Has the seemingly never-ending pandemic got you down? Come and hang out at the Nichi Bei Café, where east meets west to serve up a mixed plate of Japanese American news and culture.

An innovative monthly livestream program designed to keep the community engaged and connected from the comforts of their own homes, the Nichi Bei Café will feature news and events, cooking videos in collaboration with Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook, origami video lessons with Linda Mihara of Paper Tree, cocktail recipes and more from The Gochiso Gourmet Ryan Tatsumoto in Hawai‘i, and videos of Japanese American legacy businesses.

The Nichi Bei Café is funded by a generous grant from The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation.

Stay tuned here to find out what’s on the next menu…

Episode 4: AAPI Heritage Month Edition

Episode 3: Culture Edition

Zensai (Appetizer):

• The world premiere of “Songs for J-Town” by Mark Izu

Salad:

• Ginger pork shogayaki by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook

Main Course:

• Community festivals spring back to life
• Hawai‘i Okinawa Center

• Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i

Dessert:

• The end of an era at Benkyodo

• Happi coat origami with Linda Mihara of Paper Tree

Nightcap:

• Negroni with The Gochiso Gourmet Ryan Tatsumoto

Tip:

• Cultural festivals across the country

Musical Interlude:

• “Songs for J-Town”

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Episode 2: Home & Garden Edition

Thursday, March 10, 2022, 6 p.m.

View Episode 2 HERE

Zensai (Appetizer):

• The Grateful Crane Ensemble marks 20th anniversary with Sacramento performances

Salad:

• Katsura Garden in San Francisco’s Japantown: Bonsai, flowers and more

Main Course:

• Hayward’s Japanese Garden: A hidden gem in the East Bay
• Tanaka Farms in Irvine: Educating the public through farm tours

Dessert:

• Benkyodo: San Francisco Japantown’s oldest business

• Sakura Mochi with Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook

Nightcap:

• Hina Ningyo origami lesson with Linda Mihara of Paper Tree

Tip:

• Japanese Public Gardens

Musical Interlude:

• “Sukiyaki” for Tohoku by the Grateful Crane Ensemble

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Episode 1:

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, 6 p.m.

View Episode 1 HERE

Zensai (Appetizer):

• How to make Yuzu Sorbet with Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook

Salad:

• Preview of Northern California Day of Remembrance programs, including:

– Christine Umeda, chair of the Northern California Time of Remembrance in Sacramento

– Reiko Nakayama and Will Kaku, chair and vice chair of San Jose Day of Remembrance

– Jeffrey Matsuoka, chair of the Bay Area Day of Remembrance in San Francisco

Main Course:

• Creating Day of Remembrance, a video essay by Frank Abe, who helped to organize the first Day of Remembrance commemoration in 1978.

• The 11th annual Films of Remembrance, a showcase of films on the wartime forced relocation and incarceration of the Japanese American community.

Dessert:

• How to make an origami heart with Linda Mihara of Paper Tree

Nightcap:

• The Da Gala cocktail with The Gochiso Gourmet Ryan Tatsumoto

Tip:

• Upcoming community events