Multigenerational Movie Watch: Lu, Over the Wall

Multigenerational Movie Watch: Lu, Over the Wall

by | Feb 9, 2026 | Classes & Events

Multigenerational Movie Watch: Lu, Over the Wall

Sunday, March 8th, 3 pm 

From visionary anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa, comes a joyously hallucinogenic but family-friendly take on the classic fairy tale about a little mermaid who comes ashore to join a middle-school rock band and propel them to fame.  Kai is talented but adrift, spending his days sulking in a small fishing village after his family moves from Tokyo. When his classmates invite him to play the keyboard in their band, their practice sessions bring an unexpected guest: Lu, a young mermaid whose singing causes humans to compulsively dance – whether they want to or not.

Winner of the Grand Prize at the prestigious Annecy Animation Festival, and premiering in English as an official selection of Sundance 2018, Lu Over the Wall is a toe-tapping, feel-good demonstration of Yuasa’s genre-mixing mastery that will leave you humming long after you leave the theater.  

Imagine Nikkei Village Cinema seeks to create a multigenerational space at J-Sei to come with family and friends to watch a movie, join a conversation, and participate in a hands-on activity with people of all ages – children, youth, adults, elders.

RSVP Here
Circling Back: A Retrospective of Artwork by Ruth Yoshiko Okimoto

Circling Back: A Retrospective of Artwork by Ruth Yoshiko Okimoto

by | Feb 9, 2026 | Classes & Events, Featured

Circling Back: A Retrospective of Artwork by Ruth Yoshiko Okimoto

Opening Program: Saturday, March 14, 2026, 1 pm, gallery opens at noon.

J-Sei, 1285 66th St, Emeryville

Exhibit Dates: February 1 – May 15, 2026

Gallery Hours: M Tu Th Fr 2-5 pm, or by appointment: 510-654-4000

Join us to hear from artist Ruth Okimoto as she reflects on her healing journey and call to action through art. She will be joined in conversation with filmmaker Satsuki Ina, following a screening of “Children of the Camps” (1999), a documentary that captures the experience of six Americans of Japanese ancestry who were confined as innocent children to U.S. concentration camps during WWII. The film that includes Okimoto, vividly portrays the personal journey to heal the deep wounds they suffered from this experience.

Ruth Yoshiko Okimoto, Ph.D., long-time Bay Area community member, held her first exhibition of paintings at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC ) in 1990. In stark and riveting paintings, Ruth Yoshiko Okimoto rendered her childhood memories of life held in the Poston Arizona prison camp during WWII. Working in brilliant colors of the American flag and self images as a child, Okimoto invites viewers to consider the issue of loyalty and childhood innocence. Today, this exhibit brings to light Ruth’s journey to healing from the trauma of unjust incarceration and its meaning in today’s resonant context of racist government policies of forced removal, family separation, and child detention.

RSVP for Opening Program 3/14

Healthy Aging: Managing Money, A Caregiver’s Guide to Finances

by | Feb 9, 2026 | Classes & Events

Healthy Aging: Managing Money, A Caregiver’s Guide to Finances

Thursday, March 19, 2-3:30 pm

J-SEI 1285 66th Street, Emeryville, CA 94608

If you or someone you know is facing Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or another chronic illness, it’s never too early to put financial plans in place. Join us to learn tips for managing someone else’s finances, how to prepare for future care costs and the benefits of early planning. RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Managing Money” in the subject line.

Flavors of Spring 2026

by | Jan 13, 2026 | News

Join us for a festive afternoon of food, wine, brew and live music.

Discover must-have silent auction items and

try a spin in the raffle drawing.

Regular ticket price is $200, from February 9th.

Purchase tickets online or send checks payable to:

J-Sei, 1285 66th Street, Emeryville, CA 94608.

Must be postmarked by March 22, 2026.

For more info, contact Tiffany Nguyen, tiffany@j-sei.org

 

Many thanks to our vendors who give their time & talents

and to the creative orchestration by Yuji Ishikata.

Aloha Shave Ice

Joodooboo

Chef Siew Chinn Chin

Chef Cheryl Lew

Piglet and Co

Good Morning 96

Rintaro

Chef Yuji Ishikata

Chef Brian Ishii

Jizake Quest

Match Point

Mikami Vineyards

Be in good company and enjoy

music by Private Practice,

bid at our Silent Auction

and try your luck with the J-Sei Raffle!

TICKETS and MORE INFO

Purchase Flavors of Spring Tix

Note: Purchasing Tickets Online

Zeffy is a free platform for non-profits with no transaction fee. There is an option to donate to support their efforts. However, if you would like to bypass, choose “Other” and indicate “0” at payment checkout.

See screenshot on the right. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Flavors of Spring?

Flavors of Spring is a special tasting event that brings the community together to share in exceptional eats, drink, live music, and company while raising funds to support J-Sei’s senior services and cultural family programs.

What is J-Sei and how will it benefit from my participation?

J-Sei is a community and cultural organization that brings together generations of families in the East Bay through a broad array of services and programs. We promote a multi-cultural and multi-generational approach to to supporting older Japanese Americans and the broader aging population.

Proceeds from the Flavors of Spring 2026 event will help frail older adults remain healthy and happy in their community through critical programs such as our meals on wheels service. We help more than 700 individuals and their families every year in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

For more FAQs and to learn more, click on the button below.

Freq Asked Ques

Become a Sponsor

J-Sei provides a wide range of services and cultural programs for a diverse population of older adults and families with a unique ability to serve the Japanese American community. Your generous participation will provide critical support for our mission to support those in need.

Sponsorship Levels

Hasu (Lotus) – $10,000

Sakura (Cherry Blossom) – $5,000

Matsu (Pine) – $2,500

Take (Bamboo) – $1,250

Ume (Plum) – $750

Learn more about the sponsorship levels, benefits and acknowledgements by clicking on the button below.  Any questions, contact Ky Lam by email ky@j-sei.org or call (510) 654-4000, ext 108.

Become A Sponsor

Silent Auction

J-Sei’s Silent Auction includes original artwork, handmade crafts, ceramics, jewelry, gift certificates for restaurants or services, etc.  If you are interested in making an In-Kind donation,  contact Lindsay Oda at lindsayoda@gmail.com

Rockin’ The Boat, Flashbacks of the 1970s Asian Movement

Rockin’ The Boat, Flashbacks of the 1970s Asian Movement

by | Dec 29, 2025 | Classes & Events

Rockin’ The Boat, Flashbacks of the 1970s Asian Movement

Meet Author/Photographer Mary Uyematsu Kao

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Never-before-seen photographs tell the story of the beginnings of Asian America in the 1970s from immigrant generations in Chinatowns, Japanese American youth and multigenerational community activism from California to New York.  Personal reflections from those photographed bring the reader into the experiences of the times. Born in Altadena, a suburb of Los Angeles, activist and photographer Mary Uyematsu Kao attended UCLA during the struggle to establish Asian American Studies on campus. Having worked at the Asian American Studies Center at UCLA for 30 years, she is well known for her graphic design work for AASC Press publications, including the Amerasia Journal.

Kao will be joined in conversation with activist Shoshana Arai. The event is co-presented by Eastwind Books of Berkeley and J-Sei.  

RSVP on Eventbrite.