J-Sei At the Movies: Watch Party with group discussion

Friday, August 12, 2022 – 6:30 pm on Zoom

August is always a special month for memory and reflection in our community. Not only is this the time of Obon, when we honor our ancestors and departed loved ones, but it is also the occasion to commemorate the tragic bombing that occurred on August 6 and 9, 1945, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and their aftermath.

On Friday, August 12, J-Sei will livestream a classic film followed by a group discussion about the bombing, the end of World War II, and the lasting trauma. But also, to follow the wise words of filmmaker and Hiroshima resident Tokigawa Hideyuki (our special guest for movie night in June), we should also observe the new life and spirit that has steadily developed out of these devastated areas ever since those fateful days.

Please join us for this special program.

RSVP with “August Movie Night” in the subject line.
We’ll send Zoom information prior to the August 12 event.


Additional Event Announcement

A Remembrance for Peace: Hiroshima-Nagasaki Virtual Commemoration will be streamed on Tuesday, August 9th at 6:30 pm. View the program on Facebook Live or YouTube Live through the Nichibei website: https://www.nichibei.org/virtual-remembrance/

The program will feature The Mushroom Club, a short narrative documentary by local filmmaker Steven Okazaki. Academy Award–winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki journeys to Hiroshima, 25 years after his first trip and 60 years after the devastating atomic bomb drop. He takes a personal look at Hiroshima—the place, the people, the historic event, the idea—and creates a compelling collection of everyday images: a class photo, a spool of thread, a handful of buttons, documenting the powerful stories that come with them. The film features ten hibakusha or atomic bomb survivors, including a 90-year-old survivor and members of the “Kinoko Kai” or “The Mushroom Club,” a support group created for children born with defects caused by nuclear contamination.

Also presented will be reflections from “In Hiroshima: A Teennager Finds A Home,” a travel journal by Daisy Okazaki, who ventured to Hiroshima on her own in 2020.

The Interfaith Ceremony at the SF Japantown Peace Plaza, and Toro Nagashi (Floating Lantern) Ceremony at the San Francisco Sokoji Temple, both to be held on August 6th, will be part of the virtual program.

The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration is a collaboration of Friends of Hibakusha, Japanese American Religious Federation (JARF) and Nichi Bei Foundation.

J-Sei Movie Night Bento

August 12 Bento

For movie night, you can order specially made obento from My Friend Yuji for pickup on Friday, August 12 in conjunction with Movie Night. Here are Chef Yuji’s mouth-watering offerings:

  • Char Siu Rice Plate – Marinated roasted char siu pork, bok choy and ginger scallion rice $18
  • Futomaki – (vegetarian) Spinach, takuan, gobo, ginger, cucumber, kanpyo and shiitake mushroom $12
  • Rainbow Roll – Snow crab, cucumber topped with assorted fish and avocado $18
  • The Hannah Special – Spicy tuna, mango, cucumber and topped with razzle dazzle (jalapeño jam) $15

You can click on the button below to place your order.

Pick up your meal at the selected pick-up time at J-Sei on Friday, August 12th. Please remember to wear a mask and observe social distance protocol. Thank you!

To order: When you click on the button above, it will take you directly to a pop-up order form on the My Friend Yuji webpage, where you first select a pickup time. In the next window, click anywhere inside the box frame to open another pop-up and select the number of bento you want to order, then click on “Add item” to close the pop-up. Click the “View order” bar at the bottom to confirm your order and click “Continue to payment” to sign in and pay for your order.

Support J-Sei At the Movies

Thanks to you, J-Sei At the Movies recently celebrated its third anniversary! We look forward to more creative programming with educational and inspiring Japanese and Japanese American films. We are especially grateful for the up close and personal chats with filmmakers as we learn so much from the exchange.

We love having a growing and enthusiastic audience. You are the best! We welcome any donations to help us offset costs for Movie Night. Thanks for considering this.