What is Nisei Week?

rklabuddhistcenter
Jul 20
2 min read

RKLA NISEI WEEK PARADE WEEKEND

August 15–16, 2026 REGISTRATION DEADLINE: SUNDAY, JULY 26

Complete your payment. Your registration is NOT complete until payment is received.

For over 30 years, marching in the Nisei Week Parade has been one of RKLA's most cherished annual traditions — and we want YOU to be part of it this year.

What is Nisei Week?

This is one of Los Angeles's most beloved annual celebrations, held every August in Little Tokyo. "Nisei" refers to the second generation — Japanese Americans whose parents immigrated from Japan.

Today, our community has grown far beyond its Japanese roots — now welcoming people from all walks of life, cultures, and stories. Marching together is how we express the spirit of the Lotus Sutra: that the Dharma is for everyone, that every person's uniqueness is a gift, and that peace begins when we walk together.

Everyone is welcome from babies and small children to seniors. This will be your unforgettable weekend of shared meals, laughter, kindness, and community.

What Will We Do Together?

Saturday, August 15

Grand Practice at RKLA (AM & PM)
BBQ dinner, games & ruffle together

Sunday, August 16 — Parade Day

March through downtown Little Tokyo (see a video below)
Celebrate together through the early evening

Every Sunday leading up to the parade (1:00 PM at RKLA)

Weekly practice sessions ongoing — come at least once to learn the march and meet the team

Participation Fee

Category	Price	Ages
Adult / Youth	$20.00	Age 11 and up
Child	$10.00	Age 4–10
Toddler	FREE	Age 0–3

This fee includes meals throughout the weekend, including the Saturday night BBQ, Ruffles, games as well as bus transportation (provided for safety). Many participants have told us they feel compelled to give more.

A Note on Giving (Dana)

You may wonder: "$20 feels too little given everything you are offering — can I give more?" Yes, you can. In Buddhism, giving out of gratitude is a sacred practice. When you give out of joy without expecting a return, you are planting seeds of goodness for the benefit of all. If you feel moved to contribute beyond the registration fee, you are warmly invited to make an additional donation on-site or in advance using this donation link.

Can you register now by clicking the button on top of this page?

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/8a7dbb_db8916adfa64454081dfb52c7b68a5db/720p/mp4/file.mp4

How our weekend would look like (Thank you, Allen, for creating this video!)