Japantown Foundation to Open 2017 Grants Period on July 14

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation will start accepting applications on July 14, 2017, from qualified organizations for grants of up to $10,000. The application deadline is August 18, 2017.

The Japantown Foundation provides grants for programs and for planning purposes. Applicants must choose one type of grant for their submission.

Although we will not accept applications until July 14, the application forms are available now. Download the form in Word format or PDF.

These grants are made possible through the original endowments by Kintetsu Enterprises of America, Jack Hirose, Hats and Amey Aizawa, Union Bank, and Minami Tamaki LLP. We also use proceeds from our annual Osechi Ryori New Year’s Celebration Fundraiser, supported by generous sponsors and guests.

Another significant portion of the funds available for these grants comes from our philanthropic partnership with Hotel Kabuki. The Japantown Foundation receives funds raised through the hotel’s You Can Make a Difference program, which asks guests to make a donation when they stay at the property. The Japantown Foundation expresses our appreciation to the Hotel Kabuki and to General Manager Craig Waterman for continuing this valuable partnership. Craig is also a member of our foundation board.

Since 2007, the Foundation has provided more than $700,000 in funding to the community.

Join our email list to be notified about grants program updates. Questions about the grants program may be directed to Japantown Foundation board member Diane Matsuda at dianematsuda@hotmail.com.

Video: A Japantown Tale

The video "A Japantown Tale" was shown at our New Year Celebration with Osechi Ryori event on January 5, 2017, at the Hotel Kabuki. The video was produced by foundation board member Jon Osaki.

New Year’s Celebration with Osechi Ryori on January 5, 2017

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation has scheduled its annual New Year’s fundraiser for Thursday, January 5, 2017, again offering guests a rare opportunity to experience the traditional Japanese New Year’s cuisine called “osechi ryori” – an elaborate preparation of dishes special significance for the New Year.

The event will take place at the Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco’s Japantown. Save the date using our Facebook event, or join our email list to receive updates.

BUY TICKETS EVENT SOLD OUT - THANK YOU!
Email our event team if you are a registered guest and have questions.

Our last event on January 7, 2016, featured Pabu Izakaya, Sushi Ran, Sanraku, Yamasho, Delica, and True Sake as our culinary partners.

This is the San Francisco Japantown Foundation’s primary fundraiser and allows us to continue providing grants to Japantown and Japanese American-related nonprofit organizations.

About Osechi Ryori

Osechi Ryori refers to a number of unique dishes that are prepared once a year to celebrate the New Year.

Many of the items require hours of preparation, and are preserved in ways to make sure that they are delicious to eat throughout the first three days of the year–the traditional way of celebrating the Japanese New Year.

Many of us remember waking up on New Year’s Day to have our bowl of ozoni and then patiently wait as all of the other osechi items were unveiled by our grandparents and great grandparents for us to eat. Being able to eat osechi ryori today, however, is a rarity.

That is one of the reasons the Board of the SF Japantown Foundation decided to initiate and create our annual Osechi Ryori event. It allows us to introduce and re-introduce the special food items that are prepared during the New Year that will bring us good luck, good health and prosperity throughout the year.

With the generous assistance of our restaurant partners, we are able to share authentically prepared osechi dishes that are expressly prepared for today’s event. We sincerely thank our culinary experts for supporting us in carrying on this important culture and tradition, and hope that you will sit back and enjoy each item that has been created.

The individual items and their particular significance is further explained in the insert of this booklet.

We hope that your osechi ryori experience today will bring you back year after year to appreciate and celebrate a very important cultural tradition.

Japantown Foundation Grants Program for 2016

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation accepted applications for its 2016 grants program starting July 26, 2016, from qualified organizations for direct grants of up to $10,000. Applications were due by September 1, 2016, before 5:00 p.m. PT.

Our 2016 grants program solicits (a) direct unrestricted grants for organizations; and (b) planning grants for organizations focused on contributing to the creation/maintenance/sustainability of a tangible project such as physical tangible project or a program that promotes, sustains and preserves San Francisco Japantown.

These unrestricted grants may be used for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to administrative costs, program expenses, or salaries. We award grants to organizations that have demonstrated the value of their organization to the Japantown community, the effectiveness of their services and/or activities, and their financial sustainability. We do not fund startup projects or pay for past debts or current operating deficits.

These grants are made possible through the original endowments by Kintetsu Enterprises of America, Jack Hirose, Hats and Amey Aizawa, Union Bank, and Minami Tamaki LLP. We also use proceeds from our annual Osechi Ryori New Year’s Celebration Fundraiser, supported by generous sponsors and guests.

Another significant portion of the funds available for these grants comes from our philanthropic partnership with Hotel Kabuki. The Japantown Foundation receives funds raised through the hotel’s You Can Make a Difference program, which asks guests to make a donation when they stay at the property. The Japantown Foundation expresses our appreciation to the Hotel Kabuki and to General Manager Craig Waterman for continuing this valuable partnership. Craig is also a member of our foundation board.

Learn more about our grants program and apply online at JapantownFoundation.org/grants. Questions about the program may be directed to Japantown Foundation board member Diane Matsuda at dianematsuda@hotmail.com.

With Gratitude to Rich Hashimoto

Rich Hashimoto (right) with Consul General of Japan Jun Yamada at the San Francisco Japantown Foundation's 2016 New Year's Celebration with Osechi Ryori.

San Francisco Japantown Foundation Board President Donald K. Tamaki announced Rich Hashimoto’s departure from the foundation board.

Hashimoto joined the board as an original member when the foundation was founded in 2004.

“Rich was an invaluable member of our board,” says Tamaki. “His numerous contributions included initiating our community partnership with the Hotel Kabuki, and providing input towards and hands-on labor in support of making each of our fundraisers a success.”

When Hashimoto joined the Japantown Foundation board, he was already busy as President of the Japantown Merchants Association, a member-based  merchant association supporting the Japantown business corridor by encouraging business traffic with its services.

“Because of the growing success of the Japantown Foundation, every year brings additional work for our board members,” said Tamaki. “After 10 years, I think we can give Rich a break.”

The San Francisco Japantown Foundation board of directors expresses its deepest gratitude and appreciation to Rich Hashimoto for his contributions to the organization, and to his continued leadership in the Japantown community.

Donate to the San Francisco Japantown Foundation and support our efforts to honor and preserve Japantown.