The Students' "That's the Way to Do It!" Challenge

The finals of the "&LPG Business Awards 2024 " contest, which evaluates business plans and ideas utilizing LP gas, were recently held at the Tokyo International Forum in Yurakucho. Two students who took my lecture at Meiji Gakuin University entered the contest, and both successfully navigated the rigorous screening process to advance to the finals. They delivered their presentations with nerves before an impressive panel, including Chairman of the Judging Committee, Takuo Kitsukawa, President of International University of Japan. (This was an extension of the new business proposal project for the LP gas company "Fuji Gas" we worked on during my Meiji Gakuin University lecture, as mentioned previously).

One of them, Konomi Horiuchi, began by confessing she was an artist and a "Perfume otaku." She stated, "Precisely because I'm an otaku, I want to talk about the kind of niche, geeky topics only fellow otaku can understand. I want to get excited meeting people face-to-face, not just on SNS. But the venues for these gatherings are usually izakayas or karaoke boxes, where alcohol is served. This is actually a huge problem – the alcohol prevents deep conversations."

To solve this problem, she developed a "coin-operated bonfire" using LP gas, costing 100 yen for 10 minutes. She proposed operating a facility centered around otaku and others who want to talk a lot.

The key point is "no romance allowed." For instance, it's set on the rooftop of a shared office building, thoroughly devoid of elements like night views. Users buy what they want from vending machines while casually joining conversation circles.

The appeal of this project likely stems from Mr. Horiuchi's powerful, honest conviction: "You don't need alcohol when you want to talk." It felt so genuine it brought to mind the words of a senior at Dentsu Inc.: "You know, that idea? Only you could have thought of it."

Of course, there are points to consider, like whether this "bonfire" truly solves the problem, or if it can generate enough revenue to be a viable business. Still, the combination of LP gas and otaku culture felt incredibly fresh.

The other speaker, Kenzo Aoki, proposed "exporting Japan's cremation technology." For instance, in India, cremations still rely on wood, causing environmental burdens and social issues like long working hours. His idea is to export a package combining Japan's "cutting-edge cremation technology" with the "stable supply technology" of Japan's LP gas industry, solving these problems at once and gaining business leadership.

While burial customs are strongly tied to religious beliefs, he noted a shift among India's emerging middle class, who increasingly value efficiency and modern convenience over tradition. This, he argued, is precisely why they would likely accept wood-free cremation.

This project reminded me of an episode from James W. Young's classic book, "A Technique for Producing Ideas": "A truly great creative advertising man is interested in everything from Egyptian burial customs to modern art, and he devours his knowledge voraciously." Yet I never imagined I'd actually encounter a project where a foreign burial custom held such a crucial key. I can only take my hat off to Mr. Aoki's flexible thinking.

Both the proposal for a "water heater with a household waste incinerator" by Ikumi Oki of Rikkyo University and the "LP SPOT" proposal by Koichi Sakamoto of Keio University, which aimed to transform the very mechanism of LP gas distribution, were brilliant. The four finalists prepared meticulously, not only in content but down to the smallest details of their presentations.

The audience vote resulted in Mr. Horiuchi receiving the Judges' Special Award and Mr. Aoki taking the Runner-up Grand Prize. This challenge consumed valuable summer vacation time for all participants. It undoubtedly became a significant experience for them, but even more so, it provided me, listening in, with tremendous inspiration.

This year marks the second iteration of the "&LPG Business Awards." I still occasionally have meals with the Meiji Gakuin University members who won the Runner-up Grand Prize last year. Perhaps it was payback for the relentless assignments I gave them during my lectures, but when they visited my home recently, they presented a mysterious "challenge": "We'll each send you local ingredients from our hometowns. Please cook something delicious with them on the day."

Sure enough, what arrived was a completely random assortment: dried megi fish, tsukudani-style grasshoppers, sakura shrimp, black fish cake, squid beaks, Jersey cow Gouda and Camembert cheeses, Nagoya Cochin eggs, scallops, lily bulbs, and a mysterious chunk of meat...

Somehow, I managed to cook them all. But when close friends gather, anything you eat becomes a feast. Plus, that mysterious meat turned out to be prime Ezo deer. We all savored every bite and were thoroughly satisfied.

Please, help yourselves!

For more details on Sō Yamada's "Indwelling Creators" project, click the logo.