The Ikigai Podcast
The Ikigai Podcast
Transforming Japan’s Iconic Properties into Vacation Retreats with Tamaki Nishimura
Are you passionate about historic properties?
Japan is home to a wealth of historical gems, many of which are in need of preservation.
In this blog post, Nick speaks with Tamaki Nishimura to discuss the importance of saving these iconic properties and transforming them into unique vacation rentals.
Ikigai, I think, in Japanese has many meanings, and I try to think that like deeper level of ikigai, and the moment that I feel the joy for myself is that when I see someone maximizing their potential it could be someone or the property or the area. I don't mean not only about the property. I think the same for, for example, my children and also my team member as well, and when I see those potential that has not been maximized, then I feel really, really frustrated. I think it's too much for someone else to think like that, for someone, but I honestly feel frustrated about it, and for myself too. And, uh, for this planet though. Uh case, I see many cases that is not maximizing the potential. It's because they're closed and they don't really see the opportunity. That's being outside of the area or outside of the community. So, as I said, the you know ikigai or kokorazashi for the planets ourselves is to unlock the potential, and that can play with my ikigai as well.
Speaker 2:Find your ikigai at ikigaitribecom. My guest today on episode 93 Find your Ikigai at ikigaitribecom. My guest today on episode 93 of the Ikigai podcast is Tamaki Nishimura, founder and CEO of Planet Labs, an organization that specializes in transforming iconic properties across Japan into unique vacation rentals, with a focus on cultural preservation and fostering partnerships with local communities. It's a pleasure to have you on, tamaki.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you for the perfect introduction.
Speaker 2:It's good to see you again. Of course, we met in person last month. You treated me to lunch, so that was yeah, really special to meet you and we have our introduction to thank Steve. Steve Bouchamp, a friend of mine, also a podcast guest, who told me all about Planet Dow, so we have two names here. But first would you like to give us a bit of background about yourself?
Speaker 1:Sure, so my name is Tamaki. I was born and raised in Osaka slash Kyoto, but I'm currently living in Kanagawa Prefecture, which is our next prefecture to Tokyo, because I have two kids, so I decided not to live in the city center. We love going camping and also we live in kind of like nature, you know space. So throughout my career I was in startup companies. So first business that we were working on was building the tourism platform just like you know Airbnb experience we have for global. But we were building the Japanese version of airbnb with the entity dokomo. That's one of the biggest telecom companies in japan. Yeah, but covid hit so we had to close the business. The business was like focusing on the local experience to offer to especially an international traveler. But during the downtime I had to kind of shift my interest to other spaces.
Speaker 1:And crypto was pretty big in Japan. You know NFT and Bitcoin and all but I wasn't too excited about like Bitcoin price, like going up and down and stuff. I was more excited about the concept of DAO, so connecting individuals to work for the same goal together. So I was keen to connect those, that concept of DAO and what I was doing. And the Planet DAO is the next business that I came up with. Yeah, so it's been half a year since I launched. By counting the time that we were like building before the launch, it's been a year, yeah, wow.
Speaker 2:So that's steady progress when I found out about your website and what you're doing. So, yeah, let's focus on the name a bit more. So there's two names? I think you're. Is it like a parent company's Planet Labs, but Planet Dow is the, I guess, the brand.
Speaker 1:Right, right, you're right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, would you like to touch on why you chose Planet Dao?
Speaker 1:Right. So for the product-wise, as Nick explained in the first introduction, we specialize into transforming the properties in Japan, especially the temples, or those properties that individuals cannot buy because, for example, the property comes with a big forest and that comes with the farmland. So individuals need the financial support to transform the use of US land into something. Or, for example, the temple, just one individual or one corporate cannot own it because the local community has so much, you know, affection for the property so they cannot just, you know, give up on the ownership of it. So we're those properties, are that kind of properties that we are taking care of. So a reason why I name it planet is that the planet earth is like no one owns it, right so, and those properties that we are touching is on that kind of properties that one, or like one, individual or corporate just own it. So I named Planet because it's going to be the transforming the norm and concept of the ownership into something new. So we will have multiple individuals to own the land or the property and it's not going to be just one ownership owned by that community only, but also we have the community with investor slash, local communities slash, you know, like town and cities. So that's why I named planet like that and I put dao.
