The JACL DC Chapter is hosting a Virtual Mochitsuki on December 5 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET.  Come join us for a fun-filled, Japanese American community event where people of all ages can gather together to enjoy each other’s company and share family traditions around the topic of Rice to Know You!  Click here to register.

Robin Koda, co-owner/co-manager of Koda Farms (an almost century-old Japanese American family owned and operated rice farm in Central California) will share her interesting family history and the “scoop” on rice. Check out the Koda Farms recipes, including one for making mochi, if you want to enjoy some during our event.

You will receive links for a Zoom invitation and a RICE Bingo card after you register. The Bingo card can be printed or used virtually to play. A huge thank you to the Crafty Ladies who are providing the Bingo prizes!

We look forward to kicking off the holiday season by seeing old friends and making new ones virtually at this year’s Mochitsuki!

In the past, funds raised from this event helped to sustain JACL DC Chapter activities throughout the year, so we wish to thank you for your past support and generosity.

Donations

This year, we would like to support our essential workers, those who are food insecure, and local Asian restaurants who are hurting during the pandemic through Woks for Washington (WFW). WFW was started as a grassroots effort by two sisters who identified certain food needs in our community.  All donations for WFW are used to purchase and deliver meals from local Asian restaurants to essential workers, homeless and emergency shelters, and others with limited access to freshly made meals. Gifts are tax deductible.  If you wish to support those in need in our community during this challenging time, you can click here to donate to this cause. Add a Comment if you would like to reference the JACL DC Chapter. You can also donate by clicking on “Donations” when registering for this event, and your donation will be forwarded to WFW.

If you have questions about using Zoom, please contact Kim Hirose at Kimhirose@gmail.com.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at jaclwdc@gmail.com should you have any updates to share with the Chapter, suggestions for the board, or questions!    

Join the JACL DC Chapter on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7pm EDT for our 3rd Virtual Book Talk, this time with Shirley Higuchi, author of “Setsuko’s Secret: Heart Mountain and the Legacy of the Japanese American Incarceration.”

Higuchi, who is the associate executive director of legal and regulatory affairs for the American Psychological Association and the chair of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, will talk with attendees about this deeply personal account of her family and the generational trauma that shaped her own life.

As children, Higuchi and her brothers knew Heart Mountain only as the place their parents met, imagining it as a great Stardust Ballroom in rural Wyoming. As they grew older, they would come to recognize the name as a source of great sadness and shame for their older family members, part of the generation of Japanese Americans forced into the hastily built concentration camp in the aftermath of Executive Order 9066.

Only after a serious cancer diagnosis did Shirley’s mother, Setsuko, share her vision for a museum at the site of the former camp, where she had been donating funds and volunteering in secret for many years. After Setsuko’s death, Shirley skeptically accepted an invitation to visit the site, a journey that would forever change her life and introduce her to a part of her mother she never knew.

The Zoom link, password, and call-in information for this event will only be shared with those registered for the event. Hope to see you there. Questions? Email jaclwdc@gmail.com

Time: 7pm-8pm EDT

RSVP: https://bit.ly/3i4dEPx

We hope you can join us for our first virtual annual Keiro Kai & Family Day on Saturday, Sept. 26!

This year, we are switching things up a bit and moving to a virtual Zoom event. Even though we’ll be online, we’re planning activities that will still hopefully keep the feel of the traditional event–activities that have the goal of getting to know our community better and enjoying each other’s company. For instance, one of our ice-breaker activities is encouraging attendees to bring a family artifact to show and tell, tying into the objective of the event–to celebrate family. The “family artifact” could include a photo, or something passed down from your parents or grandparents.

You can register for the event at: https://bit.ly/359j1Js

Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach us at jaclwdc@gmail.com

JACL DC Chapter member Julie Abo and DC Chapter Co-Vice President Linda Adams have compiled a list of the status of Asian markets and restaurants during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. This list was updated on May 3–as this is a continuously evolving time, we would recommend contacting the business directly to double check business hours.

