LOS ANGELES — The UCLA Nikkei Student Union (NSU), in partnership with the Southern California Intercollegiate Nikkei Council (INC), will host Tsunagi Matsuri on Sunday, March 8, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at JACCC Plaza (Isamu Noguchi Plaza) in Little Tokyo. The event is a 100% student‑led, family‑friendly Japanese American cultural festival celebrating community, creativity, and connection.
“Tsunagi,” meaning to connect, reflects the heart of the festival’s mission—bringing together generations, campuses, and the Little Tokyo community for a full day of culture and celebration. Tsunagi Matsuri will feature over 25 food and craft vendors, community games and booths, free giveaways, and live performances throughout the day.
Live performances will include HANA Effron, fiveALIVE, The Visionaries, Kyodo Taiko, and more, alongside vendors and community organizations representing the diversity and vibrancy of Japanese American culture in Southern California.
Beyond celebration, Tsunagi Matsuri is rooted in community advocacy. Twenty‑five percent of all festival profits will be donated to the Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund (LTCIF), supporting efforts to preserve Little Tokyo’s cultural legacy amid ongoing pressures from gentrification and displacement.
Little Tokyo is one of only four remaining historic Japantowns in the United States. The LTCIF works to keep property ownership within the community, ensuring that family‑owned businesses, cultural institutions, and spiritual centers can remain and thrive for future generations.
The festival is organized by the UCLA Nikkei Student Union, which promotes Japanese American cultural, social, and political awareness through student‑led programming, and the Intercollegiate Nikkei Council, a coalition of collegiate Nikkei student organizations across Southern California dedicated to cultural education, community involvement, and collaboration.
Community members who are unable to attend are encouraged to support through donations, which help sustain both Little Tokyo preservation efforts and student‑led Japanese American organizations across the region.
Tsunagi Matsuri is supported by a wide range of community partners and sponsors, including the Japanese American National Museum, Yama Sushi Marketplace, Little Tokyo Service Center, Japanese American Bar Association, Nikkei Credit Union, Visual Communications, Nisei Week Foundation, and many others.
For more information about Tsunagi Matsuri, visit https://www.uclansu.com/about-tsunagi-matsuri