Thank you Rinban Gerald Sakamoto for your 39 years dedicated to SJ Betsuin and the #SanJoseJapantown Community! おつかれさまでした！

Thank you to Hakone Gardens🌱 for welcoming Consul General Otsuki for his first visit to your beautiful Japanese gardens. He was delighted to join City of Saratoga, CA mayor Belal Aftab and Hakone Foundation board & staff to tour the grounds and learn about Hakone’s history.🌸🍁

Our office will be closed on Monday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day, and will reopen on Tuesday, November 12. For a full list of our holiday closures, please visit: sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/e_m01_…

Congrats Coach Natalie!🏀 CG Otsuki met Golden State Valkyries Head Coach & #WNBA #CoachoftheYear Natalie Nakase and Valkyries & @Warriors leadership to congratulate Coach Nakase on a tremendous season! She’s inspiring the #BayArea and especially the Japanese American community. Go Valks!💜

✨The results are in for our 2025 #OnceinJapan 📷#PhotoContest! Thank you to all of our entrants who entered recent shots of their trips to Japan under our theme of “Make it Pop!” - See our website for full list & stay tuned for individual features! sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/25_110…

Thank you Margaret Abe-Koga, Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj), Wesley Methodist, and the South Bay & #SanJoseJapantown community for welcoming CG Otsuki on 10/30! Great to so many officials, Japantown leaders, sister cities, JET alumni, and those involved in our Japan-California relationship.

Congratulations to all the contestants of the 48th Japanese Speech Contest for Middle and High School Students! We commend everyone on preparing such introspective speeches. Keep up the good work with your #JapaneseLanguage studies! 💮 Results: sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/25_110…

Congrats to the participants of the 3rd Sonoma State University Japanese Language Speech Contest! We hope you continue to be a bridge between Japan & the US. Thank you to Sonoma State University & the Komaru-Koutsu Foundation and we hope that more students visit Fukuyama City in Hiroshima!

🖌️We had a great time practicing shodo, or Japanese calligraphy, with the Japanese language students at Mills High School as part of our Japan in the Classroom School Visit Program! Interested in Japan in the Classroom? 👀 Check out our website: sf.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/e_m04_…

🗺️ Study in Japan through the MEXT Scholarship! Come join this Informational Webinar to learn more about the MEXT Japanese Government Scholarships. Presented by Japan Embassy DC🌸 featuring 3 MEXT Scholarship alumni panelists! Register here: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/cd62ec9a…

Thank you Sacramento State Japanese Program for welcoming reps from KIKKOMAN FOODS, INC., JCCNC, & our Consulate to talk about Japanese Businesses in Northern CA. We hope students learned more about Japanese business values and the different industries based here in Northern CA!

That’s a wrap on our 2026 JET Program USA recruitment season! A huge THANK YOU to all who joined us at info sessions and college fairs—you made this fall amazing! 📢 Final Reminder: If you’re still working on your application, submit by the deadline TODAY, November 14, 11:59 PM HST!

Exhibit Extended! See this year’s Once in Japan Photo Contest finalist entries up close at KOHO Creative Hub in SF Japantown through Thursday, December 19!

On Nov 12, we hosted a reception highlighting Oita Prefecture, a region known for hot springs and beautiful scenery. Guests enjoyed Oita Wagyu, yellowtail, and shiitake mushrooms; tastings of sake, shochu, and whiskey; and a special performance by Fantastic Negrito!

What a show! Thank you to San Francisco #Taiko Dojo for inviting Consul General Otsuki to your concert Hishou, on Saturday, November 15. It was impressive to see the crowd of hundreds celebrate the legacy of Grandmaster Seiichi Tanaka and @SFTaiko!

Our office will be closed on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 in observance of Thanksgiving, and will reopen on Monday, December 1. We hope you have a happy holiday!🦃

On 12/20, CG Otsuki spoke at “Fermenting Futures,” an event celebrating tradition and innovation in fermented foods. Attendees heard from companies & researchers advancing fermentation techniques, then enjoyed a showcase of samples from Japanese makers and SF retailers!

A BIG CONGRATS to the winners of our 2025 Once in Japan Photo Contest! Great to hear the stories behind your photos in our award ceremony and thank you #Canon U.S.A, Inc. for the wonderful prizes. #travelphotography #japantravel #onceinjapan