Hello, this is Robert from the ATC Management Strategy Office. Another week has passed since last week's article . Today marks the eighth and final installment of "ATC, Summer is Here."

There's a Polish word, "przesilenie," which refers to the moment when the seasons quietly change direction, like the summer or winter solstice. It's not so much an end to something, but rather a transition point where things gradually begin to move in a different direction. This series, which I've been writing for the past eight weeks, reaches just such a moment today.

Serial Feature | ATC, Summer is Here. Part 8 / Final Part of 8

Looking back on this summer's trip

Looking back, it was a long summer. I started this series at the beginning of July , while awaiting the opening of the Ghibli Park exhibition amidst the still stifling heat (upał). The following week , I wrote about the atmosphere of a small prelude (przedsmak) to the main event, and in the week the Ghibli Park exhibition actually opened , I followed the lively hustle and bustle (gwar) that filled the venue.

Then there's the little playful touch (smaczek) hidden in the free game "ATC Bay Runner" that the team created. In August, I was enveloped in the buzzing of insects' wings (brzęczenie) at the insect exhibition , and the following week I wrote about why ATC is called the "Dream Core," using the word "dreamlike illusion" (majak). And last week , while walking through the bustling ATC during the Obon festival, I wrote about the lingering presence of something yet to come, the remnants of light (poblask).

upał, przedsmak, gwar, smaczek, brzęczenie, majak, poblask. When I list them all together, I feel like each word perfectly captures the atmosphere of ATC at that time.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who read this series to the end, and to everyone who actually came to ATC. To those who waited in line for the Ghibli Park exhibition in the heat. To those who touched the rhinoceros beetles at the insect exhibition. To those who chose ATC even while waiting in line for lunch during the Obon holiday. Each and every one of your choices made this summer so much more vibrant.

In particular, "ATC Bay Runner" has been played by over 1,000 people in less than a month since its release. For a small browser game, this is a number beyond our expectations. Thank you so much to everyone who played it.

Finally, let me reveal just one secret. This game actually has a hidden feature on the title screen. If you click the logo seven times within five seconds, or type "ATC" on your keyboard, a "Special Thanks" credit screen will appear. I've given hints several times throughout this series, but it seems no one has found it yet. There's no prize for clearing it, just a small "thank you" from us, but please take this opportunity to try and find it.

To be honest, there's a sense of sadness. But seasons don't end; they just change direction. After summer, a new face for ATC awaits.

Watch this summer at ATC in video

To convey aspects that couldn't be fully expressed through text alone, I've also created a short video summarizing this summer's events. It's about a minute long and provides a concise overview of the eight weeks of this series.

September starts with a dance festival.

Adding a touch of ATC's unique style to the changing of the seasons (przesilenie) is the "39th ATC Sakishima Dance Festival '26 Autumn Grand Prix," which begins on Sunday, September 6th. This signature event at the ATC Seaside Stage features competitions for elementary, middle, and high school students, and the winning team will receive a 50,000 yen ATC voucher.

Qualifying round A will be held on September 6th (Sunday), qualifying round B on October 4th (Sunday), and the finals on October 25th (Sunday). It's a long competition that will take place over nearly three months. Entries are being accepted through the official ATC website .

Actually, this dance festival has its own dedicated Instagram account, "@dancefes_atc". This is separate from "@atc_sakishima", which I introduced last week , and it's an account that posts information about the competition and records of past competitions.

You can also see photos of past Grand Prix winning teams and pictures of the crowds that filled the beach stage on the day of the finals.

Watching elementary, middle, and high school students pour all their practice into a three-minute performance is always a heartwarming sight. Preliminary round A starts on September 6th. More details will be updated regularly on "@dancefes_atc" .

Autumn at ATC continues

On Sunday, September 13th, the "ATC Seaside Hawaiian Festival" will be held at the ATC Seaside Stage. This free event features hula and Polynesian dance teams performing from morning till night. It's a bit early to talk about this, but the "Sakishima Children's EXPO 2026," which we mentioned last week , is also coming up in October.

This marks the final installment of "ATC, Summer is Here." Thank you so much for following along for the past eight weeks. Rather than saying summer is ending, I want to conclude this series with the feeling that it will continue into the next season.

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