310-324-6611
GVJCI
  • Seniors
    • Bento Program
    • Smartphone/Tablet Class
    • Tomo No Kai Membership & Classes
    • Tomo Cafe | 友カフェ
    • Meditation & More Class
  • Events/Programs
    • Japanese Language School >
      • JLS Graduates
    • Izakaya 2025
    • Upcoming Programs & Classes
    • Matsuri 2025
    • Car Show Pinewood Derby 2025
    • The Bridge: GVJCI Heritage Center
    • Day Of Remembrance >
      • DOR 2024
    • GVJCI Scholarship
    • TANOSHII Fun Camp >
      • Camper Registration
      • Counselor Registration
      • Activities
      • Testimonials
      • Camp Supporters
      • FAQ
    • Past Events
  • Organizations
    • Bando Hidesomi
    • Boy Scout Troop 683
    • Boy Scout Troop 719
    • Dai Ichi Bonsai Kai
    • Evening Optimist Club of Gardena
    • Gardena JCI Kendo
    • Gardena Judo Club
    • Gardena Kendo
    • Gardena Naginata
    • LA Men's Glee Club
    • Meito Calligraphy
    • Na Pua O Kapo
    • Sansei Baseball League
    • South Bay F.O.R Junior Sports Association
    • South Bay Youth Basketball
    • Southern CA Kyudo Renmei
    • Yuujou Taiko
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • 2025 GVJCI Raffle Drawing & Year End Appeal
    • Become a Friend of the GVJCI
    • Become a Bento Buddy >
      • Donate Your Car
    • Purchase a 2025 Calendar Ad
    • Shop on Amazon
    • Volunteer
  • Reserve our Facilities
  • About
    • About Us
    • Board and Staff
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Resources
    • Testimonies/PR
    • Blog >
      • Blog Terms of Use
      • Want to write for us?
  • Seniors
    • Bento Program
    • Smartphone/Tablet Class
    • Tomo No Kai Membership & Classes
    • Tomo Cafe | 友カフェ
    • Meditation & More Class
  • Events/Programs
    • Japanese Language School >
      • JLS Graduates
    • Izakaya 2025
    • Upcoming Programs & Classes
    • Matsuri 2025
    • Car Show Pinewood Derby 2025
    • The Bridge: GVJCI Heritage Center
    • Day Of Remembrance >
      • DOR 2024
    • GVJCI Scholarship
    • TANOSHII Fun Camp >
      • Camper Registration
      • Counselor Registration
      • Activities
      • Testimonials
      • Camp Supporters
      • FAQ
    • Past Events
  • Organizations
    • Bando Hidesomi
    • Boy Scout Troop 683
    • Boy Scout Troop 719
    • Dai Ichi Bonsai Kai
    • Evening Optimist Club of Gardena
    • Gardena JCI Kendo
    • Gardena Judo Club
    • Gardena Kendo
    • Gardena Naginata
    • LA Men's Glee Club
    • Meito Calligraphy
    • Na Pua O Kapo
    • Sansei Baseball League
    • South Bay F.O.R Junior Sports Association
    • South Bay Youth Basketball
    • Southern CA Kyudo Renmei
    • Yuujou Taiko
  • Support Us
    • Donate
    • 2025 GVJCI Raffle Drawing & Year End Appeal
    • Become a Friend of the GVJCI
    • Become a Bento Buddy >
      • Donate Your Car
    • Purchase a 2025 Calendar Ad
    • Shop on Amazon
    • Volunteer
  • Reserve our Facilities
  • About
    • About Us
    • Board and Staff
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Resources
    • Testimonies/PR
    • Blog >
      • Blog Terms of Use
      • Want to write for us?

GVJCI Blog
ガーデナ平原日本文化会館ブログ

Pi Day? No, White Day.

3/14/2019

0 Comments

 
By: Nicole Sato, GVJCI Program Manager 
March 14th is infamously known in the US as Pi Day. The punny holiday has taken a good commercialism with pie stores and pizza places celebrating Pi Day with their own pies.  

But in Japan, March 14th is known for a completely different holiday - White Day.  White Day??  If it weren't for this holiday, Japan may be celebrating Pi Day too. After all, they too like their pun holidays (November 11 is known as Pocky day because the 11/11 look like Pocky sticks.) 
Picture
aSo what's White Day? Let's back up a little. In the US, traditionally, chocolates, flowers, and gifts are given from a man to a woman. However, in Japan, the tradition's been reversed. Girls and women of all ages stay up the night before crafting their best handmade chocolate sweets to give to men, whether it be friends (tomo-choko), someone they want to confess their love to or someone they love (honmei-choko), or just someone as a polite V-Day gesture (giri-choko).  Different, right? 

