Community News and Activities Archives (LINK)
9/26/2024posted – Movie – Carving the Divine
Saturday September 28, 2024 – 3pm @ SACBC
- More Info
9/16/2023posted – Kintsukuroi (2024) Movie – East Bay Showing
Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT
- The Chabot Theater
2853 Castro Valley Blvd
Castro Valley, CA 94546
- More Information & Ticket Purchase (Link)
A portion of the proceeds support the Eden Township JACL & the Eden Japanese Community Center (ETJCC).
Movie Preview (Link)
KINTSUKUROI – Movie
n.
1. the Japanese art of repairing pottery using gold
2. the strength and beauty found in something that has been broken
The philosophy of KINTSUKUROI shows us that something shattered can be restored and made stronger and more beautiful. The term is an apt metaphor for the Japanese American experience of WWII.
Forced from their homes, farms and businesses, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly imprisoned simply because of their race. Our new feature-length film KINTSUKUROI follows the Ito family from pre-war San Francisco to the concentration camps of the American West to the battlefields of Europe as it endures one of the most shameful periods in American History.
9/7/2024posted – Topaz Stories Exhibits and Events
September 22 – December 13, 2024 @ J-Sei
Event LinkWhile a few of the stories in this exhibit were displayed in the Utah State Capitol in 2022, all are being exhibited in California for the first time. The stories provide intensely personal accounts of the forced removal; daily camp life; the dispersal of the Japanese American community through the resettlement program; the heroism of Nisei soldiers with families incarcerated behind barbed wire; the challenges of returning to California after the War; and the impact of the camp experience on survivors and subsequent generations, decades later… Event Link
8/4/2024posted – Good Carma Car Show – Palo Alto
Saturday September 21, 2024
8/4/2024 Shichi-Go-San Photo Session
Flyer Link8/31/2024posted – Pardon Lam Hong Rally – Septermber 13, 2024
8/27/2024posted – Midori Kai Arts & Crafts Boutique
PDF Flyer7/3/2024 – The Center Newsletter
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6/19/2024 – American Bon Odori:
Dancing in Joy and Remembrance
Posted – 6/19/2024 Soy Festival
Saturday June 22, 2024
5/5/2024 – The Center – San Francisco
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VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024
Time: 10:00am-2:00pm
Location: Japanese Cemetery, 1300 Hillshire Blvd., Colma, CA 94014
The Center) is holding our annual youth and family community Clean Up Day at the historical Japanese Cemetery in Colma this Saturday. Thank you to all of the volunteers from the community who have signed up to help at this year’s annual clean up!
Monthly Kabuki Theatre Appreciation Class with JETAANC
Next Class Date: Thursday, May 23, 2024
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: The Center
Fees: Free Admission
Interested in Japanese Kabuki theatre? Learn why millions have come to love the drama, spectacle, and beauty of this powerful theatre tradition. The class is free and open to the public. Feel free to bring snacks. All ages welcome!
CHANGE OF CLASS DATES MAY – JULY
Please note our class dates for May – July have changed. Classes will be held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, Thursday, June 13, 2024 and Friday, July 12, 2024. Our normal monthly class schedule will resume in August (every 3rd Thursday of the month). Please contact us at programsevents@jcccnc.org with any questions.
Okaeri Norcal – Japantown LGBTQ+ Pre-Pride Potluck
Date: Saturday, May 25, 2024
Time: 12:00pm-3:00pm
Location: The Center
Fees: Free!
The Center is teaming up once again with Okaeri to co-host a fun potluck to kick off your Pride month celebrations! Come out to meet other Nikkei LGBTQ+ folks and allies from around the Bay Area, and enjoy some great food as we connect and look forward to the rest of the month’s Pride events.
Washi Ningyo June Workshops
Date: Saturday, June 1 and June 22, 2024
Time: 9:30am-1:30pm
Location: The Center
Fees: $45 Members / $55 Non-members
Explore the art of Japanese paper doll making at the Center’s Washi Ningyo Workshop with our instructors Yuri Nakamura and Rochelle Lum! Our instructors will teach you the step-by-step process in creating a beautiful doll using only paper and simple materials. Complete doll kits included with registration.
