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Japanese Cultural Center Of Hawaii (JCCH)

What’s Happening at the JCCH

This Friday: Wakame
若目 at Kawaii Kon

In 2023, we met 5 community members who spoke about their culture, challenges, and identity. Hosted by Shin-Issei
Rena Gao, our online video series explores how our roots and identity are shaped by living in Hawaiʻi today through the perspectives of young up-and-coming locals. Wakame 若目 is a play on kanji characters meaning "young eyes." All five episodes of Season 1 are available on YouTube.

New Gift Shop Vendor

Unearthing the beauty of natural dyes, sustainable fibers, and woven textiles is a medley of inspiration for
riedesigns, a passion project by local, Japanese American creative Missie Rie Yamamura. View the handcrafted tea towels and pouches in our latest Instagram reel.

These items are made using
shibori しぼり (Japanese manual resist dyeing) and sashiko 刺し子 (Japanese stitching / embroidery) techniques. Find these special items at the JCCH Gift Shop!

Gift Shop Hours
Wednesday - Saturday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Last Call for Early Bird Tickets!

This is your last chance to take advantage of the
EARLY BIRD ticket discount ($15 off General Admission with code 2024mejiro; valid through 3/31) for the 2nd annual Irasshai: Eat, Drink, Kanpai! Our fundraising event at the JCCH will feature 14 yatai-inspired chef stations, unlimited drink samples, and live entertainment.

JCCH Member Discount: Become a JCCH member today to receive a special ticket price. Email giving@jcchawaii.org for the discount code after joining our membership program.

Buy Tickets | View Our Menu Preview

Friday, May 17, 2024 | 5:30 - 9:00 PM

JCCH Office Featured Ikebana

Each week, our
ikebana volunteers generously donate an ikebana arrangement to display in our administrative office lobby. We hope you enjoy this special design!

Ikebana by:
Connie Yoshioka-Kinoshita
Sogetsu
More Upcoming JCCH Programs and Events

Pau Hanafuda | Monday, April 22, 2024
Get together with a group of friends from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at bEASTside Kitchen in Niu Valley to play hanafuda (flower cards) while enjoying extended happy hour prices for drinks. Each table will receive a deck of cards to take home. Players of all skill levels are welcome, including first-time players!

Tanoshii Hawaiʻi | June 24 - 28, 2024
Join us for Hawaiʻi's favorite cultural summer camp! Register your keiki (ages 8-13) for our cultural week-long day camp program at the Center. Activities include kendo, calligraphy, gyotaku, Japanese sports, mochi-making, and more! Spaces are limited.

•   
Camp Counselors: We are seeking enthusiastic + energetic individuals (17-23 years old) to join our summer camp team! This is an opportunity to gain team-building and leadership training experience while working with children. Camp counselors are eligible for a stipend upon completion of the program.

JCCH Craft & Collectibles Fair ft. Hanami | Saturday, April 13, 2024
We are bringing hanami to Hawaiʻi at the next JCCH Craft & Collectibles Fair! 花見 (flower viewing) is a popular activity in Japan where the beauty of cherry blossoms are enjoyed with your family and friends. Our event brings the spirit of the season to the JCCH courtyard with food and drink booths, cultural entertainment, and more! Join us from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

•   
Okage Sama Drinks: Visit our special JCCH pop-up fundraising booth led by staff members! Refreshing iced drinks and tasty treats will be available for purchase.
感謝 - With Gratitude

TOMODACHI Kibou for Maui

11 Maui students affected by the wildfires, chaperoned by
JCCH staff Nate, Alina, and Devynn, recently returned from a week-long trip to Higashimatsushima, Japan. In partnership with the TOMODACHI Initiative and Odyssey Nature Japan, this program shows Maui youth the long-term physical, mental, and spiritual recovery of the Tohoku community after the 2011 tsunami and earthquake. Experiences from their trip will be shared soon.

Pearl Harbor Rotary Club

Mahalo to the
Pearl Harbor Rotary Club for inviting us to speak last Monday at the Navy-Marine Golf Course Clubhouse. JCCH volunteers John and Wanda presented to club members about incarceration in Hawaiʻi with focus on the Honouliuli Internment Camp.
Community Announcements

Onizuka Day of Exploration

This STEM event features over 100 hands-on activities, workshops, and classes for all ages to enjoy at
UH West Oʻahu. There will be a variety of interactive exhibits and displays, as well as live demonstrations and talks from experts in various fields. The event is FREE and open to the public.

Learn More

Saturday, April 22, 2024
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
(Opening Ceremony at 8:00 AM)
East-West Fest 2024

Join the
East-West Center at UH Mānoa for an afternoon of family-friendly fun including dance and musical performances, cultural booths, storytelling, and food representing people and places from across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Learn More

Sunday, April 14, 2024
2:00 - 6:00 PM


Ryokan: Mobilizing Hospitality in Rural Japan

The
UHM Center for Japanese Studies is hosting a hybrid seminar co-sponsored by University of Hawaiʻi Press. Learn about the Japanese countryside, ryokan (traditional inns), and hospitality dynamics from Dr. Chris McMorran. RSVP online to attend in person or via Zoom.

