Grantee Database
KOHO
Grant Year
2023-24
Grant Program
General Operating Support
Award Amount
$46,749.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, KOHO will provide an intergenerational, multi-use, versatile, multi-ethnic, Co-Creative Arts and Culture Hub in Japantown for the transmission of the form, practices, and seishin (mind, essence, and spirit) of Japanese art and culture, serving and educating multiple generations of native Japanese and Japanese-American state-wide, visitors from various AAPI communities and the general public. Creating synergy between established and emerging artists and culture bearers, the hub will provide opportunities for authentic and culturally relevant creative story-telling honoring Japantown’s 117-year-old history and the transformative narratives of the evolving multi-ethnic, intergenerational community of today. The hub will curate Japanese and AAPI arts programing and exhibitions, micro-events and pop-ups, professional development and creative workshops, an artist residency program and incubator lab, and generate artist revenue through marketplace activations.
Organization Summary
KOHO’s programming is designed to create an ecosystem of community, culture, and connections through:
KOHO Arts & Culture Creative Hub: KOHO operates San Francisco Japantown’s only intergenerational, multi-use, versatile, multi-ethnic,Creative Arts and Culture Hub for the transmission of the form, practices, and seishin (mind, essence, and spirit) of Japanese art and culture. The Hub curates and produces educational, immersive experiences for multiple generations of Japanese and Japanese-Americans, visitors from various AANHPI communities, and the general public. It is a sanctuary where Japanese and Japanese-Americans find a home away from home, a space that honors tradition while imagining the future—a place where art transcends boundaries and celebrates the universal language of human expression.
BonPOP: A reimagined Obon Odori Japantown event that welcomes a local, citywide, and regional audience to immerse themselves in the long-standing Japanese tradition of honoring ancestors through dance, song, and rituals accessible to all regardless of religion, faith, ethnicity, or cultural beliefs. The 2024 event attracted 2,100 participants and engaged over 25 musicians, dancers, vendors and organizers all who honored loved ones who have passed.
Festivals: KOHO launched its first artist night market in 2024, celebrating the legacy of Japantown and uplifting local artists and creatives as they connected with new audiences. The event attracted over 1,000 attendees and featured over 40 creatives. KOHO also collaborates in several film festivals (AAPI Collaborative City-wide Film Festival and the Lavender Cinema Lounge series) and, in 2024, produced its first Japantown Film Festival featuring three films focused on the Japanese-American experience today; the influences of historical trauma, resilience and strength of generations; and the search for cultural identity in purpose, place and community. Other festivals include the Ube Meets Matcha themed Yum Yams Festival and participation in Japantown’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival and Nihonmachi Street Fair.
Organization
KOHO
Address
1675 Post St
2nd Floor
San Francisco
94115-3603
County
San Francisco
Region
Bay Area – San Francisco
Website
State Assembly District
District CA-11
State Senate District
District 11
