Friendly Visitor Reflections

by | Dec 18, 2022 | Other News

 Brighten a Senior’s Day

Consider a rewarding experience for the New Year! Become a volunteer for the J-Sei Friendly Visitor and Friendly Caller Programs for seniors who are homebound or simply need social contact. Spread the word to all of your family and friends. Anyone at least 21 years of age is eligible to join our program. Our seniors benefit so much from our program and so will YOU! Our veteran volunteers have said the rewards are many. They have made lifelong friendships and learned so much from the seniors’ wealth of knowledge and history. Happy smiles of our seniors will leave an indelible mark in your hearts. Hear from our volunteers yourselves.

If this sparks an interest in you, please contact Sunnie at sunnie@j-sei.org.

A Conversation with Steve Fujimura on “Sad Asian Music”

A Conversation with Steve Fujimura on “Sad Asian Music”

by | Nov 27, 2022 | Classes & Events

A Conversation with Steve Fujimura on Sad Asian Music

Tuesday, November 29, 4 pm (Hybrid)

Join Steve Fujimura as he shares his debut book of poetry, Sad Asian Music and reflects on how writing helps navigate memory, loss and identity as a Sansei.

Sad Asian Music traces the social, cultural, and familial connections that form the everyday and extraordinary beauty of Japanese American lives. Fujimura filters popular culture and history, geopolitics and dreams, through the psyche and moral compass of a poet. This volume has heft and ballast, rooted as it is in reflections on white supremacy and the love that overcomes tragedy. –Amanda Mei Kim, writer

Steve Fujimura is a poet based in Berkeley, California. His writing engages with memory, history, loss, and family. His work can be found in New American Writing, Milvia Street Art & Literary Journal, Essential Truths: The Bay Area in Color, and other publications. He has participated in programs with The Community of Writers in CA, the Berkeley Poetry Festival, the Hweilan International Artist Workshop in Taiwan, and Kearny Street Workshop’s APAture festival. Steve earned an MA in creative writing at San Francisco State University. He is from San José, CA.

Sad Asian Music will be on sale for $20.  Steve Fujimura will be available to sign the book on Nov 29.  The book can also be reserved for purchase and pick-up at J-Sei’s Holiday Marketplace on December 4th.  The conversation will be moderated by Jonathan Hirabayashi. RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Sad Asian Music” in the subject line. Please indicate in-person or online.

 

J-Sei Holiday Marketplace 2022

J-Sei Holiday Marketplace 2022

by | Nov 27, 2022 | News

J-Sei Holiday Marketplace

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Join us for the J-Sei Holiday Marketplace, an open air market to share select items from the J-Sei Artisan Faire, and meet new artisans sharing their goods in-person.

Come join in the holiday festivities, order a bento from My Friend Yuji, browse the local treats, and share some good cheer with friends at J-Sei.  Listen to live music from:

                            • J-Sei Sings (12:30 pm)
                            • Berkeley Methodist Choir (1:15 pm)
                            • Hideo Date (2:00 pm)

Visit and Shop In-Person

* Artisanal Foods by Mume Farms and Shared Cultures

* Book Signing of “Little Green Mask” by Judith Kajiwara

* Book Signing of “Sad Asian Music” by Steve Fujimura

* Creative Gifts by Berkeley Methodist Crafters

*Happi, Totes, Masks, Jewelry by Tracy Hui

*3D Origami Sculpture by Andrea Saw

* Whimsical Designs by Carina Lee and Sunnie Youk

* Cyanotype Cards & Journals by Carrie Yoshida,

* Original Washi Designed Cards by Joanne Wong

* Origami Designs by San Quentin Origami with Jun Hamamoto

* Bay Area Drip Jewelry

*Fused-Glass Art by Cindy Gieng

* Kayoko Designs Jewelry

* Pottery by Teri Lee

* Shibori Designs & Pottery by Chiyeko Klarman

SPECIAL PRE-ORDER BENTO – Dec 4th

Our chef Yuji Ishikata offers special bento for J-Sei events. Pre-order delicious bento to pick-up To-Go to enjoy for lunch or dinner from My Friend Yuji on Dec 4th.

