Past Events

Meet and shop with local vendors at the next JCCH Craft & Collectibles Fair! Browse a selection of Japanese and Japanese-inspired items while supporting small business owners. The JCCH Gift Shop and Historical Gallery will be open until 3:00 PM.

OHANA ARTS: An all-youth cast from Ohana Arts will perform songs from PEACE ON YOUR WINGS, a musical inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki and her one thousand paper cranes. The performance will begin at 10:00 AM. Following the performance, visit their outreach and merch booth near the stage.

FREE GALLERY ADMISSION: Did you know that the JCCH’s Okage Sama De Historical Gallery offers free admission during the craft fair? Learn about the multi-generational history of the Japanese in Hawaiʻi through the self-guided exhibit. Donations are appreciated.

With hands-on guided instruction and all workshop materials included, participants will learn the traditional Japanese art of fish printing. Each participant will make their own original gyotaku print to take home!

COST: $150 for JCCH members | $175 for non-members

Join an evening of culture, conversation, and community as Brandon Ufugusuku Ing introduces Uchinaaguchi, the indigenous language of Okinawa. This informal session is a great opportunity to learn the history and significance of Uchinaaguchi, learn simple words and phrases, and talk story.

Stay afterward to continue the conversation with fellow attendees. If you play sanshin, ukulele, guitar, or another instrument, feel free to bring it along—there may be an informal kanikapila to wrap up the evening. All ages welcome!

The HUOA Summer Yuntaku Series is a casual Okinawan culture and arts exchange designed to bring together Uchinānchu and friends to learn, connect, and celebrate our shared heritage.

Overview

Stephen Miwa shares the rediscovered diary of his father, an A-Bomb Survivor and his quest for peace.

Stephen Miwa will share The Rediscovered Diary of his father, an Atomic Bomb Survivor and His Quest for Peace When the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, Japanese schoolboy Larry Fumio Miwa faithfully recorded each day’s events in his diary, despite the massive devastation he experienced firsthand. His eyewitness account of the improbable survival of his family and his solitary treks through the abandoned city bears haunting testimony to this unprecedented tragedy. More than 60 years later, Larry—by then a successful banker in Honolulu, Hawai‘i—rediscovered his childhood diary, which has now been reproduced in collaboration with his son, Stephen Miwa, in Gambare Hiroshima—Don’t Give Up! Newly released by Legacy Isle Publishing, the book includes the complete diary in both Japanese and English, as well as historic photos and vivid illustrations by atom bomb survivors—capturing both the vibrancy of Hiroshima before the bombing and the horrific reality that unfolded afterward. Books available for purchase and signing at the event.

Barefoot Gen is a powerful animated film that follows six‑year‑old Gen Nakaoka and his family in Hiroshima during the final months of World War II.

Barefoot Gen (83 minutes) is a powerful animated film that follows 6‑year‑old Gen Nakaoka and his family in Hiroshima during the final months of World War II. Through Gen’s eyes, the story reveals the everyday struggles of wartime Japan — food shortages, air‑raid sirens, and a family doing everything they can to hold onto hope.

When the atomic bomb is dropped on Aug. 6, 1945, Gen survives, but his world is shattered. The film traces his and his mother’s fight to endure the devastation that follows: fire, radiation, hunger, and profound loss. Despite the unimaginable circumstances, Gen’s courage and instinct to care for others shine through, offering a deeply human perspective on one of history’s darkest moments.

Please note: The film contains graphic depictions of war, destruction, and injury, which may be difficult for some viewers.

Browse a selection of Japanese and Japanese-inspired items while supporting small business owners. The JCCH Gift Shop and Historical Gallery will be open until 3:00 PM.

The 13th Annual Mō‘ili‘ili Summer Fest returns back home to 1100 University Ave. at the Waiānuenue ma Kapa’akea Parking Lot
(the Old Varsity Building Parking Lot & Coyne St.)
in the heart of Mōʻiliʻili

Join us for Curated Closet Cleanout, a collaborative pop-up event with PITACUS Chop Art and a curated selection of local sellers offering high-quality, pre-loved fashion.

Sunday, June 28 • 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
PITACUS Chop Art
2535 S King St, Honolulu, HI 96826

Browse designer and brand-name clothing, vintage finds, accessories, and unique pieces—all gently worn or in like-new condition.

Cash is recommended, as some vendors may be cash-only.

With Nomura Ryu Dento Ongaku Kyokai Hawaii Shibu

Each June, we gather at the Hawaii Okinawa Center to honor and pay tribute to our ancestors, and the entire Okinawan community who endured the tragic Battle of Okinawa in 1945. Through heartfelt recollections, music, prayers, and the unity of family, we come together to pray for peace and to commemorate those we have lost.

This year, our event carries the theme “With heavy hearts we remember The Battle of Okinawa”. We invite you to join us from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. as we honor the memory of our fallen ancestors and share the inspiring stories of those who overcame the war’s challenges, especially those who thrived in their new lives in Hawaii.

This pot-luck style event is free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to bring a dish to share if you are able.

WRITTEN BY Diane Aoki

Joni knows that Alzheimer’s Disease runs in her family and she fears it will take hold of her mother, and herself. To counteract this, she collects “memory beads” — her family’s immigration story from Okinawa, anecdotes her mother shares about growing up in Hilo, histories unearthed in a family genealogy, and narratives of her own journey toward self-acceptance and empowerment. Collectively, we see that the relationships between mothers and daughters through five generations are the cords that tie these “memory beads” together.

PERFORMANCE DATES

Thursdays / Fridays / Saturdays at 7 p.m. HST
May 28, 29, 30, June 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27

Sundays at 2 p.m. HST
May 31, June 7, 14, 21, 28