Church News and Events

The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) will hold a wagashi workshop on Saturday, May 31, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Issei Memorial Hall, located on the ground floor of the JCCCNC, 1840 Sutter St. in San Francisco.

The hands-on workshop will show participants how to make two types of wagashi (Japanese sweets), misomatsukaze and sasamaki. Misomatsukaze is a steamed cake with sesame and sasamaki is a bamboo leaf sweet with black sugar. These Japanese sweets are usually served with tea.

The workshop will be given by Kimika Soko Takechi, who has been studying and teaching Japanese tea for 40 years, and Larry Sokyo Tiscornia, a tea ceremony instructor at Urasenke.

The workshop is limited to the first 15 applicants. The cost is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. For more information or to register, call (415) 567-5505 or e-mail programsevents@jcccnc.org.

The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) will hold its 2008 Track Meet on Sunday, June 29, at the Menlo-Atherton High School Track, 555 Middlefield Rd., Atherton.

The meet will be separated by age and events. Participants must fill out a JCCCNC Track Meet official entry form, where they will indicate what division and event they want to sign up for.

The age divisions are 30 and over (Masters), 17 and over, 15-16, 13-14, 11-12, 9-10, and 8 and under. Spikes are allowed for the three oldest divisions. Men and women compete against each other in relay and field events in the Masters Division.

The meet promises to be a fun event where people can compete with friends and spend time with their family. There will be space to sit outside and picnic while watching all the runners.

The meet starts at 9 a.m., but registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Entry is $10 and includes a T-shirt. For more information, call Jennifer Hamamoto at (415) 567-5505, ext. 227, e-mail jhamamoto@jcccnc.org, or visit www.jcccnc.org.

Participants in San Francisco interested in pre-meet training can call Craig Hamakawa at (415) 505-1654; in the Peninsula, call Michelle Nieda at (650) 948-4664; and in San Jose, call Tom Oshidari at (408) 257-5609.

SACRAMENTO - Interactive Asian Community Theatre (InterACT) will present "Carnival de L'Amour," an interactive dinner/theater dining experience, on Wednesday through Friday, June 25-27, at 6:30 p.m. (seating begins at 5:30 p.m.) at the Sterling Hotel, 1300 H St. The show features an original script and music by Artistic Director Dennis Yep.

InterACT strives to entertain and enlighten the community through a variety of plays that explore Asian American issues. Now concluding its sixth season, InterACT has produced over a dozen plays, including dramas, comedies and musicals.

Introduced in 1994, InterACT began as the Asian Pacific Theatre Company and underwent a name change in 1998 to reflect its involvement with different segments of the community.

Admission is $65. Reservations are required. To RSVP, call (916) 267-7280 or e-mail iact.tickets@gmail.com. For more information, visit www.interact-theatre.org.

EL CERRITO - The sounds of taiko can be heard at Sakura Kai's first annual festival on Saturday, June 14, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the auditorium of Fairmont Elementary School, 724 Kearney St. at Stockton Avenue, next to the El Cerrito Library.

In addition to drumming, Sakura Kaiﾕs talented members will perform line dancing, shigin and karaoke. There will also be a silent auction, crafts and food for sale.

This event is a fundraiser for Sakura Kai, which serves Japanese-speaking seniors. For more information, e-mail ECSakurakai@hotmail.com.

The Japanese Community Youth Council (JCYC), a non-profit youth services organization based in San Franciscoﾕs Japantown, will celebrate its 38th year on Saturday, June 21, by hosting the fourth annual Japantown Craft Fair event along with the Japantown Island Jam in San Francisco.

The Craft Fair will be held at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center (JCCCNC), 1840 Sutter St., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the Island Jam portion will be taking place simultaneously at Buchanan Mall.

Japantown Island Jam

The Island Jam will include contemporary Polynesian entertainment, delicious and unique island foods, and activities for children.

The entertainment will feature traditional Polynesian dancing and music, as well as island-style eats, including:

-The J-Town Hui, under the direction of Kaﾕala Carmack, which is made up of ukulele students from the JCCCNC (www.jcccnc.org/programs/music.htm).

-Na Hula O Maikalani, the JCCCNC hula group, under the direction of Ron Patrocinio.

-Keolalaulani Halau O Lapa Oﾕ Laka, a 45-year-old halau (school) based in Kaneohe, Hawaii.

-Kumu Hula Aloha Dalire, the Belmont section of the esteemed hula school, performing under the direction of alakaﾕi (leader) Nahoa Kiesel.

-Kaiulu, a San Francisco-based hula school led by Kumu (instructor) Michael Yamashita, will be joining forces with A Touch of Polynesia under the direction Mili Aranda, performing dances of Polynesia (www.geocities.com/atop_calendar/ATOP.html).

