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The jurisdiction of Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco: Northern and Central California and Nevada.
The Japanese consular office in San Francisco first started service as the "Consulate of Japan" on August 25, 1870. It is the oldest Japanese Government establishment in the U.S. The Consulate of Japan in San Francisco opened even a month earlier than the Legation (currently called Embassy) of Japan was officially opened.
The San Francisco Japantown Foundation’s mission is to support cultural, community and educational activities for San Francisco Japantown. Its vision is to preserve and honor Japantown’s history by fostering and providing funding for activities that reflect the Japanese American heritage, and to engage Japanese of all generations and all experiences.
The Foundation was formed in December 2006 through generous endowments by Kintetsu Enterprises of America, Jack Hirose, Hats and Amey Aizawa, Union Bank, and Minami Tamaki LLP. Since 2007, the Foundation has provided more than $700,000 in funding to the community.
The Foundation identifies, and supports assets (historic, social, cultural, economic, and artistic) that benefit the Japantown community. It also advocates for entrepreneurial and creative programs that serve Japantown’s residents, visitors, businesses, congregations, community and cultural organizations by mobilizing and encouraging new contributions, and by facilitating innovative investments and initiatives.
The Foundation invests in Japantown as a geographic and cultural anchor for diverse and changing Japanese American, Japanese, and broader communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Acting as a resource to bring new philanthropic funding to the Japantown community as a whole, the Foundation partners with businesses and corporations by serving as their repository of contributions to the Japantown community. The Foundation also supports and encourages ways to introduce and re-introduce Japanese and Japanese Americans to Japantown organizations and institutions.
Established in July 1971, Kimochi, Inc. or Kimochi Kai as it was largely known in the early days, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit senior service agency based in San Francisco’s historic Japantown neighborhood. The word “kimochi” means “feelings” in Japanese. For our organization, “feelings” for our elders - respect, gratitude, and love - are expressed through services that enable each generation to age with dignity, pride, support, independence and friendship.
It all started when Sansei (third generation Japanese Americans) began helping the Issei (first generation Japanese Americans) in San Francisco Japantown. These Sansei realized that because of language and cultural barriers, the Issei were not able to utilize mainstream services. They helped seniors by providing them with information and assistance in applying for government and health benefits and offered transportation services and walking escorts to make sure seniors could leave and return safely to their homes. This younger generation’s commitment to the Issei’s care and well-being inspired the formation of Kimochi, Inc. as a multi-service senior service organization.
Organizers, participants, and volunteers would gather at Kimochi Lounge, Kimochi’s first site at 1581 Webster St., on the Webster St. Bridge. The Lounge was where Issei’s could rest, relax, get the latest news in the community, meet friends, and have tea. It still operates as a Kimochi site today. As the Lounge’s popularity grew, it was clear more space was needed to expand and breathe. Committed to remaining in San Francisco’s Japantown, one of only three Japantowns in the United States, staff and volunteers were willing to work in places that were not ideal, as long as it meant keeping Kimochi’s mission alive.
Over the years, Kimochi has been quick to identify the needs of the senior population and obtained funding for new programs - nutrition, transportation, social services. In 1974, Kimochi applied for a grant and was awarded funding from the California Department on Aging to implement a Japanese hot meals program for seniors.
In 1983, Kimochi completed the Kimochi Home building project at 1531 Sutter St. and opened its doors for residential/respite care for 20 seniors and adult social day care for 40 seniors. In 2012, Kimochi purchased a site in San Mateo to provide services and support for seniors and families outside of San Francisco. In 2016, following extensive renovations, Kimochi San Mateo received its licensing approval to open as a non-ambulatory Residential Care Facility for the elderly. In 2017, we were awarded funds from the JA Community Foundation to provide home delivered meals to seniors in San Mateo County.
Today, Kimochi occupies five sites - four in San Francisco and one in San Mateo.
The mission of Kimochi, Inc. is to provide a continuum of culturally-sensitive programs and services to all seniors and their families to preserve their dignity and independence, with a focus on the Japanese American and Japanese speaking community.