We know that this list is far from comprehensive. If you have a recommendation that you would like us to add, we would be happy to do so! If you could send us the relevant information (address, phone, updated hours, and any specific notes as it pertains to current operations), that would be much appreciated. You can send your recommendations to: jaclwdc@gmail.com

BUSINESS & ADDRESS	PHONE	HOURS	DETAILS
Bob’s Shanghai 66 305 N Washington St. Rockville, MD 20850 https://www.bobsshanghai66.com/	301.251.6652	7 days a week 11:00am-7:30pm	Take out only, order by phone or from their website
Charm Thai 8408 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD 20910	301.495.6308	Temporary hours Mon – Thurs 4:00pm-9:00pm Fri – Sat 4:00pm-9:30pm Sun 4:00pm- 9:00pm	Take out & delivery
Filipino Market & Cafe 759 Hungerford Dr. Rockville, MD 20850	301.217.5920	7 days a week 10:00am-8:00pm	Pick up
Great Wall Supermarket 700 Hungerford Dr. Rockville, MD 20850 http://www.gw-supermarket.com/homepage-2/	240.314.0558	7 days a week 8:00am-9:00pm	Pick up only
Hana Japanese Market 2004 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20001	202.939.8853	7 days a week 11:00am-7:00pm	Uzu ramen & other lunch items available, check daily
Hinata Sushi Carryout/Japanese Groceries 4947 St. Elmo Ave. Bethesda, MD 20814	301.656.1009	CLOSED MONDAY Tue – Sun 11:00am-7:00pm	No website or online ordering, call with your sushi and/or grocery list & they will gather & bag. Arrange for pick up & pay time. Only 1-2 people in store at a time.
Hinode Restaurant 134 Congressional Lane Rockville, MD  20852			Temporarily closed
Hmart Wheaton 12015 Georgia Ave. Wheaton, MD 20902 https://www.hmart.com/	301-942-5071	7 days a week 8:30am-8:00pm	Delivery: Order online at their website, but order is not taken from store and processing time is about 9 – 11 business days
Izakaya Seki 1117 V St. NW Washington, DC 20009 https://www.sekidc.com/	202.588.5841	CLOSED SUNDAY AND MONDAY Tue – Thu 5:00pm-10:00pm Fri – Sat 5:00pm-10:30 pm	Offering bento boxes for take out between 3:00 – 6:00 pm including sake & beer, will text when order is ready
Lotus Cafe 8077 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD 20910 http://lotuscafebar.com/	301.588.8888	7 days a week 10:00am-10:00pm	Carry out
Maruichi Japanese Grocery & Gift 1047 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 https://www.maruichiusa.com/	301.545.0101	Mon – Sat 10:00am-7:00pm CLOSED TUESDAYS Sun 11:00am-7:00pm	Can order online or call for pick up Delivery: Order online at their website. (The minimum order is $50. Delivery fees start at $10. Taxes are not included your purchase.*$100.00 minimum purchase, for deliveries further than 30 MILES *
Meiwah 4457 Willard Ave. Chevy Chase, MD  20815	301.652.9882	Mon-Thurs 11:30am-10:00pm Fri 11:30am -10:30pm Sat 12:00pm -10:30pm Sun 12:00pm-10:00pm	Delivery within a limited area. Minimum order of $15.
Niwano Hana 887 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 https://www.niwanohana.com/	301.294.0553	Mon – Sat 11:30am-8:30pm Sun 12:00pm-8:30pm	Take out, can order by calling, online, or download app
Pho 75 771 Hungerford Dr. Rockville, MD 20850	301.309.8873	7 days a week 9:00am-8:00pm	Take out
Pike Kitchen 1066 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 https://www.pikekitchen.com/	301.603.2279	7 days a week 12:00pm-8:00pm	Online carry out/ delivery, delivery by Uber Eats or Door Dash
Sushi Gakyu 1420 New York Ave NW Washington, DC 20005	202.849.3686	7 days a week 4:00pm-8:00pm	Pick up and delivery orders Delivery: Postmates/Uber Eats/Caviar
Sushi Ogawa 2100 Connecticut Ave NW #100 Washington, DC 20008 http://www.sushiogawa.com/	202.813.9715 Japanese speakers call 2002.813.0221	7 days a week 12:00pm-8:00pm	Carry out/curbside pickup or delivery.  Please give advance notice.
Sushi Taro 1503 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20036 https://www.sushitaro.com/	202.462.8999	Mon – Fri 12:00pm-8:00pm Sat – Sun 4:00pm-8:00pm	Take out only
Sushiko 5455 Wisconsin Ave Chevy Chase, MD 20815	301.961.1644		Temporarily closed
Tako Grill 4914 Hampden Lane Bethesda, MD 20814 https://www.takogrill.com/	301.652.7030	LUNCH Mon – Thur 11:30am-2:30pm Fri – Sun 11:30am-3:00pm DINNER 5:00pm-8:00pm	Take out only, call to order, no online orders, delivery by Door Dash, Uber Eats
Temari 1043 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 http://www.runinout.com/temari-japanese-cafe-rockville-md	301.340.7720	LUNCH Mon, Wed, Thur 11:30am-2:30pm Fri – Sun 11:30am-3:00pm DINNER Mon, Wed, Thur 5:00pm-8:00pm Fri – Sun 4:00pm-8:00pm  CLOSED TUESDAY	Take out only, call for order, does not take orders online
Thai Cuisine Restaurant 757 Hungerford Dr. Rockville, MD 20850 http://www.thethaicuisinerockville.com/	301.838.4480	LUNCH Mon – Fri 11:30am-3:00pm DINNER Mon – Fri 3:00pm-8:00pm Sat – Sun 12:00pm- 8:00pm	Delivery fee $2.00, 30 min estimate delivery time Take out
Xi’an Gourmet 316 N Washington St. Rockville, MD 20850 https://www.xiangourmetmd.com/	240.660.2985	Mon 11:00am-9:30pm CLOSED TUESDAY Wed – Sun 11:00am-9:30pm	No delivery, but you can order take out. Cash preferred
Yosaku Japanese Restaurant 4712 Wisconsin Ave. Washington, DC 20016 https://www.yosakusushi.com/	202.363.4453	LUNCH Mon – Fri 11:30am-2:30pm Sat – Sun 12:00pm-3:00pm  DINNER Mon – Thu 5:00pm-10:00pm Friday 2:30pm-11:00pm Sat 3:00pm-11:00pm Sun 3:00pm-10:00pm	Delivery & pick up
Yuraku Japanese Restaurant 19773 Frederick Rd. Germantown, MD 20876 https://yurakusushi.com/	301.515.7440	Mon 11:30am-2:30pm / 4:00pm-8:00pm Tues – Thu 11:30am-2:30pm / 5:00pm-8:30pm Fri 11:30am-2:30pm / 4:30pm-9:00pm Sat 11:30am-9:00pm Sun 11:30am-8:00pm	Take out or delivery with Door Dash, Grub Hub or Uber Eats, beer & liquor available for purchase

