AYA

What AYA does

AYA (特定非営利活動法人AYA) is a certified non-profit organization headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, founded in April 2023, that organizes inclusive experience programs for children with illnesses or disabilities and their families. Its core products include inclusive movie screenings (chartered theater sessions with brighter lighting, reduced volume, permission to vocalize and move, and medical staff attendance), inclusive sports festivals (wheelchair basketball, blind soccer, rugby, e-sports), inclusive baseball viewing events with professional teams (Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Rakuten Group), planetarium viewings, large-scale music festivals with the Osaka Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Dinner events offering paste-food options for children with swallowing difficulties, and an emerging overseas experience program. The organization's underlying operational technology is a codified "Inclusive Event Design Framework" coupled with a medical-staff attendance protocol, which is delivered through a national volunteer network and venue partnerships across all 47 Japanese prefectures.

AYA's go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: families register via LINE, reach out through Facebook/X/Instagram/email, and are referred through word-of-mouth, with corporate partnerships providing venue access, sponsorship, and employee volunteers. The organization became a Certified NPO (Certified Specified Non-Profit Organization) in February 2026, placing it in roughly the top 2-3% of Japan's ~49,000 NPOs and unlocking tax-deductible donations.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across individual monthly subscriptions (¥1,000–¥10,000/month), one-time donations (¥3,000–¥30,000), corporate sponsorship/donations, foundation grants (Nippon Foundation, Semmoto Foundation, Daido Life, Otsuka Shokai Heartful Fund, Hoshinoko, Bridgestone Smile, Terumo, Haruyama, Tooth Fairy Project, and others), crowdfunding via CAMPFIRE, Furusato (hometown) tax donations through Saga Prefecture, and event participation fees (typically ¥1,000 per movie ticket, ¥5,000 adult courses for Jazz Dinner). As of July 3, 2026, AYA had delivered 229 events serving 32,552 cumulative participants, and was operated by a small paid staff under Representative Director Nakagawa Yuki (中川 悠樹) with operational manager Morino Kyoko (森野 杏子).

Name

AYA

Legal name

特定非営利活動法人AYA

Website

https://aya-npo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AYA (AYA) is a Yokohama-based certified Japanese NPO that delivers inclusive experience programs — movie screenings, sports festivals, music concerts, and overseas trips — for children with illnesses or disabilities and their families, operating in all 47 Japanese prefectures and relying on donations, grants, and event fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inclusive Community Event Services

NAICS

All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Accessible & Special-Needs Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAH)

Keywords

• Inclusive event programs
• Accessible entertainment services
• Disability inclusion programs
• NPO community events
• Family experience programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokio

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly supporter program (マンスリーサポータ) and one-time donations from individuals. Monthly options range from 1,000 yen to 10,000 yen per month. One-time donations available in amounts from 3,000 to 30,000 yen.
2. Event Participation Fees: Fees for attending events such as movie screenings and sports viewing events. For example, movie screening tickets are priced at 1,000 yen for wheelchair seats (all ages), 1,000 yen for general child seats (3+), and 1,000 yen for general adult seats (18+). Jazz Dinner events have adult courses at 5,000 yen, child courses at 3,000 yen, and paste food courses at 3,000 yen.
3. Corporate Sponsorship and Donations: Corporate donations and sponsorship of events. As a certified NPO (認定NPO法人), donations are tax-deductible. Companies can sponsor specific events, provide venue access, or fund employee volunteer participation.
4. Furusato Tax (Hometown Tax) Donations: Furusato tax donation program through Saga Prefecture, allowing donors to receive tax benefits while supporting AYA's activities.
5. Crowdfunding: Campaign-based fundraising through platforms like CAMPFIRE for specific projects such as achieving 47 prefecture coverage and international experience programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AYA is a certified NPO that organizes inclusive experience events across Japan for children with illnesses or disabilities and their families. Its offerings include chartered movie screenings, sports festivals, baseball viewing events, planetarium viewings, jazz dinner events with paste food options, orchestral music festivals, and international travel programs. All events feature on-site medical staff, accessibility accommodations (brighter lighting, reduced sound, movement permission), and family-inclusive design.

Product overview

AYA is a certified NPO organization offering a portfolio of inclusive experience programs for children with illnesses or disabilities and their families. The core offerings include AYAインクルーシブ映画上映会 (inclusive movie screenings with 94+ screenings across all 47 prefectures), 運動フェスティバル (multi-sport festivals), 野球観戦 (baseball game events), プラネタリウム鑑賞会 (planetarium viewings), Jazz Dinner Party (dining events with paste food options), 音楽祭 (orchestral music festivals), and 海外プロジェクト (international travel programs). All events feature medical staff attendance, accessibility accommodations, and family-inclusive participation design. The organization also operates donation and support programs including monthly supporter plans and corporate partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AYA Inclusive Movie Screenings (AYAインクルーシブ映画上映会) Chartered movie theater screenings where children with illnesses or disabilities and their families watch films together with medical staff attendance, brighter lighting, lower volume, permission to move and vocalize, and wheelchair-accessible seating. Available at theaters across all 47 prefectures of Japan.
• AYA Inclusive Sports Festival (AYAインクルーシブ 運動フェスティバル) Multi-sport events including wheelchair basketball, blind soccer, rugby, e-sports, and team competitions where children with disabilities and their families participate together with professional athlete guidance and instruction.

