TOMODACHI Alumni Highlight: Miku Narisawa, from TOMODACHI Next Generation Summit 2024
This month’s featured alumni is Miku Narisawa, who spoke at the TOMODACHI Next Generation Summit 2024 pitch contest. Narisawa is an Alumni of the 2013 TOMODACHI Rainbow For Japan Kids Program.
Miku Narisawa is a student at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies, where she is currently conducting research on marine environmental anthropology and environmental ethics in coastal resource management. She is also working with seaweed experts to develop a new seaweed aquaculture business overseas that combines environmental protection and capital creation, and is serving as an ocean advisor for the Republic of Palau at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28).
Hello, everyone. My name is Miku Narisawa, and I am the founder / co-director at Odyssey Nature Japan and a member of the US-Japan Council.
I participated in TOMODACHI’s first program, the Rainbow for Japan Kids in Hawaii, in 2013 when I was in middle school, which emerged right after the Great East Japan Earthquake 13 years ago. I am now running an organization called Odyssey Nature Japan, a nature-based education on sustainability program for children, elementary to graduate school students, and employees through interactive environmental learning methods.
This year, Odyssey Nature Japan partnered with the TOMODACHI Initiative and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii for the TOMODACHI’s newest program, Kibou for Maui. We have invited 21 high school students from Lahaina in the island of Maui who have been affected by the wildfire last year to Tohoku. The program curriculum is a result of a collaborative effort among USJC members, Yoh Kawanami, Nate Gyotoku, and myself.This week-long program focuses on learning about the reconstruction process in the Tohoku region, especially from my community, Higashimatsushima city, for them to take away essential elements to Lahaina and to bring hope.
Participating in Rainbow for Japan Kids truly opened my mind and perspectives. Although I’ve lost everything from the tsunami, mother nature of my community and Hawaii taught me the importance of life lessons to live stronger. When the fire happened in Maui, it was my turn to give back what we’ve received. I knew from that, these new opportunities for youths are significant for those who have been through tragic events.
Lastly, I would like to shift gears to my current activities and what I am passionate about in my life now. Beside me being the founder of Odyssey Nature Japan, my main job is to conduct research on marine environmental anthropology. For the last two years, I’ve been working with award-winning seaweed farmer/Specialist, Futoshi Aizawa, to implement a new blue economy model with seaweed aquaculture with foreign governments. Seaweed plays a crucial role in adapting and mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis, which will create a richer marine ecosystem. Moreover, seaweed can be a great substitute for food supply, animal feed, biofuel, and biofertilizer, which would contribute to climate resilience.
We now live in a society where we experience more frequent natural disasters and rapid environmental changes such as climate change. I believe that without a healthy nature and a sustainable environment, innovation won’t happen, and can’t protect the security of the country or food. Time is now to act and not wait for the next generation.
As odyssey nature japan focuses on fostering critical thinking skills through nature-based learning to approach environmental ethics and creating new capitals with seaweed aquaculture, Education is the cornerstone of creating a reliable society whether it focuses on leadership or adaptation to natural disasters and climate changes. Empowering young leaders, youths, and various communities ensures a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Thank you,
