The JCCCW would like to invite you to attend Bunka no Hi 2010 on Sunday November 7th from 1pm to 5 pm at the Cultural Center located at 1414 S. Weller St. just east of the International District. Bunka no Hi is the JCCCW's premier cultural special event that attracts hundreds of participants from all throughout the Greater Seattle area. Bunka no Hi 2010 will feature a wide variety of performances and cultural demonstrations including (but not limited to) Taiko performances by Kaze Daiko, Ringtaro and the School of Taiko and Northwest Taiko, sanshin by Mako Willete, karate demonstrations by JCCCW partner Seattle Seido Karate and tea ceremony. Being a true community wide event there will be dozens of booths at Bunka no Hi representing a variety of different small business and non profit organizations. Bunka no Hi will also showcase the many different programs available to the public at the Cultural Center such as the Nikkei Bunko Japanese Language Library, Northwest Nikkei Museum and much more. So come down to the JCCCW on November 7th and celebrate Japanese and Japanese American heritage and culture with us. Click on picture for larger image.

Yuji's Omusubi

The JCCCW in conjunction with Hyogo Business and Cultural Center is happy to announce Yuji’s Omusubi II, a social event for Japanese and Japanese American college students and young professionals. Yuji’s Omusubi events are social mixers designed to bring together Japanese and Japanese Americans in order to facilitate cultural understanding, promote international exchange and most importantly to have fun and make new friends. The first Yuji's Omusubi was a huge success drawing over forty Japanese and Japanese American participants and the second will be even bigger. Yuji's Omusubi 2.0 will take place on November 20th from 12:00 - 4:30 at Nisei Veterans Hall located at 1212 S. King St. Seattle, WA and will feature an okonomiyaki cooking class. Admission is free but space is limited so if you or someone you know is interested in attending please RSVP by contacting the JCCCW at omusubi@jcccw.org. To view the new program flyer click here.

(Yuji's Omusubi was originally conceived by former HBCC intern Yuji Sasagaki who came to the United States with the hope of meeting, learning more about and befriending young Japanese Americans. Upon arriving in America he was disappointed to find that there was significant separation between the Japanese National and Japanese American communities that was difficult to overcome. Determined to change this he approached the JCCCW about creating events designed to create international exchange by bringing together young Japanese and Japanese American students. Yuji worked hard in conjunction with other JCCCW and HBCC interns to plan, program and facilitate this first event so the JCCCW has decided to name the program Yuji's Omusubi in recognition of his efforts to promote international exchange.)

New Nikkei Bunko Library Hours

Thanks to a generous grant from the Tateuchi Foundation the Nikkei Bunko Japanese Language Library now features expanded hours of operation. The Nikkei Bunko will be open from 10 am - 2pm Tuesday through Saturday to give the public more access to its unique resources. The JCCCW's Nikkei Bunko Japanese Language Library is one of the only dedicated Japanese language libraries in the Pacific Northwest and is stocked with 9,000 different Japanese language books, magazines and other written materials. From adult literary classics to children's picture books and comics Nikkei Bunko has something for every interest or reading level. Looking for something new to read? Want to know if Nikkei Bunko carries your favorite manga series? You can browse Nikkei Bunko's catalog online at http://nikkeibunko.jcccw.org. The Nikkei Bunko Japanese Language Library is located at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington (1414 S. Weller St.) so come down and visit today!

Mochitsuki

In many Japanese and Japanese American households mochitsuki, the pounding of mochi or rice cakes, is an annual custom essential to the New Year's celebration. Mochitsuki is an all-day process which requires many hands and is a time of fellowship and socializing with friends and family. The JCCCW is happy to offer a mochitsuki event free to the public so that the entire community can come and share in this uniquely Japanese tradition. Whether you are an experienced mochi maker or a beginner participating and learning about the process for the very first time everyone is welcome to join us for this fun, free cultural and community building event.

JCCCW's 2010 mochitsuki will take place from 11am - 3pm at Nissei Veterans Hall (1212 S. King Street in Seattle) and will feature Mochitsuki Master Shoichi Sugiyama who will teach you how to pound mochi with the traditional kine (mallet) and usu (mortar). There will also be an opportunity to make your own mochi using machines. Mochitsuki is a fun event for the whole family so come join the JCCCW and celebrate this New Years tradition. More information will be released when it is available so make sure to periodically check JCCCW's enews and the upcoming events section of our website for updates about this fun family event.

Nikkei Genealogy

Nikkei Genealogy is back! JCCCW is happy to announce that it will be having another Nikkei Genealogy Workshop on December 2nd from 6 pm - 9 pm at the Cultural Center (1414 S. Weller St. Seattle, WA). JCCCW's Nikkei Genealogy Workshop is one of our most popular programs andgives participants the tools and basic skills to delve deep into into government immigration records, census data, passenger ship manifests and incarceration camp documentation to help them discover fascinating and unique family stories. Participants in past Nikkei Genealogy Workshops have been amazed at the information that they have been able to gather. Each shred of information no matter how seemingly insignificant can lead to a long lost family member, unique family story or other breakthrough that can change how you view your family's past. Space is limited so sign up today! The cost for this program is only $25, to sign up visit our website to fill out a registration form or contact the JCCCW at (206) 568-7114.

English Conversation Club

In the spirit of continued international exchange JCCCW is happy to now offer an English Conversation Club for native Japanese speakers at the Cultural Center. The English Conversation Club gives Japanese Nationals the opportunity to practice their English with native English speakers in an informal conversational setting. Conversation topics will vary from week to week but will include relevant subjects like American slang, popular culture and much more! The club takes place on Fridays from 2 pm - 4 pm at the JCCCW located at 1414 S. Weller St. The program costs $2. For more information please contact the office at admin@jcccw.org. Click on the picture for the official Japanese Language Flyer.

The Densho Project is holding its annual Sushi and Sake Fundraising Gala on November 10, 2010 at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel from 5:30-8:30. This community fundraising event features sushi and sake tasting, a fundraising dinner and a silent auction. Tickets are $150 and all of the proceeds go towards Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project, a community non profit organization whose mission it is to preserve the oral histories of Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit the event website http://www.sushisakefest.org.




Ayame Kai Craft Fair

Ayame Kai, Nikkei Concerns volunteer group, is having an arts and crafts fair on Saturday November 20th from 10am - 4pm at Blaine Methodist Church. Japanese arts and crafts as well as antiques will be on sale, all of the proceeds benefit Ayame Kai and Nikkei Concerns. For more information call (425) 255-9723 or (425) 827-4930.