by Jill Shiraki | Aug 19, 2026 | Classes & Events, Featured
The Four Immigrants Manga
Saturday, September 19, 1 pm
One of the first comic books in the U.S., “Manga Yonin Shosei” (or The Four Student Worker’s Manga”) by Henry (Yoshitaka) Kiyama was first exhibited in San Francisco in 1927, and published as a comic book in 1931. Nearly forgotten for fifty years, “The Four Immigrants Manga”, translated by Frederik L. Schodt has become an engaging teaching resource on Japanese American immigrant history. 
The book chronicles the adventures of four Japanese immigrants in a world of possibility and prejudice in turn-of-the-twentieth-century San Francisco. Henry (Yoshitaka) Kiyama, arrived in San Francisco in 1904, to study fine art. He primarily focused on landscapes and portraits, and exhibited his work widely.
Frederik Schodt is a veteran author, translator, and interpreter. Fluent in spoken and written Japanese, he has written extensively on Japanese manga, as well as on pop culture, technology, and history. In 2006 he received the Japanese Government’s Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for helping to promote Japanese popular culture in North America.
by Jill Shiraki | Aug 10, 2026 | Featured, News
The National Archive and Records Administration (NARA) has announced its closure of National Archives at San Francisco and its Federal Records Building in San Bruno and Chicago. While advocacy is underway, more support is needed to stop the closure. The National Archives at San Francisco houses many important documents such as the Alien Case Files, and records of Angel Island Immigration Station, Chinese “Paper Sons” immigration, Japanese “Picture Brides” and Native Americans. The local archive has been an invaluable resource to researchers, genealogists, and individuals seeking their own famiy records.
Hear from Grant Din on the Save OUR National Archives (SONA) campaign and find out how you can lend support. Join us for conversation and tea, and stay for letter writing. Together, we can make a difference. For more info, visit https://www.saveournationalarchives.org/
RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Support SONA” in the subject line.
by Jill Shiraki | Aug 10, 2026 | Classes & Events, Featured
Pre-order closes at 12 noon on 8/14. Walk-ups available at event. Or try tasty bites from the Pop-Up Vendors. See you on Sunday!
Sunday Funday
Sunday, August 16th
12 to 4 pm
Enjoy time outdoors for food, music, and fun with our multigenerational community.
FOOD VENDORS
Always Aloha Shave Ice Co
Bar Tanuki
Daruma Kiosk
Milk Cloud Bakery
Shared Cultures
Vinaka Island Mochi
Volcano Kimchi
ENTERTAINMENT
Mahjong with 13 Orphans
Lounge
Let’s Groove
Reserve tickets for the film screening of “Meals That Make Us”. You can pre-order or visit the vendors for good eats and gifts.
Meals That Made Us, a screening with Nisha
Sunday, August 16, 11 am or 2 pm
Meals That Made Us, directed/produced by Nisha Balaram is a three-part documentary short series exploring how Asian American chefs, farmers, and community leaders use food to reclaim heritage, reimagine identity, and build community across generations.
Set against the rich culinary backdrop of San Francisco and its surroundings, everyday people find meaning in unexpected places, whether it’s foraging as a connection to ancestral experiences, elevating institutional meals with cultural care, or creating third spaces that nourish bodies and hearts.
Moving between intimate interviews and sweeping cultural commentary, Meals That Made Us, funded by the Center for Asian Amercian Media (CAAM), shows that cooking and eating are evolving traditions that are both connections to the past and the groundwork for new communities. Yuji Ishikata, chef at J-Sei, is featured in this documentary. Filmmaker Nisha Balaram and featured guests will join us. Celebrate with us!
Sunday Funday
PRE-ORDER MENU
by Casa de Kei, Ox & Tiger,
Hannah Tang, and Yuji Ishikata,
Tuna Poke Bowl $20
Vegetarian Poke Bowl $12
Spicy Shrimp Maki $20
Salmon Skin Maki $20
Somen with Kurobuta Pork $20
Sea Stephanie Santa Barbara
Live Sea Urchin $28
Join us for the community screening of
“Meals That Made Us”.
Reserve tickets for 11 am or 2 pm.
New screening added for 4 pm!
Donations welcome.
Nisha Balaram is a documentary filmmaker who brings extensive experience as a producer and director, having worked with organizations such as PBS, the Center for Asian American Media, National Geographic Society, and APIAVote. Her work has been featured on PBS VOCES and PBS Vitals, High Country News, Disney+, and Mongabay.
by Jill Shiraki | Jul 6, 2026 | Classes & Events, Featured
A Plant-Based Diet to Ease the Joints,
a Saturday morning talk
Saturday, August 22, 10-11:30 am
While arthritis affects millions of people worldwide, is the pain and discomfort of inflammation something that we must learn to live with? Is there anything we can do?
Hear from Dr. Tamiko Katsumoto, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University, as she unpacks the science behind arthritis. She explains the key differences between osteoarthritis, caused by wear and tear on joints, and rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks healthy tissue. While there is no cure for arthritis, Dr. Katsumoto reveals why chronic inflammation plays a central role and how the modern diet is making things worse. She is fascinated by the impact of diet and lifestyle on inflammation, autoimmunity, and cancer.
Dr. Katsumoto is passionate about the merits of sustainable whole food plant-centered diets as a strategy to both improve individual health and mitigate climate change and environmental degradation. Join us for an engaging conversation with Dr. Katsumoto and enjoy healthy light snacks to start your day.
RSVP here for in-person or online.
by Jill Shiraki | Jul 6, 2026 | Classes & Events, Featured
Healthy Aging: Supporting Brain Health in Our Community
Thursday, August 27 2026, 2 pm
Everyone deserves a life with the healthiest brain possible, and we can all take action to help protect our brain health. Supporting Brain Health in Our Community shares important information about brain-healthy actions we should all build into our routines to benefit our brains, including the U.S. POINTER recipe. It’s never too early—or too late—to start prioritizing brain health. This presentation helps everyone understand the science-backed steps we can take to support lifelong brain health.
RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Brain Health” in the subject line.
