JINS JINS PARK

Initiatives for Children’s Futures

Main Initiatives

Launched “Neru-Iku"

JINS launched "Neru-iku®“ sleeping education, as part of its efforts to resolve social issues related to sleep. In collaboration with the Japan Sleep Association, we provided opportunities for the students in SHINAGAWA JOSHI GAKUIN Junior & Senior High School to learn about sleep in July 2024.

In November 2024, as part of its "Neru-iku®" program, JINS jointly participated with the Japan Sleep Association in a sleep-technology education "Class to Explore Optimal Sleep Improvement for Individuals Using Sleep Data" implemented by NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE EAST CORPORATION Saitama Branch and Satoe Gakuin Elementary School in Saitama City in cooperation with NTT DX Partner.

In addition to educational activities for children, "Neru-iku®" will provide the latest information on sleep to adults in the working-age generation. JINS will continue to work to resolve social issues related to sleep.

Art Workshops

JINS holds art workshops at stores that coexist with local communities as part of its “Miru-iku” viewing education activities for children and their guardians that raise awareness on eye health, provide opportunities for learning about vision and light, and allow participants to discover the joy of eyesight.

Free events mainly for elementary school students are held a number of times each year at both JINS PARK in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, and JINS AEON MALL Okazaki in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture. The instructors at these events are artists with a connection to the host city.

“More Outdoor Play Project” for Supporting Outdoor Play from the Perspective of Halting the Progression of Myopia

A “JINS Miru-iku Play Car” that was donated to Play-Park Setagaya, a certified NPO
A “JINS Miru-iku Play Car” that was donated to the NPO Kid’s Pocket

Using revenue from shopping bags, which are no longer free of charge as part of environmental protection measures as of March 2021, we launched the “More Outdoor Play Project” in March 2021 as an initiative for giving back by creating a sustainable society. In recent years, the probability of children becoming myopia has increased, and it is recommended* that children play outside for two hours a day if possible as a way of halting the progression of myopia that can be adopted in daily life. However, it has also been pointed out that the number of places in the community where children can play outside safely is decreasing. Consequently, we launched this project with the aim of communicating the importance of outdoor play and supporting the creation of opportunities and play spaces where children can play outside safely.
As a first step, we donated “JINS Miru-iku Play Car,” a vehicle that turns open spaces and vacant lots into outdoor play areas, to Play-Park Setagaya, a certified NPO in Setagaya, Tokyo, in July 2022. As a second step, we donated another “JINS Miru-iku Play Car” to Kid’s Pocket, an NPO in Sakai, Osaka, in October 2023. The play cars donated through the “More Outdoor Play Project” belong to the respective NPOs and support activities that create opportunities for outdoor play, including making regular trips to local parks.
*Source: “Seven Habits to Prevent the Progression of Myopia in Children” published by the Myopia Society Japan

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Donating Eyeglasses to the Ashinaga Foundation

The Ashinaga Foundation is a private non-profit organization that provides scholarships and educational support, along with supporting psychological care, for children who have lost their parents or primary guardians due to illness, disaster, suicide, or other causes, and children from families where the parents or primary guardians are unable to fully support their household through working due to disabilities or the like. In February 2023, JINS donated eyeglasses to 692 Ashinaga scholarship applicants (high school and university students) in its aim of creating a society where children who need eyeglasses can access them as a matter of course, with the hope of supporting their studies.

Joint Project with Tech Kids School

With the theme of “protecting the eyes of children who make the future,” JINS collaborates on initiatives with Tech Kids School, a program that offers computer programming classes to elementary school students operated by CA Tech Kids, Inc.

Children today use electronic devices in their daily lives more often than ever before. Visual environments are undergoing significant changes as compared to previous generations with the introduction of computer programming classes in elementary schools from the 2020 academic year and other initiatives. To support parents who are interested in an ICT education for their children, but who are also worried about the effects this may have on their children’s eyes, JINS is leveraging its knowledge and expertise acquired to date in implementing awareness-raising activities in collaboration with Tech Kids School, in pursuit of “protecting the eyes of children who make the future.” We have already provided opportunities for over 2,900 children to learn about vision and light.

  • Holding “Miru-iku” classes for parents and children

    Providing opportunities for parents and children to learn about vision and light

  • Tech Kids CAMP

    Providing opportunities for children participating in short-term programming experience courses held during summer vacation and other long vacations to learn about vision and light

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Distributing Supplementary Teaching Materials to Elementary Schools

In an effort to halt the deterioration of the eyesight of elementary school children and spread accurate information about the eyes and vision, JINS cooperated in the production of supplementary teaching materials that are easy for children to understand and distributed them free of charge to a selection of elementary schools.

