全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ

What 全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ does

全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ (Musubie) is a Tokyo-based certified NPO (認定NPO法人, established 2018) that operates as Japan's central intermediary organization (中間支援団体) for children's cafeterias (こども食堂) — community-based meal and gathering spaces for children, families, and local residents. The organization routes donations, in-kind goods, volunteer capacity, grant funding (including from dormant-deposit utilization projects), and policy intelligence between corporate CSR programs, regional network bodies, and individual cafeteria operators. Its work is organized around five pillars: regional network support, corporate and organizational collaboration, field research (including the annual national census of children's cafeterias — 12,602 sites across all 47 prefectures as of 2025, up from 3,718 in June 2019), public awareness (notably AC Japan PSAs), and grant distribution directly to cafeterias and regional networks.

Musubie's commercial infrastructure is intentionally limited: it does not sell a software product, operate a paid service, or generate royalty income. Revenue is sourced from individual recurring monthly donations starting at ¥1,000, one-time and legacy donations, corporate donations routed to the organization and onward to cafeterias (FamilyMart, ITOCHU, Nestlé Japan, McDonald's Japan, Morinaga, House Foods, Hisense, Kagome, Kobe Bussan, JA ZEN-NOH, among 100+ partners), grant programs (notably dormant-deposit utilization), and intermediary-driven in-kind flows. Its only significant digital asset is the National Children's Cafeteria Map (kodomoshokudo.gaccom.jp), a directory and matching tool. Charibon (a used-book donation program) has engaged 160,000+ supporters and generated ¥400M+ in flows.

The organization holds Tokyo Certified NPO status (2021), JCNE Good Governance certification (2021), and in 2026 became the first NPO approved under Japan's new Cabinet Office Public Trust System. It is governed by board chair Mishima Rie (三島理恵) following a leadership transition from founder Takasu Makoto (湯浅誠), with an advisory bench that includes academics, lawyers, tax accountants, and former government officials (including a former mayor and Cabinet Office Children's Family Agency personnel). Strategy is oriented around scaling the children's cafeteria movement as multigenerational community infrastructure, formalizing the IBASHO (居場所) policy concept, and embedding cafeteria networks in emergency preparedness and welfare-system delivery — rather than pursuing commercial monetization.

Name

全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ

Legal name

認定、特定非営利活動法人 全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえ

Website

https://musubie.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Musubie is a Tokyo-based certified NPO intermediary that connects corporate donors, regional networks, and individual supporters to 12,602 children's cafeterias across all 47 Japanese prefectures, distributing funds, food, materials, and policy research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare Intermediary Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Nutrition & Meal Programs (CACFP/Snack Programs) (EDACAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Children's cafeteria support
• Child welfare services
• Community intermediary NPO
• Food insecurity programs
• Corporate CSR partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibuya, Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly recurring donations starting at ¥1,000 per month from individual supporters. Also accepts one-time donations. Tax deduction benefits available as a certified NPO (認定NPO法人).
2. Corporate/Organization Donations and Partnerships: Corporate partners provide donations, food/ingredient supplies, and in-kind support (materials, equipment, programs) to children's cafeterias through Musubie's intermediary coordination. Musubie facilitates matching between corporate social responsibility programs and cafeteria needs.
3. Grant Programs: Musubie operates grant programs (助成金) that distribute funds to regional network organizations and children's cafeterias, sourced from corporate donations and dormant deposit活用事業 (dormant deposit utilization project).
4. In-kind Material Support Intermediation: Musubie coordinates the distribution of food, equipment, and supplies donated by companies to children's cafeterias nationwide, acting as an intermediary without generating direct revenue but facilitating resource flows.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Musubie is a certified NPO (中間支援団体, intermediary support organization) that operates as a hub connecting children's cafeterias (community meal spaces for children) with corporate donors, regional network organizations, volunteers, and government. It provides five core services: (1) regional network support for prefectural intermediary organizations, (2) corporate and organizational partnerships including material donation intermediation and joint programs, (3) research and annual national cafeteria location surveys, (4) public awareness campaigns including AC public service advertising, and (5) grant programs for new and existing cafeteria operators.

Product overview

全国こども食堂支援センター・むすびえは、特定非営利活動法人（認定NPO）として、こども食堂（子どもの居場所）の支援を主な目的とした活動を行う組織である。事業は5つの柱で構成され、(1)地域ネットワーク支援、(2)企業・団体との協働事業、(3)調査・研究事業、(4)広報広告事業、(5)こども食堂等への支援（助成金）からなる。これらのサービスはいずれも「中間支援団体」として、社会からの支援をこども食堂につなぐ機能を果たしている。技術的な製品やソフトウェアの提供は行っておらず、主に、草の根の地域活動支援・物資仲介・調査研究・広報活動を通じて事業を展開している。