Speaker 1:A lot of people ask me what DAO means and is that the word come from like Chinese or something like that, and I'm like no, no, it's not. So DAO stands for Decentralized Autonomous Organization, so these terms originally come from crypto blockchain project mainly, and our idea is, know, global community utilizing the crypto token. That was our first intention, but we decided not to for now because not a lot of people are pretty used to, you know, like, using the crypto wallet and stuff, so we decided not to. Then, also, the law in Japan with the crypto has been pretty strict right now. So right now, we are not using crypto token in anything strict right now. So right now, we are not using crypto token in anything but for the future, since we have a lot of people internationally. The currency transaction has been a problem, a big issue for us. So utilizing the crypto it's going to be some solution that will enhance our, you know, like a project.
Speaker 2:So that's what we're looking at yeah, I think we should point out that you're essentially you're saving these iconic properties, or these properties that have this immense value in terms of historic value, cultural value, and they're very much tied to, I guess, the local population. They are often in remote areas or in towns that are at risk of dying. So what you're doing is really inspiring. I think it's really important and you're giving as you said, you're giving people. Basically, it sounds like you're really giving people outside of japan an opportunity to invest in and kind of be a part owner not really a part owner, but someone who contribute to the longevity of these properties and save them which is, you know, really inspiring but, at the same time, I think this is, you know, really challenging, and we'll talk about the challenges you've gone through.
Speaker 2:So, you come across as someone who's, you know, very entrepreneurial, ambitious, and you know you're still quite young and you've got two kids. I kind of think, wow, what was I doing in my early or mid-20s? Nothing like what you're doing. So it's kind of amazing. But how did this particular project come about and what was the reason or the inspiration for you to start planet down?
Speaker 1:sure. So, um, that comes from my passion in the first place, because at my previous project what I was doing was basically, you know, like showing international tourists not only the face of j. I was like showing more deeper side of Japan by connecting those local artisans or local people with the international tourists and I just loved the moment that people kind of like falling in love in Japan, you know. So, by connecting those local artisans to international tourists, they always give them the new perspective of seeing things. So what they what they I mean is that local artisans are doing for everyday thing that's been new to them, new to the international tourists. So they're like wow, like what you're doing is so great and things will actually give the energy and inspiration for the local artisans. So they kind of gain like their confidence and all. So I just love to see the moment.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can relate to that. As you know, I had a retreat my first retreat this year and it was similar to what you're saying this focus on exposing foreigners to, yeah, unique craftspersonship or unique places away from all the tourist sites. And we looked at. Something that was really interesting was Aizome, so indigo dyeing, and we found someone in gujo hachiman who was like 16th generation of this 400 year old business and, you know, still doing the indigo dyeing and making products but also holding workshops and, yeah, it was really special to kind of have a taste of this tradition and see how everyone responded to it. And, yeah, this owner and this crafts man has no direct heir, he has no children and so he's going to I think he's one of his nephews or nieces will take over the business.
Speaker 2:And yeah, it was a major concern, like this business that's been around for 400 years was at risk of, yeah, sort of dying. So I think that's a really, really cool idea to try and expose foreigners to these unknown or unique aspects of culture, right, that are at risk of dying because, just because the way japan is, I guess, with most young people moving to cities and losing a lot, so it's really, yeah, really special, I think what you're doing especially those like japanese.
Speaker 1:Young people think like, what they're doing is not really cool, you know, um, so it's really. I don't know how to say it in english, but I feel it's yeah it's a tragic loss of opportunity, right right. Yeah, it was an opportunity.
Speaker 2:I feel that too and so I'm trying to work out. Have you always had this in you, this desire to preserve Japanese culture, or did you have some personal experience that made you think oh well, my culture is beautiful, it is unique and I should do something to save it, right?
Speaker 1:That comes from all my experience from like when I was running a business of you know creating a local experiences. I used to work with the geishas too. Their business has been pretty downside too because their main is to serve, you know sake and you know go to the banquet party that the Japanese, you know salary men, does. But it's been pretty downside, especially after the COVID hit right. So we were creating the event show with them to show, especially for the international traveler.
Speaker 1:So I knew all the culture, part of Japan from the experiences and I realized that a lot of like, especially young generation, wants to go to Tokyo or city area for looking for some opportunity, especially for like technology side of it.
