NEWSROOM

Osaka, Japan — the heart of where it all began.

Over the weekend, the Input | Output (IO) team returned to Japan as part of our 2025 Asia Tour –  and in many ways, it felt like coming home. Osaka holds a special place in the story of Cardano. It’s where some of the earliest community members gathered, where the foundation of our philosophy first took root, and where a shared belief in the power of decentralized systems began to flourish.

Evolving, together

We hosted a Governance Workshop and an evening Cardano Community Event — two gatherings designed not only to celebrate how far we’ve come, but to engage in the kinds of honest, forward-looking conversations that drive progress. These sessions weren’t just about milestones; they were about alignment, participation, and purpose — the things that make Cardano more than a blockchain, but a living ecosystem shaped by the people who believe in it.

At the Governance Workshop, participants explored how Cardano’s model of on-chain decision-making continues to evolve. The discussion reflected what makes this community unique: the shared conviction that governance should be written, voted, and implemented by the individuals who use the network — not dictated by a single entity. This commitment to decentralization continues to define Cardano as one of the most community-driven networks in the world.

Later that evening, the energy shifted from dialogue to celebration as developers, community leaders, and long-time supporters came together at the Cardano Community Event. What united everyone in the room was a collective sense of stewardship — that we’re all co-authors in Cardano’s next chapter. From the earliest adopters who helped shape its foundation to the next generation of builders pushing its boundaries, every conversation echoed a shared belief: Cardano’s strength lies in its people.

Next stop: Tokyo

For IO, returning to Japan wasn’t just a stop on the Asia Tour — it was a return to our roots, and a reminder of why we build the way we do. Because the future of blockchain doesn’t just depend on code; it depends on connection, collaboration, and communities willing to keep imagining a better way forward.

As we prepare to wrap our journey across Asia, one truth remains clear: the spirit that started in Japan still drives us today, proving once more that innovation, like the community behind it, is always in motion.

You can find all of the session recordings on YouTube here, as well as recaps from our time here on X and LinkedIn.