In August 2024, the planted garden area surrounding the first floor of the Marubeni Building (the Tokyo Head Office), called Kurenai Grove,* was certified as an “Excellent Green Space” and registered in the “EDO-MIDORI Registered Green Spaces,” a native species planting registration system implemented by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
The “EDO-MIDORI Registered Green Spaces” is a system in which the government registers and publicizes green spaces where native species are actively planted along with the efforts being made to conserve biodiversity. Green spaces that are particularly excellent in terms of being considerate of the habitats of native fauna are registered as “Excellent Green Spaces.”
Kurenai Grove is a green space that was created to harmonize and connect with similar spaces in surrounding areas, such as the paths around the Imperial Palace and the Nihonbashi district. The space is a combination of high, overlapping tree canopies, which create a large foliage cover, with mid- to low-height shrubs and ground-level plants beneath them. Most of the plants are native Japanese species, such as the mochi tree (a species of holly) and the Japanese camellia, in consideration to native biodiversity. This layout aims to contribute to the formation of an ecological network connecting the Imperial Palace and surrounding green spaces.

Click here for more information on the EDO-MIDORI Registered Green Spaces.

*Fun fact: The name “Kurenai Grove” is actually a direct reference to Marubeni. The “beni” character (紅) used in Marubeni (丸紅) can also be read as “kurenai.” This character refers to a vibrant shade of red often used in Japanese textiles, Marubeni’s original industry. Today, many of the plants in Kurenai Grove live up to this name: their leaves, fruits, or flowers take turns displaying various shades of red throughout the year.

Since 2006, Marubeni has taken part in the annual tree thinning at the Kaminariki Forest Conservation Area in Ome, Tokyo. This activity is part of the “Tokyo Greenship Action” initiative, through which businesses, government and NPOs collaborate to conserve the precious forests and wooded areas that still remain in Tokyo.
In November 2023, 29 Marubeni Group employees, family members and friends helped to repair a mountain road which had suffered typhoon damage, as well as carrying out tree thinning.

Tokyo Greenship Action (Tokyo Metropolitan Environmental Bureau) (In Japanese Only)

In October 2024, 30 volunteers, consisting of Marubeni Group executives and employees and their families, gathered at Kounoyama in Kishiwada, Osaka, and took part in bamboo thinning and tree planting as well as boar-proof fence making activities under the guidance of members of the Kounoyama Conservation Club, an NPO.
Marubeni Osaka Branch joined Osaka Prefecture's Adopt-a-Forest, an afforestation and forest maintenance initiative, in 2006, and has participated in forest maintenance activities in Kounoyama since then, including signing a “Marubeni’s Forest” declaration in December 2011 together with Osaka Prefecture, Kishiwada City and Kounoyama Conservation Club. In December 2017, Marubeni received a letter of appreciation from Osaka Prefecture, in recognition of its long-term commitment to this initiative.

Adopt-a-Forest (Osaka Prefecture) (In Japanese Only)
Kounoyama Conservation Club (In Japanese Only)

Since 1998, we have been supporting the National Environmental Painting Contest for Elementary and Junior High School Students, organized by the National Association for Environmental Education in Elementary and Junior High Schools.
At the awards ceremony for the 26th contest, held in January 2024, the “Marubeni Special Prize” was presented to one winner each from the combined total of 4,679 entries fielded in the two divisions of elementary school students and junior high school students.

National Environmental Painting Contest for Elementary and Junior High School Students (In Japanese Only)