Feature | Report on the Charity Running Event "Run for Children Tohoku in adidas RUNBASE 2014" at the Imperial Palace
Gallery

Feature | Report on the Charity Running Event "Run for Children Tohoku in adidas RUNBASE 2014" at the Imperial Palace

On Sunday, March 9th, we held a charity run for OPENERS readers, "Run for Children Tohoku in adidas RUNBASE 2014."
This charity run, held annually since 2012 with the cooperation of adidas, was initiated by DJ Toshio Matsuura.
At its heart is the desire to bring smiles to the children of Tohoku, a sentiment that remains unchanged even for this third iteration.
The event collected donations through participation fees, all of which were contributed to the "Hataichi Fund," a support foundation continuing aid activities for children affected by the disaster.<br /><br />Hataichi Fund<br />http://www.hatachikikin.com
On this day, the total amount of donations collected was 117,000 yen. Along with the heartfelt wishes for the children accompanying the donations, the entire sum was delivered to the Hataichi Fund by Mr. Matsuura.<br /><br />Hataichi Fund<br />http://www.hatachikikin.com
12:30 PM. "This is not a competitive event. Let's enjoy it together, unite our hearts, and send our cheers to the children of Tohoku," declared Mr. Matsuura before the participants set off towards the Imperial Palace.
On the participants' backs were the words "Run Run Run for Your Life" and an illustration of a bird holding a running shoe in its beak. This was a special T-shirt designed for the event.
NIKKO DESIGN, which designed this special T-shirt, is also behind "World Breakfast All Day" in Jingumae, a restaurant where one can enjoy breakfasts from around the world and traditional Japanese breakfasts all day long.<br /><br />NIKKO DESIGN<br />http://nikko-design.jp
3
"World Breakfast All Day" in Jingumae.<br /><br />NIKKO DESIGN<br />http://nikko-design.jp
After the run, they headed to "Madures Nagatacho," a restaurant next to adidas RUNBASE. There, Mr. Matsuura expressed his gratitude and spoke of his thoughts for the disaster-stricken areas.
"I have friends working on the ground. They all share a fervent wish: that people don't forget about the disaster-stricken regions. And they urge us to make March 11th a day to raise disaster preparedness awareness."
Megumi Kanazawa, Brand PR for adidas Japan, which fully supports the event, also shared her thoughts for the affected areas.
Afterwards, two video messages from NPO organizations working with the Hataichi Fund were shown on screen. The first was from "Fukushima Indoor Park" in Koriyama City, Fukushima. In a region where the long-term issue of radiation has made it difficult to find safe places for children to play, this indoor park was established with the aim of providing a safe and fun environment for children.<br /><br />
Next, a video from Tomoko Shirai, representative of "Toy Box" and operator of the "Minamisoma Learning Center" in Minamisoma City, Fukushima, was shown. This facility provides educational support and psychological care for children facing difficult circumstances due to the disaster, including developmental disabilities.
Participants watched the video messages with serious expressions.
At 2:46 PM, a moment of silence was observed for approximately one minute.
The event venue was adidas's running facility, "adidas RUNBASE."

Feature: Report on the Charity Run "Run for Children Tohoku in adidas RUNBASE 2014" at the Imperial Palace

Back to Article