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Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day!
May this season be filled with connection, kindness, and moments of joy.
Click on graphics below to learn more information
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JASC 2026-2027 Scholarship Applications Now Open!
Deadline to apply is April 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM.
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JASC Youth Volunteer Meeting
Our next meeting will be at JASC on February 18th from 4:00-5:30 PM.
During the meeting, volunteers will assist with origami and craft preparation for the upcoming Hinamatsuri Open House.
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Hinamatsuri Open House
In celebration of Hinamatsuri, or Girl's Day, we are hosting an open house for families to join us in spring activities including tea ceremony, crafts, storytelling, and a viewing of our traditional doll display.
Mochi and traditional treats will be served.
Prior registration is required. Tickets are $5 per person and ages 2 and under are free.
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Today is the last day to buy Early Bird Tickets!
Grab yours before the offer ends and be part of a special evening celebrating JASC’s 80 years of service and community.
Early Bird Tickets: $175
Available through February 12, 2026
Regular Ticket Price: $200 (after February 12th)
Join us on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at Artifact Events for an evening of celebration, inspiring stories, great company, and meaningful impact.
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Tampopo Kai is back in full swing—Winter Session 2 has begun!
Along with new families who joined the program for the very first time, we were also happy to welcome back many returning families.
It’s always wonderful to see familiar faces coming back!
An eventful season awaits us once spring arrives. In the meantime, let’s make this winter enjoyable together! 😊🎶
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Join one of our Ikebana classes!
Sign up today to claim your spot in a relaxing, interactive class that will introduce you to the art of Ohara style flower arranging!
No previous experience required! Beginners are encouraged
to join!
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Join us for Soup & Rice on the 20th!
Proceeds will support Midwest Buddhist Temple's work assisting those facing food insecurity. Delicious soup made by volunteers, rice made by JASC staff, and a community meal for a good cause. Come in from the cold and enjoy a nice bowl of soup!
Soup chefs and setup volunteers needed! Sign up online by clicking here or contact Jenn at JASC at 773-275-0097, ext. 228 or email her at jtrautetter@jasc-chicago.org See you soon!
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The February Nihongo Table is partnering with the
Japanese Culture Center!
Nihongo Table is JASC’s new monthly Japanese language & culture meetup designed to be low-pressure, social, and fun. Whether you’re learning Japanese, thinking about starting, or simply love Japanese culture, you’re welcome here.
Each session features a theme of the month and may include casual conversation practice, games, crafts, mini cultural activities, and plenty of conversation starters to help everyone feel comfortable. No experience required—just curiosity! Japanese tea and snacks will be provided.
Join us for a relaxed, judgment-free space to practice, connect, and enjoy Japanese culture with others.
The March Meet-up will be on March 19, 2026!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ruby Grillier at rgrillier@jasc-chicago.org
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By popular demand, our Adult Miso Making Workshop is back!
After a wonderful response to our January class, we’re excited to offer this hands-on workshop again.
Join us to learn the art of traditional miso making and take home your own batch to enjoy.
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Japanese Conversation Table:
Thursday, March 12, 2026
3月の日本語お話会は3月12日（木）です
開催日：3月12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, March 12, 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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We are excited to host our second Repair Day next month!
In collaboration with CapTel Captioned Telephone, Geo Allen Shoes & CGM, and Mark Drug Medical Supply, JASC is hosting its second Repair Day in the lower level of the building.
All are welcome to bring their wheelchair, cane, or walker in for a free inspection and on-site repair to help improve quality of everyday life. Registration is not required - just simply walk in and get a number!
Parking: Guests may park at the St. Padre Pio School (5600 N Fairfield Ave) parking lot (off of California Ave.)
If you require special assistance, limited parking at JASC's lot is available.
Please enter through JASC's side door entrance off of the parking lot.
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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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Full Spectrum Features’ latest short docudrama, Enough, will be featured at Chicago’s Day of Remembrance 2026, an annual gathering that marks the signing of Executive Order 9066 and honors the many generations shaped by Japanese American incarceration. Rooted in the decades-long history of the Japanese American Redress Movement—from the lead-up to the 1981 Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) hearings through the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988—the film turns to community memory and testimony to ask what it takes to confront harm honestly and pursue repair over time.
Following the screening, a panel of community members and practitioners will reflect on how the legacies of Redress speak to present-day struggles around state violence, surveillance, and displacement. Panelists include Becky Ozaki (Yonsei, granddaughter of a CWRIC testifier), Mary Samson (Sansei, Redress organizer), Dr. Britt Brooks (family therapist and clinician), Brian Tee (director and actor), and Scott Sakiyama (attorney and anti-ICE advocate). Together, they will consider how practices of storytelling, accountability, and care can interrupt repeating patterns of removal and state violence—both within families and across communities.