SPICY TUNA DONBURI – Spicy Tuna mixture over sushi rice, with greens and pickles – $20

KAKUNI BENTO – Braised sweet soy pork belly with roasted vegetables and Koshihikari rice – $18

Click on the button below. Select a pick up time of 12 pm, 1 pm, or 2 pm.  Pick up at J-Sei, 1285 66th Street, Emeryville (near Hollis St).

 

Order bento for 12/4
Movie Night 5th Anniversary

Movie Night 5th Anniversary

by | Nov 26, 2022 | Classes & Events

J-Sei At The Movies: 5th-year Anniversary Watch Party (on Zoom)
Friday, Dec. 9, 6:30 pm

You’re invited to join us as J-Sei Movie Night celebrates its 5th year anniversary! Thanks to movie night fans for yet another terrific year — talking about great movies and shows and learning from industry artists and scholars about their work. Please join us to help celebrate five fun-filled years and welcome more ideas for 2023.

We’ll enjoy a contemporary Japanese movie watch party and discussion, along with an online poll to choose your favorite program of the past year and some giveaway treats.

See you at the movies!

RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Dec movie night” in the subject line to receive Zoom info prior to the event.

J-Sei Movie Night Bento

For movie night, you can order specially made obento from My Friend Yuji for pickup. Here are Chef Yuji’s delectable offerings for this month’s movie night:

  • Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp Plate ($20) Hawaiian food truck style garlic shrimp, mac salad and rice
  • Local Style Short Rib Stew ($22) Local style Hawaiian beef stew with vegetables over rice

Click on the button below to place your order. Pick up your meal at the selected pick-up time at J-Sei on Friday, December 9th. Please remember to wear a mask and observe social distance protocol. Thank you!

MY FRIEND YUJI

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. Repeat with additional items to order. When you’ve finished selecting your bento, 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 is celebrating its Fifth Year 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. We welcome any donations to help us offset costs for Movie Night. Thanks for considering this.

J-Sei’s Artisan Faire 2022

J-Sei’s Artisan Faire 2022

by | Nov 23, 2022 | News

J-Sei Virtual Artisan Faire

November 25 to 29, 2022

Come shop online with us at our Asian Artisan Craft Faire 2022.  J-Sei encourages creative artists in our midst to share their inspired designs for gift giving and to spread the joy. 

Featuring handcrafted gifts, ceramics, jewelry, wearable art, tote bags, stationery, home decor, specialty foods, books, CDs, and more.

Enjoy 4.5 days of shopping from Friday, November 25th at 8 am to Tuesday, November 29th at 12 noon. 

Customer pick-up will be held on Sunday, December 4th from 12 to 3 pm at the J-Sei Holiday Marketplace.  Enjoy a chance to meet artists and do some more shopping!

 

Designs by (clockwise): Koko Baker, Beth Jerde, Teri Lee, Carina Lee, Carolyn Hayashida, Joanne Wong, Tracy Hui

Featuring

Amy Funabiki –  Totes & Pouches

Anne Takizawa – Homemade Preserves & Doggie Treats

Asian American Music – Hideo Date, Peter Horikoshi, Otonowa

Carina Lee – Assorted Playful Crochet

Beth Jerde – Handcrafted Bead Necklaces

Carolyn Hayashida – Year of the Rabbit Tops, Totes and Bags

Carrie Yoshida -Cyanotype Cards and Journals

Chiyeko Klarman – Hand-built Pottery

Eastwind Books – Asian American Books

Harvest Land – Hand-screened Print T-shirts

Jane Yamashiro – Homemade Candies

Jizake Quest – Imported Sake

Joanne Wong – Washi Paper Card Designs

Jun Hamamoto/San Quentin Origami – Origami Cards

Kayoko Designs – Jewelry

Koko Baker – Handwoven Scarves

Movie Night Bakers – Homemade Cookies

Mume Farm – Ume products

Shared Cultures – Miso products

Teri Lee – Pottery

Tracy Takayanagi Hui – Happi, Totes, Masks & Jewelry

J-Sei Holiday Marketplace

Sunday, December 4, 2022

The J-Sei Holiday Marketplace, an open air market to share some of the culinary delights from the kitchen and select items from the J-Sei Artisan Faire.  Come join in the holiday festivities, order a bento from My Friend Yuji, browse the local treats, and share some good cheer with friends. 

The J-Sei Holiday Marketplace is scheduled to align with the J-Sei Artisan Craft Faire pick-up. We look forward to greeting you at J-Sei.

FOR MORE INFO.