Meet Naomi, the longtime coordinator of Tampopo Kai, JASC’s Japanese cultural program for preschoolers. Since arriving in Chicago in 1980, Naomi has built lasting connections within the Japanese American community and helped foster a multigenerational community through Tampopo Kai. Read how her experiences with JASC and dedication to the program have shaped a place where families can learn, connect, and find a sense of belonging.

Naomi Negi and the Community Behind Tampopo Kai

When Naomi first came to Chicago in March 1980, she was a student who had originally planned to study on the West Coast. Friends from Chicago who were living in Kyoto at the time encouraged her to come to the Midwest instead.

As she settled into life in Chicago, Naomi became fascinated by the various festivals organized by the Japanese American community, including Japan Fest, Ginza Holiday, and Natsu Matsuri. Whenever she had the chance, she attended and enjoyed discovering these celebrations. “Being a Curious George myself, I found them so exciting!” she recalls. Although the festivals were distinctly Japanese, she noticed something different about them compared to the festivals and cultural events she had experienced in Japan. Little did she know that these outings would become her first real introduction to Japanese American people and their community.

Her connection to JASC began through Tampopo Kai, the Japanese cultural program for preschoolers that she now coordinates. Founded in 1983 by two of her Sansei friends who rented space at JASC, Tampopo Kai was part of her life even while she was still in college. One of its founders was the same friend who had encouraged her to move to Chicago, and Naomi even visited the program at JASC as a student.

Over the years, her involvement with Tampopo Kai and JASC has grown into something much more than a connection to an organization. It has become a central part of the community she calls home.

A Community Built Through Shared Traditions

In its earlier years, JASC held two major fundraising events: Market Day and Christmas Delight, now known as Holiday Delight. Tampopo Kai participated in both, contributing as a vendor and helping bring the events to life. At Holiday Delight, the program took on an especially active role, coordinating family-friendly entertainment ranging from games and face painting to magic shows and concerts.

Naomi also fondly remembers other community traditions, including Kagamibiraki and the mochi-pounding celebration organized by Tohkon Judo.

These events offered opportunities for families to come together, celebrate Japanese culture, and build connections that extended beyond any single program or gathering.

More Than a Japanese Language Program

After one of Tampopo Kai’s founders moved to Tokyo with her family, Naomi took over coordination of the program. She has continued that work ever since, overseeing weekly classes and organizing fundraisers throughout the year. Over time, Tampopo Kai has participated in community events including Japan Fest, Ginza Holiday, Market Day, and Holiday Delight, along with smaller local fundraising activities.

Today, Naomi coordinates three Tampopo Kai classes, including a newly established Japanese Immersion class. Through songs, stories, crafts, games, movement, and hands-on cultural activities, children learn Japanese language and culture while exploring foundational concepts commonly introduced in preschool and kindergarten in Japan.

But for Naomi, what happens outside the classroom is just as important as what happens inside it.

“When I was raising my own children, I longed to have friends with whom I could share the joys and challenges of raising our children together,” she explains. She wanted her children to grow up alongside others while their parents supported one another along the way.

That experience shaped her vision for Tampopo Kai. She hopes parents who join the program can form their own friendships, develop lasting bonds, and find people they can turn to throughout their parenting journey.

Over the years, she has watched many families build friendships through Tampopo Kai that continue long after their children have outgrown the program. Naomi is fortunate to count herself among those who have found lasting connections through this community.

A Place to Call Home

When asked what community means to her, Naomi describes both the Tampopo Kai community and the Japanese American community as places where she truly belongs.

To explain that feeling, she turns to the classic television sitcom Cheers and its familiar theme song: “Where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.”

“That’s exactly how I feel about these communities,” she shares. “They have welcomed me, supported me, and given me a sense of belonging throughout my life in Chicago.”

That sense of belonging is also what Naomi hopes to cultivate for the families who participate in Tampopo Kai. To her, the program is more than a place where children learn Japanese language and culture. It is a place where families grow together, friendships blossom, and people find a second home.

Through decades of dedication to Tampopo Kai, Naomi has helped create a space where children can explore their cultural heritage and families can build relationships that last. Today, the program has grown into a multigenerational community, with some of its earliest students now bringing their own children to participate. With three generations of students connected through Tampopo Kai, Naomi’s story reflects the lasting impact of community organizations like JASC, where cultural traditions are passed down, friendships endure, and a sense of belonging continues to grow across generations.