Summer Kaiseki Virtual Cooking Workshop
Date: Saturday, June 1, 2024
Time: 11:00am-1:30pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Fees: $25 Members / $30 Non-members
Learn how to make traditional Japanese kaiseki dishes perfect for the summer with us online at our next virtual cooking workshop! Instructors Larry Sokyo Tiscornia and Kimika Soko Takechi will show you how to make their carefully curated summer menu which will feature the traditional meal format of ichiju sansai, consisting of one soup, three dishes and rice.
Japanese Knife Sharpening Workshop
Date: Sunday, June 2, 2024
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm
Location: The Center
Fees: $95 Members / $110 Non-members
Learn how to properly maintain and care for your highest quality Japanese kitchen knives with Josh Donald, co-founder of Bernal Cutlery! You’ll learn the process of sharpening a Japanese chef knife on a Japanese whetstone from start to finish, and all students will be provided both knives and stones to use during class. No previous experience is required and all are welcome.
Hapi Coat 2-Part Sewing Workshop
Date: Thursdays, June 6 and June 20, 2024 (SOLD OUT); July 16 and 30, 2024
Time: 6:00pm-9:00pm
Location: The Center
Fees: $125 Members / $140 Non-members
Learn how to sew your own hapi coat to wear to community festivals, obon dances and other cultural events! Our instructor Katie Furukawa will show you how to properly measure, mark and cut, and then sew together a hapi coat pattern. All supplies and materials will be provided.
Introduction to Yosakoi Dance Workshop
Date: Friday, June 7, 2024
Time: 7:00pm-9:00pm
Location: The Center
Fees: Free, RSVP required
Yosakoi is an energetic dance style from Kochi, Japan that combines traditional dance movements with modern music. Join Ito Yosakoi either in-person OR virtually as we dance yosakoi together! This summer workshop is a great introduction to the dance form for those interested in trying it for the first time. No dance experience is necessary to join.
Dinkin’ at the Center Pickleball Tournament
Date: Saturday, June 15, 2024
Times: Division 1 – Intermediate Women: 9:00am – 12:00pm (SOLD OUT)
Division 2 – Intermediate Women 12:00pm – 3:00pm
Division 3 – Intermediate Men: 3:00pm – 6:00pm (SOLD OUT)
Location: The Center’s Gymnasium
Fees: $20 Members / $25 Non-members
Sign up for the Center’s first ever pickleball tourney! Meet new people, catch up with old friends, and have a great time! Almost all spots are filled, but there are still spots open in the afternoon intermediate women’s division.
Valorant Summer Showdown E-Sports Tournament
Date: Saturday, June 15, 2024
Time: 12:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Online
Fees: $20 Lower Division/ $30 Upper Division
The Center Gaming is excited to announce our upcoming Summer Showdown for Valorant players! The tournament offers an upper division open to players ranked Immortal and below for more competitive players, and a lower division for more casual players ranked platinum and lower (Current episode peak). Tournament limited to 4 teams per division on a first come first served basis, so gather your friends and sign up your team!
Stay informed of our gaming events and join our online community on the Center Gaming Discord Server.
The Healing Art of Kintsugi Virtual Craft Workshop
Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024
Time: 1:00pm-3:00pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Fees: $75 Members / $85 Non-members
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by joining the broken pieces together with lacquer coated in gold. This technique creates a transformed piece of pottery with the golden seams of the repaired cracks becoming part of the design, highlighting the beauty in the imperfections and flaws of the repaired item.
Gunpla Hobby Kit Social
Date: Sunday, June 23, 2024
Time: 12:00pm-2:00pm
Location: The Center
Fees: $25 Members / $30 Non-members
The Center is excited to announce a new Gunpla Social event! On June 23rd, join the community in building your very own gunpla model and meeting new people! We’ll have 3 different models available and are given out on a first come first serve basis. No experience required and there will be experienced builders available to help! This event is for ages 14+, participants 13 or younger must be accompanied by a guardian or adult.
