“Brain Travel to Taiwan” allows visitors to experience Taiwanese culture while still being in Japan. SUNNY SIDE UP’s media promoting power shares Taiwan’s charms from a variety of perspectives through online press conferences and other events
Hello! My name is Yano, and I joined SUNNY SIDE UP in April 2021. I am in the Public Relations Department 1.
Today, I would like to introduce you to “Brain Travel Taiwan,” an event perfect for those who want to enjoy Taiwanese culture under the COVID-19.
Also you may find an example of SSU’s PR activities to communicate Taiwan’s attractions to the media from a variety of angles through online press conferences and other events!
What is “Brain Travel to Taiwan”?
What image comes to mind when you hear the word “Taiwan”?
Many people may have an impression of reddish-brown historical buildings with lanterns, tapioca, dim sum, etc., which are close to Japanese culture.
This time, we would like to introduce “Brain Travel Taiwan,” an event sponsored by TAICCA, where visitors who are unable to travel to Taiwan can experience the feeling of traveling around the country and interacting with its people by reading books and experiencing its sundries!
The organizer of the event, Taiwan Creative Content Agency “TAICCA”, founded in 2019, is an independent administrative agency that promotes the industrialization and internationalization of Taiwanese cultural content. It supports and promotes not only films, music, and publications, but also games, fashion, and all other cultural content originating from Taiwan, with the goal of stimulating business.
The “Brain Travel Taiwan,” the first independent PR event to be held in Japan, began on Monday, August 16. The long history of exchange between Taiwan and Japan and the high affinity between the two countries’ cultural content made it possible to execute this exciting event.
Under the concept of “escape from daily life deprived of freedom by the COVID-19”, special pop-up shops will be set up in three bookstores in the Tokyo metropolitan area (Seihin Seikatsu Nihonbashi, Bookstore B&B, and Da Vinci Store), and talk events will be held with guests who have connections to Taiwan. A press conference was held on the first day of the event.
As the PR office of TAICCA, we send out information utilizing media relations. This is one of SSU’s strengths, to flexibly handle media from event preparation to the day of the event, and to promote the event from a variety of angles based on the media’s viewpoints.
We communicated closely with the media to find out what kind of content we could push out to attract the world’s attention and to spread the event’s perks from a variety of angles!
■Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs, who is also a hot topic in Japan, took the stage at the press conference!
On the first day of the event, an online press conference was held at Seihin Seikatsu Nihonbashi.
Audrey Tang, a special guest at the press conference, was asked by a reporter, “What is the uniqueness of Taiwanese content?” She replied saying, “Taiwan’s history and culture teaches us the importance of recognizing and accepting other cultures rather than denying them. When diverse cultures and identities are harmonized and blended with Taiwan, innovation and new content are born. I believe this is the characteristic of Taiwanese culture.”
(Ms. Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs, and TAICCA’s Chairman Ting Hsiao-ching)
Ms. Tan recommended a novel titled “Flowers in Formosa.”
She says that the story is based on the “Rover Incident” that occurred in 1867 between Taiwanese natives and foreign powers, and that it gives a sense of the diversity that is typical of Taiwan and the history and climate of Taiwan.
After the press conference, a talk event for the general public was held, and Ms. Tang was the first guest to talk about Taiwanese culture and their influences on her. A whopping 350 people watched the event online. During the “Brain Travel Taiwan” event period, talk events were also held at stores, inviting guests with connections to Taiwan, such as Shintaro Uchinuma, a book coordinator, Asa Nonami, a Naoki Prize-winning author, and Haruna Ikezawa, a voice actress.
(At the talk event, Ms. Tang talked about how Taiwanese culture has influenced her.)
Introduction of Pop-up Highlights
“Brain Travel in Taiwan” is holding a pop-up at three bookstores in the Tokyo metropolitan area from August 16 to September 15. Many wonderful brands are exhibiting, and I would like to introduce some of the sundries and culture that I was interested in.
*The event has already ended.
[Seihin Seikatsu Nihonbashi]
- OMOSHIROI BLOCK SCENERY
This item is a block memo with scenery gradually appearing as the memo is used. If you think that it would be a waste to use, you can also use it as a message card! This paper craft is so delicate that you can’t help but admire every detail and feel the Taiwanese culture!
[Bookstore B&B]
- Taiwanese Tavern Style Beer Glass (CHOUYI × BIG ROMANTIC STORE)
These small glasses are perfect for when you want to enjoy a little Taiwanese beer or share with a large group. The pattern on the glass is also summer-like and cute!
- Vernalization / Banyan gang (Tape)
The label store “Dairoman Shoten” run by BIG ROMANTIC RECORDS sells old-fashioned vinyl records and cassette tapes. Many of them have unique jackets, and they look very adorable!
The album we picked up this time was a nice mix of city pop and nostalgic tastes! They’re available for purchase at Shimokitazawa BONUS TRACK’s Dairoman Shoten (also known as “BIG ROMANTIC STORE”)!
[Da Vinci Store]
- “Akushu” Taiwan shopping bag (also known as “fisherman’s net bag”)
“Akushu,” a general merchandise store with cute retro colors and designs, sells bags made of mesh material that are perfect for the current summer season. In Taiwan, these bags are like eco-friendly bags that are carried around at traditional markets and other places to hold a lot of vegetables and daily necessities. They are lightweight, durable, and washable!
“Brain travel to Taiwan” to feel the deep culture of Taiwan
Archived videos of the talk event are also available. We hope that everyone reading this article will be able to experience the unique local culture of Taiwan through “Brain travel to Taiwan.”
▼Click here to view the archived video of the talk event.
“Seihin Seikatsu Nihonbashi”
Guest: Ms. Audrey Tang
Date: Monday, August 16, 2021, 11:40 a.m.
Guest: Ms. Asa Nonami
Date: Saturday, September 25, 2021 from 15:00
Bookstore B&B” Guests: Shintaro Uchinuma x Yiqiu Chen x Jie Liu x Yoshinobu Ayame (without honorifics)
Date: Saturday, August 28, 2021 7:00 p.m
“Da Vinci Store”
Guest: Ms. Haruna Ikezawa
Date: Sunday, September 12, 2021, from 15:00
Brain Travel official website：https://nounai-travel-taiwan.taicca.tw/
