1. Specified Non-profit Organization (SNPO)
石巻復興支援ネットワーク
Ishinomaki Revival Support
Network
After the Great East Japan Earthquake, an uncomfortable
atmosphere has prevailed our cities and towns.
Yappesu-chan has come down to help our communities
restore warmth and smiles.
Yappesu Ishinomaki

2. Organization name
Specified non-profit corporation
Ishinomaki Reconstruction Support Network
Establishment May 2011 (Incorporated in December 2011)
Representative Director Yoshie Kaneko
Number of staff 10
Vision
Turning Ishinomaki into a hospitable and lively city, where
each resident takes part in the reconstruction process and
everyone can live happily.
Mission
To foster and support residents voluntarily working for
reconstruction towards an improved Ishinomaki
Revenue in FY2011 65,299,438 JPY (110,000,000 JPY: Estimate for FY2012)
* Originally, the Association for the Consideration of the Environment and Children, which had been engaged in environmental education
for children and in the support of parents raising children in Ishinomaki. After the earthquake, the network was established in
collaboration with the Joint Project to Support Disaster Sufferers through Coordination with Nonprofits (Tsuna-Pro). It was incorporated
in December 2011, and has been popular among residents under the nickname of Yappesu.
«Activities overview»
1） Projects to foster leaders for reconstruction (Seminars for entrepreneurs for reconstruction / I’m in love with Ishinomaki♡/
Yappesu! Support fund for entrepreneurs）
2） Projects to support child-raising mums （Eyes for Future / Mums’cafe / Amanecer and other handcrafts / Yappesu!
School for human resource development)
3） Projects to foster children/youth (play parks / newspaper for children, etc. / Ishinomaki reconstruction workcamps）
4） Projects to revive communities focusing on temporary housing (salon activities at meeting places / communal farms /
construction of recreational fields)
5） Matching of external organizations / on-site coordination
About the Ishinomaki Reconstruction
Support Network (Yappesu)

3. [Support details]
Offer financial support for 20 entrepreneurs intending to start
social businesses.
• Finding: 2,000,000 JPY to 2,500,000 JPY
• Mentoring
• Training camps in Kobe
[Entrepreneurs engaged in voluntary work for reconstruction]
• TEDIC: Mr. Monma
– Study support business
• Mediage: Ms. Oya
– Support in reconstruction of the city through the use of media
• Rera: Ms. Murashima
– Transportation support business
• Itonav: Mr. Furuyama
– IT education, software development, offshore businesses
×
July 2nd, Kahoku Shimpo
Seminars for entrepreneurs for
reconstruction of Ishinomaki to be held
as follow-up.
Mr. Yamazaki was invited as guest
lecturer on the 8th of July.
The Yappesu! Fund for Entrepreneurs
- For the Support of Challenging Youths and
Women -

4. I’m in Love with Ishinomaki♡ (Ishikoi)
supports small challenges!
Project name: I’m in love with Ishinomaki♡
Project Overview:
Residents with hobbies and/or special skills, or experts, hold small-scale programs for
experiencing exchanges. In this event, those programs are held simultaneously over a
short period of time to create exchanges.
The event will continue to take place several times a year, for the purpose of
discovering/fostering leaders for the revitalization of the area.
* The event started in the Ishinomaki area on the basis of the hot-spring exposition strategy,
which, as a local revitalization method, had achieved a number of results, and as part of
METI’s Project to Support the Transfer of Know-how of Social Businesses after the Great
East Japan Earthquake. It also imported know-how of Michikusa-komichi (a footpath for
strolling) practiced in Soja City, Okayama, from which the support lasted until March 2013.
 Overview of the first I’m in Love with Ishinomaki♡
festival
Schedule for the first event: February 1-17, 2013
26 experts offered programs to let people know about the charms of
Ishinomaki.
«Examples of programs»
 The Narrow Road to the North, Ishinomaki: Taking a walk through the port
city with Basho
 Mrs. Takeda’s original kimuchi in the Matsumae style
 I’m Going to Cook it Today: Cooking class to make Ishinomaki fried noodles
 Turning pieces of driftwood into a present for someone important
 Debut of everybody: Live in ☆Ishinomski
Website for reference: http://ishikoi.com
Please also refer to the attached guidebook.

5. Activities during the I’m in Love with
Ishinomaki♡ festival
Let’s become Sakana-kun (Mr.
Fish) of Miyagi
The sea off the shore of Miyagi is
world-famous for its abundance of
fish varieties, which makes you
feel like going diving.
Let’s make a cajon, Peruvian drum
Mr. Aonuma, is quite a famous cajon
maker. Participants made their own
cajon drum, which they played later.
Art on Ogatsu-ishi stone and
fresh seafood dish Ogatsu-ishi
stone seems to be famous
nationwide. After finishing drawing
on a piece of stone, participants
enjoyed a fresh bowl of seafood
and rice.
Basics of Japanese cuisine: How to
make a broth and cook rice
Rice produced in Miyagi is exquisite.
Participants learned the basics of
Japanese cuisine from a handsome
expert.
Weaving spring flowers: Saori
weaving experience
Participating children and adults were
conscientiously weaving textiles in
colors of their choice. It was a day
when they all experienced the charm of
Saori weaving.
Gift from the earth: making a
bracelet of power stones
Participants realized the mystery of
power stones - true cultural
exchange.
Japanese wrapping cloth and
(Japanese style) Neapolitan
spaghetti
Participants realized the many ways
Japanese wrapping cloths can be used,
and later enjoyed good-old (Japanese
style) Neapolitan spaghetti - a very
Japanese experience.
Computer-aided ornament
making
A collaborative program by two
experts, in which participants
made ornaments by using PCs to
operate embroidery machines

