Shinzen Nikkei Youth Goodwill Program
Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, 1840 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
About
The Shinzen Nikkei Youth Goodwill Program includes goodwill basketball games, intercultural activities, homestays, and youth activities in Japan. Participants take part in visits to places such as an orphanage in Kobe, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Peace Park, Miyahima Island, and Itsukushima Shrine, along with tours in Kyoto and Miyajima. The program also includes a wheelchair basketball experience, tea ceremony, goodwill activities with Kobe YMCA and Suito Kokusai Jr. High School, and a Peace Program and Crane Presentation at the Children’s Memorial Monument.
• Ages: 12–17 years old
• Schedule: From July 22 to August 1, 2025, with travel to Japan and activities in Tokyo, Osaka/Kobe, and Hiroshima
In 1997, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) and the office of the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco agreed there was a need for meaningful dialogue between youth in Japan and Japanese American youth, and through these discussions, the Shinzen Nikkei Youth Goodwill Basketball Program was created. The program is led by the JCCCNC, whose mission is to meet the evolving needs of the Japanese American community through programs, affordable services, and administrative support and facilities for other local service organizations. The JCCCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the State of California.
The Shinzen Nikkei Youth Goodwill Program is a cultural exchange initiative that relies on support from donors, volunteers, and Shinzen families. The program receives support from The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, Japan Airlines, Shinzen families, and many donors and supporters of the program’s fundraisers. The 2023 Shinzen program involved understanding and agreement from the Osaka YMCA and Kobe YMCA to bring youth from their cities together to share culture and develop friendships.
The program includes cross-cultural exchange activities that promote the values of fair play and competition while fostering ties between Japanese and Japanese American communities. It develops and nurtures young ambassadors between the U.S. and Japan, with a focus on promoting U.S.-Japan bilateral interests and responsibilities among young people. It also engages Japanese American youth and their families to learn about their personal family history and that of San Francisco Japantown and the broader Japanese American community. The 2023 program theme was “Wings of Peace” and was dedicated to the late Toru Yamaguchi, former General Secretary of the Kobe YMCA, for his role in establishing the program and connections between youth in Kobe and the Bay Area. Coaches associated with the program include Coach Cori Nishimoto for the Shinzen Girls Team, Coach Jason Loy for the Shinzen Boys Team, and Coaches Travis Hom and Chrissie Hosoda in the 2023 Shinzen program.
Last updated March 7, 2026.
• Ages: 12–17 years old
• Schedule: From July 22 to August 1, 2025, with travel to Japan and activities in Tokyo, Osaka/Kobe, and Hiroshima
In 1997, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) and the office of the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco agreed there was a need for meaningful dialogue between youth in Japan and Japanese American youth, and through these discussions, the Shinzen Nikkei Youth Goodwill Basketball Program was created. The program is led by the JCCCNC, whose mission is to meet the evolving needs of the Japanese American community through programs, affordable services, and administrative support and facilities for other local service organizations. The JCCCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the State of California.
The Shinzen Nikkei Youth Goodwill Program is a cultural exchange initiative that relies on support from donors, volunteers, and Shinzen families. The program receives support from The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation, Japan Airlines, Shinzen families, and many donors and supporters of the program’s fundraisers. The 2023 Shinzen program involved understanding and agreement from the Osaka YMCA and Kobe YMCA to bring youth from their cities together to share culture and develop friendships.
The program includes cross-cultural exchange activities that promote the values of fair play and competition while fostering ties between Japanese and Japanese American communities. It develops and nurtures young ambassadors between the U.S. and Japan, with a focus on promoting U.S.-Japan bilateral interests and responsibilities among young people. It also engages Japanese American youth and their families to learn about their personal family history and that of San Francisco Japantown and the broader Japanese American community. The 2023 program theme was “Wings of Peace” and was dedicated to the late Toru Yamaguchi, former General Secretary of the Kobe YMCA, for his role in establishing the program and connections between youth in Kobe and the Bay Area. Coaches associated with the program include Coach Cori Nishimoto for the Shinzen Girls Team, Coach Jason Loy for the Shinzen Boys Team, and Coaches Travis Hom and Chrissie Hosoda in the 2023 Shinzen program.
Last updated March 7, 2026.
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