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Nourishing
Our Country
We’re working hard to reduce food waste
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we can continue‘Nourishing our Country’
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Who We Are
JapanHarvest collects surplus quality food from supermarkets and delivers it free of charge to charities that support those in need. We’re working hard to reduce food waste, provide food relief, and encourage societal change through education.
What We Do
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Feed
We collect edible surplus food that’s unsuitable for sale, and deliver it to charities who support people in need.
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Advocate
We’re working hard to spread food sharing initiatives and community fridge programs.
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Education
We publish reports and columns on food related issues including food loss, education and cooking.
Our Impact
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Food Donors
We collect high-quality surplus food from supermarkets, hotels, and other food donors then deliver it free of charge to charities we support!
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Charities
We’re committed to helping feed people in need by delivering produce to children’s homes, cafeterias, government agencies, support organisations and households.
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Meals delivered
Since 2018, we’ve been delivering fresh produce to feed people in need. ( 132833 kg : until 30.November.2025)
Corporate Partners
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Activity Report: November 2025
Thank you for your continued support of JapanHarvest.Our Food Rescue activities are expanding steadily across regions, thanks to the heartfelt support of individuals, companies, hotels, farmers, local governments, and even professional sports teams.In November, we were able to deliver food assistance to people in need across multiple communities through a wide range of partnerships.📦 Food Collected (November 1–30, 2025)We received a total of 2,563 kg of food donations in November.We extend our sincere gratitude to the individuals, companies, and organizations listed below:Halows Supermarket: 1,594kgKoeido (Confectionery): 329kgKurashiki Kokusai Hotel: 91kgYamazaki Baking: 54kgANA Crowne Plaza Okayama: 5kgANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima: 9kgFresta: 11kgFamilyMart “Famima Food Drive”: 82kgRyobi Platz: 92kgDenon Engineering: 142kgOte Manju Confectionery: 9kgOkayama Prefectural Government: 16kgJapan Emergency Food Promotion Organization: 22kgHiroshima Dragonflies × Famima Food Drive: 6kgLocal egg farms and produce markets: 32kgCommunity-based food drives: 28kgOthers: 44kg👨👩👧👦 Food Support Recipients34 partner facilities + 164 individual households supported4,026 people + 164 households reached through food assistanceIn November, we delivered food to 34 facilities across Okayama, Kagawa, Hiroshima, and Hyogo prefectures, reaching 4,026 individuals.In addition, we provided direct assistance to 164 households, including:Families with children and elderly individuals living alone, referred through local support organizationsHouseholds in Kurashiki’s Mabi District still recovering from the 2018 West Japan Floods📍 Breakdown of Support Locations:[Okayama Prefecture]Children’s ShelterHope Center4 Children’s Welfare Institutions5 Municipal Government Offices3 Community Refrigerators4 Children’s CafeteriasSafe spaces and shelters for childrenSupport homes for youthSenior social salonsMigrant support groupsGroup homes for individuals with disabilitiesDisability support centers4 Employment support centers for individuals with disabilities[Kagawa Prefecture]Children’s HomeLocal support organization[Hiroshima Prefecture]Children’s CafeteriaSingle-parent family supportLivelihood support organization[Hyogo Prefecture]Children’s Cafeteria🍎 Okayama Eco Kitchen – Cooking and Connecting Through Food“Oishii Okayama Eco Kitchen” is a local initiative where rescued agricultural products are used to prepare warm meals in children’s cafeterias and care facilities.In November:52 people joined group cooking at 2 children’s cafeterias218 people shared meals at 4 facilities supporting individuals with disabilitiesThese shared meals are more than just nourishment — they foster moments of warmth and human connection.Cooking together becomes an opportunity to create community.JapanHarvest values these moments and is committed to building stronger local ties through the power of food and shared experiences.🌱 Food as a Bridge for ConnectionThis month, we saw new collaborations not only with companies and municipalities, but also with professional sports teams.In the journey from "surplus food" to "smiles at the table", food proves itself not just as a resource — but as a powerful catalyst for connection.JapanHarvest will continue to serve as a local safety net while deepening partnerships that connect food, community, and dignity.💬 Final WordsEven now, many children, families, and elderly individuals are struggling to access food.If you have unused food at home or in your company, please remember:That food might become someone’s strength to live today."To eat is to live."Let us work together to expand this circle of kindness through food.Thank you again for supporting JapanHarvest and joining our mission.
