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JASC 80th Anniversary Block Party - August 30
Chicago Stars Japan Heritage Match - September 6
Defining Courage - September 20
Vaccine Clinic - September 24
Samurai Movie Night - October 3
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Visit Us on Sunday!
Join us for a fun-filled afternoon featuring grilled Japanese teriyaki hot dogs, sweet treats from Rita’s Dessert Truck, family-friendly games and activities including ring toss, face painting, and a fishing game, plus unique hidden treasures from Obachan’s (Grandma’s) Attic.
Whether you’re a longtime supporter or visiting JASC for the first time, we invite you to celebrate eight decades of cultural programming, social services, and community impact. We look forward to welcoming you to our building and celebrating this special milestone together!
We need volunteers! Click below to sign up for a shift!
| Promote your business to JASC supporters with a $100 sponsorship. | | | |
Japanese Heritage Match with the Chicago Stars
Join JASC for the Chicago Stars’ inaugural Japanese Heritage Match on Sunday, September 6 at 3:00 PM at Northwestern Medicine Field
in Evanston!
The Stars will take on the North Carolina Courage, with Japanese cultural performances, food, and an exciting afternoon of soccer. A portion of ticket proceeds will directly support JASC and our programs.
Ticket Options:
• $44.55 — Tickets in South 18–23 (Behind the Goal)
• $60.47 - Tickets in West 24-25, 29-30
• $60.14 Special Hello Kitty Ticket Offer
Fans can add a Stars x Hello Kitty bucket hat to their ticket order.
Tickets must be purchased through the special link below to include this special offer!
Everyone who purchases through the JASC link will be invited to an exclusive post-game meet & greet with Chicago Stars midfielder Manaka Hayashi (#5), originally from Hyogo, Japan!
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Back to School with Donguri Kai
Fall registration for Donguri Kai is now open! Give your child a fun and engaging way to build their Japanese language skills this school year through our 12-week fall session.
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Hello Tampopo Families and Friends,
I have two updates for you:
(1) The New Fall Registration Form is Here!
You’ll notice that it looks a little different from the previous one because we have changed our registration system and class fees.
Please be patient as you get used to the new system—I’m learning it myself, too! I hope you’ll find it easy to use once you get familiar with the new process.
After you complete the registration form you can go to the Fall 2026 Tampopo Attendance Form.
You are able to use this link for attendance sign-ups (select which classes you will be attending) and this allows me to prepare materials for class. If you could let me know 24 hours in advance at the latest but the earlier the better!
Your class bundle will not be deducted unless you attend the class but it is helpful to know the attendance ahead of time.
(2) Two Substitute Teachers for Saturday, September 12
For our first Fall class on Saturday, September 12:
- Regular Tampopo (Bilingual) Early and Late Classes will be taught by Tomoko Hanna Sensei.
- Tampopo Japanese Immersion Classwill be taught by Sachie Sensei.
I will be back on September 19th and will resume teaching all three classes as usual.
I’m sorry I won’t be there for the first class of the Fall session, but I know you’ll be in wonderful hands with Tomoko and Sachie Sensei!
Thank you, as always, for your patience and support. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on September 19th!
Thank you,
Naomi Negi, Tampopo Kai
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Less Than a Month Away from Defining Courage
Don’t miss Defining Courage, coming to Chicago on September 20, 2026!
Defining Courage tells the powerful story of the Nisei Soldiers—Americans of Japanese ancestry who served in the segregated military units of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, and 522nd Field Artillery Battalion during World
War II.
Through powerful storytelling, music, and archival history, the production explores the extraordinary experiences of these soldiers, who faced prejudice at home while fighting for their country abroad. Narrated by Emmy Award-winning ABC7 Los Angeles news anchor and filmmaker David Ono, with music curated by Music Director Chris Wade, Defining Courage offers a moving look at their legacy and what it means to be
an American.
Tickets are on sale now—don't miss your chance to experience this special story!
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October Kids Cooking Class
Looking for a delicious Sunday activity for your kids?
Our October Kids Cooking Class is packed with fun recipes like hands-on gyoza making and sweet taiyaki treats!
Sign up today to save your spot!
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NEW Conversational Japanese Class!
Are you somewhere between the Intermediate and Advanced stages of your Japanese studies and looking for more opportunities to
practice speaking?
We’re excited to introduce our new Conversational Japanese class!
Designed for students who have studied Japanese for 3+ years or are approximately at the JLPT N3–N1 level, this class places a greater emphasis on speaking, listening, and comprehension skills.
Rather than following a traditional textbook, each class will be guided by student interests, conversation topics, and teacher input—creating a dynamic and engaging learning experience while exploring a variety
of subjects.
Thursdays | 6:00–7:00 PM
August 27–October 15, 2026
Online via Zoom
Students can register for the full 8-week session or choose individual drop-in dates that work with their schedule.
Registration is now open!
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Join Our Team!
We are looking for a Director of Development to join our team.
To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to info@jasc-chicago.org.
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New JASC Community Spotlight Series
Introducing JASC’s new Community Spotlight series!