Speaker 1:But I realized that the Japan is not going to be economically like highly growing, like as much as like it does in the States or, you know, in China or any other countries that is hitting the economical growth. So what Japan holds is something that money cannot buy. I think and reason why so many um traveler, international travelers, are coming to japan is that they want to see the culture and history and nature or maybe instruct infrastructure, like we have really good um train system and all. No, that's what they're coming to Japan for, but we are not actively preserving those parts of Japan, because it's really hard to see the financial value, you know, of the cultural history. So I really feel kind of a responsibility to preserve those bits of Japan for the future, because without taking any action for that then we will be actively losing those cultures and history. So yeah, that's my interest and I'm also connected to Ikigai.
Speaker 2:I would say yeah, it's a beautiful Ikigai and it does surprise me that, because I mean, there's so much tourism in Japan even maybe we're hearing a lot about over-tourism obviously to all the famous tourist spots and, yeah, it surprises me that government or local government is so out of touch of what a good chunk of what foreigners want to experience. Is this tradition, is this culture, is this history they can't experience really anywhere else.
Speaker 2:And we hear these terrible stories of local councils concreting coastline or making all these weird buildings and not realising that, oh, it's the temples, or it's? The shrines or it's these historic buildings that people would love to visit or stay in. Right, right and so yeah, you're providing that opportunity and you've started. I mean, this is early days for you it is yeah, and it's highly ambitious.
Speaker 1:So what is the vision or the kokorozashi of planet tau, because I I think, wow, this could be endless, because there could be, there's literally thousands of properties, to say right I'll say, to unlock the hidden potential that we always see or the community has, and always the power of, you know, collective purpose that we bring from the you know overseas, especially Because we are not going to be playing the main role in the local area or the properties. So property or the local community comes first. In the case of like Wakayama, the first project we did because we had the local community actively involved in and also connecting us to the local people and they were wishing for this project to be successful. That's why we succeeded in funding the project and moving to the renovation. So having the local people playing the main role for each project is very crucial for us. That's how I see it. So what we can do is just to unlock the potential itself. Yeah, that's how I see.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so this is quite challenging. It is You're trying to save a property. You work with locals, so you're very respectful to their needs. And then you renovate these properties, but you maintain their historical value. So you're not really changing the structure, you're just sort of reforming so that people can then stay there. So yeah, many moving parts and you know several stakeholders, so how has the journey been so far?
Speaker 1:so at first we launched our first project in this year, may, and we actually spent almost a year to structure like a law related structure, then you know, business model itself, that comply with the current Japanese law.
Speaker 1:And that was a quite tough journey because our product include the real estate law, then also security law in Japan. As I said, that has been pretty strict in Japan, but we got good luck actually to find the right lawyer that knows about all the real estate law and also the crypto and security law in Japan and he was not too conservative so he could give us a good idea that complies with what we want to do and also the current law. So that was really important to have the right lawyer for us. And another concern for us was our vision. Is was very, very the concern but luckily, after we launched it, um, we had so many people, enough investor to reach our goal of the fundraising. So, yeah, we had, I think, like two luck that brought our project to be successful and, surprisingly, 80% of our investors come from outside of Japan. That was pretty unexpected for us. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I guess it gives you a clear indication of how much foreigners love this special aspect of Japan, this culture and what they can experience or gain by going there. So I guess they're invested, uh, you know, financially, but they're also invested, you know, personally, like, oh, this is something we're far protecting. And yeah, when I heard about it and I saw the prop the first property you were saving I was was like, oh wow, this is amazing.
Speaker 1:So yeah.
Speaker 2:I guess I purchased one share too.
Speaker 1:Thank you. Thank you so much, I'm really interested in your future properties.
Speaker 2:Touched on your properties. But, yeah, it seems you're investing so much to get this up and running. So imagine it's, you know, quite stressful and you have to get all this legal advice and you're dealing with money and international transfers and you have this goal now to then renovate these properties. So, yeah, really ambitious. But it also sounds like you are. You know you are being supported. So how does that feel to have people locally in Japan say, yes, we want you to save this property, and then you have people within Japan helping you, and then you have these investors outside of Japan. It must be very gratifying for people to support your vision.
