J-Sei Movie Night – DVDs and discussion

J-Sei Movie Night members have been asking for a way to share their favorite films and learn about movies and TV shows that are available. In that spirit, we’ve initiated a program so that DVDs can circulate to interested folks.

At the same time, we’re providing a forum for discussion and feedback, to discuss films, TV shows, and any other media of interest. We’ve also expanded our project to include other Asian and American films and TV dramas in addition to Japanese films and programs. In 2023, Tora-San was shown on Saturday mornings for interested viewers.  The group of devotees watched all episodes in sequential order.  A new series will be selected for 2024.

J-Sei is hosting a series of Zoom meetings to talk about topics of interest. First up is K-dramas: what folks have enjoyed and are currently watching and what makes K-dramas so compelling. The first discussion was held in January 2022. The K-drama genre has proven to be so popular that it is continuing as an ongoing group meeting for fans, both beginners and aficionados!

Korean DVD & More. It shows a list of Korean TV dramas available for borrowing; there’s a separate sheet listing Japanese and Japanese American DVDs as well (if you’re interested, please let us know). The sheet shows series title/alternative title, year, synopsis, user ratings, and more. (Titles that are currently loaned out are highlighted in blue.) This resource list has been growing over time to include hundreds of DVDs of all kinds.

If you would like to borrow one or more items on the spreadsheet, please contact Jane Tanamachi (janetanama@yahoo.com). Please be sure to put “J-Sei DVD” in the subject line of your email.

All are welcome to participate — by borrowing or lending a DVD or by adding your feedback and ideas to our ongoing community chat.

Happy Viewing!

Connecting Across Generations: Bringing the Japanese American community together through conversations & food.

Saturday, September 7 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm 

J-Sei 1285 66th St, Emeryville, CA

We will enjoy food together and have the opportunity to meet others in the community! This is a time for us to connect, engage in intergenerational conversations, and be in community.

Don’t forget to fill out this RSVP form! If you have questions please email: jill@j-sei.org. All are welcome!

Participating Orgs: Berkeley JACL, J-Sei, JAWA UCB, Young Professionals Network, UC Berkeley Asian American Research Center, JAYA, Berkeley Nikkei Student Union, Okaeri NorCal, Berkeley Buddhist Temple

We look forward to seeing you there!

Fall 2024 Workshop

Taste of Mokuhanga: Japanese Woodblock Intro Workshop

Friday, Sept 20th — 1 to 4 pm  [New date]

Join us for a 3-hour introductory Japanese Woodblock Print workshop. Participants will be introduced to the art of Japanese woodblock printing called Ukiyo-E technique. Tomoko Murakami, a Japanese-born printmaking artist, will demonstrate the carving and printing processes.

Participants will create small Ukiyo-E prints while learning to carve their woodblocks! All materials are provided, and all levels are welcome.

Class fee: $25 (includes materials)

Reserve your space by clicking on the button below.  Please check the box for “Write us a comment.” and indicate who will be taking the workshop. If this is your first time taking an in-person class at J-Sei, please register here.   

Old Leupp – An Archaeology Collaboration to Study the Indian Boarding School and Citizen Isolation Center

Monday, September 23rd, 12 to 1 pm

A noon-time lecture at J-Sei

A team of archaeologists of Diné and Nikkei members, Davina Two Bears, Jun Sunseri, and Koji Lau-Ozawa, are studying the history and landscape surrounding the Old Leupp Indian Boarding School and the Leupp Citizen Isolation Center, located in Northeastern Arizona. Davina Two Bears is Diné and originally from Birdsprings, Arizona, a community adjacent to Leupp. Kojun “Jun” Ueno Sunseri is shin-issei, born in Tokyo with biological paternal roots from Ueno and emigrated at five years old to the United States to be raised in other cultures in Southern California and eventually adopted. Koji Lau-Ozawa is a sansei/yonsei from San Francisco. His grandparents, along with great-grandparents, aunts and uncles, were all incarcerated at the Gila River Incarceration Camp where he focused his first major research project.

Due to the history of the site, the team has approached the project slowly with care. They began this project by first entering into agreements with communities around the Old Leupp site including Birdsprings and Leupp, as well as local schools. They also received input from some of the descendants of Japanese Americans imprisoned at Leupp.

In June 2024, after receiving Community support and protective blessings, they completed their first season of fieldwork at the Old Leupp site, employing non-invasive archaeological methodologies to document structural and artifactual features which are visible on the surface and through multispectral imaging. Combining high precision mapping equipment, UAVs, and meticulous survey strategies, they recorded a large number of features and artifacts which promise to expand our understanding of life at Old Leupp and deliver on at least one community mandate regarding safely planning for the reintegration of the site back into contemporary community life.

The team looks forward to sharing some of their initial results as well as seeking mentorship from community members as we work on analyzing our results and co-crafting our next steps.

RSVP to jill@j-sei.org with “Old Leupp” in the memo.

You are welcome to bring a lunch.  Or if you would like to order a J-Sei lunch to-go, please contact kathleen@j-sei.org

Leupp Boarding School (Museum of  Northern Arizona Archives), Mess Hall at Leupp Isolation Center (Henry Ueno photo from Embrey et al), National Park Service Confinement and Ethnicity, NPS History.com