Top Row (L to R): Alex Kimata, Brent Sabati, Adam Estasio Middle Row (L to R): Allyson Masunaga Goto, Alyssa Noguchi, Leilani Rose, Jennifer Kimura, Emily Freeman Front Row: Adam Lisbon Just three years ago, Sakura Foundation launched what has become its signature program: the Mirai Generations Leadership Program(MGLP). Mirai means “future” in Japanese. The MGLP encourages participants [...]
Top Left to Right: Ron Abo, Derek Okubo Bottom Left to Right: Kenzo Kawanabe, Joni Sakaguchi Ron Abo Ron Abo finds being a member of the Sakura Foundation board rewarding because of his 45-year history of being involved in the evolution of Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple and Sakura Square. In the early 1970’s, the Denver Urban [...]
Image courtesy Robischon Gallery. Here are the people in the photo (Left to right): Joni Sakaguchi and DJ Ida (Sakura Foundation board members), Barbara Takenaga, Gary Yamashita (Sakura Foundation Executive Director), Stacey Shigaya (Sakura Foundation Program Director) and Jennifer Doran (Owner and Director, Robischon Gallery). In celebration of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, [...]
For nearly half a century, Sakura Square has been the home of Denver's Cherry Blossom Festival, which is the largest outdoor Japanese and Japanese American (JA) festival in the region. This year the 47th Cherry Blossom Festival will be held on the weekend of June 22nd and 23rd. It is an annual summer celebration that [...]
Gary M. Yamashita, Executive Director As Executive Director of Sakura Foundation, Gary oversees the mission of the nonprofit to promote Japanese heritage and culture through programs, grants and scholarships in the community. He is also CEO of Sakura Square LLC, responsible for overseeing the operations, strategic planning and leadership of the organization. Additionally, he serves [...]
The Sakura Foundation Grant Program supported Japan America Society of Colorado’s Annual Kite Festival. Sakura Foundation’s Community Grant Program has been proudly supporting the Japanese, Japanese American and Asian American communities to offer meaningful programming, event and activities which take place within the State of Colorado. Past recipients of Sakura Foundation grants are Japanese [...]
Gary M. Yamashita, Executive Director As Executive Director of Sakura Foundation, Gary oversees the mission of the nonprofit to promote Japanese heritage and culture through programs, grants and scholarships in the community. He is also CEO of Sakura Square LLC, responsible for overseeing the operations, strategic planning and leadership of the organization. Additionally, he serves [...]
Joe Ozaki, President Joe’s most rewarding experience on the Sakura Foundation Board was being involved with the transition of Tri-State Buddhist Church Apartments, lnc. (TSBCAI) to Sakura Foundation. This involved the pay-off of TSBCAI’s 40-year HUD loan and a change in its nonprofit subsidized housing status to a public charity, i.e. Sakura Foundation, with [...]
Sakura Square has been a central gathering place for the Japanese American community to celebrate our heritage, culture and arts for multiple generations in the Rocky Mountain Region. The Tri-State/Denver Buddhist Temple (TS/DBT) has long been an important component of the block, located here since 1947. Throughout the years, there has always been a strong [...]