Speaker 1:Right, right, I'm just feeling so grateful, and this project is not just about money. So a lot of investors mentioned about our project as like creative investments, so they're looking for more returns, like beyond the financial returns. For example, they can get into the activity of like renovating a temple or creating the stone made stairs with the locals, and they're keen to have many updates with pictures from us. So, because our project is not relying on something financial only, there are many people who are willing to support us, not in the financial way, to actually, the lawyer that we work with is. He offered us the pro bono work for us too, because there is too many things that we need to consult with and the fee is going to be too much for the startup, so he offers some pro bono. Yeah, he'll work for us.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, yeah, it's because the color of the project I think that we're working on yes, and I know you and your team, especially monica, who I'll probably be interviewing as well. You know you spend a lot of time communicating with your investors. You have almost, I think, weekly meetings to update everyone. So there is this strong sense of community, too, behind what you're doing, and you get people to even your investors to volunteer and they have some input. So, yeah, it's a really special project and vision. So let's talk about the first historic property you have saved.
Speaker 1:Sure, sure, sure. So the first project is in Natchi area. Not many people are aware of this place, but this place has been having many international travellers coming in as well, since it has the world heritage called Kumano Kodo, one of the pilgrimage routes in Japan. An interesting thing about this pilgrimage route is that the route itself is connecting three religions in the area. One is Buddhism and one is Shintoism, and also Kumano local religion, which is I don't think any other place in the world has something, some place like that, to connect you.
Speaker 1:You know three different religions, and ryokonji temple is the one of the temple that we launched with our first project.
Speaker 1:This has been selected as one of the tangible cultural heritage in japan four or five years ago, but since there were only four supporters, we call called them Danka, who donate money to the temple, and that's how the temple used to sustain back in the days.
Speaker 1:But now there are not many people who can make donations and also the role of the temple has been changed in the community, so there are only four and they all are in 80s and 90s. So in 10 or 20 years later then there will be no one who can donate or take care of the temple. So they're looking for some financial support and also someone or some business model that can sustain the temple itself. So we were introduced those are local, community to us by one of the chief priest monk who takes care of the temples in the region, and that's how we got connected and we kicked off our project. Yeah, and there are so many temples like that in japan. I heard like one third of the temple, which is uh, 70 000 temple in japan, are abandoned and in the same situation like ryogonji temple.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's astounding. I remember I mean, I think maybe some of our audience might have heard the term akia, like abandoned house or empty house, but now there's akidera, like empty temple or abandoned temple. So I guess one of the other beautiful aspects of this is you're also maintaining a role for the, the priest of these temples, and they have a place to you know, practice their religion and influence others and and maintain their religion, and I know you have a priest you're working with. So, yeah, do you want to touch on that a little bit?
Speaker 1:Sure. So he's really a young chief priest monk. His name is Nishiyama-san and he used to be an English teacher in Tokyo for two one to two years and he's a DJ as well. He has really interesting faces. He's now back in the Natchi area because his family he comes from the Buddhist family and he was the only child, I think, who can inherit his temple and he turned actually the temple into the vacation rental as well, like for his own temple, and he's building a sauna within the temple for the you know new way of meditation, like combined with the Zen practice.
Speaker 1:And because he has been doing pretty interesting things, a lot of like priests around him start like relying on him that like can we take, can you take care of, like our temple and all. And now he's taking care of more than like six temples and it's going to be like 10 or 20 temples in the future. So the reason why he's working with us is that him just one person cannot do all himself and also looking for people who can inherit the temple. It's going to be a big problem in Japan as well. So he wants to make the job as like interesting as like working other industry. So that's his approach. So by working with us he could make that aspect, enhance the aspect of like working as a priest. It's going to be, you know, interesting job to do, yeah well, maybe that's what it takes.
Speaker 2:You need a fresh approach, a modern approach yeah like he's. You know he's had some life experience teaching english and being a dj and maybe that also would appeal to foreigners something fresh and unique, as well as combining, you know, tradition and ancient wisdom. So yeah, it's amazing how you've got all these different people involved the priests, the locals, investors and your own team, right.
Speaker 2:So pretty amazing. So, for the people who rent the property in the future, what could they do in the local area? So maybe in a year or a year and a half from now, maybe one of our listeners would like to go and support you too. Oh, yeah hopefully, I'll definitely want to visit. Yes, so this is is it Irokawa? Yeah, Irokawa.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, the name itself doesn't really actually exist in the map because it got disappeared by merged with another town, but locals still has the identity to call themselves as Irokawa. So it means it has a really strong connection and identity in the area. But it doesn't mean that they're pretty exclusive to people coming from outside of the city. Actually, more than half of the people who live in Irokawa are coming from outside, like those people who relocated from the town city. So they're pretty open to anyone. Yeah, and their specialty is something special about them them is they are really independent living style. For example, they each of the household has their own farm and rice field and also they source their daily water from the river. So they have the system like where they clean up, like every day they take roll, like they like they take turns to clean the you know all the utility every day. So it's pretty interesting, yeah. So we are thinking to offer the farm-to-table kind of dinner that visitors can go to their farm and pick up some you know fresh vegetable to make it for the dinner salad and they can take the fresh like egg from the you know chicken house and you know and use it for the dinner, and that's one of the experiences that we were talking with the local. Another experience will be we have the English-speaking chief priest monk, so we can offer the Zen experience in the morning.