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regional Network Support (地域ネットワーク支援)
• Corporate and Organizational Partnership Programs (企業・団体との協働事業)
• Research and Survey Programs (調査・研究事業)
• Public Awareness and AC Advertising (広報啓発事業)
• Children's Cafeteria Grant Programs (こども食堂等への支援)
• National Children's Cafeteria Map (全国こども食堂マップ)

Quantifiable outcome

• Musubie-supported network covers 12,602 children's cafeterias nationwide as of 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FamilyMart (ファミリーマート)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 June 2026FamilyMart and Musubie jointly operate the 'Children's Cafeteria Start-Up Support Grant Program' (こども食堂スタート応援助成プログラム), providing funding to new cafeteria operators. The 2026 summer recruitment includes gifts of filling bottles from the famous restaurant 'Bongo' to selected organizations. FamilyMart has been a long-term partner supporting the movement since 2019.
• Takara Tomy (タカラトミー)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTakara Tomy runs the 'Children's Cafeteria Active Project' (こども食堂にぎやか作戦), providing toys and entertainment materials to children's cafeterias to enhance the experience for children.
• TikTok JapancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTikTok Japan co-organized the 'IBASHO Network Conference 2025' with Musubie at the Osaka-Kansai Expo venue, focusing on online and offline community spaces (居場所) for children and youth. This event brought together diverse stakeholders including government officials, academics, creators, and young people to discuss the future of community spaces.
• Kōsoku (株式会社高速)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKōsoku (Expressway company) collaborates with Musubie on the Regional School Collaboration Project (地域学校協働プロジェクト), supporting programs that connect schools and children's cafeterias through inquiry-based learning and volunteer activities.
• National Council of Social Welfare (全国社会福祉法人経営者協議会)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusubie and the National Council of Social Welfare (経営協) jointly conducted a survey on children's cafeterias in social welfare facilities, reaching approximately 8,000 welfare corporations. Based on the survey results, they organized an online seminar to share best practices and promote the expansion of children's cafeterias in welfare facilities.
• ITOCHU (伊藤忠商事)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerITOCHU SDG Studio operates a restaurant venue 'Hoshi no Kitchen Hanare' that hosted the 'O-musubie' project — a collaborative onigiri (rice ball) restaurant created with children's cafeterias from all 47 prefectures of Japan, running until September 2025.
• AC Japan (ＡＣジャパン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAC Japan conducts public awareness advertising campaigns (AC広告) in partnership with Musubie to raise awareness about the social role and importance of children's cafeterias across Japan.
• Kodomo Katei-kyoku (こども家庭庁)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusubie participates in the Cabinet Office's 'Children-First Supporter' initiative (こどもの居場所部会) and collaborates with the Children and Families Agency on policy advocacy and the promotion of community spaces for children.
• Yamaguchi Community Foundation (一般財団法人やまぐちコミュニティ財団)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in June 2026 as a regional community foundation, connected to Musubie's network support activities in the Yamaguchi region, related to dormant deposit utilization projects.
• All Japan Agricultural Cooperative (JA全農 / 全国農業協同組合連合会)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJA ZEN-NOH has provided long-life milk (わたぼく牛乳) to children's cafeterias across the Kanto and Tohoku regions through Musubie's intermediary coordination, with 378 locations in Kanto and 49 in Tohoku receiving support.
• Kobe Bussan (株式会社神戸物産 / 業務スーパー)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKobe Bussan has provided 'Children's Cafeteria Support Sets' containing food products, lunch boxes, and supplies to hundreds of children's cafeterias nationwide through Musubie's coordination, with multiple rounds of support totaling thousands of organizations.
• House Foods Group (ハウス食品グループ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHouse Foods Group has donated Vermont Curry products to children's cafeterias in Hokkaido/Tohoku and Tokyo metropolitan areas, with each organization receiving 50 sets (720 servings per case).
• Hisense Japan (ハイセンスジャパン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHisense Japan has donated refrigerators and 4K TVs to children's cafeterias across multiple regions, including 360L refrigerators (10 units), 65-inch 4K TVs (3 units), and 50-inch 4K TVs (30 units) distributed through the Kansai area.
• Morinaga Seika (森永製菓)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMorinaga Seika donated 15,561 boxes of Chocoball (strawberry flavor) to children's cafeterias through its 'Morinaga Sustainable Smiling Project / Kyoro-chan Future School' campaign.
• Morinaga Dairy (森永乳業)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMorinaga Dairy donated Shield Lactic Acid Bacteria products — 121,600 servings across 380 cartons — to children's cafeterias nationwide.
• Nestlé Japan (ネスレ日本)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNestlé Japan has partnered on multiple donation programs including KitKat products, food samples, and nutrition education programs delivered to children's cafeterias nationwide.
• Nisshin Oilio Group (日清オイリオグループ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNisshin Oilio Group donated rice, rice flour karaage powder, and takoyaki powder to children's cafeteria networks, such as the Isogo Ward Children's Cafeteria Network in Yokohama.
