Together with Maruhan East Japan Company, we delivered MY FOOTBALL KIT to the children at Mimomi Parkside House, a children’s residential care facility in Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture.
On August 26, 2026, we visited Mimomi Parkside House, a children’s residential care facility in Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture, and delivered MY FOOTBALL KIT to the children together with Maruhan East Japan Company, Kakuichi Co., Ltd., and TOCAR FOOTBALL Association.
This initiative was part of the 4th Maruhan × Sint-Truiden Cup. Together with our sponsoring partners, we created an opportunity for children who have had limited access to experiences like these to enjoy an experience similar to the one provided at the tournament.
Through MY FOOTBALL KIT and the joy of football, we hope to give children new experiences, create lasting memories, and inspire them to dream big. ⚽️
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our partners for helping us make this special experience possible.
The children gradually began to gather. With so many adults waiting to welcome them, they seemed a little nervous at first.
And now, it was time to get the event started!
Before assembling their MY FOOTBALL KIT, we began with introductions. This time, 14 supporters joined us, allowing us to connect with and support each child individually throughout the activity.
With everyone getting to know each other, the event was ready to begin!
With one simple message in mind — “This is not a competition. Think for yourself and build it your own way.” — the children began assembling their MY FOOTBALL KIT.
The supporters gently sat beside or in front of the children, working alongside them and engaging in conversation throughout the activity. Rather than simply showing them what to do, they focused on encouraging each child to think for themselves and discover their own way of building the kit.
It was wonderful to see the children take on the challenge at their own pace, while the supporters quietly guided and encouraged them along the way.
As the activity went on, the children and supporters gradually became more comfortable with each other. The children started asking questions when they didn’t understand something, and, in turn, they even began teaching the adults how to put the kits together.One child proudly showed us a fun idea: “Once you build it halfway, you can wear it like a hat!”
Before long, everyone was wearing their MY FOOTBALL KIT as a hat and having fun together.
As the children got closer to completing their MY FOOTBALL KITS, we could see smiles of joy and faces filled with relief. Some proudly showed their finished kits to the adults who had built them together.
In the end, every child successfully completed their MY FOOTBALL KIT. It was a wonderful moment of accomplishment shared by everyone who took part.
At first, there was a little distance between the children and the supporters. But as we built the kits together, we shared moments of making mistakes, celebrating when things went well, and even learning about the games and activities that are popular with children these days.
Through this experience, we hope we were able to create a meaningful opportunity for the children by being there alongside them, sharing their joy, and connecting with them through football.
Participants’ Voices
Masaru Akao
CSO, Sports Business Division, Maruhan East Japan Company
We were grateful for the opportunity to deliver MY FOOTBALL KIT to the children of Mimomi Parkside House, a children’s residential care facility in Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture, together with Kakuichi Co., Ltd. and TOCAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.
Although the children seemed a little nervous at first, their smiles gradually grew as we built the footballs together. Seeing them proudly show us the completed footballs was a truly memorable moment. For us as well, it was a valuable and inspiring experience, as we learned so much from the children’s flexible ideas and willingness to take on a challenge.
This initiative was about more than simply providing material support.
By building together, celebrating together, and communicating with one another, we aimed to provide an experience that encourages children to think for themselves, take on challenges, and see things through to the end.
We hope these experiences will help build the children’s confidence and encourage them to take their next steps toward the future.
Maruhan East Japan Company’s purpose is to “Create the joy of living in the 100-year life era through the power of human connection.”
In pursuit of our vision of “Bringing joy to life,” we will continue to value the happiness that comes from connecting people with one another, together with the communities we serve.
Through our business activities, we will also continue to address challenges facing local communities and work to create an environment where everyone can believe in their own potential and take on new challenges.
The disparity in opportunities for children to gain meaningful experiences, as well as the weakening of connections within local communities, are challenges that society as a whole needs to address.
We hope to ensure that this initiative does not end as a one-time act of support. By working together with our partners and expanding this network of support, we will continue to bring as many children as possible the joy of creating something with their own hands and the opportunity to take on a new challenge.
Yui Ishii
Regional Community Development Strategy Group, Kakuichi Co., Ltd.
“Although the children were initially a little nervous, I was impressed by how the distance between us gradually disappeared once we started building the footballs together. By the time they finished, they were happily talking with us about all kinds of things.
I was especially amazed by how freely the children approached the assembly process. They used their creativity and kept building confidently without hesitation.
At the same time, I realized that I had been influenced by the preconception that a football must be a sphere. This experience reminded me of the importance of not being bound by fixed ideas and simply giving something a try.
By actually building and playing together with the children, I strongly felt that support is not simply about ‘delivering things.’
Rather than just giving them a completed football, we built it together and played together.
Through that process, conversations naturally emerged, the distance between us grew smaller, and in the end, the children were left with a memory of ‘the football I made myself.’
I believe it is extremely important to think not only about ‘what we deliver,’ but also about ‘what kind of experience we can create through that item.’”
Michikazu Kobayashi
TOCAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
At TOCAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION, we have continued to visit children’s residential care facilities and other organizations, providing opportunities for children to enjoy football through recreational activities together.
We are always inspired by the joyful expressions on the children’s faces when they play football and by the way they become completely absorbed in chasing the ball.
However, seeing the children take on the challenge of assembling Molten’s MY FOOTBALL KIT revealed a completely different and equally inspiring side of them.
What left the strongest impression on me was the children’s intense focus while they were building their footballs.
To be honest, there were some steps that seemed challenging enough that even adults might have struggled to complete them. Yet not a single child gave up halfway through. They thought carefully, experimented with different approaches, and worked hard until they finished.
Then, as the shape of the football gradually began to emerge, the smiles on their faces when they finally completed a football with their own hands were truly priceless.
TOCAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION will continue to create as many opportunities as possible through football and sports for children to smile and develop the feelings of “I want to try,” “I want to take on a challenge,” and “I can do it too.”
MY FOOTBALL KIT will continue working together with many partners to bring the “joy of creating” and the “opportunity to take on a challenge” to as many children as possible.
We hope to create a positive cycle in which the experiences and inspiration gained by each child can be passed on to the next generation.
Related Links
Maruhan × Sint-Truiden Cup Official Website
Maruhan × Sint-Truiden Cup Official Website
Maruhan East Japan Company
Maruhan East Japan Company Official Website
leukste soccer school POWERED by Sint-Truiden VV
leukste soccer school Official Website
leukste soccer school Instagram
leukste soccer school on Instagram
Kakuichi Co., Ltd.
Kakuichi Co., Ltd. Official Website
TOCAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
TOCAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION Official Website