-Ka Ehukai Hawaiian Band, a mixture of contemporary and traditional Hawaiian music, led by Tennyson Lum (www.kaehukai.com).

-Merahi O Tehani, Tahitian and hula dance directed by Julie Bugarin (www.hulamom.com/classes.html).

-Manuia Polynesian Review, under the direction of Tommy and Camille Tualalalei (www.manuiapolynesia.com).

-Honu's Island Grinds and Bar, which will be offering Kalua Pig Subs, and Aloha Warehouse, which will have shave ice, as Buchanan Mall merchants join in the festivities.

Japantown Craft Fair

The Japantown Craft Fair will showcase unique crafts, gift items, and clothing from some of Californiaﾕs finest craft vendors. The turnout for this year's event is expected to exceed last year's attendance, as the Japantown Island Jam will most certainly draw large crowds to the neighborhood.

For more information, including a full list of sponsors and craft vendors, visit www.jcyc.org.

The mission of JCYC is to cultivate and enrich the lives of children and youth from diverse, multicultural communities throughout San Francisco and beyond.

FRESNO — The FBBWA (Fresno Betsuin Buddhist Women’s Association) Crab Feed will be held on Saturday, March 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Fresno Betsuin Annex, 1340 Kern St.

The event will include a country store and the sale of quilt raffle tickets.

Pre-sale tickets are available for $35 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under.

For more information, call Rumi Arakawa at (559) 431-7746, Sharon Ezaki at 897-5744, or the temple office at 442-1978.

The Nikkei Lions Club will hold an installation dinner honoring incoming president Steven Hirabayashi on Sunday, June 22, at Honu’s Island Grinds and Bar, 1737 Buchanan St. (near Sutter) in San Francisco’s Japantown.

The dinner starts at 7 p.m, preceded by a reception at 6 p.m. Hawaiian shirts or similar attire is requested.

Hirabayashi will be installed along with the other new officers for 2008-09. The evening’s special guest will be Lions District Governor Maxine Frazier.

The cost is $35 per person. To RSVP, contact Henry Wong at (415) 990-8829 or henry.k.lee.wong@att.net.

Pine United Methodist Church, located at 426 33rd Ave. between Clement and Geary in San Francisco, will host its 41st annual Chicken Teriyaki Bazaar on Sunday, June 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Chicken teriyaki bento boxes will be sold for $9. Other food items available for purchase will include manju, udon, hamburgers, hot dogs and chirashi sushi.

Launched in 1967, the bazaar was the brainchild of Pine UMC member Gus Toba. Every year, thousands of people flock to the church for its famous chicken teriyaki.

Over 2,000 pieces of chicken will be marinated overnight and barbecued throughout Saturday night and Sunday morning for this important fundraising event. For those people on the go, a curbside pick-up station will be set up in front of the church.

For more information, visit the website at www.pineumc.org or contact Rev. John Oda at (415) 387-1800 or revjohnoda@yahoo.com.

World Oyama Karate presents its fourth annual Fighters Cup: West Coast Full Contact Karate Invitational on Saturday, June 14, at Mercy High School, 3250 19th Ave. in San Francisco.

Competion begins at 10 a.m., with competitor registration at 9 a.m.
This year’s event will feature a bare-hands/bare-feet men’s knockdown competition, as well as a semi-knockdown competition for both kids and adults, as well as special demonstrations.

The event is under the direction of Sensei Takeshi Saito, headmaster for the World Oyama Karate Dojo in San Francisco. World Oyama Karate director Saiko Shihan Yasuhiko Oyama will also be in attendance.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for kids, and $20 on the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased at the World Oyama Karate dojo at 550 Taraval St. in San Francisco, and are also available on-line at www.oyamakarate-sf.com.

A portion of all proceeds will be donated to Edgewood Center for Children and Families.

Christ Episcopal Church (Sei Ko Kai) is having its 10th annual Summer Frolic, a fundraising music festival, on Sunday, June 22, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at Pine United Methodist Church, 426 33rd Ave. (between Clement and Geary) in San Francisco.

The event will feature accomplished pianist Kana Mimaki, who will play Chopin’s “Fantasie Impromptu” and Liszt’s “Campanella.” Her recent achievements include winning first prize awards in the Los Angeles Liszt Competition, the International Russian Music Competition, and the Catania International Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Competition.

Mimaki, who began playing piano at the age of 3 and won her first of many piano competitions by age 5, studied at the Tokyo University of Music and Fine Arts. She is an acclaimed soloist and chamber musician both in the U.S. and Japan.

The price for admission is $20 for adults and $5 for children under 10. For more information, call (415) 668-3303 or Ryoko Tadakuma at (415) 386-8506.