Community Events

We are celebrating over 70 years and our theme this year is “Celebrating Community Traditions”!
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The GVJCI Matsuri Fundraiser is our largest fundraising event of the year and raises critical funds that help keep our organization going.

DATE: Saturday, June 29, 2024, 10:00am – 7:00pm
​LOCATION: GVJCI
We are cashless this year. Please purchase pre-sale coupons from our member organizations, or you can purchase scrip at the matsuri.

THANK YOU!
We can’t thank you enough, GVJCI Member Organizations, volunteers, donors, sponsors, local businesses, board & staff for supporting us with hundreds of volunteer hours, monetary and non-monetary donations at our annual Matsuri, making the GVJCI Matsuri a South Bay community tradition for over 70 years!

Here are some ways you can help support the GVJCI Matsuri!
PRE-PURCHASE Matsuri Coupons. Coupon books will be distributed through our Member Organizations in April or visit the GVJCI office
Make an optional ADDITIONAL DONATION ($50+ donations will be gifted a special GVJCI Matsuri Fundraiser t-shirt) Please see the t shirt design below, donate online via the donate button on this page.
Mark your calendar and attend the event!
Invite your family, friends & colleagues!​

​We invite you to please consider supporting the GVJCI by making a financial donation and if you can by attending the GVJCI Matsuri this year. Thank you!
White Elephant Donations Needed!
Also needed are NEW & LIKE NEW and clean items for the White Elephant booth. White Elephant donation drop off dates: May 13 – June 14, Weekdays, 9:00am- 12:30pm. Last Drop off date is Friday, June 14th to the GVJCI Office. Thank you!
Please come and enjoy:
Delicious Food
Fun Games Outside
Raffle Drawings throughout the event, prizes graciously donated by local businesses
Mega Matsuri Raffle – Enter for a chance to win Dodger Tickets, Information Booth
Plant Sale
Bingo
Beer Garden – New location in South Parking Lot
White Elephant Sale – Main Hall, Basement Level
Craft Sale – Main Hall, 2nd Floor
Outdoor Entertainment
Martial Arts Demonstrations – Main Hall, Basement Level
Ikebana Display & demonstrations – Main Hall, 2nd Floor
Japanese Language School Display – Main Hall, 2nd Floor
CERT Display – Main Hall, 2nd Floor
Art Display – Main Hall, 2nd Floor
Holding Station
And more!
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
Outdoor Entertainment
10:00am – 10:20am Yuujou Daiko
10:25am – 10:35am 2024 GVJCI Scholarship Presentation
10:40am – 10:50am Corporate Sponsor Recognition
10:55am – 11:15am Na Pua O Kapo – Ukulele
11:20am -11:40am TNK Hula Class (Harriet Nagata)
11:45am – 12:05pm GVJCI Line Dance Class (Chris Mori)
12:10pm – 12:30pm Bando Hidesomi – Japanese Traditional Dance
12:35pm – 12:55pm Move & Groove (Tim Toyama)
1:00pm – 1:20pm LA Men’s Glee Club
1:25pm – 1:45pm Japanese Flute & Drums Performance (Ken Yanai & Paul Tavenner)

Martial Arts – Inside GVJCI Main Hall (basement level)
1:45pm -2:05pm Koto Performance (Avaya McCoy)
2:10pm – 2:30pm Southern California Kyudo Renmei
2:35pm – 2:55pm Southern California Naginata Federation
3:00pm – 3:20pm. Gardena Kendo
3:25pm – 3:45pm Gardena Judo Club

Demonstrations – Inside 2nd Floor Classrooms
​11:00am – 11:30am Tea Ceremony 202/203
12:30pm – 1:00pm Ikebana 202/203
2:00pm – 2:30pm Tea Ceremony 202/203
3:30pm – 4:00pm Ikebana 202/203

4:00pm – 6:30pm Bingo – located outside
6:30pm Mega Matsuri Raffle Drawing @ Stage
7:00pm Matsuri closes
What to expect:
Food & Game Booths – Community organizations and classes that are housed at the GVJCI lend their volunteer support to run all of our booths including fun games such as Bingo, or our ever popular Pitch ‘Til U Win, or cooking/selling tasty food like chicken teriyaki, hot dogs, chili dogs, spam musubi, udon, Okinawa andagi and more! Our community volunteers are the BEST—they help run all of the booths and are the heart of our Matsuri!
Performances – Get here early, get some food, grab a seat and be ready to be entertained by the many talented people here at the GVJCI! We showcase many classes and programs that are held at our facility such as taiko, hula, Japanese traditional dance, singing and line dancing. Come see what these performers learn throughout the year, and maybe you’ll be encouraged to join them at their weekly classes and perform next year!
Martial Arts Demonstrations – Ever wonder what these various martial art disciplines entail? Now is the time to find out! GVJCI’s martial arts classes will be featured: Naginata, Gardena Judo Club, Gardena Kendo, and Kyudo Renmei. This is the perfect time to catch a glimpse and see if one of these is for you and/or your family!
Outdoor Plant Sale – One of our most popular booths year after year, supporting nurseries and gracious community plant enthusiasts donate beautiful plants from their businesses and backyards for our Matsuri. We also have nursery experts who volunteer their time at the booth to answer all of your most intricate questions on how to grow and maintain your new plants!
Holding Station – Are your hands full of food items, white elephant treasures, and crafts…and you REALLY want to purchase a house plant? Well, worry no more. Take all of your belongings to our holding station where we’ll keep a watchful eye on your items. Now you are able to roam our Matsuri “hands free”. Then drive your car by the loading zone and pick up all of your goodies!
​Bingo – Try your luck at Bingo! Games begin at 4pm on Saturday with chances to win cash & prizes!
Beer Garden – Saturday from opening to closing, take a break and come on over to our Beer Garden! Grab a beer, relax, and catch up with friends.
The Bridge: GVJCI Heritage Center – Come upstairs and see what we have to share with you! Visit our Japanese cultural heritage library and our educational Tokonoma Display. Want to inquire about our Japanese Language School? Come pay a visit and receive information you need to enroll in the upcoming fall session. Returning this year is the CERT display, learn about Community Emergency Response; and visit the Tomo No Kai Art display! New this year, come and see the Ikebana Class’ ikebana display! Do you love homemade crafts? Come visit and purchase beautiful hand made crafts from our Tomo No Kai Crafters! Who doesn’t love a homemade crocheted scrubby? Yes please!
Pre-sale GVJCI Matsuri Fundraiser Coupon Books – Come by and purchase your coupons! Coupons will be sold by GVJCI programs and supporting organizations beginning in April. You may also visit the GVJCI office to purchase coupon books at $20 per book prior to the Matsuri. The ten $2.00 coupons can be used as scrip at all Matsuri booths. And back by popular demand is our raffle! Each pre-sale coupon includes an added value raffle ticket!
Matsuri Raffles: One raffle ticket is included with each pre-sale coupon. Return your completed raffle tickets to the GVJCI by 12:00pm, June 29 for your chance to win prizes during our matsuri. In addition, purchase special tickets for the Mega Matsuri Raffle at the Matsuri Info booth. Matsuri Raffle drawing prizes include family four packs to a 2024 Dodger game! Drawings for this special raffle will be held on Saturday near closing.