Report
🏀Hiroshima Dragonflies × FamilyMart — "Famima Food Drive" at B.League Game Sends Food to JapanHarvest —
At a recent B.League basketball match, Hiroshima Dragonflies and FamilyMart collaborated to host a “Famima Food Drive” at the game venue.The donated food items from supportive fans were delivered to JapanHarvest, where they were distributed to families and children in need across the region.🤝 Partnership in Action: Sports × Community × Food RescueThis initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration between sports teams, businesses, and nonprofit organizations.Every food item brought by the fans was more than just a donation — it was an expression of care, of solidarity, and of shared purpose.The event embodied the spirit of SDGs Goal 17: “Partnerships for the Goals”, and echoed the global commitment to “Leave No One Behind.”📦 About the InitiativeEvent Date: During a Hiroshima Dragonflies home gameVenue: Special booth inside the game arenaOrganizers: FamilyMart / Hiroshima DragonfliesActivity: Collection of non-perishable food items from spectatorsRecipient Organization: NPO JapanHarvestUse of Donations: Distributed to children’s cafeterias, single-parent families, and vulnerable households through our network📣 An Invitation to Other Companies and TeamsAt JapanHarvest, we are actively looking to partner with other companies, sports teams, and organizations who share our vision.If your organization is exploring ways to:Host a food drive at your store or event,Engage your community through CSR or SDGs-aligned actions, orTurn surplus food into direct community support —We would love to co-create an impactful initiative with you.Together, we can do what one group alone cannot.💬 Final MessageEach donated item carried the warmth and hope of every Hiroshima Dragonflies booster who participated.That love now lives on at someone’s dinner table — as comfort, as connection, and as a reminder:You are not alone.We invite you to stay connected with JapanHarvest as we continue building a circle of kindness through food.
News
Activity Report – October 2025
A message of gratitude – your support delivers hope through food.Thank you always for your generous support of JapanHarvest.In October, thanks to a large-scale food donation from the Osaka-Kansai Expo’s 8 country pavilions and many partners, we achieved our largest monthly food collection to date.📦 Food Collected in October 2025The total food collected this month was 6,353 kg. We sincerely thank the following partners and contributors:Halows Supermarket: 1,524kgKoeido (Confectionery): 405kgYamazaki Baking: 52kgJapan Emergency Food Promotion Org.: 36kgLocal Farmers: 32kgKurashiki Kokusai Hotel: 89kgANA Crowne Plaza Okayama: 5kgANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima: 9kgRyobi Platz: 34kgMaruwa Fish Farm: 7kgSingle O (Coffee Roaster): 30kgFamilyMart Food Drive Okayama: 28kgFamilyMart Food Drive Hiroshima: 55kgFresta: 4kgOsaka Expo 8 Nations Pavilion: 4,000kgOthers: 43kg👨👩👧👦 Food Recipients (43 locations / 4,893 people)In October, we delivered food support to 43 locations, reaching 4,893 people.Our support areas expanded beyond Okayama, Kagawa, and Hiroshima to include Hyogo and Osaka.We also provided individual food support to 226 households, including survivors of the 2018 Western Japan Floods.Breakdown by Region:OkayamaChildren’s ShelterHope Center4 Children's Homes5 Government Facilities4 Public Fridges5 Children’s CafeteriasSupport Centers for Youth & ParentsElderly Support SalonMigrant Support Group6 Disability Facilities3 Work Support Facilities for People with DisabilitiesKagawaChildren’s HomeIndependent Living Support HomeHiroshimaSingle-parent Family SupportChildren’s CafeteriaLivelihood Support GroupHyogoPublic FridgeChildren’s CafeteriaOsakaPublic Fridge🌍 From Expo to Local Communities: Global Food Rescue in ActionThe collaboration with the Osaka-Kansai Expo marked a symbolic milestone in our mission to reduce food loss.Transforming surplus food from international venues into relief for local families demonstrates the power of global food rescue.💬 Final MessageEvery donation leads to someone’s comfort, someone’s relief.If you have unused or surplus food at home or in your business, please consider supporting JapanHarvest.Let’s create a cycle of kindness—together.
