2026 September Newsletter
Back in the Office!
After a busy, worthwhile summer season, Kizuna is back with our monthly newsletter sharing the latest news on programs and community events!
Sep 04, 03:24 PM
Reserve a Seat at our 5th Taste of Kizuna!
If you haven’t heard, we’re excited to celebrate another delectable Taste of Kizuna! Join us for an extraordinary evening of exceptional food, community, and connection. 🥂
Now in its fifth year, Taste of Kizuna brings together a talented lineup of executive chefs, handpicked by Andy Nakano, for an exclusive dining experience benefiting Kizuna’s programs for the next generation of community leaders. From incredible dishes to meaningful connections, this special evening is a celebration of food AND the community that makes Kizuna possible.
2026 Summer Camp Gallery: Out Now!
What a fun summer it was! From creative cultural projects like our Kokeshi Doll and Kintsugi workshops to community collaborations like our Nisei Week and Changing Tides workshops, our 2026 Summer Camp season was one to remember. More than 350 campers joined us across Southern California to explore this year’s theme, “Art Is…”, and discover all the ways art can inspire, connect, and bring us together.
Now, you can relive some of our favorite summer moments! Our 2026 Summer Camp photo gallery is live. Take a look back at everything that made this Kizuna summer so special.
2026 Nikkei Community Internship Closing Retreat Recap✨
Caption by Kizuna NCI intern, Jason:
After wrapping up their internships, the LA, SF, and SJ cohorts came together for one final retreat to close out the NCI 2026 program! 🤩
Over four days, the interns explored both San Jose and San Francisco Japantowns through walking tours led by each city’s respective cohort (special shoutout to Tono Coffee Project for the caffeinated welcome to NorCal!)
It was inspiring to see the many ways Japanese American communities across each region continue to work hard to keep their communities thriving and growing. More importantly, it was a chance to celebrate the connections we made, thank our amazing community partners, and say goodbye to friends who made this summer so special. 🥹 The interns also had an unforgettable San Jose Taiko workshop led by PJ and Roy Hirabayashi, where we got to experience the power of community and connection first hand.
Many thanks to all of the community partners, mentors, organizers, and everyone who continues to put in the hard work to make this program possible every summer. We couldn’t have done it without you!!! 💖💖💖
Signing off,
Nikkei Community Internship 2026 🫶
Kizuna Youth Council: VJAMM Clean Up
Join Kizuna Youth Councils’ first volunteer event, cleaning up the Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument and surrounding areas on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 10AM! Four more spots left!
The Kizuna Youth Council was created by youth as an opportunity for high school & college aged youth to socialize, create bonds, and preserve Japanese culture.
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
Queer Obon by Okaeri
Queer Obon presented by Okaeri is a community festival that gathers our Nikkei LGBTQ+ community to remember our queer ancestors through ceremony and dance! Okaeri continues this tradition with an inclusive festival of queer joy, remembrance, and belonging. The event will feature games, food, Obon altar, Bon Odori circle dancing, and more! Queer Obon is open to all LGBTQ+ communities and friends. So join us Sunday, September 20th from 4 to 9 pm at the Terasaki Budokan for Queer Obon presented by Okaeri!
LTSC Ebb & Flow
Ebb and Flow is Little Tokyo Service Center's fourth annual community mental health conference in Little Tokyo. This conference is a welcoming space for the Asian American community to address, examine, and understand mental health in its various forms.
Saturday, October 17, 2026
9:00am - 5:00pm
Terasaki Budokan