Community Kitchen Natsumatsuri Summer Festival Dinner
Date: Sunday, June 30, 2024
Time: 3:00pm-7:00pm
Location: The Center
Fees: $20 Members / $25 Non-members
Join us for our next Community Kitchen night! Community Kitchen is organized by volunteers to bring members of the community together to learn how to cook Japanese and Japanese American family recipes and to share a multi-generational communal dinner.
Natsumatsuri Summer Festival menu:
- Nanban Fried Chicken
- Tenzaru Soba
- Japanese Potato Salad
- Broccoli and Shrimp Salad
- Green Bean Gomae
- Kakigori Shaved Ice
- Drinks BYOB – Bring Something to Share!
Volunteer Opportunities
Join our Japantown Community Volunteers Facebook Group!
Stay informed and get involved! The Center invites you to join our Japantown Community Volunteers Facebook group, where you’ll receive announcements for upcoming volunteer opportunities at the Center and throughout the Japantown community!
JOIN JAPANTOWN COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS FACEBOOK GROUP
New Class and Workshop Instructors Wanted
The Center is always looking to expand the classes and workshops that we offer to the community. If you or anyone you know may be interested in sharing your passion, skills and talents with the community, let us know! From arts and crafts, cooking, Japanese cultural arts, music, sports and other recreational activities, we’d love to work with you! E-mail us at programsevents@jcccnc.org.
Special Events and Promotions
New Student Membership Price
We’re lowering our membership price for students! Become a member and enjoy discounted rates on the Center’s programs and activities!
Join today at: www.jcccnc.org/membership
2024 SF Giants Games with the Center
Get your Giants game tickets with the Center this season!
The Center would like to invite community members to join us for select games at discounted prices, with even more savings for Center Members*:
VS. THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS – Friday, June 28, 7:15 PM
- See Shohei Ohtani – 2023 AL MVP and phenom pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Click here to purchase View Reserve tickets
The Center still has tickets available for the following special event games at discounted rates:
• Peanuts Night vs. the Houston Astros – Monday, June 10, 6:45 PM
• Pixar Day vs. the Los Angeles Angels – Sunday, June 16, 1:05 PM
• Star Wars Day vs. the Detroit Tigers – Sunday, August 11, 1:05 PM
• Harry Potter Night vs. the Chicago White Sox – Monday, August 19, 6:45 PM
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE GIANTS SPECIAL EVENT GAME TICKETS
*If you aren’t a member, you can join today (click here) to take advantage of the discount. Please contact Membership Coordinator Julianne Ho at jho@jcccnc.org if you have any questions!
Ongoing Classes and Programs
60 and Over Basketball Open Gym Fridays
(For Members Only)
Date: Fridays
Time: 9:00am – 11:00am
Location: The Center
Fees: Free Admission,
Over 60 and looking for ways to stay active? Come and get some exercise, work on your shooting, dribbling, and practice your trick shots at our 60 and over open gym on Friday mornings!
Weekly Tai Chi Class
Date: Sundays
Time: 11:00am – 12:30pm
Location: The Center
Fees: $10 Drop-In Members / $13 Drop-In General Public; $35 Monthly Members / $45 Monthly General Public,
Improve your balance, strength and mental clarity with the serene exercises of Tai Chi at our newest weekly class with instructor Rei Den. Class taught in Japanese with English interpreter.
Shamisen Lessons
Learn the classical Japanese 3-stringed shamisen with Master (Shihan 師範) Hidekyouharu Fujimoto! Group lessons for the shamisen are held on Monday evenings for up to 5 students. Private lessons for individual students also available. Rental shamisen instruments are available to borrow directly from the instructor.
Weekly Shamisen Lessons at the Center:
Group Lessons (up to 5 students)
Mondays, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Member Fee: $35/lesson
Non-Member Fee: $40/lesson
Private Lessons
Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and
8:00pm – 9:00pm
Thursdays, 7:00pm – 8:00pm and
8:00pm-9:00pm (alternating weeks)
Member Fee: $40/lesson
Non-Member Fee: $45/lesson
Practice Room – 1 hr. Rental
Subject to availability. Please e-mail us at programsevents@jcccnc.org to make a reservation.
