San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place/Event: Japanese Culture and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) Arts & Culture Programs

Address: 1840 Sutter Street,, San Francisco

Description:

JCCCNC offers an array of art classes that teaches the individual to explore culture and promote self-expression. Students can explore Japanese cultural arts and develop focus, discipline, and creativity through such traditional arts as odori (dance), taiko (drumming), ikebana (flower arranging) or sumi-e (brush painting). In addition to this, as the community evolves, JCCCNC provides an avenue through which the youth can learn about multicultural aspect of our community through innovative classes such as ukulele, SambAsia (integration of Brazilian percussionists, dancers and taiko drummers) and Cuban beginning conga drum. Many participants perform at Center events such as “Kodomo no Hi” Children’s Day festival and the Winter Holiday Thank-You Party.

History:

For decades Japanese Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area dreamed of having their own cultural and community center. In 1973, the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency designated such a site, which the Nihonmachi Community Development Corporation allocated to JCCCNC. Phase I of the dream came true in 1986 with the opening of Community Service Building. Phase II-a Gymnasium Community Hall was completed in 1990. Today the Japanese Cultural and Community Center in SF’s Japantown is fulfilling its promise to be a multi-service center for the Nikkei community, with classes in Japanese arts and culture, sports and recreation programs, clubs and social activities for all age groups, national and community events and a variety of social services. As the sense of community as it existed in the day of the Issei fades and families drift apart geographically, there is less social contact between generations and fewer opportunities for elders to pass on cultural values, customs, crafts and shared ancestral history to our youth. These activities meet a vital need.

Significance:

Cultural, Historical, Social

Sources:

Ken Maeshiro - Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California – Special Events Coordinator

Other Comments:

You can visit the JCCCNC website at http://www.jcccnc.org.

Prepared By: Ken Maeshiro & Darryl Abantao Date Prepared: 12/16/04