Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i

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Honolulu, HI
Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i

A nonprofit organization offering educational programming related to the evolving Hawaiʻi Japanese American experience.
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HOURS
Gallery and Gift Shop: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Resource Center and Administrative Office: By appointment only

For more information and modified hours, please visit www.jcchawaii.org.

06/19/2026

Let’s Make 簪 (hair ornaments)! 🌸

Watch our quick step-by-step tutorial with Angel Weber to learn about the art of tsumami-zaiku つまみ細工, a traditional Japanese craft technique where tiny pieces of fabric are pinched and folded. 🤏

For this design, five petals and a leaf are individually folded and trimmed. Then, each folded piece and a center piece are arranged and glued onto a hair pin base. Worn in updos, kanzashi are styled to decorate the hair with designs that often reflect the season. 🍃

06/16/2026

Share the story and spirit of Obon with your keiki this bon dance season! 🧒📖

Join us for a free book reading and signing with Brandi-Ann Uyemura, a fifth-generation Japanese American and the author of I Am a Bon Dancer. Her new children’s book tells the story of a Japanese American girl’s first experience at an Obon festival. Copies of her book will be available for purchase at the . Admission is free, but registration is required.

📆 Saturday, June 27, 2026
🕙 10:30 - 11:30 AM

➡️ Spaces are limited. Register at bit.ly/jcchbookevent

06/13/2026

Let’s learn how to write "talk story poetry" with Hawai‘i Poet Laureate Lee Tonouchi! ✍️

Lee wrote "Hod Work" to try to capture his grandfaddah's voice, the voice of a loved one he lost.

His advice to begin writing is, "If you can, try write one extended passage of just that person talking. If too hard, maybe just start off with little sound bites of tings dey used to say. If you like try do da above writing prompt, den no sked, chance 'em. And if your piece come out good, go send 'em to me. Might get chosen for be made into one video!"

➡️ Send your voice poem to [email protected]

06/10/2026

Let's learn how to dance to Tokyo Ondo! 🌝🌸🌳

The lyrics of this song will take you on a tour of Tokyo. Each movement pays tribute to a landmark, from the moon over the Sumida River to flowers blooming in Ueno and willow trees swaying in Ginza.

Bon odori 盆踊り is a Japanese dance traditionally held during お盆 (Lantern Festival), a time to gather with family and friends to honor our ancestors. In Hawaiʻi, Obon season is an extended summer celebration of food and dance.

📆 2026 BON DANCE SCHEDULE
Visit our website for Hawaiʻi’s list of events from now through October at bit.ly/jcchobon

06/06/2026

Happy Ikebana Day! Each week, our volunteers provide us with a seasonal ikebana arrangement to beautify the JCCH administrative office lobby. 💐

These are the latest arrangements created by our talented artists (top left, clockwise):

🔸Charmaine Yee-Hollison, Sogetsu
🔸Sue Shimabukuro, Sogetsu
🔸Litheia Nakamoto, Ikenobo
🔸Shannon Teves, Sogetsu

06/05/2026

Ikebana is a Japanese floral art tradition that dates back to the 6th century. These flower arrangements feature different types of plants to create distinctive, sculptural forms. Ikebana Day is celebrated annually on June 6. 💐

Taken in 1960, this photo captures a woman in a traditional kimono practicing ikebana.

We sometimes come across photos missing important information. 🤔 Do you know who this person is? If so, please share any details you have in the comments below.

➡️ View our collections online at bit.ly/jcchcatalog

🗃️ Nippu Jiji collection

06/04/2026

Happy June! ☀️ Join us at the next JCCH Craft & Collectibles Fair on the second Saturday of this month. Browse a selection of Japanese and Japanese-inspired items while supporting small business owners. The and Historical Gallery will be open until 3:00 PM. A list of this month’s vendors is now available on our event page: https://www.jcchawaii.org/events/june-2026-ccf

Event highlights include:

📚 TSUME-HODAI AT THE RC**
The Tokioka Heritage Resource Center is hosting a book fundraiser inspired by 詰め放題, a Japanese custom meaning “all you can pack.” Bring your own bag to the RC, make a $25 donation, and pack as many preloved books as you can from a designated area.

🗣️ GUIDED GALLERY TOURS
Learn about the rich history, culture, and stories of the Japanese American experience in Hawaiʻi. Free 30-minute docent-led tours of the Okage Sama De Historical Gallery will be hosted between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Pre-register for a tour on our event page, or sign up in person during the fair.

🗳️ FEATURED COMMUNITY ORG
Visit the League Of Women Voters of Hawai‘i booth to learn about voter registration, voter information, election security, and League membership.

🤩 NEW HAPPI COATS
The Gift Shop now carries a new line of happi 法被 available in various designs! They are made in Japan and crafted from breathable 100% cotton. This traditional tube-sleeved Japanese coat can be worn over your regular clothes!

👉 MODIFIED HOURS NOTICE
Please be aware of our upcoming modified hours. We apologize for any inconvenience.

📆 Saturday, June 13, 2026
🕘 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Gift Shop open until 3:00 PM)
📍 JCCH 1st Floor Courtyard & Breezeway

05/28/2026

Let’s learn about 6️⃣ yatai festival foods:

Takoyaki • Yakisoba • Kakigori • Okonomiyaki • Taiyaki • Ikayaki

Japanese festivals are nostalgic celebrations known for their vibrant atmosphere, musical performances, and delicious street food stalls! In Hawaiʻi, festivals may look a little different, but they are an important part of bringing the local community together and keeping cultural traditions alive!

🏮 NATSUMATSURI AT THE JCCH
Save the date for our local version of a Japanese summer festival in Hawaiʻi! Support small local craft, food, and drink vendors at our pet and family-friendly night market in Mōʻiliʻili on Friday, August 28, 2026, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM. Free event admission.

05/27/2026

Captured 76 years ago (1950), this photo from the takes us behind the scenes as Hawaii Times employees prepared the printing presses. This was a labor-intensive process!

Previously known as the Nippu Jiji, the Japanese community in Hawaiʻi relied on this newspaper for both local and international news. It became Hawaiʻi’s first Japanese-language paper to publish an English section. On November 2, 1942, the paper was renamed to the Hawaii Times in response to military government orders during WWII.

➡️ View our collections online at bit.ly/jcchcatalog

🗃️ Nippu Jiji collection

05/21/2026

Let's learn how to dance to Tanko Bushi! 🪨⛏️

In this Japanese folk song about coal mining, you will notice movements like throwing, shoveling, and wiping your face. Follow the step-by-step moves led by Nishikawa Minokimi.

Bon odori 盆踊り is a Japanese dance traditionally held during お盆 (Lantern Festival), a time to gather with family and friends to honor our ancestors. In Hawaiʻi, Obon season is an extended summer celebration of food and dance. What's your favorite bon dance?

Address

2454 South Beretania Street
Honolulu, HI
96826

Telephone

+18089457633

Website

http://www.jcchawaii.org/

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