Tofu for Tykes

On Sunday, March 22, Nakayoshi will yet again be flexing a little of its volunteer muscle over in San Francisco's Japantown, this time in support of Nihonmachi Little Friends, a Japanese, bilingual and multicultural childcare organization committed to providing quality and affordable childcare services. Join us as we help raise funds for this vital community organization through a one-of-a-kind event: a tofu matsuri.

Actually, a "Tofu Dessert Competition and Festival," to be exact. Organized by the Nichi Bei Times and held at the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California (1840 Sutter Street), this extravaganza will run from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and include a tofu dessert competition, a tofu nutritionist talk show, tofu games, and a tofu haiku contest. That's a lot of tofu.

Nakayoshi is looking for volunteers to pitch in for one or more shifts (and anyone who covers all three gets lunch):
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Set up
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – Event support
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Clean up

Hit us up on Facebook or in the comments to let us know you're in.

Or, if you'd rather attend the festival as a regular guest, you can do so for $10 online or $12 at the door. Bring the little ones, too -- they get in free if they're 3 and under.

Join Nakayoshi for "Tokyo Sonata"

Buy your tickets now to see the San Francisco premiere of Tokyo Sonata with Nakayoshi on Friday, March 13th at 6:45 pm at the Sundance Kabuki Theaters!



The director Kiyoshi Kurosawa himself will be at the screening to answer any questions and for a discussion on the film. Tickets to most San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) movies sell out, so reserve your seat early with Nakayoshi!

To purchase tickets, send an email to emily.leach@gmail.com with the # of tickets. Tickets are $10 each. We only have 15 seats total and will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.

Please be prepared to arrive 15 minutes early to guarantee your seat (that would be at 6:30, folks). Since these shows do sell-out any open seats have their tickets released back to the rush line for purchasing.


About Tokyo Sonata (from the 2009 SFIAAFF website):

Winner of the Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's latest film finds the filmmaker departing from the supernatural terrain of his recent string of horror films to present a piercing, devastating family drama. Like Yasujiro Ozu and Mikio Naruse, whose influences are evident in both style and theme, Kurosawa examines a modern Japanese family against the backdrop of a changing world, in this case a crumbling social fabric and an uncertain geopolitical landscape.

Check out the film's official website in Japanese or English.

---

Don't forget you can also sign up to volunteer with Nakayoshi at the SFIAAFF!

For any questions, please email nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com.

Mochitsuki Time!

Make your mochi for the New Year!

Mon and Tues, Dec 29-30, 2008
Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California

Shift 1 3:30-4:00 p.m.
Shift 2 4:00-4:30 p.m.
Shift 3 5:00-5:30 p.m.
Shift 4 5:30-6:00 p.m.
Shift 5 6:00-6:30 p.m.

In 1999, Yamada Seika, a manju-ya in San Francisco Japantown, closed its doors after 36 years of business. The owner, Mr. George Yamada, not only generously donated his mochi making machine to the JCCCNC but has shared his talents and joy of mochi making with the community. Participants will have the opportunity to watch Mr. Yamada transform hot cooked rice into mochi. Participants will then have the opportunity to make their own mochi balls to take home.

Sign up to participate ($12/JCCCNC members; $17 guests) OR sign up to volunteer and eat free mochi! For more info, contact Ken at Kmaeshiro@jcccnc.org

September Events

Wow… September is a pretty busy month for Nakayoshi! Those of you in our Facebook group have been sent invitations to our events, but for everyone else, here’s what we have going on:

9/13/08: Volunteering at JCCCNC’s Annual Event, “Salute to a Vision”

Nakayoshi will be joining other volunteers at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California’s annual fundraising event on Saturday, September 13th at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in Union Square, San Francisco. The event will commemorate the JCCCNC’s Executive Director Paul Osaki for his 30 years of service to the community and 20 years as a leader at the JCCCNC. Unfortunately we have already finalized our list of volunteers for the event. Thank you very much for everyone who is volunteering! We’ll see you on Saturday!


9/20/08: National AIDS Memorial Grove Cleanup

Join Nakayoshi and the San Francisco chapter of the JACL as we help clean up the National AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park on Saturday, September 20th from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

The AIDS Memorial Grove is located at the intersection of Bowling Green and Middle Drive East. Make sure you come in clothes you don’t mind getting a little dirty! Please RSVP at nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com to let us know if you’re coming.

More information on the National AIDS Memorial Grove, including directions, is available at: www.aidsmemorial.org



9/20/08: Oakland A’s Japanese Heritage Day

Are you a baseball fan? Watch Kurt Suzuki and the Oakand A's play against Ichiro Suzuki and Kenji Johjima of the Seattle Mariners as they celebrate Japanese Heritage Day. On-field pre-game including traditional taiko drummers and the San Francisco 2008 Cherry Blossom Queen. Tickets are $30 each. $6 for each sold ticket will benefit Japanese American communities, youth baseball, bay area Parks and Recreation and Education. Game time is 1:05pm.

Due to low response from our members, Nakayoshi will not be attending the game. If you still are interested in going to the game on your own, you have until Friday, September 12th to order your tickets. Ticket order forms for the game can be downloaded from the JCCCNC here.


9/27/08: Karaoke Social at Gamba in Cupertino

Karaoke… I heard somewhere that it means tone-deaf in Japanese. But then I looked it up and Wikipedia tells me that it means “empty orchestra.” Who knew? In any case, if you love to sing and are looking for a fun night out, come with Nakayoshi to Gamba in Cupertino on Saturday, September 27th at 8:30pm. You will definitely: a) be amazed by how talented some of your fellow Nakayoshi members are; b) woo that Nakayoshi hottie with your smoldering rendition of the cheesiest love ballad you know; or c) look back on the experience years later, laugh awkwardly and hope nobody else really remembers how you just missed those high notes.

Time/Date: 8:30pm, Saturday 9/27/08
Location: Gamba
10990 N. Blaney, Cupertino, CA 95014
In Oakmont Square (On Homestead Rd., between De Anza and Wolf)

RSVP at nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com
Let us know if you are interested in carpooling.

We’ll see you guys out there!

day one - jacl convention: awaiting the light

unlike most californians who ride away from the sun to get to the Great Salt Lake, my experience is different. yes, i am a member of nakayoshi, but more in spirit than in the physical sense. as a, now, local dc resident, the 5-hour plane ride left me feeling disoriented and yet excited in knowing of the potential friends that can be made and the creation of memories that last us a lifetime.

many of us come out of obligation and as a responsibility of being involved in a civil rights organization. it's a way of giving back to a community that our parents, and grandparents were a part of. however, there are many of us who choose to embrace the coming of a new dawn with arms outstreched and heavy breaths. we await to see the revolution of a once, great power in the asian american community.

looking forward to the next jam-packed couple of days, i personally, am excited at the prospect of youth and young professional empowerment. no longer are we the immature, inexperienced, do-nothing generation y, but we are the coming of a new era. and that is something to get your heart fluttering.

before signing off, i want to give a big shout-out to my boy alec MAC-D -- once of the chi and now a distant family member of the bay.

brandon mita is the current jacl edc youth chair and a candidate for jacl national youth representative. he is currently attending howard university school of law in washington, dc. he hopes to relocate out to the bay very soon.

Nakayoshi is having a Meet & Greet BBQ Sunday, June 29th in Golden Gate Park. Join us for some sun (we hope), food (of course), and fun (tons of it)!