The Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC) is seeking applicants for its 2009 Nikkei Youth Cultural Heritage Program (NYCH). The program is being sponsored by the four Nikkei cultural centers: the JCCCNC in San Francisco, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) in Los Angeles, the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington in Seattle, and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii in Honolulu.

NYCH will take six college-age participants from each of the cultural centers to Kobe for a month-long intensive language and home-stay program.

From the Nichi Bei Times Weekly November 27, 2008

The White House has officially recognized San Francisco 's Japantown as a Preserve America neighborhood. Eight Preserve America signs have been placed by the City and County of San Francisco along Sutter and Buchanan streets, Post and Buchanan streets and Geary and Buchanan streets facing both west and east bound. San Francisco's Japantown is the first neighborhood in San Francisco to be awarded such a designation.

The award recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Japantown. The designation does not carry with it any historical restrictions, and its goal is to designate and promote Japantown as a cultural heritage tourism site.