Japanese Cultural Space in the Heart of Bankers Hill San Diego

There are many things about Japan, the country where I was born and grew up in, that I want to introduce and share with people in the U.S. I have had an idea for a long time of creating a community space in San Diego to serve such a purpose of providing a window into Japanese culture and crafts.

The Covid-19 pandemic and extended lockdowns offered plenty of time for me to think about this community space idea and to finally make concrete plans to turn this dream into reality. This has resulted in the creation of “The Den on Laurel Street”.

In a time when nearly everything became virtual, I realized that a post-pandemic world needs gathering places where people can meet and see things in person and connect with each other.

The word “Den” in Japanese means to “communicate,” and it also means to pass down as in the Japanese word “dento,” which means tradition. “The Den on Laurel Street” conveys my objective for this space, which is a place where people can discover and enjoy many fascinating aspects of Japanese culture.

“The Den on Laurel Street” could not have been realized without the support given to me over the years by many people and I am truly grateful to them. I hope that this new space will become a hub where Japanese culture and tradition can be experienced by the community and foster many new friendships for present and future generations.