Today, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Moon, we held an “Autumn Poetry Gathering” at Tokyo Koma-ya. We decorated the space with Japanese silver grass from my home, made rice dumplings, and prepared treats of sweet potatoes and chestnuts, which we enjoyed together with coffee. When I looked up the origins of the Autumn Moon Festival, I found that it was traditional to offer silver grass, dumplings, sweet potatoes, and chestnuts. I was delighted to realize that, by coincidence, we had done just as old tradition describes. To celebrate the workings of nature and the beauty of each season, to express in poetry what touches our hearts through nature’s movement, and to spend time together sharing this inner connection—these are among the richest and happiest experiences in life. Moments like this bring new strength to live toward tomorrow. Today, I experienced a deepening of the inner state together with everyone, and it was a truly rich time. When people deepen inside and have nothing in their hearts, I can see that the world will become better. Our inner state becomes the external environment; therefore, I always wish for the inside to be fundamentally liberated and united with the great universe, and I strive to live true to my innermost feelings and wishes. Experiencing such a fulfilling moment today gave rise to a renewed spirit to create a better world, and I feel deeply enriched. Tomorrow, Tokyo Koma-ya will be open from 3 to 6 p.m. I look forward to welcoming everyone. Thank you.