About Us

The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community center housing various classes, services, and programs for seniors, non-senior adults, and youth in the South Bay for over 40 years.  Our mission is to serve the needs of the local Japanese American community through educational, cultural, and social programs that share the Japanese and Japanese American cultural heritage.

Our Mission
​A space to engage, share, and embrace the Nikkei experience and culture.

Our Vision
The GVJCI envisions a vibrant network and a welcoming space for all persons interested in Japanese heritage and culture where history and tradition are honored, people are inspired to create action and change, and cultural pride and respect for all humanity are promoted.

What is Nikkei? 
​日系

The first character日 comes from the Chinese character for Sun, used to write out the proper kanji for Japan. The pronunciation of this Kanji varies between Nippon or Nihon, but the most commonly used pronunciation is Nihon (Japan).
The second character 系 means descendants of or relation to.  However, it can have multiple meanings as well. 

​The direct translation commonly used for Nikkei would be anyone of Japanese descent.
Like so many words and phrases in Japan,  Nikkei can have multiple meanings. This is probably the reason why there is no one true definition for the term Nikkei. However, we think this ambiguity allows for more peoples of Japanese descent (mixed-race, mixed-culture, and multiple generations) to embrace the term and unify the community. 
As our community becomes more diverse, we would like to use the term Nikkei to welcome and embrace folks of varied walks of life to participate in our programs, events, and classes.  In a similar movement to the Little Tokyo community, we will use the term Nikkei to create a vibrant and thriving community for all in the South Bay.

​Notice of Nondiscriminatory Policy

​The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.  It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational and admissions policies or programs.