Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

What Japanese American Cultural & Community Center does

The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit cultural organization founded in 1971 and located in the Little Tokyo neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It operates a multi-venue campus that includes the Aratani Theatre, James Irvine Japanese Garden, Isamu Noguchi Plaza, and the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center (TWCCC), positioning it as one of the largest ethnic arts and cultural centers in the United States. JACCC's programming spans performing arts, exhibitions, culinary education, intergenerational community programs, and food-access initiatives, serving Japanese Americans, the broader Los Angeles community, and international visitors.

JACCC's core offerings include cultural workshops (Shodō, kintsugi, sashiko), the Ukuleles for Little Tokyo program for older adults, the TWCCC culinary program with a Chef in Residence, exhibitions such as the recurring Anime Exhibition series with Wakayama Prefecture, the newly launched Little Tokyo Farmers' Market (August 2025), and a Sound Bath wellness series (April 2025). Its technology surface includes the Bloomberg Connects Digital Guide app (launched 2023), which integrates Google Translate for multilingual accessibility, alongside standard ticketing, analytics, and social media platforms.

JACCC's business model is a hybrid non-profit revenue structure combining foundation and individual donations (Bloomberg Philanthropies, Mellon, Perenchio, Ralph M. Parsons, LA County Arts & Culture), event ticket sales priced $35–$180, venue rentals for weddings and conferences, culinary programming revenue through TWCCC, and the new weekly farmers market. Its go-to-market is community-led, leveraging Little Tokyo's geographic density, a multi-channel social presence, email newsletter, and earned media in outlets such as Forbes, Eater LA, and Angeleno. The organization maintains cross-border partnerships with the Japan Foundation, Wakayama Prefecture, and Koyasan institutions, which support recurring cultural programming and exhibitions.

Name

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

Legal name

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

Website

https://jaccc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JACCC is a non-profit cultural and community center in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, delivering Japanese American arts programming, culinary education, exhibitions, and community services to local residents, visitors, and international audiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Community Center Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Lessors Of Real Property, Nec (6519)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Culinary Skills Workshops (Baking, Regional Cooking, Food Prep Skills) (THAJAKAE), Private Culinary Experiences (Chef’s Table, Home Dining, Market-to-Meal) (THAJALAH)

Keywords

• Cultural center programs
• Community arts venue
• Japanese heritage events
• Culinary cultural center
• Event space rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a non-profit institution, JACCC relies on the generosity of friends and supporters to meet the cost of providing programs and services to hundreds of thousands of local, national, and international visitors. The organization actively seeks donations through jaccc.org/support-jaccc.
2. Event Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticketed culinary events, workshops, and cultural programs. Includes holiday teas, chef pop-up series, and specialty dining experiences at the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center.
3. Venue Rentals: JACCC offers event spaces for conferences, exhibitions, weddings, and cultural gatherings. Spaces include Isamu Noguchi Plaza, Aratani Theatre, and various meeting rooms.
4. Farmers Market Operations: Weekly Little Tokyo Farmers' Market operating every Saturday at Isamu Noguchi Plaza, bringing fresh produce and artisanal goods to the community with SNAP/EBT acceptance.
5. Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center: Food service operations including pop-up restaurants, cooking classes, and special culinary events exploring Japanese culinary arts and Los Angeles food culture.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

JACCC is a non-profit cultural and community center in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo that operates cultural programming, culinary experiences, educational workshops, exhibitions, and venue rentals centered on Japanese and Japanese American arts and heritage. The organization runs facilities including the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center, the James Irvine Japanese Garden, the Aratani Theatre, and Isamu Noguchi Plaza, while hosting free community programs for older adults and ticketed culinary events and workshops for visitors.

Product overview

Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) is a cultural and community center, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist of cultural programs, culinary experiences, educational workshops, exhibitions, and venue rentals centered around Japanese and Japanese American arts and culture. The core programs include the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center (TWCCC) for culinary arts; Little Tokyo Farmers' Market for community food access; cultural education programs like Shodō and Ukuleles for Little Tokyo; traditional craft workshops including Sashiko and Kintsugi; wellness events such as Sound Bath in the James Irvine Japanese Garden; and seasonal culinary events including Holiday Tea and Rising Chefs Series. JACCC also offers a Bloomberg Connects Digital Guide for mobile access to exhibitions and programs. Venue rentals and the Isamu Noguchi Plaza support community events and gatherings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center (TWCCC): A culinary cultural center created in 2019 featuring pop-up restaurants, cooking classes, workshops, and special events exploring Japanese culinary arts.
• Little Tokyo Farmers' Market
• Ukuleles for Little Tokyo
• Shodō for Little Tokyo