• BOC Japan (株式会社ほぼ日)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBOC Japan has donated frozen carrot juice and frozen fruit juice products to children's cafeterias, including 8,520 units distributed to 71 locations. The company's products have been popular for helping children overcome vegetable aversion.
• Kagome (カゴメ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerKagome partnered with Musubie on a Twitter campaign where each tweet with #野菜の日 and #こども食堂応援したい resulted in a donation of Yasai Life 100 vegetable beverage to children's cafeterias nationwide. Kagome also provides vegetable juice donations through the network.
• Unilever Japan (ユニリーバ)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnilever Japan's 'Jif' and 'Domestos' cleaning products collaborated with Musubie on a limited-design twin-pack campaign where 10 yen per purchase was donated to designated children's cafeterias.
• Japan McDonald's (日本マクドナルド)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMcDonald's Japan donated 33,960 Minions-themed drink/food holders to 721 children's cafeterias nationwide, bringing joy to children during food distribution and events.
• Lendlease Japan (レンドリーズ・ジャパン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLendlease Japan donated approximately 1,835 kg of rice (milled from 30kg brown rice) to 68 children's cafeterias, with a focus on supporting recovery efforts in Tohoku region.
• Charibon / Value Books (チャリボン)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Charibon used book donation program allows supporters to donate books, DVDs, and games, with the proceeds going to Musubie. Over 160,000 people have participated, generating more than 400 million yen in donations.
• Cookpad (クックパッド)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCookpad collaborates with Musubie on the '全国こども食堂探検' (National Children's Cafeteria Exploration) article series and hosts the 'Musubie Official Kitchen' where children's cafeteria recipes are shared. Cookpad also facilitates understanding of children's cafeterias among general consumers.
• Japan NPO Center (認定特定非営利活動法人日本ファンドレイジング協会)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusubie uses the 'from Me' card game developed by the Japan NPF Raising Association in its educational programs. Musubie's board member Daisuke Kamazaki (鴨崎貴泰) serves as Managing Director of this association.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Second Harvest Japan: Japan's first food bank NPO, distributing surplus food to NGOs and welfare organizations. Highly comparable as a Japan-based nonprofit intermediary that channels food resources from corporates to community welfare providers serving vulnerable populations, including children and low-income families.
• 認定NPO法人Learning for All: Japan-based certified NPO delivering learning support, social-emotional support, and community programs to children from low-income and single-parent households. Highly comparable to Musubie's child-welfare mission and certified NPO funding model serving economically disadvantaged children in Japan.
• 認定NPO法人Teach For Japan: Certified NPO placing talented educators into underserved schools across Japan to address educational inequity. Comparable to Musubie as a high-profile Japanese certified NPO with strong corporate partnerships, donor-funded operations, and a mission addressing systemic disadvantage among Japanese children.
• Magic Breakfast: UK charity providing free healthy breakfasts to children at school. Comparable as a national-level nonprofit addressing child hunger through partnerships with corporates and government, feeding thousands of children daily via a federated network of sites.
• TABLE FOR TWO International: A Japan-origin NPO that fights hunger through workplace meal-donation programs (donor companies donate ¥20 per meal). Directly comparable to Musubie in using corporate partnerships and a food-meal mechanism to address child hunger and nutrition, with a Japan HQ and global operations.
• 認定NPO法人カタリバ (Katriba): Certified NPO providing educational and welfare support to children facing poverty and adversity in Japan. Comparable as a Japanese certified NPO targeting the same beneficiary segment (children in economic hardship) with school-linked programs and corporate/individual fundraising.
• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): Leading US national campaign to end childhood hunger, connecting federal funding, corporate partnerships, and community meal programs. Most directly comparable as a national intermediary running awareness campaigns, grants to local meal providers, and corporate CSR partnerships to address child food insecurity.
• 認定NPO法人フローレンス (Florence): Japan's largest certified NPO in child welfare, running social businesses around childcare, children's homes, and family support. Comparable as a large Japanese certified NPO targeting children's welfare with diversified program operations, corporate partnerships, and a recognized brand.

Regional players

• 公益財団法人あいちコミュニティ財団 (Aichi Community Foundation): Regional community foundation in Aichi Prefecture that pools donations and distributes grants to local NPOs, including welfare initiatives. Comparable as a community foundation intermediary that funnels corporate and individual giving to grassroots social welfare programs, similar to Musubie's regional network support function.

Broad incumbents

• 認定NPO法人日本ファンドレイジング協会 (Japan Fundraising Association): Industry association supporting fundraising practices across Japanese NPOs, of which Musubie's advisor Daisuke Kamazaki is executive director. Comparable as a sector-enabling organization in the Japanese nonprofit fundraising ecosystem that overlaps with Musubie's donor and CSR intermediary role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4f0rY1T300WrTnmoD24YmQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/musubie2018
• Instagraminstagram.com/musubie_gakusei

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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