Room Rental: $20/hr
LEARN MORE REGISTER TODAY
Koto Lessons
Learn the koto, the classical stringed Japanese instrument similar to a harp, with Grand Master (Dai-Shihan 大師範) Kazuma Ishikawa! Group lessons for the koto are held weekly on Monday evenings and every other week on Thursday evenings for up to 5 students. Private lessons for individual students also available. Koto instruments are available to borrow directly from the Center and instructor. Students must provide their own finger picks (about $40-60). Students may rent a koto for 1 hour practice sessions for an additional $10.
Weekly Koto Lessons at the Center:
Group Lessons (up to 5 students)
Koto Group 1 (weekly)
Mondays, 8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Member Fee: $35/lesson
Non-Member Fee: $40/lesson
Koto Group 2 (every other week)
Thursdays, 8:00pm-9:00pm (alternating weeks)
Member Fee: $35/lesson
Non-Member Fee: $40/lesson
Private Lessons
Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and
8:00pm – 9:00pm
Thursdays, 7:00pm – 8:00pm and
8:00pm-9:00pm (alternating weeks)
Member Fee: $40/lesson
Non-Member Fee: $45/lesson
Practice Room – 1 hr. Rental
Subject to availability. Please e-mail us at programsevents@jcccnc.org to make a reservation.
Room Rental: $20/hr
Koto Rental: $10/hr
LEARN MORE REGISTER TODAY
Pickleball Open Gym
Join us on one of our three indoor courts, play a pickup game with friends, or work on your skills with other community members. Get active while meeting new friends and seeing familiar faces from the community.
Weekly Pickleball Hours at the Center:
Mondays 12:00pm – 4:00pm
($4 Members / $6 General Public)
Wednesdays 10:00am – 12:00pm
($3 Members / $5 General Public)
Thursdays 12:00pm – 3:00pm
($4 Members / $6 General Public)
Saturdays 10:00am – 12:00pm
($3 Members / $5 General Public)
Line Dancing
Date: Fridays
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Instructor: Darlene Masamori
Fees: $4 Center Members / $5 General Public
Practice your smooth moves to R&B and pop music while keeping in shape and making new friends. This fun, low-impact class is open to all, no dance experience required.
Sr. Chair Aerobics Virtual Class
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4/26/2024 – Lost Kinj0
4/7/2024posted – Giants – Japanese Heritage Night
Friday May 17th, 2024
4/6/2024 – Advancing Democracy – Minoru Yasui Day
4/28/2024 – Eden JACL Bento Sale
Online Ordering (LINK)
Printable Order Form (LINK)
3/8/2024posted – Berkeley Buddhist Temple – “Impermanence is a part of Life” Seminar
“Impermanence is a part of Life” Seminar
March 17 from 12pm – 2pm (PT)
YouTube Presentation
Presented on YouTube. (LINK)
3/8/2024 – May We Gather
Saturday March 16, 2024
A National Buddhist Memorial Ceremony For Asian American Ancestors
More Information (LINK)
3/8/2024 posted – Meeting the Moment
Saturday March 30, 2024
A Discussion on Interfaith Work in Addressing and Resisting Genocide
More Information (Link)
4/21/2024 – Carving the Divine – Film Screening
More Info
3/23-24/2024 – Japanese Hidden Treasurers Sale – Buddhist Temple of Alameda
3/9/2024 Colors of the Infinite – Contemporary Buddhist Art
3/2/2024 – Why Balance Is a Predictor of Longevity
Speaker: Karen Owoc, ACSM-CEP, ACSM/CEP-CET
Saturday March 2 – Hybrid Meeting
(In Person and on Zoom)
In-person: Meet at 9:30 AM. Program 10:00-11:30 AM
Zoom room will open at 10:00 AM. Click here to join us.
