crossed oceans and mountains, taking multiple flights, to come all the way to this place.
Once again, it was a pretty intense itinerary, but thank you for such a wonderful time—made possible by the dedicated support of the local operations team,
