Forward
My name is Jerrold McGrath, and I am the Executive Director at the JCCC. In service to increased communication, I will be sharing updates regularly so that we can continue to be in conversation about where the JCCC is going.
The timing of these messages will be based on a Japanese calendar of 72 seasons. This system was adopted in Japan by the 7th–8th centuries, where it was refined to reflect local climate, agriculture, and everyday life, turning the calendar into a practical way of paying attention to subtle environmental changes.
Hopefully, this structure will let us think about what small, local changes are underway here at the JCCC and to share them in ways that encourage us to pay attention to the living world rather than just the calendar.
Water Dropwort Thrives | 芹乃栄
We hope that you have had a relaxing and warm holiday. Our team is back to work and excited for what 2026 will bring. There are many changes afoot at the JCCC, and we have received many requests for more communication so that changes can be shared and understood. This is the first of seventy-two planned messages over the coming year.
January 5 to January 9 is “water dropwort/Japanese parsley thrives”. Japanese parsley (or seri) is one of the seven wild spring herbs that are customarily eaten as part of a rice porridge gruel on January 7th.
It marks the moment in early spring (in Kyoto at least) when fresh green life begins to assert itself after winter. Seri has long been associated with renewal, purification, and everyday nourishment.
The season is meant to point to life returning at ground level, in kitchens and waterways. As I write this, we are being buffeted by a winter storm. There is nothing but white outside, but the JCCC is alive with motion and activity as our team returns from a well-deserved holiday rest.
We are preparing for Oshougatsukai (January), Hina Matsuri (March), and SakuraFest (April). So, I’d like to take this opportunity to explain a little about where our programming is going and what to expect for the rest of 2026.
Seasonal Programming
The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre is moving to a more explicit focus on seasonality in programming. We believe that seasons offer a simple, shared way of staying connected to culture, community, and the world around us. In many ways, this has always been part of how the Centre operates. Our festivals, food, and traditions already follow the rhythms of the year. We are now being more explicit and intentional about it in how we plan programs and design guest experiences. Seasons help people notice changes in light, weather, and daily life, and encourage presence rather than distraction. In a time of economic uncertainty, climate disruption, and social volatility, these rhythms provide reassurance that change is real but not random. Things are cold right now but it will be warm again. By clearly organizing our work around the seasons, the Centre creates dependable moments people can return to, inviting ongoing engagement and offering a steady sense of continuity, attention, and hope.
Our seasons for programming are based on the climate we experience here in Toronto. Winter includes December, January and February. Spring runs through March, April and May. Summer is June, July, and August. And Autumn brings us through September, October, and November. Each season will have two matsuri, or festivals, that bring the whole community together. One is more traditional and the other more contemporary, but each is an opportunity to gather, to connect, and to celebrate.
Winter: Omisoka/Oshougatsukai and Bussanten (a regional showcase that will kick off in 2027)
Spring: Hina Matsuri (Doll’s Festival/Spring) and SakuraFest (cherry blossoms)
Summer: Toronto Japanese Film Festival and Natsu Matsuri/Bon Odori
Fall: Otsukimi (moon viewing) and Hon to Shugei to Amaimono (books, crafts, and desserts)
There will be other activities that feed into the seasons as well across martial arts, cultural classes, screenings, performances, heritage events, and more.
Whether at one of our long-standing festivals or something new, we look forward to hosting you at the JCCC regardless of the weather outside!