We’ll be highlighting the guests and community members who are sharing their passions, doing meaningful work, and making an impact in Chicago and beyond.
Click to read more about Ryosuke Kawamura, a Japanese exchange student from Kyushu University, and his experience at JASC.
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Join our Ikebana classes!
Discover the beauty and simplicity of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. Learn the fundamentals of the Ohara School of Ikebana as you create your own beautiful floral arrangement. Each class is a complete, stand-alone experience, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced participants. Explore seasonal flowers, develop new skills, and express your creativity in a welcoming environment.
September class dates are available! Click below to register.
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JASC will host a vaccine clinic on Thursday, September 24, from 11:00 AM–1:30 PM, offering flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.
The clinic will be available to ADS clients and homemakers from 11:00 AM–12:30 PM, and will be open to the community from 12:30–1:30 PM.
RSVP is required so we can ensure an adequate number of vaccine doses are available.
All attendees must RSVP through the link below and complete the Walgreens Vaccine Consent Form - please email the completed form to pdesouza@jasc-chicago.org by September 22. Paper forms are also available at the JASC office.
Please note: Vaccines for individuals age 65+ are covered by Medicare/Medicaid. Uninsured individuals may have an out-of-pocket cost of approximately $78. Individuals aged 64 and under who are uninsured may be eligible to receive vaccines at no cost through Walgreens’ coverage program.
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JASC is hosting an Introductory Japanese calligraphy class on Friday, September 25, 2026.
No previous experience necessary. Students will learn foundational skills in a fun and engaging environment!
Class will be held in JASC's Lower Level Activity Room.
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Japanese Conversation Table
Thursday, September 10, 2026
9月の日本語お話会は9月10日（木）
です
開催日：9月10日
開催時間：午後12:00から2:00まで
参加費：１人/１回10ドル
日本語で交流したい方へのお知らせです。（日本語の会話クラスではありません。）
普段あまりほかの方との交流のない方、一人でお住まいの方、思いっきり日本語でおしゃべりしてみませんか？
楽しい話題や暮らしのアイデアを分け合い、ちょっとした悩みや不安など、皆で話し合えば解決法がでてくるかも知れません。いろいろなことを日本語で話し合い、英語社会で溜まったストレスを解消しましょう。
このプログラムに興味のある方、参加したいと思われる方は、Eメールで川口ケイclasses@jasc-chicago.org とルビー・グリリエー rgrillier@jasc-chicago.org
または電話：773-275-0097内線226, までご連絡ください。
Calling all native Japanese speakers to our monthly gathering of fellowship and connection with other native Japanese speakers! Please note this is not a Japanese language class but rather a time for fellowship while speaking in fluent Japanese.
Date: Thursday, September 10, 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Cost: $10 per person, per session
Location: JASC 5700 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago IL 60659
JASC's Conversation Table welcomes everyone to share their experiences, ideas, and stories through social interaction and offers an opportunity to expand their social networks with others in the local community.
If you know someone who would like to participate, please contact Kay Kawaguchi by email at classes@jasc-chicago.org or call her at 773-275-0097 x 226 and leave a message to RSVP. Kay can answer any questions about the program in Japanese or in English. You may also reach out to Ruby Grillier at rgrillier@jasc-chicago.org
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September Nihongo Table
Join us at Nihongo Table for casual chatting in Japanese, fun activities, snacks and more!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ruby Grillier at rgrillier@jasc-chicago.org
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JASC’s Adult Day Services provides older adults with a safe, engaging environment that supports their physical, mental, and emotional well-being through customized care plans and daily activities like art, music, and dance. Located at 5700 N. Lincoln Ave., our program also offers respite for family caregivers and the added support of two on-staff Registered Nurses.
Interested in Adult Day Services?
For more information, you can contact us:
We urge prospective clients and their families to tour our new facility on 5700 N Lincoln Ave and check out this wonderful program.
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Samurai Movie Night
Saturday, October 3, 2026
We are thrilled to announce the next Samurai Movie Night! Presented in partnership with the Japanese Mutual Aid Society, we will be screening the Seven Samurai (1954) at JASC.
We hope you can make it! Click below to RSVP.
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Cranes for Peace Project
A new project has been launched by the Japanese Culture Center and the Osaka Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, and the Japanese American Service Committee is proud to be a partner!
We’re setting a goal to fold over 1,000 origami cranes to contribute to this collaborative art project—and we’re calling on our community to help us reach it.
You can participate by:
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Folding cranes at home (please leave wings up and unfolded for storage)
- Joining upcoming folding workshops at JASC, where we’ll provide the origami paper and guidance
If you’d like to drop off your folded cranes at JASC, please contact Ruby at rgrillier@jasc-chicago.org, and we’ll make sure they are transported to the Japanese Culture Center.
We are proud to announce that thanks to our amazing community, we have collected over 5,000 cranes! Thank you so much for your help!
We are still collecting cranes into August if you would like to join.
Click below to learn more about the project and how to participate!
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Make This Fall Unforgettable for Your Kids!
