Hands On Tokyo Youth Impact Project

As COVID-19 gradually becomes a thing of the past, we find ourselves in a season of renewal and optimism. With spring comes new possibilities, and in Japan, spring is celebrated as a season of new beginnings. It is a time when students graduate and start new school years, adults embark on new careers, and many move to new homes. This season of change and fresh starts perfectly embodies the spirit of renewal and growth. What better way to embrace this new era of volunteering and possibilities than by coming together to serve our community?

The Hands On Tokyo Youth Impact Group constantly seeks unique ways to engage with a variety of partner organizations. We hold regular discussions with youth members to explore creative ideas that promote volunteerism and encourage our young leaders to foster community inclusivity.

We are profoundly grateful for your ongoing support, which enables us to meet the needs of our community. Our services would not be possible without your generosity, dedication, and trust in our organization.

The Hands On Tokyo Youth Impact Group is excited to share the story of our recent Harajuku clean-up event, held on Sunday, April 7th, 2024, during the beautiful cherry blossom season.

Since 2022, Hands On Tokyo has been working closely with Pirika Inc. Pirika aims to solve environmental problems through science and technology. As part of that mission, they developed the street cleaning app, Pirika, which encourages people to pick up trash from the streets. When users upload pictures of the trash they collect, they receive many thumbs-ups from the community through the app. Seeing the amount of trash collected in actual numbers and receiving positive feedback motivates people. This ongoing project has expanded our reach, engaging more volunteers and allowing us to clean different locations in our community.

Thirty youth members gathered on Sunday morning at Harajuku Station. Before the cleanup, our Youth Impact members prepared tongs, gloves, and trash bags. Once all the volunteers had assembled, received their tools, and been briefed on the instructions, they spread out to clean the streets of Harajuku for an hour. They then reconvened in front of the Miyashita Park shopping mall and walked to the designated area, where the Shibuya City ward office had instructed us to dispose of the collected trash.

Below is a report from one of the Youth Impact members about their experience with the Pirika street cleaning activity.

“The pickup in Harajuku went well, and it was nice to see people in the community, especially high schoolers my age, come together to volunteer and keep our city clean. We were able to pick up I think 3-4 big bags of trash altogether and it was also a fun experience to meet new people and see some friends as well! I think periodically having these pickups can spread awareness to our community about volunteering spirit and the importance of keeping our city clean.”

- R.K Youth Impact High School Member

“The Harajuku clean-up was my first ever clean-up, though I’ve been hearing about it for years. From many of my peers, I’ve heard that it's the most enjoyable Hands-on event as it involves a lot of socialization. I enjoyed meeting and talking to new people as we walked and picked up the trash.

Though Japan is extremely clean, through the experience I realized that certain areas can be quite dirty and that even more efforts can be made to keep the streets clean.

The Harajuku area was extremely busy with tourists and Hanami enjoyers during the clean-up. I felt fulfilled by making the busy streets a little more pleasant for others walking on.”

- S.F Youth Impact High School Member

This was a great way to engage with the community as it immersed us into the bustling streets of Tokyo, interacting with locals and exposing foreign tourists to the Japanese value of cleanliness.

The Hands On Tokyo Youth Impact Program guides young leaders to design, plan, and execute their projects. For these projects to be effective, youth members must observe and understand what is happening in society. They must immerse themselves in communities to learn and grasp the realities firsthand. The street clean-up activity in Harajuku, a popular area where many young students hang out and enjoy, was an excellent opportunity for youth members to connect with the environmental issues our country faces in a very tangible way.

Additionally, this initiative piqued the curiosity of passersby in the bustling streets. Harajuku on weekends is filled with young people enjoying their day off with friends, and tourists from around the world, and is a hub for youth culture. This visibility helps raise awareness and mindfulness about individuals' impact on society. We aim to inspire our youth members to help in the short term and create a ripple effect that fosters long-term positive change.

All the work we do would not be possible without the support of our donors. Through your generosity, we will continue to empower more youth and continue to make a difference in our community together!

Thank you for your continued support and trust in our organization.