The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) announces June 12, 2026 via its website that the Aratani Theatre must be temporarily closed due to the structural improvements. The JACCC’s message is following:
Message From Our President & CEO
Jun 12, 2026
Dear Friends of JACCC:
The Aratani Theatre has played a central role in our mission at JACCC for more than 40 years. We are committed to ensuring it continues to serve as a cornerstone of Japanese and Japanese American culture and community life in Little Tokyo for decades to come.
As part of preserving this community asset, following the May 31 closing of our co-production with East West Players of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song, we are taking the opportunity to begin urgently needed building repairs. Currently underway is the installation of a new chiller, a vital component of the building’s cooling system. As many of you know, the current chiller no longer works. Renting a temporary unit costs thousands of dollars each month, creating an unsustainable financial burden. This new chiller requires structural improvements to the building to accommodate a modern, larger, and more energy-efficient system.
To complete this work, the Theatre must be temporarily closed. We will provide regular updates as the project progresses and encourage you to visit our website for the latest information.
At the same time, we are in the early stages of identifying upgrades to the interior of the Aratani Theatre to support digital technologies that engage future generations and allow us to reach global audiences with programming created in the heart of Little Tokyo. We will share more information and details in the coming months.
While these projects are underway, JACCC continues to host and partner with the community and other organizations on events, programs, workshops, and gatherings across our campus. This includes the Toshizo Watanabe Culinary Cultural Center, George J. Doizaki Gallery, Isamu Noguchi Plaza and the Center Building, all of which remain open.
We are grateful for the support shown for this beloved community campus and look forward to building its legacy as a vibrant home for arts, culture, and community.
Sincerely,
Patricia M. Wyatt
JACCC President & CEO