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2/21/2024 – An Interfaith Vigil of Compassion & Solidarity
2/11/2024 (posted) Carrying the Light for Justice
More Information (LINK)
2/11/2024 (posted) – Japanese Heritage Night – Giants vs Dodgers Game – Friday May 17, 2024
More Information (LINK)
2/11/2024 (posted) – Bazaar – Berkeley Higashi Buddhist Church
Bazaar March 3, 2024
Flyer (Link)2/1/2024 (posted)- KQED Interview:
4/6/2023 – Bay Area Teacher on Growing Up ‘Multiracial Japanese American’ — and Why Ethnic Studies Matters – Joemy Ito-Gates
“Woman. Daughter Adoptee. AIDS Orphan. Hapa. Japanese-American. Asian. Asian-American. Queer Musician. Writer. Martial Artist. Alive.” Those are the words a 21-year-old Joemy Ito-Gates wrote below a photograph of her taken by artist Kip Fulbeck as part of his photography project documenting mixed-race people…. (KQED LINK)
Note: Joemy is an active member of the BCO community.
1/31/2024 – Topaz Stories Team
(1): Infant on the bed. Collage by Jeanie Kashima, 2021. Courtesy of Jeanie Kashima. (2): Michi Mukai with friends in Topaz concentration camp, 1943. Courtesy of Michi Mukai. (3): The expanding fireball and shockwave of the Trinity explosion, seen .025 seconds after detonation on July 16, 1945. U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Topaz Collages are now on exhibit at J-Sei in Emeryville, CA. Textile artist Jeanie Kashima shares a collection of collages that she created incorporating family photos taken in Topaz. The exhibit is from January 22 – March 30, 2024, with an artist talk on March 16 at 2 pm. Gallery hours at J-Sei are MWF 10-1 and TTh 1-5. Read Jeanie’s story “Topaz Birth” on our website.
2. Wait list for “Topaz Stories: Through the Eyes of Children” at Rosie the Riveter Visitors’ Center, Richmond, CA, Feb. 24, 2024, 1-3 pm. Registration is full, but our sponsors are seeking a larger venue. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please email us at topazstories@gmail.com. We will contact you if seats become available. (Admission is free.)
3. Jan. 27 is a National Day of Remembrance for Downwinders of atomic testing. Downwinders are people who lived downwind from the nuclear tests conducted from 1945 at the Trinity site in New Mexico to the Nevada tests in the 1950s and 1960s. The high exposure to radiation wiped out generations of families due to cancer and other radiation-inked illnesses. The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), initially passed in 1990, provides compensation to some downwinders of the Nevada test site, but the Trinity downwinders have never been acknowledged or compensated by the government. RECA expires this year. For more information, follow these links: The Atomic Bomb’s First Victims Were in New Mexico and Extend and Expand RECA.
The Topaz Stories Team
Contact us if you have a Topaz Story to share.
Follow us on Instagram @topazstories
From the lack of baby food to corruption in the mess hall and the lack of medical supplies, Topaz was rife with conflict for those who spoke up.
(L): The Minamotos in Topaz with baby Gay, 1943. Courtesy of Gay Kapan. (R): The Topaz Buddhist Church in Block 17, 1944.In Part 4 of Harue Minamoto’s Topaz memoir, she recounts her and her husband’s involvement in all of the above and the price they paid for speaking out.
Read “Dust-up in the Desert.”
If you missed parts 1-3 of Harue’s memoir:Part 1: Forced Removal
Part 2: Tanforan
Part 3: First Winter in TopazThe Topaz Stories TeamContact us if you have a Topaz Story to share.
Follow us on Instagram @topazstories
1-25-2024(posted) – Tule Lake Pilgrimage 2024
2024 Tule Lake Pilgrimage Press Release
2024 Tule Lake Pilgrimage ~
Reframing The Narrative
Dates: Friday, July 5 through Monday, July 8, 2024
Registration forms posted February 19 at www.tulelake.org
The Tule Lake Committee announces an in-person Tule Lake Pilgrimage this July 5-8, 2024. Registration materials will be posted on February 19, 2024 at: www.tulelake.org.