Quantifiable outcome

• AYA's events enabled children who previously could not visit movie theaters or sports venues to successfully participate in inclusive experiences
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 所轄庁 横浜市coreOthers · 3 February 2026Government body that certified AYA as a Certified NPO (認定特定非営利活動法人).
• 日本非営利組織評価センター (JCNE)coreOthers · 1 January 2026Third-party certification body that awarded AYA the Good Giving Mark certification for governance and fund management.
• 佐賀県coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Saga Prefecture partnership agreement for providing sports and cultural experiences to children with illness/disabilities. Prefecture-level cooperation for regional expansion.
• 神奈川VANGUARDScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional wheelchair basketball team. Players participate as instructors at AYA Sports Festival events, teaching wheelchair basketball to children with disabilities.
• 楽天グループ / 楽天モバイル / 東北楽天ゴールデンイーグルス / ヴィッセル神戸coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-event partnership including escort kids at Rakuten Super Match, ground keeper experiences, and joint sports events with professional teams. Includes mobile sponsorship and team collaborations.
• 株式会社ミズ (佐賀県)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional pharmacy chain that facilitated AYA's entry into Saga Prefecture through 'Sagasutairu' initiative connections.
• 公益財団法人がん below未来創造基金minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaga-based foundation supporting AYA's regional expansion in Saga Prefecture.
• ボーネルンド (Bornelund)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's play equipment company providing support for AYA events.
• Perth Bayswater Rugby Union Club / ルリーロ福岡 / クリーンファイターズ山梨minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional rugby clubs providing player participation at AYA sports festival events as instructors.
• 大阪府 / 大阪府教育厅coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrefectural government support for AYA's large-scale music festival events including venue coordination.
• 住友生命いずみホール / 大阪交響楽団coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert hall and professional orchestra providing venue and performance for AYA's inclusive music festival (560 participants).
• MOVIXさいたま / イオンエンターテイメント / TOHOシネマズ / 株式会社ティ・ジョイcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor theater chains providing venue access for inclusive movie screenings. Multiple theater chains (MOVIX, AEON Entertainment, TOHO Cinemas, T-Joy) partner across Japan for events.
• 下関市立大学 / 一般社団法人NPHLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partners collaborating on AYA's research study: 'Impact of Inclusive Movie Screenings on Well-being of Children with Disabilities and Their Families'.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Make-A-Wish Japan: Japanese affiliate of the global wish-granting organization that delivers experiences to children with serious illnesses. Most directly comparable to AYA in mission (experiences for sick/disabled children), though Make-A-Wish focuses on individualized wish fulfillment while AYA operates group-inclusive events.
• Kids Wish Network: U.S.-based wish-granting organization delivering experiences to children with life-threatening illnesses. Comparable in mission and experiential delivery model to AYA, with similar focus on creating memorable moments for medically complex children, though geographically separate and focused on individualized wishes.
• Dreams Take Flight: International charity providing free trips to Disney and other destinations for children with serious illnesses who could not otherwise afford to travel. Closely comparable to AYA's Overseas Experience Program in concept (medical-accompanied accessible travel for sick children) though operating in North America rather than Asia.
• Starlight Children's Foundation: U.S.-based charity providing entertainment, gaming, and hospital programs to seriously ill children and their families. Closest international analog to AYA's model of bringing inclusive entertainment experiences to children who cannot access mainstream venues, though Starlight focuses on hospital-based delivery while AYA focuses on community-based events.
• Children's Cancer Association of Japan: Long-standing Japanese public-interest foundation supporting children with cancer and their families through financial aid, summer camps, and experiential programs. Comparable mission (services for seriously ill children including experiences) but with a cancer-specific medical focus rather than AYA's broader disability/illness scope.

Emerging players

• 認定NPO法人フローレンス (Florence): Established Japanese NPO providing childcare services for vulnerable families including those with children with disabilities or medical needs. Comparable in mission (supporting families with special needs children) but Florence focuses on in-home childcare services while AYA focuses on inclusive group experiences.

Others

• Nippon Foundation: Major Japanese philanthropic foundation that provides significant grant funding to AYA and many other social welfare organizations. As a core institutional funder of AYA, Nippon Foundation operates upstream in the same ecosystem but at vastly larger scale and broader scope including maritime, education, and social welfare initiatives.

Broad incumbents

• Special Olympics Japan: Major established Japanese NPO providing year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Overlaps with AYA's Inclusive Sports Festival but operates at a much larger scale with a sports-only focus rather than AYA's multi-vertical inclusive event approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/npo_aya
• Facebookfacebook.com/npoaya
• Instagraminstagram.com/npo_aya
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/npoaya

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AYA