The information in the supplementary teaching materials was compiled together based on the topic of “Take Good Care of Your Eyes - Myopia Suppression -” under the supervision of a pediatric ophthalmologist. The materials also include advice for guardians, making them useful for both parents and children. They are proving extremely helpful to school nurses in giving health guidance, whether used for counseling students after they receive school eye exams or distributed together with health newsletters.

“Miru-Iku” Classes on Vision

JINS wants to get children interested in vision by teaching them about the structure of their eyes. With this goal in mind, JINS worked with Gakken Plus (currently Gakken Inc.) to hold workshops for parents and children that explore the secrets of the eye through a variety of demonstrations on how we see objects, light invisible to the human eye, and more.

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Production and Donation of JINS “Miru-Iku Karuta”

In recent years, vision issues among children have become more common. As a way of tackling this issue, JINS created JINS “Miru-iku Karuta” (Japanese traditional playing cards) in 2019 to help create a society that fosters healthy eyes. Through JINS “Miru-iku Karuta,” children can have fun while learning about vision, light, and myopia. JINS has donated more than 150 sets to children’s centers, after-school programs, and other facilities all over Japan, including the Chiyoda City Board of Education.

Positive reactions from across the nation! Here are some examples.

From the Chiyoda City Board of Education

In January 2020, JINS donated “Miru-iku Karuta” to the Chiyoda City Board of Education, receiving a letter of appreciation in response.

From Tairamachi Children’s Hall, Meguro City

We were given hands-on experience with the “Miru-iku Karuta.” Groups were formed of five to six children per group, who vigorously scrambled to pick up the cards when they were read out. The children were completely focused on the words being read out. We also saw the children reacting to unfamiliar terms, asking, “What is blue light?” This was a great opportunity to expose children to the wonder and interest of the eyes and seeing, something they would not normally think about. (Donated in December 2019)

From children’s centers nationwide

JINS has received multiple comments from staff members at children’s centers all over Japan that many children are playing with the cards every day. (Donated in February 2020)

  • ・Positive comment (1)
    The children couldn’t stop saying things like, “Wow, really?” and “That’s so interesting!!” They have fun playing while talking excitedly together after hearing all the unusual phrases, as if the “scales are falling from their eyes.” The staff members have been explaining the words to the younger children through play, but after that, the children who have learned the explanations read the cards to the next children. (Mirai Children’s Center, Yomitan, Okinawa Prefecture)

  • ・Positive comment (2)
    Since the cards are grabbed before we finish reading out the whole text, we have the children listen to the end before taking the cards, which has increased the level of competition and makes the unfolding heated battles more exciting! (Motomiya Second Children’s Center, Motomiya, Fukushima Prefecture)

  • ・Positive comment (3)
    It seemed to be a really important lesson for children who have never had the opportunity to learn about their eyes and are taxing their eyes with excessive smartphone use and video games in our online society. (Nishihonji Children’s Center, Tottori, Tottori Prefecture)

Facilities that received a donation of “Miru-iku Karuta”
Tairamachi Children’s Hall in Meguro City, Tech Kids School, and other children’s centers nationwide
*Donated between December 2019 and February 2020

What are JINS “Miru-iku Karuta”?

JINS “Miru-iku Karuta” allow players to acquire knowledge on vision, light, and myopia while having fun. They can be enjoyed not only by children, but also by adults of all ages.
We provide an opportunity for players to nurture healthy eyes through card-playing games, which are popular as an educational toy that can also be used to encourage communication among families.

The cards are illustrated by Keiko Shibata, author of the popular picture book Meganeko (‘eyeglasses cat’) (Tegamisha). The text on the cards was written by Tatsuya Kinoshita, a young poet who has been gathering acclaim for his works.

Donation of T-shirts for Club Activities to Junior High School Students in Shibuya City

Junior high schools in Shibuya City launched the “Shibuya Club Activity Reform” project to solve the issue of not being able to hold activities due to a lack of club members, with joint activities being conducted by Shibuya United, a general incorporated association. JINS is collaborating with Shibuya City to support junior high school students engaged in such club activities. In response to students voicing concerns, such as “since the joint club activities involved students from different schools, there were issues with communication among students,” JINS donated 600 original T-shirts for club activities in May 2022.

Online Work Experience Program for Children

JINS created video interviews of JINS employees explaining the nature of their work, why they chose to work at JINS, the value they get from their work, and the like, and provided these to junior high schools whose work experience programs were canceled due to the spread of Covid-19. By doing so, we helped to convey the significance and meaning of work.