Now, White Day. March 14th? Does the date seem kinda familiar? That's right, it's exactly a month after Valentine's Day. There are several theories on how and why this holiday actually started, but the most popular theory is that in the 70s, the confectionery industry started it up as "return day" for men to say thank you to the women that gave them chocolates (and their hearts, maybe) a month before. Hallmark Holiday, much? Totally.  

Their plan worked though, because White Day is still a thing now. Originally, it was called "White Day" because it was marketed to sell marshmallows. From there, it evolved to white chocolate, and now today, there's everything from regular chocolate to jewelry as a return gift. Now, White Day is celebrated not only in Japan, but in many Asian countries, including South Korea, Vietnam, and China. 

Speaking of South Korea...Didn't receive anything on either days? Don't worry, there's always Black Day next month on the 14th where singles who didn't receive anything on the past two months eat jajangmyeon (I'll give you a hint - it's black-ish looking) in misery ​😉
0 Comments

Beat The Heat with Japanese Coffee Jelly!!

9/1/2017

1 Comment

 
By Christy Wong, GVJCI Social Media and Community Outreach Intern
I bet your mouth will drop when you open the weather app in your phone and saw the temperatures in the coming week… 93 Degrees!? Serious?! And even 100 degrees if you are up north.....

Need something to cool down yourself but lazy to go out? Beat that late-summer heat with this homemade Japanese coffee jelly!!
Picture
Coffee jelly, or Kohi Zeri in Japanese, is a light gelatin dessert that is served in many coffee shops in Japan, particularly during summer. It is very cold, refreshing, and not so sweet that makes it a great snack to help people cool down in this hot summer weather. Coffee and gelatin desserts are also very popular in Japan. Combining the two things together makes coffee jelly THE awesome dessert. Besides, it only takes a few easy steps to make it at home! So let’s get started!
To make this Japanese coffee jelly, you will need: 3 tablespoons of water, ½ cup of sugar (The amount of sugar needed depends on how sweet you want your jelly to be!), 1 ½ tablespoons of unflavored gelatin, and 16oz of hot coffee. It is important that you use hot coffee so that you can combine all the ingredients together!
Picture
Step 1: In a large bowl, pour water into the gelatin and let it soak for around 2 minutes.
Picture







​​​Step 2: Add the hot coffee into the gelatin and mix thoroughly.



Step 3: Next, add sugar into the coffee gelatin mixture and mix thoroughly.
Picture
​At this point, you may see some clumps of gelatin not dissolving into the mixture. The mixture will also have a lot of bubbles on the surface due to constant stirring. But don’t worry! We will take care of this in the next step!
​Step 4: In this step, you will need a sieve, a thin pan/dish, and a soup ladle. Hold the sieve on top of the pan and carefully pour the coffee gelatin mixture through the sieve to get rid of the clumps of gelatin! 


Step 5: Use a sieve spoon to get rid of the bubbles that are on the surface of the coffee gelatin mixture. 
Picture
​Step 6: Cover the mixture with a plastic wrap and let it refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the liquid set and become jelly. We know this is hard since the food is so attracting… But be patient everyone! 
​Step 7: 4 hours later… the wait is over! It’s almost time to enjoy! Use a knife the cut the jelly into small squares. 
​Step 8: Scoop out the jelly into the small bowl and you are ready to serve!
Picture
​And there you go! A refreshing and cooling Japanese coffee jelly! You can lightly whip up some heavy cream with sugar and pour the cream over the jelly. You can also pair up the jelly with sweetened condensed milk! You can even cut the jelly into very small rectangles to make “coffee boba” and add them into your cup of ice coffee!
Picture
​Enjoy! :D And stay cool in this hot weather everyone! ><
1 Comment

May 5th is Kodomo No Hi!

5/5/2017

2 Comments

 

Nicole Sato, GVJCI Program Coordinator 

Picture
May 5th is...?
If you said Cinco De Mayo, okay, okay, you're not wrong, but we wanted Kodomo No Hi! as the answer. 
That's right. Every May 5th is Kodomo No Hi in Japan! What's Kodomo No Hi? It directly translates to: Kodomo (子供): Child(ren) No(の): 's  Hi(日): Day. Yup, it's a day to celebrate children's health and happiness as well as thanking and celebrating mothers 🤰

Maybe you're like, "Wait. I thought today was Boy's Day???" Well, you're right and wrong. Boy's Day or Tango (that's with a short A not the long A like the smooth South American dance you all like 💃) No Sekku (丹後の節句) was officially changed into a Japanese holiday since 1948, when it became Children's Day. Boys are still celebrated though, as the means of celebrating (the koinobori, kabuto, etc) is still in tradition. Read on to find out! 

Feel like celebrating yet? Good! We'll talk about some things to get your Kodomo No Hi celebrations on the road! 

