July and August was a time of learning and connection at Mirai no Mori, which Graduates experienced through a wide variety of opportunities to grow and give back, from learning together with LITs at workshops and internships, to sharing their knowledge from experience at Summer Camp
This summer, high school students in the Leader in Training program (LITs) took one of their biggest Mirai no Mori challenges of the year: supporting three sessions of our flagship summer camp program, each a 5-day adventure in Miyagi Prefecture
Michael Page has become a key partner for skill-building workshops for our older youth, high school students in our Leader In Training program, and graduates navigating independence after aging out of care
Since our partnership with IHG Hotels & Resorts began in 2025, it has grown quickly into a wide range of programs designed to give the youth we support transformative, hands-on experiences
In July, our Leaders in Training (LITs) supported our summer hiking programs that tested both their stamina and their growing leadership skills
Date: Sunday, July 12th, 2026Place: Mitake, TokyoParticipants: 15 campers, 2 LITs, 6 care workers, 10 Mirai no Mori staff, 8 sponsorsSponsor: FedEx Our July hiking program welcomed campers from Tokyo care homes in Mitake for a 4km trek through the mountains, greeted by cool breezes amidst the hot and humid day
Date: Saturday, July 11th, 2026Place: Mitake, TokyoParticipants: 25 campers, 1 LIT, 10 care workers, 12 Mirai no Mori staff, 5 sponsorsSponsor: Adobe Summer arrived with open arms this Saturday as 60 of us, campers, LITs, camp staff, care workers and our wonderful Adobe sponsor volunteers, gathered in Mitake for a hiking day under the sun
Date: Sunday, June 21st, 2026Place: Mitake, TokyoParticipants: 13 campers, 4 LITs, 4 care workers, 9 Mirai no Mori staff, 7 sponsorsSponsor: Morgan Stanley Every June, as the rainy season settles over Japan, Mirai no Mori's Back to Nature program turns indoors and outdoors into one big creative canvas with our Nature Crafts Day in Mitake
Date: June 25th, 2026Participants: 12 campers, 1 LIT, 9 Mirai no Mori staff, 25 sponsorsSponsor: Morgan Stanley This June, we were thrilled to welcome 25 employees from Morgan Stanley to one of our partner care homes, as part of their Global Volunteer Month
May and June were filled with meaningful opportunities for Mirai no Mori Graduates to reflect on their trajectories, step out of their comfort zones, and express their experiences in their own words to our community of supporters
In June, our Leaders in Training (LITs) stepped up once again to support our monthly weekend program: a creative craft program specially designed to make the most of the rainy season
This June, IHG Hotels & Resorts welcomed us to host a special film screening and interview session with a Mirai no Mori graduate who directed a film inspired by her own experiences growing up in a care home from a young age