Sakura Gala 2026
Friendship Through Culture
In 1963, seventy-five Japanese Canadian families, who were rebuilding their lives after wartime internment, mortgaged their homes to create a place to gather, to share culture, and to reestablish belonging. Through sponsorship of the Sakura Gala, partners invest in a living cultural system that strengthens cross-cultural understanding, collective resilience, intergenerational connection, and long-term civic trust. Across generations, the JCCC has sustained spaces, festivals, and seasonal programming where the exchange of culture is part of everyday life. Each year, over 200,000 community members take part in Japanese events, heritage activities, martial arts, language exchanges, foodways, crafts, and film programs. These cultural activities create continuity in a city too-often defined by speed, mobility, and constant change. The JCCC operates as cultural infrastructure: a durable system of spaces, programs, and relationships that has remained resilient through decades of social, economic, and environmental shifts.
This year's Gala, which takes place on May 9, 2026, will feature an elegant seated dinner and drinks, entertainment, and the presentation of the prestigious Sakura Award to Bruce Kuwabara (more information about Bruce here).
We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Sakura Gala when ticket sales open in late-February. Please continue to check our Givergy page (linked below). In the meantime, we hope you’ll visit our Centre to enjoy the wide array of cultural and heritage initiatives that your support helps to drive.
With great appreciation,
The 2026 Sakura Gala Committee