Supporting Japanese Table Tennis Athletes with 'Nihon no Shoku' at the 2025 Europe Smash in Sweden

JA Zennoh Supports Japanese Table Tennis Representatives with 'Nihon no Shoku'

Starting on August 14, 2025, in Malmö, Sweden, the prestigious WTT Series event, the 2025 Europe Smash, will kick off. JA Zennoh is proud to support the Japanese table tennis representatives by providing them with 'Nihon no Shoku' (Japanese food) to ensure they can perform at their best while abroad.

To help the athletes maintain their usual performance levels, JA Zennoh offers a range of products primarily featured on their direct sales site, JA Town. These include polished rice, packaged rice meals, freeze-dried miso soup, rice side dishes, and treats from their product brand, 'Nihon Ale,' including dried fruits.

The 'WTT Grand Smash' is considered the pinnacle of the WTT series, and this marks the first time it will be hosted in Europe. Following events in Singapore and the USA in January and July respectively, this will be the third event of the year. In the recently held '2025 US Smash' in July, Tomokazu Harimoto from Toyota Motor Corporation achieved second place in men's singles, while Mima Ito from Start won third place in women's singles.

With this vital support, player Miwa Harimoto from the Kinoshita Group expressed her gratitude, stating, "I love white rice, and I cannot travel abroad without it. I make rice balls and pair them with JA Zennoh's miso soup, creating a familiar meal. This is essential for my performance abroad."

In the provided photo, the athletes' smiles shine through as they hold their 'Nihon no Shoku' meals, including athletes like Tomokazu Harimoto and other team members such as Teikou Matsushima, Junpei Togami, and Daiki Shinozuka (photo credit: Japan Table Tennis Association).

Supplies Offered

JA Zennoh equipped the athletes with the following food items:

- Packet rice (Agricultural Cooperatives)
- Sprouted brown rice in packets
- Polished rice from JA Town
- Freeze-dried miso soup
- Various types of Ise tea bags
- Kelp seasoning
- Table seasoned nori
- Instant rice
- Assorted rice for disaster preparedness
- Vegetable curry rice for disaster preparedness
- Mushroom rice for disaster preparedness
- Pickled plums (Kishu Nanko plums, honeymade plums)
- 'Nihon Ale' dried sweet potatoes
- 'Nihon Ale' dried fruits (various)

Athletes' Comments

Daito Shinozuka from Aichi Institute of Technology shared, "I appreciate the support with food. When on tour, I often desire Japanese meals, and having this support is very comforting. Eating Japanese food makes a noticeable difference in my performance. I snack on dried sweet potatoes between matches and rely on easy-to-make alpha rice and miso soup during the unpredictable schedule of competitions."

Miwa Harimoto added, "Thank you for the generous food support! I absolutely love white rice, and it's indispensable during my overseas journeys. I strive to prepare rice balls and traditional meals while experiencing different local environments. The variety of dried fruits adds delightful textures and flavors to my diet. I'll do my best in the matches with the energizing power of rice!"

Additionally, you can follow JA Zennoh's sports support initiatives through their X account, @zennoh_sports, which shares valuable information related to sports and how they back athletes through food.

Since 2019, recognizing the challenges that Japanese representatives face with unfamiliar food environments and sanitary conditions overseas, JA Zennoh has actively utilized its international network to support dietary needs during competitions. They have been consistent supporters of teams, including table tennis and curling representatives.

Going forward, JA Zennoh is committed to supporting table tennis through 'Nihon no Shoku'.

Event Overview

- Event Name: 2025 Europe Smash (Sweden)
- Dates: August 14, 2025 - August 24, 2025
- Participants (in alphabetical order):

- Men's: Yukiya Uda (Kyowa Kirin), Daito Shinozuka (Aichi Institute of Technology), Yuta Tanaka (Kanazawa Port), Junpei Togami (Imuraya Group), Tomokazu Harimoto (Toyota Motor Corporation), Teikou Matsushima (Kinoshita Group)
- Women's: Mima Ito (Start), Satuki Ohtori (Miki House), Miyu Nagasaki (Kinoshita Abiel Kanagawa), Honoka Hashimoto (Denso Polaris), Hina Hayata (Nippon Life), Miwa Harimoto (Kinoshita Group)