Report
JapanHarvest Representative Kenichi Narita Receives the “Food and Agriculture Connection Award 2025” Awarded the Director-General for Consumer Affairs and Safety Award – the only individual recipient in Japan
Kenichi Narita, Representative of JapanHarvest, has been honored with the Director-General for Consumer Affairs and Safety Award (Food Access Assurance Category) at the “Food and Agriculture Connection Award 2025”, organized by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).This award recognizes outstanding initiatives that promote sustainable food systems through collaboration among producers, food businesses, and consumers, based on the revised Basic Act on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas (2024 revision).Among the awardees selected from across Japan, Narita was the only individual recipient in this year’s program.■ Award OverviewOrganizer: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), JapanAward Name: Food and Agriculture Connection Award 2025Category: Food Access AssuranceTitle: Director-General for Consumer Affairs and Safety AwardRecipient: Kenichi Narita (Representative, NPO Japan Harvest)Reason for Selection:Narita operated both a mobile grocery store and a food bank as an individual initiative, securing access to food for people in need.His work contributed to food loss reduction and community welfare, especially through support for children, families, and elderly residents.■ About JapanHarvestSince 2018, Narita has been engaged in food rescue and child food support activities.He established NPO JapanHarvest in 2021 to promote sustainable food redistribution across Japan.Through partnerships with companies, hotels, farmers, and schools, the organization delivers surplus food to households and welfare facilities in need.Narita personally drives the yellow “JapanHarvest Van”, a mobile food bank that travels across the Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kagawa regions, distributing rescued food in collaboration with local community centers and children’s cafeterias.■ Message from the Representative“This award is not just for me—it belongs to everyone who makes our work possible:the companies that donate food, the volunteers who give their time,and the families whose voices inspire us to keep going.We will continue our efforts to build a society where everyone has fair access to food.”■ Future VisionFollowing this recognition, JapanHarvest will continue to strengthen partnerships with corporations and municipalities to build a sustainable food circulation model that connects rural and urban communities.The organization participated in the Osaka–Kansai Expo 2025 “Food Loss Reduction and Utilization Project,”sharing Japan’s approach to food access and circular sustainability with audiences from around the world.
News
Japan Harvest Collaborates with Eight National Pavilions to Rescue 4 Tons of Food after Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai — Official cooperation with the governments of Australia and Canada —
From October 14 to 17, 2025, following the closing of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, JapanHarvest carried out a large-scale food rescue initiative, recovering approximately 4 tons of food in collaboration with eight national pavilions.The project aimed to prevent leftover food from being discarded by collecting refrigerated, frozen, and dry food itemsremaining in pavilion kitchens after the Expo.These rescued items were then distributed to children’s homes, community kitchens, welfare organizations, and local government agencies across Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Kagawa Prefectures — reaching thousands of people in need.🤝 Official Cooperation with Australia and CanadaAmong the eight participating countries, the governments of Australia and Canada officially collaborated with JapanHarvest.Government representatives and pavilion teams worked side by side with our staff and volunteers to collect, sort, and deliver food safely to communities.This cross-national effort exemplifies how the Expo’s theme — “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” — continues to inspire action even after the event’s conclusion.🚚 From Food Waste to Shared HopeSince its founding in 2018, JapanHarvest has connected surplus food from companies, farmers, hotels, and local governments to families and children facing food insecurity.This Expo project extended that mission on an international scale — transforming what might have become waste into nourishment and hope.“We wanted the end of the Expo to mark a beginning,”said the representative of Japan Harvest.“Through food, we proved that compassion can transcend national borders.”🌱 Carrying the Expo’s Legacy ForwardThe true legacy of the Expo lies not only in innovation, but in human connection.JapanHarvest will continue building partnerships with global governments, companies, and NGOs to advance a society where no food — and no one — is left behind.🙏 AcknowledgmentJapanHarvest extends heartfelt gratitude to the pavilion teams, volunteers, and partner organizations who supported this initiative.A detailed report of the post-Expo food rescue will be released soon.
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Meet our JapanHarvest Family
Through food, my goal is to bring joy and prosperity to our country.
Kenichi NaritaFounder & CEO
Learning the value of food through giving and receiving, I'll keep delivering with love and joy!
Yasufumi MaedaDirector
I'll work hard behind the scenes to support the activities, ensuring that all staff and volunteers can shine on the main stage!
Ryo TakahiraDirector
Learning from our work, we've seen how food waste from businesses can vary day by day. We'll keep going to create a better society by balancing supply and demand.
Tetsuya MorikawaDriver
I have found a sense of purpose in helping others, and I am filled with gratitude every day.
Kyoko Tsuyuno Driver
We're thankful to the food donors, receiving facilities, and dedicated staff and volunteers. Gratitude drives Japan Harvest's mission.
Fumie NaritaAdministrative and accountant
This initiative gains support as more businesses join. With less waste, even the food seems happier. Waste is truly treasure. Here's to more support in the future.
Michiko MaejimaStaff
Through this activity, I aim to make food waste more relatable and continue to support many people, creating a joyful and compassionate community.
Yuka NakanishiVolunteer
I read picture books and fairy tales to children to inspire them with dreams and hopes. I also occasionally perform on stage. I am honored to have the opportunity to assist.
Takahisa KusanoVolunteer
There are people who can't eat, and yet food is being wasted.
We're helping to fix both problems at once — and every step brings hope!
Ai YokotaVolunteer
