During my second day in Boston, I was invited to Babson College as the guest lecturer at a symposium. The campus was beautifully covered with autumn trees, their leaves turning reddish-orange, and the portraits of past presidents welcomed me at the college’s main cafeteria.

The primary goal of my stay in Boston was to support Binnovative Boston with their mission of “bridging communities in Boston and Japan.” Specifically, Binnovative Boston was hosting a business plan competition, which focused on proposals to popularize koji in the United States.

Among the competitions, who came from various backgrounds, there were several students from the Showa Women’s Institute. On the first day of the one-week-long competition, the girls all seemed shy and intimidated. However, throughout the course of the competition, it was apparent that they gained confidence. By the end, the Showa students actively participated in their teams.

On the last of the competition, each team delivered a final presentation – I was so proud to see the young ladies from Showa Boston present passionately in very fluent English about their research and proposals.
Our potential is realized when we actively seek opportunities. My warm applause to the students from Showa Boston for actively challenging themselves, and to the members of Binnovative Boston who supported them to grow a step further.