Looking for an exciting, memorable day camp experience? Join us at JASC for our Fall Sports Day Camp (Aki no Undokai)!
Campers will team up for traditional Japanese sports day games, learn how to craft their own onigiri bento lunch, and experience the power of teamwork in a fun, supportive environment.
To make the day even more exciting, Kana Kendziera, a former member of the Japanese national volleyball team, will be joining as our special guest to inspire our young athletes!
Spaces are limited. Sign up today to give your child a day filled with energy, culture, and fun!
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JASC is hosting the traveling exhibit, “Crystal City: America’s Last WWII Concentration Camp,” from October 16–November 20, 2026!
The exhibit explores the history of the Crystal City Family Internment Camp in South Texas, which operated from 1942–1948. Through family stories and historical materials, it examines the experiences of Japanese American, German American, and Latin American families imprisoned during World War II, as well as daily life inside the camp.
The exhibit also raises important questions about citizenship, ethnicity, and belonging during times of conflict.
Visit our website to learn more about the exhibit and plan your visit
to JASC.
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"OBON": Staged Readings of a Work-in-Progress Play by Yū Miri
Yū Miri, one of Japan’s most acclaimed playwrights and novelists, will present staged readings of her work-in-progress “OBON.” Based on oral history interviews that Yū and her collaborator Michael Bourdaghs (University of Chicago) have carried out with approximately fifty members of Chicago’s Japanese American community, the play brings together professional actors with community member interviewees to reimagine the multi-generational history of a Japanese American Chicago, including the 20,000 persons who moved to the city from wartime incarceration camps and their descendants, as well as more recent arrivals from Japan and elsewhere.
Three public events are scheduled as this phase of the project wraps up:
Thursday, 9/17: 6:00 p.m., "Sound and Voice in the Work of Yu Miri," Room 314 at the DePaul University Lincoln Park Student Center (2250 North Sheffield Ave, Chicago, IL 60614). This will include a reading by Yu Miri from her novel End of August, a panel discussion of her work by several scholars, and finally a staged reading of one scene from the work-in-progress playscript "OBON." The event should last about 90 minutes (no registration required). Sponsored by the Japan Foundation, the DePaul University Humanities Center, and the University of Chicago Center for East Asian Studies.
Monday, 9/21: 7:00 p.m.: staged reading of work-in-progress play "OBON," Theater West, Logan Center for the Arts. The event should last about 75 minutes; registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/obon-staged-reading-of-a-work-in-progress-by-yu-miri-tickets-1993633115315?aff=oddtdtcreator
Wednesday, 9/23: 7:30 p.m.: staged reading of "OBON," Theater 1, Theater Wit (1229 W Belmont, Chicago IL 60657). The event should last about 75 minutes; registration required: https://www.theaterwit.org/tickets/productions/615/performances#top
The staged reading events are sponsored by the Pozen Family Center for Human Rights, the Center for East Asian Studies, and Arts and Humanities Division (all University of Chicago), and Theater Wit.
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Join FSF and NEIU for an evening of community, history, and celebration marking the 45th anniversary of the 1981 CWRIC hearings and the public launch of Reckoning with Redress - a cinematic digital history project years in the making.
This event is free and open to the public. Visit fullspectrum.education for more details and to RSVP.
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Could You Have Missing Money Waiting for You?
Did you know that 1 in 4 Illinois residents has unclaimed funds waiting for them? The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is currently holding over $5 billion in forgotten cash, stocks, and property. This includes things like forgotten bank accounts, uncashed checks, utility deposits, and life insurance proceeds.
The state's ICash program is a free service dedicated to safety-keeping these assets
until they can be returned to their rightful owners or heirs. The average claim paid out is $1,000—and it costs absolutely nothing to get your money back! For more info visit https://icash.illinoistreasurer.gov/ or reach out to the office at 800-961-8303.
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TOYOAKI ENSEMBLE AT THE CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL
Thursday, Sept. 3rd | Claudia Cassidy Theater | 2:15-3:15PM
78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
The Toyoaki Ensemble is the derivative of one of the longest standing amalgams of Tatsu Aoki’s the MIYUMI Project, drawing upon the aesthetics of Japanese traditional music and Chicago’s creative jazz. The presentations draw from the aesthetics of Geisha House chamber music. These ‘structured’ improvisational pieces stem from a conceptual framework that each band member contributes and interprets which creates the unique blending of modern application with traditional sensibility.
Featuring Mai Sugimoto on alto sax, Lori Ashaikawa on violin, Kioto Aoki on taiko drums, Koichi Hiraishi on bass and Tatsu Aoki on shamisen. Enjoy the work of electro acoustic Jazz delivered from traditional Japanese music.
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SHUBUKAI 50TH ANNIVERSARY PERFORMANCE
Saturday, Sept. 19th | The Edge Theater | 3:00PM
5451 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640
Join us for the 50th anniversary of Shubukai with a full program of special guests: Koryu Nishikawa, Kanshichinao Fujima and Yurina Fujima and supported by Tsukasa Taiko & Toyoakimoto Shamisen
More information TBA
RSVP HERE
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