Speaker 1:Ryokonji has the stunning view. It's on the hilltop and there's a stone wall that you can actually sit on and you can see the whole village from that stone. So doing the Zen meditation on the hilltop and there's a stone wall that you can actually sit on and you can see the whole village from that stone so doing the Zen meditation on the stone will be one experience. And this experience is something that we did when we went to the Daitaiji. Daitaiji is another temple that the chief priest monk is doing a vacation rental. He made the morning porridge and we ate it in the zen you know monk way. So he told me, like, how to eat it in a training way and he told me some you know teaching, you know. So they are some of the experiences that we are thinking of. Yeah, but staying in that area itself is going to be, uh, like enough experience and we can connect with, like people who live there as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think just the benefit of going somewhere so remote and so surrounded by nature, and just that alone would be very powerful. It is. But, also contributing and sustaining our community. And yeah, maybe having time for meditation and reflection and yeah, it all sounds really inspiring. So another moving part of all of this is, once the property is available for rental, who will manage it once it's ready?
Speaker 1:sure. So there's the company. We have the candidate companies that our owners can make a vote for. One of the top candidates is called ShareWing. They run a project called Oterastei Oterastei meaning simply temple staying in English. So they operate a lodging service in a temple more than 11 or 12 in Japan at this point of time. Yeah, and they're the one who connected us with Chief Priest Nishiyama-san and that's how we got connected with the Ryogonju temple. So they have successful cases in other temples, so that we are thanking them as a top candidate. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Awesome and they have experience and so very likely they can find or connect you to people who want to have this. I guess, yeah, temple stay.
Speaker 1:Right, right, exactly.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So you are definitely dealing with so many moving parts. So this kind of makes me yeah, it kind of does make me think of Ikigai, because, as you know, ikigai doesn't just mean, you know, being happy. Ikigai involves something you care about or pursuing something meaningful to you. But this also sounds like a kokorozashi, because it's really ambitious. It's really really ambitious. So, yeah, this business, is it both your ikigai and your kokorozashi? Yeah?
Speaker 1:I see, I see it is. Yeah, it is. Because if it's not, it doesn't comply with ikigai or kokorozashi then I wouldn't have done it. I think Because, as you said, there's so many I'm waiting for and when I talk to the investor, like all words come from my heart. And that has to come from my heart Because, as I said, it's not about numbers, just the numbers. And ROI, that we project is not too high compared to other countries. If they just leave their money in the bank, the interest rate in japan is pretty low. So the roi project is pretty high in japan, but, for example, the company countries in hong kong and the interest rate is pretty high. So roi doesn't really convince the investor. You know that the only reason it's not going to be, the only reason for the investor to buy. So those emotional part, that the conviction part, it is the plays a main role and that has to come from my heart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I come from the warehouse running family. So my dad owns a company that runs the warehouse and he is actually looking for someone to inherit the business. And there are so many people who are looking for someone to inherit the business, especially in a local area of japan. I come from osakasa, but there are so many business owners looking for people who can inherit it. So this is not just the problem with akia or Akidera or you know, like local area of Japan, but also this is going to be the problem in many industry of Japan. And how I see this project is we are not only saving those properties but more of like creating a system where the individual can gather. Those individual doesn't matter where they come from, as long as they have kokorozashi for the property or the local they can contribute. So I think that comply with my own personal problem that comes from my family as well.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, yeah, even my, my in-laws. So they make my father-in-law and my brother-in-law make Shinoyaki pottery. Okay, wow, yeah, and they're fourth generation and it's very likely that my brother-in-law's children won't pursue pottery you know, which is fair enough.