Learn More

Tuesday, April 16, 2024
1:00 - 2:30 PM HST
Support the JCCH








Copyright (C) 2024 Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii
2454 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI 96826





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The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i (JCCH), a non-profit organization, strives to share the history, heritage and culture of the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawai‘i. Located at 2454 South Beretania Street in Mō‘ili‘ili, the Cultural Center features a Community and Historical Gallery, Resource Center, Kenshikan martial arts dōjō, Seikōan Japanese teahouse and Gift Shop. The Cultural Center presents various programs, festivals and exhibitions throughout the year.

Motto

Honoring our heritage. Embracing our diversity. Sharing our future.

Vision

We aspire to co-create a society where a deeper knowledge of one's heritage and a profound understanding of oneself will enable enlightened connections among all people.

Mission Statement

To be a vibrant resource, strengthening our diverse community by educating present and future generations in the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawai‘i. We do this through relevant programming, meaningful community service and innovative partnerships that enhance the understanding and celebration of our heritage, culture and love of the land. To guide us in this work we draw from the values found in our Japanese American traditions and the spirit of Aloha.

History

The seeds of thought and planning which had since developed into the solid concrete of Phase I and the working committees of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i were sown over two generations ago. Minds and hearts of Issei and Nisei (first and second generations) forebearers set themselves to the tasks of survival, later to national heroism, and later still to the responsibility of restoring the concept of cultural pride in themselves and their community. Emotions generated by the Kanyaku Imin (125 Years of Japanese In Hawai‘i) celebration in February of 1985 spurred the devotion of major Japanese groups in the community to initially conceptualize the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i.

In 1986, The Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce (HJCC) initiated the Japan-Hawaii Cultural Center project, "The Dream," for the purpose of bringing together related organizations in Hawai‘i to work in a common effort to preserve the legacy and history of the pioneers who came to Hawaii from Japan, and whose sacrifices and contributions made it possible for the younger generations to become integral members of American society. It was planned to be a legacy where future members of our community could look back and be fully conscious of their roots. The Center would also foster relations by promoting harmony and mutual understanding between Japan, Hawai‘i, and the United States.

The Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce was willing to accept the enormous responsibility of immortalizing and cultivating the legacy of the Japanese in Hawai‘i by making a commitment to plant and nourish the seedling. Many community organizations supported the creation of a Japanese cultural center, as indicated by a survey to assess the need and expectations for a center.

Courses of action plans were implemented to create Ad Hoc Committees composed of the various Japan related organizations, and to organize a fund-raising organization to raise funds from the community within the State of Hawai‘i as well as in Japan. Committees set in motion to carefully plan, develop, and research in establishing the Cultural Center. The inception of some committees were: Steering, Planning, Public Relations, Historical Research Program, Program, Membership and Property Management. A schedule of "Milestone" tasks for these committees were implemented to prepare for the tremendous work that lay ahead in the formation of the Cultural Center.

On May, 28, 1987, the birth of a new direction and a new step toward the dreams of our forefathers emerged as the Cultural Center was incorporated under the laws of the State of Hawai‘i as a non-profit corporation to develop, own, maintain, and operate a Japanese cultural center in Hawai‘i. As an independent entity, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i would play a most crucial role in perpetuating the cultural heritage we inherited from our Issei forefathers into the lifestyles and values of our children's children.

Revamped, Revved and Ready... the Cultural Center Boards and staff moves forward with great aspirations

The Board of Directors consists of 15 community leaders from O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i counties who lead the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i by establishing policies and strategic direction. Each Director either chairs and /or is a member of the Executive Committee, Governance Committee, Membership Development Committee, Fundraising Committee, Facilities & Operations Committee, and Budget & Finance Committee. The Board members are elected by the membership as a whole.

The Board of Governors currently has forty (40) members who advise and make recommendations to the Board of Directors, and oversee the implementation of programs and activities of the Cultural Center. The Board of Governors also assist and maintain the fiscal well-being of the Center by supporting its fundraising activities. The Board of Governors are appointed by the Board of Directors.

The staff of nine full-time and two part-time employees is led by the President & Executive Director who administers the day-to-day operations of the Cultural Center.

The Board of Directors, Board of Governors and the staff, and volunteers work in unison to carry out the many exciting plans at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i. When put together these individuals, though all unique in their background, create a dynamic, capable and passionate group who are dedicated to the Cultural Center's mission of sharing the history, heritage and culture of the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawai‘i.

HOURS

Historical Gallery & Gift Shop: Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Resource Center: By Appointment Only

Administrative Office: By Appointment Only


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