Date: April 20th, 2024 Place: Mitake, Tokyo Participants: 1 LIT, 6 Graduates, 5 Mirai no Mori staff, 25 KIWL Riders, 3 Team WildTame With the warm weather officially starting in the Kanto area, we had BBQ lunch as a Graduate Program. We invited KIWL who will be tackling 500 km in bicycle at the end of May, raising funds for Mirai no Mori programs.   This was an encounter of both new and familiar faces for the LITs and graduates, most of whom will meet the riders again on June 2nd in Nagano- the last day and final destination. They have a challenge to give speeches about their ..read more

Date: April 5 & 6 Participants: 165 people + 6 Mirai No Mori volunteers + 2 Program Graduates as volunteers “KIWL Imperial Palace Charity Walk”, organized by KIWL (Knights in White Lycra) and Mirai no Mori, was held in the weekend with the full bloom sakura trees! We are delighted to announce that a total of about 180 people, including Mirai no Mori program graduates and LITs as volunteers, came together and raised ¥770,000. This funds will be used to continue supporting the children in care homes through our outdoor programs.  The weather was cloudy and a little chilly on both ..read more

Date: March 29, 2024 Location: Tokyo 　　　Columbia Sportswear Japan has been a continuous supporter of Mirai no Mori since 2017, particularly for the LIT program. And this time, they gave us an opportunity to visit their office in Shinjuku. In a large room, also used as an exhibition gallery, we started by introducing ourselves, and then they gave us a quick overview of the company. In the next session, a member from different departments gave a talk on their roles and tasks, as well as their backgrounds and career paths. They also gave advice to LITs based on their diverse experiences, which wa ..read more

Date: March 25th, 2024 Location: Tokyo 　　　Amazon Audible, an audiobook and audio entertainment service provider, gave LITs a chance to visit their workplace, and we visited their office in Meguro. In a large meeting room, their country manager first gave LITs an overview of the company, including its history, products, and organizational charts. LITs have only heard of the company or have seen commercials for it, and now they know what the company does. Then, a representative from each department gave a talk on their roles in the company. Each department worked on unique tasks and had its own ..read more

Date: March 16-17  Location: Tokyo　Workshop support: Oracle 　　　This month’s program was the LIT closing ceremony, the last program of this fiscal year. On Saturday, employees of Oracle, who have been supporting the LIT program and Mirai no Mori in various ways, hosted a speech workshop for LITs. We gathered at their office building, and after a quick introduction and ice break activities, they gave a lecture on what makes a speech great. Then, each LIT paired up with an employee and started to create the content of the speech. They reflected on this year’s program, wrote down their memora ..read more

Date: February 17-18 & 24-25 Location: Tsunan, Niigata 　　　This month’s Back to Nature program was the last 2 sessions of the Snow Program. As always, participants had a great time at snow play, sledding, snowball fighting, and making snowmen. We even had a night hike under a sky full of stars and a full moon. It certainly was a very special snow program. 　　　In session 3, LITs were split into activity and camper support teams, as usual, led by members who became leaders for the first time. The place and tasks were already very familiar, and they had seen other members lead many times b ..read more

January and February were months with many opportunities for graduates to interact with campers and LITs, as 3 graduates participated in Mirai no Mori’s very popular Snow Program as kitchen volunteers.   The weekend snow program was held in Niigata, and the graduates had nostalgic expressions on their faces, as it was a place where they had joined as LITs themselves. They provided solid behind-the-scenes support for the program, assisting the kitchen staff by cutting the food and preparing it for serving. During the activity time, while playing with the campers, they also spent time as a ..read more

Series #12 FINAL with Dan Cox, Jeff Jensen and Hilda chan, board members To commemorate Mirai no Mori’s tenth anniversary, we have highlighted supporters and volunteers of Mirai no Mori over the past interviews. The Mirai no Mori Board plays a key role in ensuring we are able to continually fulfill our mission to support children to achieve their dreams through the outdoors. This interview focuses on three members of the Mirai no Mori Board, Dan Cox, Jeff Jensen and Hilda Chan. Join us as we learn about their passion for and commitment to Mirai no Mori. What do you believe is special about Mi ..read more

We are thrilled to announce that the Knights in White Lycra will once again be our fundraising partner for 2024. This collaboration marks a significant step towards our shared commitment to empowering and supporting children in need. KIWL is a dynamic group of cycling enthusiasts passionate about making a positive impact on society founded in 2013.  This renewed partnership brings together two organisations with a common vision: to provide opportunities and create lasting memories for children who face adversity. Knights in White Lycra’s dedication to charitable causes aligns seamlessly ..read more

Date: January 20~21 & 27,~28, 2024 Place: Tsunan, Niigata Participants: (4-day total) 45 campers, 12 big campers, 8 LITs, 10 Mirai no Mori staff It’s that time of year again for our popular overnight Snow Program in the winter wonderland of Niigata. This year, we had energetic campers and big campers,8 LITs which was the largest number of LITs in the history of the Snow Program, camp staff, and one graduate as a kitchen volunteer. Last year, the program was held one care home at a time and we had a chartered bus from each care home, but this time we had a large gathering from sever ..read more