[Karatsu, Saga] First 'Karatsu Health Festival' to be held

Globalbyte LLC (based in Karatsu City, Saga, headed by Masahiko Urata) will participate as a supporting company in the 'Karatsu Health Festival' (organized by the karatsufes executive committee), a community-participatory event to be held in Karatsu City, Saga, on June 6 (Sat) and 7 (Sun), 2026.

'It is serious-minded adults who change a city, and their actions move the future for the youth.'

We believe that regional change stems from the genuine commitment of the people who live there, not answers prepared by others. We want to move beyond the boundaries of school, company, and generation—creating a place in Karatsu where everyone is a creator rather than a spectator. Therefore, we are launching the first 'Karatsu Health Festival' as a new community event for Karatsu City.

In this project, local high school students are collaborating with 'Bongo,' a popular rice ball shop in Tokyo, to develop original rice balls using Karatsu's rice, vegetables, and seafood. This is not just an event plan, but a practical project that uses food as an entry point to learn about regional agriculture, fisheries, producers, and sustainability. The high school students will also experience the 'real frontline' of a popular establishment, learning how they formulate products and why they are chosen by customers. Creating an environment where one can encounter top-tier work and values while staying in the local region is a major theme.

At this festival, youth are not treated as mere event staff; they are participating voluntarily because they want to contribute to their own city and take on new challenges. We emphasize connecting the experience of thinking, acting, and challenging oneself within the community to future learning. Youth outflow after graduation is a major issue in rural areas, and we believe it is vital to increase opportunities for youth to take on challenges and create things together with local adults.

Masahiko Urata, representative of Globalbyte LLC, was featured in the April 2026 issue of the educational magazine 'Sentan Kyoiku' (Advanced Education), specifically in their Saga Prefecture feature. He contributed an article on 'How private-sector-led education should look,' arguing that local companies and adults themselves should become learning sites, working with the younger generation to shape the region's future.

Globalbyte LLC, led by Masahiko Urata, provides consulting for growing companies, DX support, marketing, business turnaround, and succession planning. The company strives to be more than a conventional profit-driven firm, emphasizing community involvement and collaborative regional development across generational lines.

The 'Karatsu Health Festival' will feature over 130 food and marche stalls, along with music, dance, sports, disco, supercars, and local experience programs. With projects like the 'Karatsu Rice Ball Story,' the event serves as a new community-led challenge, aiming to send out a new form of regional structure from Karatsu.