Creating Meals Together, One "Itadakimasu" at a Time: Conducting a Pilot Experiment of "JRE Kids' Cafeteria"

○ East Japan Railway Company (hereinafter "JR East") and Gigi Inc. (hereinafter "Gigi"), an awardee of the "12th JR East Startup Program," will jointly conduct a pilot experiment of the "JRE Kids' Cafeteria" at Shapo Ichikawa, Shapo Motoyawata, Fukushima Station West Exit Power City Pivot, and Espal Fukushima, together with JR East Urban Development Corporation, JR East Tohoku General Service Co., Ltd., Sendai Terminal Building Co., Ltd., and JR East Startup Corporation.

○ "JRE Kids' Cafeteria" is the collective name for children's cafeterias operated by the JR East Group. In this initiative at station-based commercial facilities, digital meal tickets will be distributed using the system of Gigi's service "Kodomo Gochimeshi," funded by points donated by JRE POINT members. Through this scheme, meals will be delivered to children in local communities from restaurants within the station commercial facilities. This marks the second pilot experiment following last winter, aiming to verify and improve the model toward building a sustainable system.

○ This initiative is part of JR East's "HAPPY CHILD PROJECT," aiming to support children by providing monitored community spaces and enriching mealtime experiences through food, while promoting child-rearing support in collaboration with local communities.

1. Overview of the Pilot Experiment of "JRE Kids' Cafeteria" at Station Commercial Facilities

Digital meal tickets, issued through Gigi's "Kodomo Gochimeshi" system funded by points donated by JRE POINT members, will be distributed so that local children can enjoy meals at designated restaurants within station commercial facilities.

(1) Period: August 3 (Mon), 2026 – August 31 (Mon), 2026 (planned)

(2) Locations: 1 Greater Tokyo Area – Shapo Ichikawa / Shapo Motoyawata

2 Fukushima Area – Fukushima Station West Exit Power City Pivot / Espal Fukushima

(3) Participating Stores: Designated stores within the above commercial facilities, for dine-in and takeout

(4) Eligibility: Children in junior high school or below residing in 1 Ichikawa City or 2 Fukushima City. (Note: Meal costs for accompanying guardians are not covered.)

(5) Offering: Digital meal tickets (1,000 yen per child per use)

※ Registration with "Kodomo Gochimeshi" is required to use the service. Tickets are valid for one transaction of 1,000 yen or more per visit. There is a limit on the number of uses per person during the period. Priority access is provided to children from families in greater need.

※ Detailed URL: https://jre-kodomoshokudo.kodomo-gochimeshi.org/

※ Station and station commercial facility representatives (from left: Ichikawa Station, Motoyawata Station, Fukushima Station)

2. About the JRE POINT Donation Program

Starting today, donations of JRE POINTs to the "JRE Kids' Cafeteria" will be accepted via the product exchange page on the JRE POINT website. All donated points will be fully allocated to children's meals through Gigi's "GOCHI Platform." The effectiveness and sustainability of this system will be evaluated within the everyday commuter environment of station-connected commercial facilities.

Donation URL: https://www.jrepoint.jp/item/26000173/

Donation Period: June 29 (Mon), 2026 – July 28 (Tue), 2026 (planned)

※ This initiative is funded by donations from JRE POINT members as well as contributions from JR East.

3. Mechanism of the Station-Based Commercial Facility Kids' Cafeteria

Points donated by JRE POINT members are converted into digital meal tickets via Gigi's "GOCHI Platform." Children registered with "Kodomo Gochimeshi" can present their digital meal tickets at checkout after dining at designated stores within the commercial facilities.

[Concept Diagram of the System]

※ The above is an illustrative image.

※ Registration with "Kodomo Gochimeshi" is required to use the service.

※ Guardians must complete identity verification for their children via a dedicated website. Please allow approximately seven days from verification to service activation.

※ "Kodomo Gochimeshi" is a service that turns local restaurants into "children's cafeterias," allowing children to visit at their preferred times and days. (See [Reference] for details.)

4. Future Vision for "JRE Kids' Cafeteria"

"JRE Kids' Cafeteria" is the umbrella name for children's cafeteria initiatives by the JR East Group. To increase public awareness, a new visual identity representing the JRE Kids' Cafeteria concept has been developed and will be rolled out progressively. This station-based commercial facility initiative is the second pilot following the experiment at "Beans Musashichuon." Building on previous results, JR East Group and Gigi aim to establish a community co-creation model through continuous expansion and strengthened local partnerships. Together, they will expand initiatives leveraging station hubs and community connections to help build a society more supportive of child-rearing.

Reference

◾️ JR East Group "HAPPY CHILD PROJECT"

The JR East Group supports work-life balance and contributes to local communities by developing childcare facilities such as nurseries and hosting family-friendly events primarily in the Greater Tokyo area. Moving forward, the group will continue addressing diverse child-rearing needs and work toward creating railway communities where everyone can live comfortably.

URL: https://www.jreast.co.jp/kosodate/

◾️ JRE POINT

"JRE POINT" is JR East Group's unified point program that allows users to earn and redeem points across various daily scenarios by linking services such as Mobile Suica, Ekinet, and View Card.

URL: https://www.jrepoint.jp/

JRE POINT members can donate their accumulated points via the product exchange page on the JRE POINT website.

Product Exchange Page URL: https://www.jrepoint.jp/item/list/

◾️ JR East Startup Program

This program invites business and service proposals from startups and innovators that utilize JR East's operational resources and data assets related to stations, railways, and group businesses, then supports their refinement and implementation. First launched in 2017, the program has selected 149 proposals to date. The 2026 Spring Program is currently closed for applications, and selection is underway. The program received the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 1st Japan Open Innovation Awards hosted by the Cabinet Office in 2018, and the Minister of the Environment Award at the 3rd edition in 2020.

URL: https://jrestartup.co.jp/program/

◾️ Gigi Inc.

Gigi Inc. operates under the philosophy "Your Happiness is My Happiness" and provides the "GOCHI Platform," which issues pay-it-forward style digital meal tickets. Through services such as "Kodomo Gochimeshi" and "Shakushoku Gochimeshi," Gigi aims to create a kind system connecting people, restaurants, and communities, fostering a new social value where the spirit of giving circulates throughout society.

URL: https://www.gigi.tokyo/

◾️ What is "Kodomo Gochimeshi"?

"Kodomo Gochimeshi" transforms local restaurants into "children's cafeterias" to deliver meals to children from families in need. By connecting donors, restaurants, and children through digital tickets, it addresses common challenges faced by traditional children's cafeterias—such as lack of volunteers, irregular operating hours, and insufficient funding—while establishing a sustainable, mutually beneficial model that benefits all three parties: local restaurants, children, and donors.

URL: https://kodomo-gochimeshi.org/