The program invites attendees to think with the panel about what “enough” looks like when it comes to justice: How do we honor the labor of those who fought for Redress while recognizing what remains unfinished? How can we speak with urgency about current harms without losing sight of the slow work of healing across generations? A guided discussion will offer space for reflection, questions, and shared commitments to ongoing community care.
Tickets are almost sold out! Please note all remaining tickets are for the overflow area in the museum where the program will be livestreamed and projected.
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JASC Partners with the Field Museum for Shared Stories, Shared Future: An Educator Symposium on AANHPI Histories
This event celebrates the culmination of a three-year journey exploring Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) histories and stories through education, community partnerships, and museum learning.
The event will feature a screening of Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America, a film by JJML Productions, followed by a panel discussion with educators and young advocates who helped champion the TEAACH Act in Illinois. Breakout sessions, cultural activation stations, and cultural performances to follow. Field Museum Connections: AANHPI stories and the TEAACH Act programming is made possible with the generous support of the Cyrus Tang Foundation.
Event details:
May 1 - May 2, 2026
May 1 - Reception at JASC from 5:30-7:30 pm
May 2 - Full Symposium at Field Museum from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Early Bird Ticket Rate (Now through 3/31): $75
Regular Rate (4/1-4/30): $100
We encourage all educators to attend this special symposium to learn more about how to implement AANHPI histories in your curriculum!
This symposium consists of two days.
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Mike Takada Receives 2026 Outstanding Community Leader Award
We are proud and excited to share that former JASC CEO and Board Member Mike Takada has been named a 2026 Outstanding Community Leader by the Chicago Cultural Alliance. Nominated by JASC, this honor recognizes Mike’s longstanding dedication, leadership, and service to the Chicago community. We are thrilled to celebrate this well-deserved achievement.
He will be recognized during the CCA Mosaic Gala - more details on the event coming soon!
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The Chicago Northside Origami Group, together with OrigamiUSA, will be holding
an origami convention March 6-8 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Magnificent Mile.
Please join us for a fantastic weekend of folding fun! Open to all origami
enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels.
Details here:
https://origamiusa.org/cocon2026
Questions? Contact June Yamasaki at june.yamasaki@gmail.com
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Scholarship Applications Open | Due 11:59PM March 1st
Learn more: https://jaclchicago.org/programs/scholarship-program/
The Chicago Chapter of JACL offers scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $5,000+ to undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated a commitment to JACL’s mission. Scholarships are awarded based on an applicant’s understanding of and alignment with JACL’s mission, as well as academic performance and extracurricular involvement. Scholarships are open to all, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Previous JACL Chicago scholarship winners applying for a second award must demonstrate sustained engagement with JACL. Funding for scholarships is provided by generous donations from JACL Chicago members and the greater Chicago Japanese American community.
All application materials are due by email to scholarships@jaclchicago.org by 11:59 PM Central time on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Awards will be distributed at the annual Scholarship Luncheon on Sunday, May 17, 2026. For more information and application materials, please click the button below.
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Intergenerational Conversations: Ripples of the Past
Saturday, March 14th | 2-5pm Midwest Buddhist Temple 435 W. Menomonee St. Chicago, IL 60614
RSVP using this link by 11:59pm March 3rd: https://bit.ly/IntergenConvosRSVP
Intergenerational Conversations: Ripples of the Past is a JACL Chicago and Nikkei Uprising program that brings Chicago-area Nikkei (people of Japanese ancestry) together to connect and process the trauma of WWII forced displacement and incarceration through personal story sharing. It was created to address the community’s need for spaces to reflect on, and heal from, the generational impact of mass incarceration. We are also looking for facilitators to help us lead small groups. Facilitators are required to attend one training and will receive a small stipend. If you are interested in facilitating, please fill out this form: https://bit.ly/IntergenConvoFacilitate
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Emma Wilkinson is a PhD student at Northwestern University who is working with Dr. Annette D'Onofrio to research Chicago-based JAs and their sociolinguistic contexts.Please consider helping her with her research!
If you or someone you know is interested in participating, please fill out the survey linked here or navigate to the following url: https://tinyurl.com/nikkeilang . It will ask for some demographic information to check study qualifications and will also ask for your availability. The interview typically takes about an hour to an hour and half. Please also let me know if you would like more information about the project, or if you have any questions.
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