 

Join us for a DMV area Tsuru for Solidarity Fold-In this upcoming Saturday, March 7 from 7-9pm at Tawes Fine Arts Building on the University of Maryland Campus. The event–which will include a presentation by Tsuru for Solidarity‘s co-chair Satsuki Ina, group conversations regarding additional support that DMV groups can tackle, and folding origami cranes (“tsuru”)–is to help build momentum toward the  “National Pilgrimage to Close the Camps,” taking place in Washington, D.C., from June 5 to 7. The June pilgrimage will feature a march, rally, taiko drumming, and the presentation of 125,000 tsuru that represent the 125,000 Japanese Americans affected by the camps. A unique feature of the pilgrimage will be cross-community, intergenerational “Healing Circles for Change” to promote solidarity and healing through sharing of stories about incarceration and detention.

RSVP at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dmv-area-tsuru-for-solidarity-fold-in-tickets-96574854991 

If you can’t make it to the fold-in event, but would like to support efforts by donating tsuru**, you can ship tsuru to:

Japanese American Citizens League, 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20006

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at jaclwdc@gmail.com should you have any questions!

**Don’t know how to fold tsuru? Check out this folding guide and video tutorial demonstrating how to string tsuru together into strands that will be presented during the June pilgrimage.

We hope that you will be able to join us on Saturday, Feb. 22 at noon for our Chapter’s 73rd annual Installation Luncheon! Our keynote speaker this year is Shirley Ann Higuchi, Chair of the Heart Mountain Foundation, who will provide reflections on her upcoming book: Setsuko’s Secret: Heart Mountain and the Legacy of the Japanese American Incarceration.

We will be holding our luncheon at Meiwah Restaurant once again. Seats are $30 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. Please RSVP to jaclwdc@gmail.com by Feb. 20.

We hope that you will be able to join us for our Mochitsuki on Saturday, Dec. 14, as we have a full schedule of entertainment and activities–from the chance to purchase delightful handcrafted gifts by the Crafty Ladies to music by the JBE band to our traditional mochi pounding demonstration. And, of course, it’s a time to catch up with your DC Chapter friends, and hopefully make some new ones!