Products and services

• Bloomberg Connects Digital Guide A free mobile app providing digital access to JACCC's exhibitions, events, and programs. Users can plan visits, access on-site insights, and explore collections via audio description in multiple languages through Google Translate integration.
• Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center (TWCCC) A culinary cultural center featuring pop-up restaurants, cooking classes, workshops, and special events exploring Japanese culinary arts and seasonal programming.
• Little Tokyo Farmers' Market A weekly Saturday market held at Isamu Noguchi Plaza from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, offering fresh produce, SNAP/EBT matching, wellness resources, and culturally relevant foods celebrating Little Tokyo's community.
• Shodō for Little Tokyo (小東京の書道) A free bilingual English-Japanese calligraphy program for local older adults, led by Kuniharu Yoshida. Spans two semesters with workshops for all skill levels and semester-end exhibitions showcasing participants' work.
• Ukuleles for Little Tokyo A free bilingual English-Japanese music program for local older adults aged 60+, led by Chester Ikei, Bob Takata, and Ken Nakaba. Features weekly sessions with loan ukuleles and community recitals.
• Sashiko with Sanae Suzuki A two-session sashiko (Japanese stitching) workshop series introducing foundations of Japanese embroidery alongside visible mending techniques, including a Beginner Workshop and Mending Workshop.
• Perfectly Imperfect: Discover Kintsugi with POJ Studio A traditional Japanese art of golden repair workshop teaching kintsugi techniques. Participants learn cultural history, watch live demonstrations, and create their own repaired piece with red urushi and metal powder finish.
• Sound Bath at the Garden of the Clear Stream (Seiryu-en) A group sound bath meditation experience in the James Irvine Japanese Garden led by Iris Esmeralda, featuring guided purification at tsukubai, meditative sound healing, and a garden lounge with traditional Japanese refreshments.
• Holiday Tea: A Harmonious Blend of East & West A limited-time afternoon tea service featuring fusion of Japanese and Western traditions in JACCC's Japanese garden. Includes Western pastries with Japanese ingredients, wagashi sweets, and exhibits of antique Noritake china.
• Rising Chefs Series A pop-up dining series featuring emerging Asian American chefs in JACCC's Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center. Includes 5-course pre-fixe menus, cocktail pairings, and culinary innovation.
• Ask the Mountain for the Menu A Hanabishi restaurant pop-up featuring 1,200-year-old Koyasan Shojin ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), including multi-course meal, guided meditation, and cultural exchange experience.
• Anime Exhibition: Identity of Self An annual student anime exhibition featuring works by young artists from Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. Fourth installment with 30 works exploring themes of identity and self-discovery.
• Venue Rentals Event space rental services including conferences, exhibitions, weddings, and cultural events at the historic Little Tokyo location, with spaces such as Isamu Noguchi Plaza, Aratani Theatre, Tea Room, Kosaka Center for Art & Crafts, and Cultural Room 500.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of thousands of visitors served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Food Access LAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025Partnership to launch Little Tokyo Farmers' Market at JACCC's Isamu Noguchi Plaza. Food Access LA is a nonprofit organization operating nine farmers' markets across Los Angeles supporting small-scale agriculture and entrepreneurs while improving food security in underserved neighborhoods. The market emphasizes Japanese American purveyors including Tamai Farms, Yamabushi Farms, and Shigeru Nursery.
• Bloomberg PhilanthropiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to create Bloomberg Connects digital guide app, launched in 2023. JACCC joined hundreds of museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens, and cultural spaces worldwide on the free Bloomberg Connects platform, allowing visitors to access exhibitions and programs on mobile devices.
• Sustainable Little TokyocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Ukuleles for Little Tokyo and Shodō for Little Tokyo programs, emphasizing intergenerational and intercultural engagement while preserving Japanese heritage. Also partner for 7th Annual Earth Day at Little Tokyo Farmers' Market.
• Beikoku Koyasan BetsuinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Koyasan Shojin ryori programming, providing authentic connection to spiritual traditions.
• Koyasan Kongobuji International Affairs SectionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuidance partner for maintaining tradition's authenticity in Koyasan culinary programming.
• Koyasan Hanabishi RestaurantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpert partner sharing ancient culinary art form for Ask the Mountain for the Menu pop-up events featuring 1,200-year-old Shojin ryori recipes.
• Miyako Oriental Foods Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-kind support partner for Koyasan Shojin ryori events, ensuring ingredients met exacting standards of Buddhist vegetarian cuisine preparation.
• Koyasan Shingon-shu Hokubei Kaikyo Sokan-buminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for guidance in maintaining tradition's authenticity for Shojin ryori programming.
• Little Tokyo Service CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Shodō for Little Tokyo calligraphy program, supporting preservation and celebration of Japanese heritage.
• Bunkado (Irene Tsukado-Simonian)minorOthersGenerously loaned Satsuma china tea sets for JACCC's Holiday Tea exhibit showcasing the fusion of East and West craftsmanship.
• Midori TachibanaminorOthersGenerously loaned Noritake porcelain for JACCC's Holiday Tea exhibit, representing the artistry and history of Japanese porcelain as a bridge between East and West.
• Carol Tanita / Rafu BussanminorOthersGenerously loaned Japanese china tea set that survived Japanese internment for JACCC's Holiday Tea exhibit, serving as a powerful educational tool about Japanese American history.
• The Switch is OnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner present at Little Tokyo Farmers' Market launch to share resources and engage with visitors.
• March April StudiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner present at Little Tokyo Farmers' Market launch to share resources and engage with visitors.
• LA CompostminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for 7th Annual Earth Day at Little Tokyo Farmers' Market, contributing to composting education and sustainability programming.
• Recycle2richesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Earth Day celebrations at Little Tokyo Farmers' Market, supporting waste reduction and recycling initiatives.
• Grateful Crane EnsembleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeneficiary of proceeds from Honoring Chef Akira Hirose event, supporting cultural and culinary arts programming.
• Institute of Culinary EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeneficiary of proceeds from Honoring Chef Akira Hirose event, supporting culinary education initiatives.
• Little Tokyo Nutrition ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeneficiary of proceeds from Honoring Chef Akira Hirose event, supporting nutrition services in the community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens: Major Southern California cultural institution with extensive Japanese garden and Asian art programming. Shares the urban Southern California location and the model of cultural center with gardens, exhibitions, and venue programming, but at materially larger scale.
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: A federally supported national initiative under the Smithsonian celebrating and interpreting Asian Pacific American history and culture. Functions as a broader-incumbent peer with extensive resources but no single physical campus comparable to JACCC's Little Tokyo facility.

