2026 March Newsletter
Welcoming Spring!
Spring is quickly upon us and we are busier than ever! Check out our community events and program updates below.
Mar 16, 06:33 PM
Little Tokyo Breakfast Club (ft. Chris Fitzgerald, Our Executive Director!)
You're invited to the tenth gathering of The Little Tokyo Breakfast Club. Hosts Steve Nagano and Jane Matsumoto warmly welcome your presence for a casual morning of community conversation and storytelling, accompanied by a home-cooked Japanese breakfast prepared by Chef Gary Matsumoto. The gathering will take place with views of the serene James Irvine Japanese Garden, showcasing the beauty of the season.
Kizuna’s very own, Chris Fitzgerald, is the tenth guest speaker in this delicious series! Please join in on the conversation by buying tickets below.
This Thursday, March 19, at 8:30-10am
Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center
Join Team Kizuna at Little Tokyo Sparkle!
LT Sparkle, aka Nancy Kikuchi Volunteer Day, is a wonderful event that we look forward to every year! The whole community comes together to make Little Tokyo sparkle and shine.
Will you join Team Kizuna this year?? Our IMPORTANT job is to wash the windows of our beautiful LT storefronts! It’s a blast and there’s always free food and raffles afterwards~
Sunday, May 17th, 2026, 9am-12pm
Register for Summer Camp Today!
Early Bird sale is going on until April 3rd!
2026 Summer Camp Dates and Locations:
Orange County Buddhist Church: June 15th - 19th, 2026
Union Church of Los Angeles: June 22nd - 26th, 2026
First Presbyterian Church Altadena: July 6th - 10th, 2026
Gardena Buddhist Church: July 13th - 17th (Week 1) and July 20th - 24th, 2026 (Week 2)
West Los Angeles United Methodist Church: July 27th - 31st, 2026
Gardena Week 1 is filling up quickly! Register today to snag a spot at our most popular week.
Junior Counselor & Counselor Applications Out Now!
Along with our beloved Summer Camp program, we have the very popular Junior Counselor and Counselor programs open for applications! Deadline to apply is April 4th. Please check out our webpage for new changes to our application process!
Junior Counselor spots have all filled up and waitlists are currently being implemented for all locations. We still encourage junior counselors to complete the application to be considered from the waitlist!
Nikkei Community Internship: Your Fave Paid Summer Internship
The Nikkei Community Internship (NCI) is an amazing opportunity for college students to deepen their connection to the Japanese American community while making a real impact in our historic Japantowns (Los Angeles, San Jose, and San Francisco). This paid, 8-week summer internship fosters cultural awareness and leadership, helping the next generation carry forward our community’s legacy. Build lifelong networks and professional skills with NCI this year!
100% Mixed - A New Workshop Series with Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Insitute!
Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute and Kizuna Little Tokyo are excited to co-host a series of workshops and discussions focusing on mixed race identity within the Japanese American and broader AAPI communities. We believe that learning about one’s identity, relating to other’s lived experiences, and understanding our personal histories while supporting each others stories in a group setting will highlight the ever-changing landscape of these communities. With support from guest speakers and enriching hands-on activities, we look forward to connecting and growing together.
The program is open to 15-20 high school students, and you DO NOT need to identify as mixed race, Japanese American, or Asian American to participate.
Deadline to Register: Friday, March 27, 2026
Leadership in Action Culmination
Join us at our 2026 Leadership in Action Culmination Ceremony! Feel inspired by our young change-makers, as they present their ambitious group projects to tackle civil liberties issues in their community. See you on Saturday, April 4 from 1-4PM at the Democracy Center (across from the Japanese American National Museum! No RSVP necessary~
Community News!
Little Tokyo Farmers’ Market
Visit the Little Tokyo Farmers’ Market, a vibrant new Saturday tradition in the heart of Little Tokyo. Presented in partnership by JACCC and Food Access LA, this weekly market brings together fresh, affordable produce, rich cultural experiences, and meaningful community connection.
Every Saturday 9AM-2PM at the Isamu Noguchi Plaza