Speaker 2:But yeah, it is quite sad to think there's a good chance they won't pass on this knowledge and tradition of pottery making, this specific type of pottery making, to someone, and yeah, it will eventually end. And yeah, it will eventually end. So, yeah, japan has this tragic problem, I guess, of losing its culture, losing craft, personship or just properties or businesses, because I guess capitalism came in and stole everyone.
Speaker 2:It said, oh, it's more important to make money and live in cities and be rich right, right and now I guess we're seeing the result of that of you know one or two generations of doing that I think so.
Speaker 1:And some people said, like you know, like there are many like mna companies that can save your business, but it's not about it. You know, like those local that we talk to, especially from the ryokonji temple project, is more of like they're not just looking for people who can inherit it, more of like they can, if they can like, trust the person, or you know that comes from the emotional part of it, not the monetary part only. So that has been a problem, and the same situation is for my family too.
Speaker 2:So yeah, yeah, there's almost a yeah, the strong emotional component, almost like a spiritual component you really have to care about maintaining. Why do you want to maintain this building or property or business? Because it is yeah it's important, it has value and it goes beyond money and just opportunity. There's this intrinsic value and it kind of connects to one's spirit yeah so let's talk about the next property and maybe we can find you some investors. So this is a property our listeners could invest in. So, yeah, let's touch on that property.
Speaker 1:Sure. So next property is not the temple, but it's an interesting property that comes with 7,000 square meter forest land and we call it the bamboo forest house and it's located in Hayama forest house and it's located in hayama. For those who don't know about hayama, it's considered as one of the top summer vacation like villa resort place that is popular for japanese people especially. But the interesting thing is that this hayama area is recognized as the imperial villa place, since the imperial family has one villa in the location and one of the beach it's called Ishiki Beach is recognized as one of the top beach worldwide. So it has a beautiful nature and also with the mountain and beautiful ocean, and it's pretty accessible from Tokyo too Just one hour train ride. There's a straight train from the Tokyo station to to just one hour train ride. Yeah, there's a straight train from the Tokyo station to Tsuzushi station and you can explore the area from that station.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the Bambi Forest House since it has the 7,000 square meter forest land, there's so much space that we can play with. We're thinking to have the open air baths and also the sauna and also yoga deck, because this house itself is so separated from the main road of the area. You need to actually hike in the mountain road for about three to four minutes, so once you're into the space you won't hear any city noise or you're all separated. Yeah, you're all like separated from the city area. So it's interesting. Yeah, not like temple, but because of that we have so much space that we can play with. I think yeah yeah, sounds exciting.
Speaker 2:You have this opportunity to get creative and it kind of ties into I guess it ties into wellness tourism as well.
Speaker 2:And this year I attended the Wellness Tourism Expo in Tokyo. Okay, and yeah, it looks like it's a huge area of growth and you know, there's glamping and all these kind of high-end opportunities or staying at a ryokan. So what you're offering is quite, quite unique um, getting away from it all and being in nature and you know, again, saving a property, so that must be fun. To plan these properties and think, oh, what are we going to do with this property? And have an outside hot spring bath or a yoga deck or a sauna.
Speaker 2:So you, must enjoy that aspect of the business very much.
Speaker 1:It is. Yeah, it is very interesting. Yeah, to work with a local constructor. They give us many interesting you know ideas that also, we listen to our owners as well and we sometimes bring the potential investor to the place and they, of course, give us, like many you know interesting thought, and one of them was actually a tattoo artist that she used to be a tattoo artist and she gave us an idea of what about like, how do you say like craving the bamboo with the zen word. So while we have the you know open air bath in the yoga deck, maybe like looking at the bamboo and it has that zen you know like teaching word, and all could be interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah, it's amazing what you can do with bamboo so using it as a almost like a scroll or a teaching tool. That's a cool idea. Yeah, okay. So, tamaki, how can people support your cause? Because, if they want to, they could invest in the bamboo forest house or other future properties sure.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, biggest support will be investing in us because we're very early stage for our project as a whole a planet as a whole. So it's been pretty difficult to reach out to those people who are really interested in us, since we are based in Japan. So, nick, thank you so much for this opportunity to hear, I think, helping us a lot to reach out to those who could be interested in Upland itself and also gaining that trust. It's going to be pretty hard for us too, because this year, as I said, like based in Japan, it's pretty hard for people to know that, like if we're a legit company or not. And, yeah, we have installed some tools, like for our website called like Trust Pilot, and people like start writing that review for us. So getting our credibility by posting about us and, you know, giving some review for us, it's going to be a big help as well. Yeah, and we appreciate any feedbacks. If you have any feedbacks, then please send us like any messages on inquiry. I check all the messages. Yeah, we have.