6. Concept illustration for
I’m in Love with Ishinomaki♡
Participants
 I’m surprised that Ishinomaki has so interesting things! Ishinomaki is
an exciting place. (Rediscovering local charms)
 I didn’t know that such cool people lived in Ishinmaki. I want to be a
cool person like them. (Rediscovering local charms)
 I shouldn’t be too nervous because of the small size. Maybe I will
participate as an expert next time. (Offering challenges)
 It’s fun to talk with someone new. We may share friends or maybe
hobbies. Sometimes talking to new people may lead to a reunion.
(Exchange)
 I find the event a very precious opportunity for our grandmother to go
out and stay healthy. (Measures for elderly people)
 People seem to love the new cake we introduced recently. Is there
any chance of commercializing it to make it a new specialty of
Ishinomaki. (Development of specialties of Ishinomaki)
 There are few places people can gather. How about opening a cafe
once in a week. (Starting a community cafe)
 There are a whole variety of hands-on programs and things that
seem interesting. Why don’t we visit Ishinomaki to check them out.
(Promotion of tourism)
 We can learn a lot while talking with those people. Is there anything
we can do together with them? (Collaboration)
 We want to attract and please more participants. Let’s explore
Ishinomaki more to find something interesting! (Rediscovering local
resources)
 This guidebook seems like a catalogue of the Ishinomaki local
people. You can deal with all kinds of situations, including
consultations, interviews and opinions. (Mass-circulation of a
guidebook)
Creation of community
businesses / social businesses，
and problem solving
Exchange / mutual support in the
community
Challenge / problem-solving community
Experts
Challenges / knowledge
about Ishinomaki
New
services

7. School for Human Resource Development &
Eyes for the Future
<Leading lecturers.>
<Reskilling for employment> <Practical training> <Graduation ceremony>
<Improve oneself from the inside>

8. Hand Craft Businesses

9. <Here comes the Yappesu!>
<Construction of recreational
fields / Play parks.>
<Umakko Farm / Mizunuki Farm>
<Kaisei/Minamizakai districts>
Support for the creation of
communities in temporary
housing

10. • Business support: 20 people
• Ishikoi: Total number of experts: 72 people
• School for human resource development:
50 people → Ten of them still work for reconstruction support organizations
• Eyes for the Future: 28 people
• Total number of people we supported through our coordination (including
participants in training sessions and study tours)
– Private sector: More than 2,500 people , Student sector: More than 600 people
– Matching: More than 200 cases
• Support for hand craft businesses
– Total number of people supported: 71
– Total amount of remuneration paid: 11,000,000 JPY
– Amanecer gross sales: 14,000,000 JPY
• Creation of communities: Total number of people supported
– Support for setting up temporary housing:
423 cases, 4,589 (615) people  4 community circles created
– Construction of recreational fields / play parks: 500 participants
– Umakko/Mizunuki Farms: 31 participants
<Projects to foster leaders for reconstruction>
<Support for those who need it>
Fostering
leaders for
reconstruction
Women’s
participation in
society
Major project
achievements
Reconstruction

11. There is still much more!

12. External supporters 2
Construction of the frameworks of
organizations / organizational
management
Corporations/NPOs/
Foundations, etc.
Administrative
bodies, etc.
External supporters 1
Business
plan/Implementation/Support
Mentoring
Transfer of know-how
Private supporters
Leaders for
reconstruction
Mothers participating
in various activities
We hope more people
will be interested in
Ishinomaki.
Expansion of woods
Networks of local mothers
O2 Dissemination of information /
accountability (Reporting,
contacting and consultation)
Communication skills
Expansion of
forests
Support for those
who need it

13. Strengths of the core group
• Founded by local
housewives and external
supporters with expertise.
• Can easily identify
sustainability/local needs.
Can easily construct good
relationships with the locals.
• Can communicate with
administrative bodies, local
people, external support
corporations / NPOs.
Accumulation of project
achievements
• Handle jobs that need to
be done with care and
without making much
fuss.
• Attitude of trying to learn
from other areas and
previous cases.
• Attitude of trying to look
ahead.
• Setting KPIs.
• Evaluation and
restructuring of projects
using PDCA.
Strengthening of
management
• Dissemination of
information
• Organizational
management
• Training camps/
Arrangement of
meetings
• Setting rules for the
organization
• Decision making
• Judicial Affairs/
Accounting/Labor
management
• Compliance
Expansion and deepening of
networks
• Construction of
relationships and mutual
trust with supporters.
Having them understand
the Yappesu philosophy,
asking for continuous
support and introduction of
other supporters.
• Have many personal
connections with NPOs and
reconstruction-supporting
organizations.
• Try to regard beneficiaries
(those who need support)
not as our clients, but as
our collaborators who can
contribute to our projects.
• Coordinate with relevant
organizations to solve local
problems.
Construction of Mutual Trust