Japan Society Award of Honor Gala

The Japan Society of Northern California’s 40th Award of Honor Gala runs Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 4:30 to 9:00 PM at the Grand Hyatt at SFO, 55 S McDonnell Rd. Doors open at 4:30 for registration, silent auction, and general reception; dinner program begins at 6:00. Attire is black-tie optional. 2026 honorees include David Goeckeler, Chairman and CEO of Sandisk, for the Award of Honor; Greg Peters, Co-CEO of Netflix, for the World Visionary Award; and Hiro Matsuoka, President and CEO of TOHO, for the Cultural Ambassador Award. Kathleen Kimura, MBE, receives the Lifetime Achievement Award. Confirm ticket and sponsorship inventory on usajapan.org before you treat the airport hotel as a walk-in.

Founded in 1905, the Japan Society of Northern California is among the oldest Japan Societies in North America, with a century of cultural, language, and business programming. A flagship Award of Honor night that stacks semiconductor, streaming, and entertainment leadership is denser than a soft mixer: named host, clear U.S.-Japan audience, and a fundraising graph that compounds corporate tables. Parking notes point to SFO International A with AirTrain to the hotel, limited valet for VIP, and BART Yellow Line plus AirTrain for transit guests. Build a buffer for airport-area logistics rather than a Downtown SF commute assumption. Live performance and fund-a-need blocks sit inside the dinner program, so plan to stay seated past salad.

This is right for U.S.-Japan business leaders, corporate sponsors, cultural partners, and Bay Area professionals who already work the Japan corridor. Skip it if you need a Mission District startup mixer or a walk-up under gala pricing. Bring one concrete partnership ask and know your seat versus sponsorship tier before you wire. Pack black-tie optional attire that clears a Grand Hyatt ballroom without a last-minute scramble.

If you are choosing between this SFO gala and ASIAN, Inc.’s Ritz-Carlton night earlier in October, use Japan Society for U.S.-Japan corporate and cultural density; use ASIAN, Inc. for San Francisco Asian small-business and community awards. Register from usajapan.org/gala, keep confirmation for Grand Hyatt check-in, and re-check parking and AirTrain notes closer to October 8.