Choosing the Venue May Be Part of the Work

There was a time when I regularly held workshops all over Japan—in Fukuoka, Osaka, Sendai, and even Hokkaido.

Most of the venues were found online, and I quickly discovered that photographs can be deceiving.

Places that looked wonderful in pictures often felt completely different in person. It wasn’t necessarily about the size of the room or the facilities.

Some places simply felt uncomfortable, while others left people feeling strangely tired.

Because of that, choosing the right venue became more important than I had expected.

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For example, this July I will be holding a session in Kobe.

This time, one of the participants has kindly offered the venue, for which I am very grateful.

Then, on August 22, I will be hosting a special dialogue with economic analyst Naoya Fujiwara.

For that event, I chose the Sankei Plaza in Otemachi.

I visited several venues throughout Tokyo, but Sankei Plaza stood out immediately. The location was excellent, the atmosphere felt right, and the decision was easy.

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I have always felt that every place carries its own unique atmosphere.

Some people might call it “energy.”

Whether that word is appropriate or not, many people have experienced the feeling that certain places simply affect them differently.

Kyushu, for example, is often said to have particularly strong energy.

I have even heard people joke that a famous healer from Kyushu can arrive in Tokyo and suddenly stop looking like a “miracle worker.”

Whether that’s true or not isn’t the point.

The point is that many people clearly feel differences from one place to another.

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Over the years, both through work and personal travel, I have visited much of Japan.

If I had to name one place where I feel a particularly strong presence, it would be Yamanashi.

Perhaps that’s an obvious thing to say because Mount Fuji is there.

Still, there is something distinctive about the atmosphere.

The air feels different.

At least, that’s how it feels to me.

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Years ago, when I was living in Tokiwadaira in Chiba, I spent a long time looking at properties throughout the prefecture.

Nothing felt quite right.

Then, almost on a whim, I began looking at properties in Kanagawa.

The moment I visited Sobudai Danchi, I knew.

It felt open.

Spacious.

Easy to breathe in.

There was a sense of ease that is difficult to explain.

That is why my parents live there now.

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The town of Shisui, where I currently spend much of my time, has its own unique atmosphere as well.

Perhaps because it sits beside a shrine, it feels remarkably peaceful.

I have grown very fond of it.

Tokyo, on the other hand, is incredibly convenient, but it is also crowded.

Where many people gather, there is vitality—but there is also fatigue.

Sometimes I feel that people living in the city are working much harder than they realize.

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That said, I don’t believe the most important factor is the land itself.

The most important factor is the individual.

Even the most beautiful place is difficult to appreciate when the body is exhausted.

Conversely, when the body feels balanced and the mind is calm, it becomes easier to find comfort almost anywhere.

That is why I continue to do this work.

It is also why I continue to take care of my own health and physical condition.

The place matters.

But ultimately, the condition of each individual matters far more.

And perhaps that is the lesson these years of travel and work have taught me.