Direct peers

• Asia Society Southern California: Asian-focused cultural institution in Southern California offering cultural programming, exhibitions, and culinary events. Comparable model of ethnic/community cultural center with venue rentals, food programming, and donor-supported operations across a broader Asian remit.
• Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii: Honolulu-based cultural center preserving Japanese American heritage in Hawaii with festivals, gardens, and cultural programming. Closely comparable mission to JACCC with similar community-centered, donation-supported operating model in a different regional context.
• Korean American Museum (Los Angeles): LA-based emerging ethnic-heritage cultural institution with similar community-centered programming. Comparable scale and donor-dependent operating model within the same city's ethnic cultural ecosystem.
• Japanese American National Museum: Located immediately adjacent to JACCC in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, JANM is a National Science-honored museum preserving Japanese American history and culture. Shares JACCC's mission of cultural preservation and serves the same community with overlapping exhibitions, programs, and donor base.
• Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA): A New York-based cultural institution preserving Chinese American history with exhibitions, workshops, and cultural programming. Operates an analogous ethnic-heritage cultural center model with venue programming and donor-supported financial structure.
• Chinese American Museum (Los Angeles): Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Chinese American Museum preserves Chinese American heritage through exhibitions and cultural events. Same-city comparable ethnic cultural institution with overlapping program formats and donor pool characteristics.
• Japanese Friendship Garden of San Diego: A Japanese cultural garden and cultural center in San Diego featuring a traditional garden, koi ponds, and cultural programming. Closely comparable to JACCC's Japanese Garden and TWCCC-style cultural programming, serving a regional rather than international audience.
• Wing Luke Museum (Seattle): An Asian Pacific American museum in Seattle's Chinatown-International District with curated exhibitions, cultural programming, and donor-supported operations. Highly comparable ethnic-heritage museum model serving local community with national draws.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@jaccc_la
• Facebookfacebook.com/discoverjaccc
• Instagraminstagram.com/jaccc_la
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jaccc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Japanese American Cultural & Community Center