TOMODACHI Food Innovation for Regional Sustainability in Tohoku (FIRST) Program

2017 TOMODACHI Food Innovation for Regional Sustainability in Tohoku (FIRST) Program
From May 1 – May 13, 2017, eight young Japanese leaders dedicated to revitalizing the food industry in Tohoku traveled to Seattle, Washington for the 2017 TOMODACHI Food Innovation for Regional Sustainability in Tohoku (FIRST) Program.
During the program, the delegates were engaged in seminars and visited various organizations around Seattle that spanned the food system. The seminars focused on both leadership and personal reflection, and allowed the delegates to truly understand their own leadership abilities and their inner drives to bring about social change. The participants also gained a fresh perspective on how to collaborate with new people to create an even more powerful impact. Read More>>
- For more photos, click here.
2016 TOMODACHI Food Innovation for Regional Sustainability in Tohoku (FIRST) Program
This program invests in the future of food and farming innovation in Japan, with a particular focus on Tohoku, by growing the leadership and cross-cultural skills of the next generation of Japanese who are committed to social innovation in the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food in Japan. The program took 10-12 Japanese participants to Seattle, Washington from May 16-29, 2016 to take part in a two-week training that balances content/technical education with hands-on learning and personal and reflective inquiry. Participants had many opportunities to meet with American leaders in the Pacific Northwest who share a commitment to transforming the food system, as well to give public talks to U.S. audiences about the innovative activities in Japan. This was the second iteration of this program to be funded by TOMODACHI.- For more photos, click here.
2015 TOMODACHI Food Innovation for Regional Sustainability in Tohoku (FIRST) Program
“Community. Growth. Leadership. Innovation.”
From June 6 to June 19, 2015, approximately 10 participants from Tohoku traveled to Seattle, Washington to take part in a two-week training that amplified their capacity to transform the food system in Tohoku and throughout Japan.- For more photos, click here
Meet the 2015 TOMODACHI FIRST Program Participants
Shunsuke Akama
Shota Morikawa
Shitautsubo Yukinori
Yuto Yamashita
Satomi Ono
Yuichi Tomohiro
Tomomi Sato
Motomi Saito
Shota Yuki
Yasushi Takahashi Video Testimonials
Tomomi Sato
Program Funding

This program is funded by TOMODACHI’s Fund for Exchanges through generous contributions from Toyota Motor Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, and Hitachi, Ltd.

