Onigiri Action 2023

Onigiri Action is an annual autumn social good campaign connecting the simple act of taking a photo with helping to feed school children in need. Every photo of onigiri, a Japanese rice ball, posted to the campaign website or on social media with #OnigiriAction helps provide five school meals to children in need around the world.

World Food Day on October 16 was established by the United Nations as a day for everyone to think about food problems in the world. To celebrate World Food Day, TABLE FOR TWO (TFT) holds "Onigiri Action" with the goal to deliver 1 million meals to children in need every year. TFT first started in Japan featuring Onigiri, which celebrates rice, one of the major Japanese agricultural products, and showcases the Japanese tradition of making onigiri for loved ones.

Since its launch in 2015, the Onigiri Action campaign has provided 8.3 millions school meals. The campaign received the Deputy-Chief’s Award (by the Minister for Foreign Affairs) at the third Japan Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) awards ceremony in 2019 held at the Prime Minister’s Office.

In our world of 7 billion, 1 billion suffer from hunger while another 2 billion suffer from obesity and other health related issues due to unhealthy eating. TABLE FOR TWO is a global initiative to right this food imbalance through a unique meal-sharing program. First established in Japan in 2007, TFT partners with corporations, restaurants, schools and other food establishments to serve healthy TFT- branded meals. For each one of these healthy meals served, $0.25 is donated to provide one school meal for a child in need.​

TFT was initiated by and is an official affiliate of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders. TFT expanded its activities worldwide to 14 countries. As a non-profit organization which started in Japan and is expanding globally, TFT has started the innovative programs: “Onigiri Action” and “Wa-Shokuiku -Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese!-“ and “#EdamameChamp” (in the US) featuring Japanese food culture to eliminate global hunger and reduce health issues related to unhealthy eating.

TFT International

• Promotes healthy eating internationally
• Provides healthy school meals to children in East Africa and Southeast Asia

TFT USA

• Promotes healthy eating in the U.S.
• Provides school meals to children in East Africa and local communities in the U.S.
• Expands understanding about healthy Japanese food practices by implementing the Wa-Shokuiku - Learn. Cook. Eat Japanese! (www.wa-shokuiku.org) program in schools around the U.S.