Please register and place orders by Friday, Dec. 6 at:  https://jacldcmochitsuki2019.eventbrite.com

Questions? Email jaclwdc@gmail.com

Bentos

• Delicious Japanese bentos (from local favorite, Tako Grill). Each bento order includes a bowl of homemade ozoni, dessert, and hot and cold drinks. Bento Options: Chicken Teriyaki, Salmon Teriyaki, and Vegetarian.
• Pre-order Prices ~ Members: $20 & Non-Members: $23
• Walk-in Price: $25
  • ** Bentos often sellout and there will be a very limited number of extra bentos. Pre-ordering is strongly encouraged**

Fresh Mochi (from a Japanese confectioner): Two Types for Sale

• Komochi (plain white mochi) and Daifuku (mochi with anko/sweet bean inside)
• Pre-order Prices ~ Komochi ~ Members: $5 per 1/2 pound bag & Non-Members: $7 per 1/2 pound bag; Daifuku ~ Members: $8 per 1/2 pound bag & Non-Members: $10 per 1/2 pound bag
• Walk-in Prices for both Members and Non-Members: Komochi ~ $7 per 1/2 pound bag; Daifuku ~ $10 per 1/2 pound bag

Crafty Ladies

• The talented Crafty Ladies group will once again be selling their unique handcrafted gifts. Be ready to do some holiday shopping!
• Friendly Reminder: Purchases are either by cash or check!

JBE Band Performance

• We are delighted the JBE Band will be performing at our Mochitsuki again this year!
• JBE Band members are talented musicians who work at the Embassy of Japan and Japanese corporations who are members of the Japan Commerce Association of Washington, DC.

Raffle

• It is not a Mochitsuki without the famous Raffle! Support the DC Chapter while winning the chance at fabulous items.

Welcome Matthew Weisbly, JACL National’s new Daniel K. Inouye Fellow, to the JACL DC board! Coming from Phoenix, Arizona, via Los Angeles, Matthew recently completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California with a degree in history. His senior thesis explored numerical data and oral histories of Nisei soldiers with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. A long-time JACL member, he also served as a Youth Representative for the Arizona Chapter and the inaugural Ted T. Namba fellow for the PSW district. Following his fellowship, he wants to return to school to get his PhD in history.

The JACL-DC Chapter is happy to continue our blog series, Meet Our Board. As a way to introduce you to our new 2019 board members, this series will feature posts from members throughout the year.  Be sure to keep checking back for future posts from these individuals who are here to serve the DC Chapter. 

Hello, DC Chapter! Thank you for checking in on the website!

My name is Gabi Ogata, and I am honored to be the new youth co-chair this year. Like my good friend Christie, I am Brazilian-Japanese-American, and while I haven’t been a member for as long as her, I have been volunteering for JACL for the past two years.

I was born in D.C., but being raised in Brazil by a Japanese family didn’t make moving here comfortable. I didn’t consider myself American and felt closer to my Japanese heritage than anything else. After a couple of years at Keisho and meeting Christie, I was introduced to JACL and the DC Chapter’s annual cultural events. At first, I felt disconnected and out of place—I could only relate to the Japanese side of the community. I had learned of, but not experienced or had family members who had experienced, the past difficulties Japanese Americans in the U.S. faced, and I thought I couldn’t truly be a part of this group.

However, over the years, I have come to terms with my background and my identity, and this group has been a big part of that. JACL and members of the DC Chapter have accepted me with open arms and have wordlessly taught me about unity, open mindedness, respect, community, and, as cliche as it sounds, love.

I can only hope to be able to give back to the community that has helped me so much and made me feel so accepted. I’m very excited to be working with the DC Chapter, and I will do my best to move it forward and help it improve!

In observance of the Day of Remembrance, which marks President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1942 signing of Executive Order 9066 and subsequent incarceration of nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans, the museum will host a free live performance by the award-winning composer Kishi Bashi and a guest lecture by renowned scholar Duncan Ryuken Williams.

Following the screening and lecture, a panel discussion and Q&A with Kishi Bashi and Duncan Ryuken Williams, joined by Museum experts Noriko Sanefuji, Museum Specialist, and Peter Manseau, Lilly Endowment Curator of American Religious History, will explore memory, faith and music in Japanese American incarceration camps.