Kansha Project
What is the Kansha Project?
The Kansha Project 2026 applications are now closed. Check back in January 2027 for the 2027 trip!
– Kansha Project Trip
– Pre-departure orientation: Monday, June 1st
– Little Tokyo Trip: Thursday, June 4th – Sunday, June 7th
– Culmination: Saturday, June 27th
The Kansha Project is a JACL Chicago program founded in 2011 that connects self-identified Japanese Americans, ages 18-25, from the Midwest to their identity, history and community.
Participants engage in an in-depth examination of the WWII confinement site experience through an immersive educational trip to Los Angeles’ historic Little Tokyo neighborhood and Manzanar National Historic Site. Through workshops with local experts and community activists, historical tours, and group reflections, participants work to interpret and promote the stories, lessons, and the legacy of the Japanese American confinement site experience.
Kansha Project was funded, in part, by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.
Kansha from Kansha! Thank you to our generous donors for supporting the Kansha Project. As we approach the 15th anniversary in 2026, we look forward to celebrating with our community. View the thank you letter by the Alumni Leadership Board here.
When will the program take place?
The Kansha Project takes place every year in June.
Who can participate?
The program is open to any self-identified Japanese American between the ages of 18-25. Participants must commit to all components of the program.
Where will they go?
Participants will travel to Los Angeles for a three-night, four-day period. The program will be based in the Little Tokyo neighborhood of L.A., where the educational sessions will take place. The trip will include an overnight stay near the Manzanar concentration camp site.
How is the program structured?
In addition to the trip, participants will be required to attend a full day orientation session at the JACL Chicago office prior to their departure; work on a project throughout the program that will express their reflections and personal connection to this legacy; and present their projects to the Chicago community during a culmination event held one week after returning.
What will they do?
Educational sessions will cover:
- Personal racial and ethnic identity
- Interpersonal impact of incarceration on the Japanese American community
- Current state of the Japanese American community
- The continued legacy of the Japanese American experience
Other activities will include:
- Various workshops addressing topics such as identity, Japanese American history, and the impacts of the incarceration
- Visit to the Japanese American National Museum
- Tour of Little Tokyo’s historic sites
- Overnight stay near Manzanar concentration camp site: guided tour, Manzanar Interpretive Center, National Parks Service hands-on service project.
How much will it cost?
The average cost of each participant is $1800. All costs during the program (travel, lodging, food, etc.) will be covered thanks to our generous community donors. However, there is a sliding scale participation fee of starting at $150.
Donate to the Kansha Project!
Thank you for your generous support!
If you have any questions, you can contact us at: kansha@jaclchicago.org