It's been 4 years since The Great East Japan Earthquake.

Many victims still live in the temporary house at the stricken area, and they continue making constant efforts for local revival while they confront difficulties.

Q-pot. hope things back to normal as soon as possible, and will continue to support them.

 

＜Peace Biscuit Band. I ♥ JAPAN＞

 Part of the proceeds from the sales of “Peace Biscuit Band” will be donated to the Rainbow for Japan Kids Project,

 a charity program launched by Hawaii volunteers, through Bikki Organization Miyagi’s “Bikki Children’s Fund”.

 

●Peace Biscuit Band. \500+tax

●Color：Complete in 3 colors

Sesame Biscuit(Black)/Milk Biscuit(Beige)/Chocolate Biscuit(Brown)

Chocolate Biscuit(Brown)/Milk Biscuit(Beige) are SOLD OUT. 

 

●Place：

Q-pot. Harajuku flagship shop／Q-pot. ONLINE SHOP／

Q-pot. LUCUA Osaka shop／Q-pot. Tokyo Skytree Town Solamachi shop／

QQQ-pot. SHOP Lumine Omiya shop

 

＜What's “Rainbow For Japan Kids(RFJK)”?＞

“Rainbow For Japan Kids” is the charity program started by the volunteers in Hawaii. 

They invite children from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima to Hawaii, and support them to recover their hometon. 

While children stay in Hawaii, they can have relationships with local junior and high school students. 

They talk about good points and the situation of damage of Tohoku area,

and share their opinions about the community development. 

Rainbow For Japan Kids intends that children

will recover their hometown as young leaders thorough experiencing Hawaiian culture and aloha spirit.

The first time was held in July of 2011, they invited 153 children to Hawaii for 8 times until now.

 

Organizer：NPO Hawaii Senior Life Enrichment Association

Project partner：Bikki Organization Miyagi

URL：http://www.rainbowforjapankids.com/

Facebook：https://www.facebook.com/Rainbowforjapankids

 

 

＜What's “Bikki Organization Miyagi”?＞

 

The artists associated with Miyagi have begun to hold charity concerts every year since 2005. 

They donated the earnings from those concerts to support repairing the musical instruments which children

in Miyagi used. “Bikki” means frogs in dialect of Tohoku area.

Frogs is “Kaeru(=Bikki)” in Japanese, and it has same pronunciation of return/repair. 

“Return” to the hometown, “Repair” the musical instruments, that's why they are “Bikki Organization Miyagi”.

After the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th, 2011, they established “Bikki Children's Fund”

in April of the same year. They set up the office in Sendai, and do continuous local-based support.

 

URL：http://bikkifund.net/

Facebook： https://www.facebook.com/bikkifund

 

＜Report＞

 

On May 21st(Sat) and 22nd(Sun), 2015, at “O-ENCE Sengaku Sizen Fureai Kan” in Miyagi,

the reunion for the children from the first to eighth generation was held, and Q-pot. joined.

From the north of Miyako city in Iwate to the north of iwaki city in Fukufhima, 61 children joined it.

 

*Q-pot. joined the sixth Rainbow For Japan Kids(RFJK) project

Click here for the details. 

 

When the children joined Rainbow For Japan Kids project in Hawaii,

they were elementary or junior high school students.

As new stage for high school, college and society approaches them,

RFJK and Bikki Organization Miyagi members planned various orientation,

titled “The hyper night and day for the life”.

 

What's school? What's society? What's the element which constitutes one's life?

The children wrote their values and purposes, and got “realization” of every life through the discussion.

 

They tried paper tower game and showed “teamwork”! 

 

Because they overcame the unprecedented earthquake and shared the night and day together,

they could discuss their future seriously but happily.

 

Finally, in future, this “reunion” will be held by not adults but the children,

and they decided to call it “Ohana(means family in Hawaii)”.

 

“Ohana” is held every year, and next time the children from Fukushima will do organize/plan/manage it.

 

 

＜Interview｜RAINBOW FOR JAPAN KIDS＞

 

The raibow-message to the future

RFJK Japan side main contact person of Rainbow Kids Project

Bikki Organization Miyagi http://bikkifund.net

Director/Songwriter/Record producer

Kano Kaori

After March 11th, I learned how important “relationship”, “nobility of consideration”,

“doing something for somebody”, “to never give up” and “Life today as if it were your last.”

are by Hawaiian RFJK members who have aloha spirit.

Of course I thank all of your kind support in Japan too.

Doing grief care after the earthquake and supporting the dream of the future.

It's been four years since the earthquake,

“now” is the most important to care mentally the children of the stricken area, however,

they have to still live a rugged life.

In such a situation, without depending on the temporary mood, this project grows step by step,

and we hope it truly leads to the future.

This project is a great support that we continue as one.

From the first time, Q-pot. does not only just donate but also understand this project deeply,

 and support carefully.

I'm sure your support thoroughly reaches the children,

and it becomes the seed, sends out buds, blooms and develops into big fruits with the hope.

I hope this project grows more and more, then finally, beyond the limit,

it becomes the message like a rainbow to the future.

We thank all of you, and to respond your warm support,

I make my best efforts as much as possible.

Thank you again for everything.

 

____________________________________________________________

My strong feelings for RAINBOW FOR JAPAN KIDS

Okubo Ryoichi

On unforgettable March 11th, 2011, when I was the Hawaiian branch manager of the airlines company,

I got a contact from the head office,

and it said tsunami would hit Hawaii eight hours later so the Honolulu Airport had to prepare on red alert promptly.