Speaker 1:So yeah, that really surprised me that you told me in conversation that some people thought it was a scam and like it's too good to be true, and I was really shocked because I just thought well, yeah, even I actually have the you know my me myself like talking about the project on my website and I do the one-on-one call with those people who are interested in having a call with us. Some people call that like the video itself is AI generated and having a call with the founder is like sounds like a scam. Even though they don't you know, they don't book it, they call it, so yeah yeah, that's strange, I mean.
Speaker 2:I mean maybe because that's rare, because you probably would think, or the founder would be, you know, too busy to talk to me, so but to think it's ai generated, you're definitely not ai generated.
Speaker 1:I've met you in person and they can hear my Japanese accent and you know my English. I would have done better if it's like AI generated.
Speaker 2:No. So real person, real business and a business or a project definitely worth supporting. And yeah, again, I'm just amazed Like this is so ambitious and so challenging, so very inspiring. So it's a real joy to have you on the podcast, and we'll have Monica, your community manager, as well. And, yeah, I'd love to support every property you do. So maybe we'll have you on often. So let's end with Ikigai. So I think, obviously, saving these culturally important and historical properties is tied to your ikigai. Do you want to go deeper into that?
Speaker 1:sure. So ikigai, I think, in japanese has many meanings and I try to think that like deeper level of ikigai. And the moment that I feel the joy for myself is that when I see someone maximizing their potential it could be someone or the property or the area. I don't mean not only about the property. I think the same for, for example, my children and also my team member as well and when I see those potential that has not been maximized, then I feel really, really frustrated. I think it's too much for someone else to think like that for someone, but I honestly feel frustrated about it. Yeah, and for myself too.
Speaker 1:And for this Planet Zao case, I see many cases that it's not maximizing the potential, it's because they're closed and they don't really see the opportunity. That's being outside of the area or outside of the community. So, as I said, the ikigai or kokorazashi for the Planet Zao itself is to unlock the potential, and that comply with my ikigai as well. So, um, there's a huge fans you know japan abroad and we are connecting the opportunity with the local community or the property that has the so much potential in it.
Speaker 2:So yeah, no, it's really inspiring. And yeah it's. I guess if we open eyes, we can see all this opportunity. And then I guess you've got to. You know, believe in yourself that you can do something about it. So that's pretty cool. So, moving away from this very ambitious project, what about your other ikigai? You know your personal or your private ikigai?
Speaker 1:Private ikigai. I'm not really able to do it recently since I have one in three years old kids running around me.
Speaker 1:And I don't really have the private time myself, but I like to do the you know, explore my spiritual journey kind of thing. Yeah, I like to have my you know explore my like spiritual journey kind of thing. Yeah, I like to have like my personal time for like just meditating and I used to do the sorry, I forgot the word not eating, like eating and drinking for a while. Fasting, yeah, fasting, yeah, fasting helped me a lot to think deeply. And yeah, also, I like to do to do, to practice all like you know spiritual journey kind of things. But for the yeah past, like two to three years, I was not like able to do it and able to do more.
Speaker 2:But yeah, that's my other like, if you guys to do yeah yes, well, you certainly have your hands full with your children and this project, but, uh, yeah, maybe you need that spiritual journey. Yeah, balance yourself yeah, I think so yeah, I mean, ambition is like a double edged sword. It's really inspiring, gives you motivation, but if you're not careful you can get burned out for sure yeah so how can people you Where's the best place to support what you're doing?
Speaker 1:Sure, so maybe follow me on LinkedIn is one of the tools, and also Substack. I'm not really active as much as I want to do, but I will constantly write about the project and also myself on Substack for a long post. I recently deleted my ex and instagram, so linkedin and substack could be one and what about the planet dao website? Sure, so you can uh sign up for our newsletter.
Speaker 2:We have the newsletter subscribing button on the website so you can sign up for that awesome, so I'll include all those links in the show notes, thank you, and maybe we can also add some photos of the properties to the web page as well to promote what you're doing. So, yeah, really inspiring what you're doing. It was great to meet you last month and I look forward to the new properties you bring to life in future. Thank you, tamaki, for your time today.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 2:My pleasure, bye.
Speaker 1:Bye, thank you.