Koinobori ​🎏

If you've ever been to Japan this time around, you might have seen these huuuuuuuge fish kite looking things flying around town. These are "koinobori" which yes, is koi, or carp! Carps are known and often depicted as going upstream through a river or waterfall (and one of the few fish that can) and according to Chinese legends (where the tradition of Kodomo No Hi actually originated from), once the carp reaches the top of the waterfall, they become dragons 🐉! Koinoboris are now used to symbolize both family (if you look closely, they range in size from Dad, Mom, and Child) and hopes that a child will grow up to face the currents of life. 

"But I don't have a koinobori!" you say. Well, we don't blame you. Those things are huge and expensive. But some local supermarkets do carry smaller ones that are desk size! You can also make your own! We've got just the DIY craft you can do! 
While you're in a craft mood, try making a kabuto hat out of newspapers to wear around!

Kashiwa Mochi VS Chimaki 


Ah, now onto the food!
If you're born and raised here, you're probably more familiar with the one on the left. That's the common Kashiwamochi, eaten on Kodomo No Hi.  
Kashiwa leaves are oak leaves! And oak leaves are known to not fall off until the new ones can sprout. People have put in the meaning of "until the child grows up, the parents will not pass" in hopes of their children growing up healthy. 
Chimaki sushi, on the right, are commonly eaten in the Kansai region and is a mochi often wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. 
Pick some up at your local Japanese supermarket and start chewing away!
Do you celebrate Kodomo No Hi? How do you celebrate it? Did you learn something new? We hope so! 
2 Comments

Hinamatsuri: A Celebration for Girls! 

3/3/2017

1 Comment

 

Nicole Sato, GVJCI Program Coordinator

Picture
Ah plum blossoms, hinaningyo, chirashi sushi, and hina-arare. Sounds like it's March 3rd, Hinamatsuri! 
Hinamatsuri is celebrated in Japan and in many Japanese families around the world in celebration of young girls' health, happiness, and prosperity. Japanese Heian style dolls known as Hinaningyo (雛人形) are displayed in homes, cultural centers, and schools, parents are busy cooking chirashi for dinner, and sweet and salty hina-arare are eaten as snacks on this day. Plum blossom season is right around the corner and are often on display near the dolls as well. 

"Hey! I want to celebrate it too," you say? Well, you can!
Follow this blog post so that you can celebrate at home! 🍴 (Where's the chopsticks emoji, huh!?)

Read More
1 Comment

SPAM! There It Is! A Recipe for Spam Musubi

12/9/2016

0 Comments

 

Stephanie Mayeda, GVJCI Social Media & Community Outreach Intern 

Picture
Most ingredients can be purchased at a normal grocery store. If they don't carry a specific ingredient, a Japanese market like Marukai or Mitsuwa will have it!
Easy enough, right? But let's get into more detail!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Start cooking your rice, as that takes the longest to cook. 
2. Mix soy sauce, sugar, and mirin in a small pot and heat on low until warm. 
Picture
3. ​Cut spam into 10 slices and cook in heated pan.
Picture
Picture
4. ​Cut 5 large nori sheets in half to make 10 sheets.
Picture
Picture
5. Place musubi mold onto nori and then place about a half spatula amount of rice into the mold. (All pictured below).
Picture
Picture
Picture
6. ​Dip cooked spam pieces into the sauce and then place in the mold on top of rice layer.
Picture
Picture
7. ​Sprinkle furikake on top of spam in the mold.
Picture
Picture
8. ​Put another layer of rice (same size) on top of furikake.
9. ​Use second musubi piece to press down and compact all the layers so it doesn't fall apart.
Picture
Picture
10. Pull up the mold piece in order to free the musubi (which should slide out easily), as you continue to press down on the second piece.
11. ​Fold nori around the musubi.
Picture
12. ​Serve and enjoy!
Picture
Not the prettiest but just as delicious!
0 Comments

    Archives

    June 2024
    September 2022
    August 2022
    June 2022
    August 2021
    June 2021
    February 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    June 2020
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    July 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016

    Categories

    All
    DIY
    Food And Recipes
    JA Culture
    JA History
    Japanese Traditions

    RSS Feed

COME VISIT US!


ABOUT US
BLOG
BOARD & STAFF
CAREERS
JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST
RESOURCES
TESTIMONIES
​


UPCOMING EVENTS & PROGRAMS
JAPANESE lANGUAGE SCHOOL
​
RESERVE OUR FACILITIES
​VOLUNTEER

​
Would you like to get in contact with us? Donate, volunteer, or just have an idea for  an event/program?  Leave us a message, and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible!
連絡を取り合いませんか? 寄付、ボランティア、またはイベントやプログラムの提案? 
​メッセージを残して下さい。できるだけ迅速にご連絡します。
CONTACT US
[email protected]    
(310) 324-6611     
Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute
​1964 W. 162nd Street, Gardena, CA 90247 
Picture
​A space to engage, share, and embrace the Nikkei experience and culture. 日系の経験と文化に関わり、共有し、受け入れる空間
Proudly powered by Weebly