Hello. This is AYANO from S-TOKYO.

S-TOKYO has relaunched in a new form: "a community for nomads who are not tied to one place and can move freely between cities and regions." This report looks back on the unveiling event held prior to the renewal!

Event Information

Event period:

November 22nd (Tuesday) - 23rd (Wednesday), 2023

place:

S-TOKYO (A hidden gem in Nihonbashi Kodemmacho)

Event details:

Tuesday, November 22, 2023

• Live painting performance / K:soul:y aka YAN

• Talk event / Akina Shu x Ryo Osera (Facilitator: Aki Matsushita)

・A one-day-only social bar "Nomad"

Wednesday, November 23, 2023

• Workshop: "Painting a One-of-a-Kind Color" / K:soul:y aka YAN

Talk event: "Can Japan become a mecca for digital nomads?"

Guests: Akina Shu and Ryo Osera (Facilitator: Aki Matsushita)

■ What is a "digital nomad"?

The word "nomad," meaning "nomadic people," refers in modern society to people who can work with just a computer and utilize digital technology to move freely around the world on their own. Until recently, such a way of working was thought to be only possible for a select few, but in Japan, the changes in working styles brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have made the nomadic lifestyle even more accessible than before.

■What kind of places are the digital nomad hubs in various countries?

Unlike tourists, digital nomads are characterized by their long-term stays in a particular place, but the characteristics of their base locations (facilities and cities) vary from country to country. Some places have events that people can freely participate in on specific days of the week, while others have spaces where people can freely interact, and the city itself seems to warmly welcome digital nomads. "Because I have chosen the 'free lifestyle' of being a nomad, I feel that it is important to be able to 'freely choose' how I behave in such places," says Ryo.

"I don't like cold places, so I'm always on the move looking for a warm base. It feels like there's a central figure at each base, and people from all over the world gather there to meet that person," says Akina, who is already a digital nomad who has traveled around the world many times.

■Considering the synergy between digital nomads and local communities

Unlike tourists, digital nomads often want to stay longer and live in a particular place. However, due to visa restrictions on the length of stay, and the inability to enter Japan on a tourist visa if the purpose is work, it seems that Japan still needs to develop a system to accommodate digital nomads. (Ryo is working to have Japan issue a "digital nomad visa," and it seems that this is actually being considered.) Ryo, who recently invited dozens of digital nomads to Fukuoka, spoke about an incident that stood out to him at a get-together between locals and digital nomads. One digital nomad, having learned about the realities of social problems in Japan, asked, "Is there anything we can do?" It seems that many digital nomads are interested in the culture and realities of the place they are staying and want to help. Ryo concluded by saying that such collaboration between digital nomads and locals could lead to regional revitalization and the creation of new value.

Talk event guests

Akina Shu

Born in Yokohama, Japan, this "digital nomad" is active on the global stage. With the vision of "creating a diverse society through stories," she launched Nomad University in 2021, a media platform that promotes the digital nomad lifestyle. She serves as an ambassador for numerous overseas nomad organizations and for co-living and workation-related activities in Japan. Her activities mainly involve advising and lecturing on attracting overseas nomads to Japanese companies and local governments. Overseas, as a leading Japanese digital nomad, she accepts and delivers keynote speeches in English from all over the world.

Ryo Osera

Born in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture. After graduating from Tsukuba University in 2007, joined Dentsu Inc. Seconded to the Cabinet Secretariat in 2015. Appointed as a city planning advisor at Tsukuba City Hall from 2018 to 2020. Co-founded the travel subscription service "HafH" in 2019 and launched the service. Advisor to the Japan Workation Association from 2020. Representative Director of Yugyo Co., Ltd. from 2022. Specially Appointed Associate Professor at the Institute for Advanced Tourism Science, Kanazawa University from 2023.

Aki Matsushita (Facilitator)

Born in Tokyo. After graduating from Chuo University, he joined JLL, a comprehensive real estate services company. He later moved to a hotel venture. In 2020, he became independent and opened the community-style hotel "LINNAS Kanazawa" in Owari-cho, Kanazawa City in April 2021. In 2022, he co-founded the creative firm MiKS Co., Ltd. with Tsutomu Yoshizaki, a designer from Kanazawa. His hobbies are traveling and language learning.

Other events at the venue include live painting performances and the opening of a one-day-only social bar called "Nomad."

Ryo and Akina, guests at the talk event, opened a social bar called "Nomad" for one day only, where they served as "moms." The bar was bustling with people who attended the talk event as well as members of the overseas nomad community. In addition, a symbol representing S-TOKYO's concept of "a community for nomads who are not tied to one place but move lightly between cities and regions" was painted in a live painting performance by artist Yan. It embodies the meaning of a "wave" where cultures and values of people from all over Japan and the world mix together, with S-TOKYO as their base. Be sure to check it out when you visit S-TOKYO.

The following day, a workshop and exhibition of Yang's artwork were held.

"Things you thought were far away are actually closer than you think."

The event, "Painting a One-of-a-Kind Color in the World," was planned with this concept in mind.

We welcomed Yang as our guest and held an exhibition of her artwork and a workshop. Participants commented, "It's been a long time since I've drawn anything, but it was fun," and "This child loves to draw, but always draws on scrap paper at home, so she looks happy to be on a canvas." As the organizer, it was a very happy moment to see adults and children alike engrossed in drawing, getting their hands dirty in the process.

We plan to continue organizing events like this in the future, so please come and visit S-TOKYO!

Guest Artist >>> K:soul:y aka YAN

A painter from Akita.

An artist who conveys the beauty of the invisible, based on the concept of "scotomas overflowing in everyday life." Travels nationwide performing at festivals and live art stages. Founder of JLAM, selected for SUMMERSONIC 2022.

Works: ksouly1211.wix.com/ksouly