Sanma Issue 21: The School of Adulthood

"Sanma" Issue 21 Special Feature: 〈 The School of Adulthood 〉 Increasingly, creative individuals in Taiwan are forging their own paths, establishing new "professions" outside of traditional companies. They might work solo or assemble teams as needed. Taiwan is currently in an era mirroring Japan's past exploration of possibilities for freelancers, where a profession is no longer just a title found on job search websites. Anyone capable of achieving "professionalism" can create their own work style. With real-time zero-lag communication between Taiwan and Japan, "Sanma" has decided to open "The School of Adulthood" this autumn, a season that inspires contemplation of life plans. We've invited ten influential Taiwanese and Japanese creative professionals who, while seemingly ordinary, have driven significant change. They include a bookstore that sells only one title, a one-person film projectionist who travels across Japan, the world's first cassette tape shop, an architect who uses cities as exhibition spaces, a glass industry innovator leveraging the circular economy, and individuals who use print publications to connect youth with agriculture. Within this school without walls, they become each other's teachers through their own experiences. Perhaps being an adult means continuously seeking guidance from others, much like the author of "Editor Outside the Circle," Kyoichi Tsuzuki, stated, "The streets are my classroom." This marks "Sanma's" first foray into life philosophy, possibly a warm current generated by the cultural exchange between Taiwan and Japan, aiming to leave behind words that inspire. It also echoes the sentiment of Hui-Chen Li, founder of the Unicorn Plan: "One person cannot change the world, but I believe one action will undoubtedly create ripples. We don't know how far they will spread, but they will never be zero." Or perhaps it's the memory of seeing an elderly gentleman reading on a train, his eyes reflecting a thirst for knowledge. These moments paint the most beautiful picture of the "The School of Adulthood" feature. We hope the ten creative minds offer you, the reader, a moment of inspiration, and that when we reach seventy, we are still people eager to learn.