“We look forward to seeing old and new friends at the 2024 pilgrimage to Tule Lake,” pilgrimage chair, Hiroshi Shimizu said. “However, we continue to face challenges caused by the persistence of COVID. With masking, vaccinations and testing, we can protect one another and have another ‘best ever’ pilgrimage.”
The number of spaces for 2024 pilgrims is also impacted by COVID, as those registered for the 2020 pilgrimage canceled due to COVID, were offered pre-registration in 2024. They have until January 31 to complete registration and payment if they wish to join the 2024 pilgrimage.
Remaining spaces in the 2024 pilgrimage community will be prioritized for survivors and descendants of Tule Lake and those who want to help preserve the historic Tule Lake Segregation Center site. Tule Lake is unique among the 10 WRA concentration camps, converted into the only maximum-security segregation center used to imprison and punish over 12,000 Japanese Americans who said ‘no’ to America’s injustice.
“In today’s political climate, Tule Lake is evidence of the threat to democracy caused by racist, anti-immigrant hysteria and greed,” says Shimizu. “This is a sacred place that tells an American story of protest against injustice, a place that should be cherished — not bulldozed, fenced off and erased.”
2024 Tule Lake Pilgrimage Registration
Pilgrimage registration forms will be posted on the www.tulelake.org website on February 19 and should be completed and snail-mailed. Payment is by check only. The registration fee is $650 per person. For those needing assistance, we offer grants that will defray up to $300 of the registration fee. The registration fee is all-inclusive and covers charter bus transportation, lodging, meals and all activities during the four-day pilgrimage.
If you lack internet access and need registration forms mailed to you, or if you want more information, contact Hiroshi Shimizu, cell: 415-317-2686 or email: hshimizu@pacbell.net
We expect registration to fill very quickly this year, and encourage families of survivors and descendants of Tule Lake and those who share our passion to preserve Tule Lake’s social justice history, to complete their registrations promptly.
Pilgrimage Details
Pilgrimage participants travel together in deluxe, chartered buses that depart from San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose, Union City, Sacramento, Seattle and Portland.
Accommodations are dormitory rooms at the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls. There are two housing options: standard double-occupancy rooms are included in the registration fee; a single-occupancy room is an extra $50 per person. Rooms in the 4-bedroom/4-person air-conditioned Village Apartments cost an extra $100 per room/per person. The Village apartments have no elevators and are further from the main activity building.
Activities over the 4-day pilgrimage include a tour of the Tule Lake
concentration camp site and a memorial service. Intergenerational discussion groups and open forums provide an occasion to learn, share experiences and help heal the multi-generational wounds of the incarceration. The final night’s closing cultural program is held at the Ross Ragland Theater in downtown Klamath Falls.
© 2023 Tule Lake Committee. Proudly created with Wix.com
1/22/24 – JCCNC The Center News
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1/11/2023 – Eden Township JACL/ETJCC Senior High School Scholarships 2024
Eden Township JACL/ETJCC Senior High School Scholarships 2024
It’s that time of the year when the High School Senior Scholarship Applications are available online.
All applicants must submit the application be March 1st , no later than 11:59 HST.
Link to application: Freshman Application Here!
There are SEVERAL scholarships available from the local Eden Township JACL/Japanese Community Center. We encourage all Eden Township JACL & Eden Township Japanese Community Center High School Seniors to apply. The Eden Township Japanese Community Centers include all organizations of the Center (Eden Athletic Club, Eden Aoba Taiko, Eden Karate, etc.)Note: Although the application states “JACL”, the online form is also being used for the Eden Japanese Community Center scholarships too.
Please read the attached for more information on the local chapter scholarship
Questions: edentownshipjacl@gmail.com
Are you a college student interested in scholarships? (Undergraduate, Graduate, Law and more)
See that National JACL site for more information: https://jacl.org/scholarships
1/8/2024 – Mineta Statue Unveiling
2/4/2023 – J-Sei Crab Feed
