For nearly half a century, the Ashinaga Movement has striven to support orphaned students through education and engender yasashisa (優しさ), or compassion, across Japan.

At 2:46 PM on March 11th 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the northeastern coast of Japan, causing a major tsunami, vast damage to the Tohoku region, and nearly 16,000 deaths. Thousands of children lost their parents as a result.

Ashinaga responded immediately, establishing a regional office to aid those students who had lost parents in the catastrophe. Grand Circle Foundation donors gave over $173,000 to help support 2,083 orphaned students, giving them immediate financial stability in the wake of their loss. Ashinaga also built Rainbow Houses in the hard hit communities of Sendai City, Rikuzentakata and Ishinomaki, providing ongoing support to heal the trauma inflicted by the disaster.