From Local Communities to the World: Japan Wagamama Awards 2026 Announced
The Japan Wagamama Awards 2026 invites teenagers to take their own or their loved ones’ “hidden wishes” (Wagamama) and transform them into apps and community projects that improve local communities.
IRODORI Inc. (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo) will host the Japan Wagamama Awards 2026 in partnership with the App Inventor Foundation (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA), with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and municipalities across Japan.
The Awards invite teenagers to take their own or their loved ones’ hidden “wishes” as a starting point, and turn them into apps and community projects that aim to improve local society. Finalists will present their work at the national event in Tokyo in February 2026. The Grand Prize winners, with sponsorship support, will travel to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the summer of 2026 to present their projects in English on a global stage.
Challenging the World, While Being Supported Locally
Japan’s regional communities are undergoing rapid change due to population decline and aging. Many young people are experiencing school closures and fewer opportunities for extracurricular activities, losing environments that previous generations once took for granted. Youth outmigration from rural areas continues to rise.
We believe that in order to create regions where young people and women want to stay and live, communities must become places where young people are supported locally while having the chance to take on global challenges.
About the Japan Wagamama Awards
Wagamama Award participants received guidance from mentors and experts.
The Japan Wagamama Awards is a hands-on inquiry program where teenagers start from their own or a loved one’s “Wagamama” (a heartfelt wish) to identify social issues and design solutions through app development. With the support of local adults and experts, participants create prototypes and, after the selection process, present their work at the national finals held in Tokyo in February 2026.
Outstanding projects will earn the opportunity to present in English on the global stage at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the summer of 2026.
Track Record: International Recognition in 2025
The inaugural Japan Wagamama Awards 2025 was held in February 2025, with Grand Prizes awarded to two junior high school girls from Higashikagura Town, Hokkaido, and Moka City, Tochigi Prefecture.
In July 2025, they traveled to MIT and competed in the Global AI Hackathon Final Showcase & Awards at the MIT AI & Education Summit. One student from Moka City received the Community Impact Award, demonstrating to the world how a “wish from just one person” could inspire communities and drive real change. Their projects, including local pilot programs and partnerships with municipal governments, have attracted attention in Japan and abroad.
Grand Prize winners Sara Fukunaga and Hanna Sano of the Japan Wagamama Award 2025 with IRODORI Inc. staff at the MIT AI & Education Summit 2025.
Schedule (subject to change)
Eligibility
Youth aged 12–19 as of February 2026. Individual or team entries (up to 4 members). No prior app development experience required. Participation in a regional or online workshop is mandatory.
What “Wagamama” Means
In daily life, Wagamama refers to the small wishes we often give up on or keep hidden — things we silently endure but quietly hope could change. Originally written as “waga-mama” the word meant “as one is, natural, true.”
In societies where conformity is valued, individual wishes have often been left unspoken. At Wagamama Lab, we redefine Wagamama not as selfishness, but as the starting point for noticing your true feelings, sparking empathy, and taking action.
Previous Impact Example
Hanna Sano, Grand Prize winner of the Wagamama Award 2025, received the Community Impact Award at the Global AI Hackathon Final Showcase & Awards during the MIT AI & Education Summit 2025.
In 2025, a junior high school student from Moka City developed an app called “ChoCook”, designed to reduce household food waste by suggesting recipes based on available ingredients — motivated by the wish to make her busy mother’s meal preparation easier. This project won the Community Impact Award at the Global AI Hackathon.
What began with just three participants in a local workshop grew into a final report meeting attended by 130 citizens, showing how one teenager’s wish, supported by the community, could spark a wave of local engagement and pride.
Supporting Organizations (as of September 4, 2025)
Co-organizer:
App Inventor Foundation
Endorsed by:
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan
Tochigi Prefecture, Utsunomiya City, Utsunomiya Board of Education
Hannan City (Osaka Prefecture), Tsumagoi Village (Gunma Prefecture)
Partner Organization
NPO TOSS
Organizer
IRODORI Inc.
About IRODORI Inc.
IRODORI Inc. envisions creating communities where everyone can pursue challenges that reflect their own unique “color.”
The company works with municipalities and corporations nationwide to co-create new value and develop systems that address social issues. Initiatives include:
Local Dialogue: Tools enabling citizens to participate in policy-making
Wagamama Lab: A program where residents develop apps to solve local issues
Digital Talent Development
Community-building internships and training for Regional Revitalization Cooperation Team
Media Inquiries
Japan Wagamama Awards Secretariat / IRODORI Inc.
Contact: Takei
TEL: +81-3-6823-0836
Email: jwa@irodori-group.jp
Website: https://irodori-group.jp/
The original version of this article has been edited for length and clarity. To learn more about the Japan Wagamama Awards 2026, visit https://awards.wagamamalab.jp/2026