Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 42% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO BE A VIBRANT RESOURCE, STRENGTHENING OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY BY EDUCATING PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS IN THE EVOLVING JAPANESE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN HAWAII. WE DO THIS THROUGH RELEVANT PROGRAMMING, MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE AND INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS THAT ENHANCE THE UNDERSTANDING AND CELEBRATION OF OUR HERITAGE, CULTURE AND LOVE OF THE LAND. TO GUIDE US IN THIS WORK, WE DRAW FROM THE VALUES FOUND IN OUR JAPANESE AMERICAN TRADITIONS AND THE SPIRIT OF ALOHA.
- Income
- $713,238
- Spending
- $860,767
- Spent on programs
- 42%
- Reserves
- 67.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 215
- Highest pay
- $131,582, president & executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 67.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1542% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $255,635 spent. PROGRAMS (INCLUDING CULTURAL FESTIVALS, STATEWIDE PUBLIC PROGRAMS, EXHIBITIONS AND EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS ARE SPONSORED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO PROMOTE AWARENESS IN THE JAPANESE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HAWAII AND THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE CULTURAL ARTS. JCCH'S LARGEST CULTURAL FESTIVAL IS HELD AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH YEAR. THE NEW YEAR'S OHANA FESTIVAL ATTRACTS OVER 5,000 VISITORS TO THE CENTER AND BRINGS TOGETHER THE COMMUNITY TO SHOWCASE JAPANESE DANCE, MUSIC, MARTIAL ARTS, CULTURAL ARTS AND FOOD. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE TANOSHII HAWAII (A CULTURAL YOUTH SUMMER DAY CAMP), HOOHANA COHORT PROGRAM (A COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM TARGETING EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS), AND TOMODACHI KIBOU FOR MAUI (PROGRAM TO ENGAGE, INSPIRE AND EMPOWER YOUTH IMPACTED BY THE LAHAINA WILDFIRES).
- $85,108 spent. THE TOKIOKA HERITAGE RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDES PUBLIC ACCESS TO OUR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVAL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF JAPANESE IN HAWAII AND SERVES AS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO RESEARCHERS, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THE RESOURCE CENTER ALSO PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS RESEARCHING THEIR FAMILY HISTORIES, TRANSLATION SERVICES OF FAMILY REGISTRIES AND INTERPRETATION OF JAPANESE NAMES.
- $19,945 spent. THE HISTORICAL AND COMMUNITY GALLERIES PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF JAPANESE AMERICAN CULTURE AND HISTORY THROUGH THE DISPLAY OF PICTORIAL HISTORY, ARTIFACTS, VIDEOS AND EXHIBITS. THE ELLISON ONIZUKAREMEMBRANCE EXHIBIT IN THE HISTORICAL GALLERY IS A TRIBUTE TO HAWAII'SFIRST ASTRONAUT, THE COLLECTION OF PHOTOS AND NASA ARTIFACTS WERE TRANSFERRED FROM STORAGE IN KONA TO THE HISTORICAL EXHIBITION AT JCCH. THE HONOULIULI EDUCATION CENTER, LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER, SHOWCASE JCCH'S WORK TO PRESERVE HONOULIULI AND TO FEATURE HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS AND ORAL HISTORIES OF FORMER JAPANESE AMERICANS INTERNED DURING WORLD WAR II. AN ESTIMATED 10,000 STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND VISITORS FROM HAWAII, CONTINENTAL U.S., AND JAPAN HAVE PASSED THROUGH THE HISTORICAL GALLERY AND THE HONOULIULI EDUCATION CENTER.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1992.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.