Actually, tsunami hit Hawaii too, and hotels near by the seaside damaged,

and many people became its victim. Although, Hawaiian people began support for Tohoku area right away.

 

When the fund-raising activity was almost completing the first stage,

they told about the direct support for Tohoku people and wanted the airlines company to support them.

In conclusion, we as one really wanted to invite Tohoku children to Hawaii,

and heal their hurt hearts, and cheer them up as their family(it's Ohana in Hawaii.)!

And we also hoped that it would be the chance for Tohoku children to begin to walk towards...

Those feelings became this RAINBOW FOR JAPAN KIDS project.

 

To achieve it, 5 volunteers were central to hold the first tour in July in the same year,

and we must not to forget that there were hundreds/thousands of Hawaiian supporters behind this project.

Therefore, it must not be a transient program,

I told recklessly them that RAINBOW FOR JAPAN KIDS would be held ten times even at least.

 

Thanks to your strong feelings for the damaged area,

we could have continued this project eight times up to today, and this year the ninth will be held in July.

Q-pot. is the one of the most passionate supporter from the first time.

Thank you very much, and I hope your future support for the children of Tohoku area.

 

____________________________________________________________

 

To continue

Rainbow for Japan Kids

Tsurumi Takeshi

Thanks to all the support from people of Hawaii, we have continued this initiative for such a long time.

 I am honored to represent goodwill of people of Hawaii and feel strong responsibility for this precious duty given to us.

 

Yet to continue this international volunteer project has not been an easy task. 

 For the past four years I have dealt with many issues and troubles and sometimes got overwhelmed by a sense of obligation.

 When I was almost giving up, what kept me going forward were smiles of those participated children.

 

At the reunion those alumni students who still face tough living environment showed us how diligent they were. 

 They always focused on what to do to make a difference in their lives and local communities. 

 I in fact learned a lot from them.

 

First we started this project thinking that we could help those affected students by inviting them to Hawaii,

but it turned out that we people of Hawaii were influenced and encouraged by the students in return.

You learn so much from those students from Tohoku, once you engage with them,

you can never leave the project or terminate it☺

 

At the end of the reunion alumni named it as “OHANA (a family)”.

 It went so natural and created a calm atmosphere that somehow I was brought to tears.

After all we had gone through together for the last four years, we became a true family.

That was one of the happiest moments in my life.

 

Sometimes people ask me “Why can you keep up so long?”

I can’t find right words to explain clearly, but one thing I can say is that I committed entirely to the purpose of the project.

To bring smiles to those severely affected children, I  talked, laughed, encouraged,

and sometimes argued with them face to face. That was all I could do and I believe that was what they wanted.

 

I am so pleased to be a part of this ever-lasting Ohana with students and devoted volunteers like Q-pot. members.

 

____________________________________________________________

 

Write for RAINBOW FOR JAPAN KIDS

Nissin Travel Service Co., Ltd. Sendai Branch Takahashi Hidenori

It was really unexpected that I helped RAINBOW FOR JAPAN KIDS project.

I live in Miyagi and faced the earthquake, but fortunately, there was no damage compared with the coast.

As a human in same area, in those days I thought what I can do for the damaged area. At that time,

Japan Airlines gave me the chance to help this project and Bikki Organization Miyagi.

It was the great experience for me that I went to Hawaii together as a tour conductor.

At first, the children were all tensed, but as time went on, they opened to up members,

touched Hawaiian people's warm heart, and backed to Japan with thanks. I could see the growth of children.

“I want more children to have such a experience.”; such a feeling is getting bigger and bigger,

and it continues up to today.

I think the growth of children brings myself up.

Four years have passed from the earthquake, the children who joined the project when

they were junior high school students already become high school/college students.

The children say all together; “What can we do to help you?”

I'm saved just by those words.

When we go to Hawaii, every time Mr.Okubo says;“We are all Ohana.”

Including the adults, not only the children, we retain this words in our heart.

I would like to have more Ohana, and help to support this project.

Lastly, I appreciate your support with the project.

Thanks to all of you, we can continue it.

Thank you very much for your continued support.

 

____________________________________________________________

 

RFJK FAMILY.

Q-pot. Creative Deapartment Manager

 Takamizawa Izumi

 

It's been eight years since I have taken the charge of Q-pot. donation collaboration project.

In my experience, I cannot forget the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11th, 2011.

Immediately, Wakamatsu Tadaaki, the designer of Q-pot.,

collaborated with Jake Shimabukuro, the ukulele artist, to support Tohoku area.

Q-pot. met RFJK which was the contribution.

We went to Hawaii, and saw with our own eyes how RFJK work with this project.

 

In Hawaii ————

The affected children felt Hawaiian spirit and would return things which they got to their hometown.

I was very surprised and impressed their big vigorous smiles.

I'm sure that they can smile because RFJK members believe their infinite possibilities.

 

They say individually, “We are taught many things by the children.”

I know it's too difficult to carry out the project for a long time,

and we must have unimaginable readiness and the sense of mission.

I have noticed by RFJK members that “teamwork” is the most important to carry out it with

“readiness” and “sense of mission” till the very end.

 

Q-pot. respect passionate RFJK members from the bottom of our heart.

And, we deeply thank all guests agreed with this project.

 

Q-pot. will continuously support the children's future dream,

and create “the chain of smiles” across the world.