Kawasho Foods was a Gold Sponsor at the thirteenth Nippon IT Charity Ekiden held in Tokyo on November 10, providing the top teams with Nozaki’s Corned Beef as a prize.

The Nippon IT Charity Ekiden—first was organized in 2010 by Executive Committee Chair Chuck Wilson—has the goal of supporting people unable to find employment due to depression, social withdrawal, and other mental health challenges. This year marked the thirteenth edition of the event. Participants in the running event were free to chase a fast time with friends, jog while enjoying the scenery of Odaiba, or enjoy running in a costume. The event also featured a baseball clinic, dance stage and other attractions for people to enjoy even if they were not running.

The Nippon IT Charity Ekiden theme is as follows: “Through the sport of ekiden, participants support and encourage each other toward a similar goal, aiming to support young people who are our future, connect, and help them overcome the challenges facing them.”

This year’s event drew more than 5,000 people, including 572 teams, 2,860 runners, over 300 volunteers and staff, and spectators.

Kawasho Foods provided 216 cans of Nozaki’s Corned Beef as one of the prizes. That put smiles on the faces of the top teams when they received this popular product from Kawasho, a company known for making “great food” connections.

As the finishing order was announced, the judges read the contents of each team’s prize package. Nearly all of them included Nozaki’s Corned Beef, helping to raise awareness of the product.

Kawasho Foods will continue to create smiles by providing safe, delicious and high-quality foods.