“Grab Your Senbei” is an educational video series about Japanese Canadian arts, culture, and identity by University of Toronto Excellence Award (UTEA) Scholar, Mitsuko Noguchi. These videos weave together rich dialogues, diverse perspectives, and powerful stories, showing how generations of Japanese Canadians develop their voices and create community.

About the Filmmaker

Hi! I’m Mitsuko Noguchi, a mixed heritage, yonsei (fourth-generation) Japanese Canadian. I’m currently an undergraduate Visual Studies student at the University of Toronto, and my work spans performance, paper art, animation, and film. I’ve also worked in the film, tv, and advertising industry for six years, both behind-the-screen and on-screen. I’ve worked in production teams for Netflix, DC Universe, and Disney; and have appeared in ads with Bell, Interac, Turbotax, and more.

I personally experienced a disconnect to my Japanese Canadian heritage growing up, and since joining the Japanese Canadian Arts and Activism Project (JCAAP) in 2022, I have gained a connection that I wish I had throughout my youth. My personal struggle to connect with my heritage and cultural identity is also echoed in the stories of Nikkei storytellers, artists, and activists across the country… speaking to culture-wide, multi-layered dissociations. “Grab Your Senbei” is a response to this alienation. My video series aims to inspire and connect; each video unpacks nuanced expressions of Japanese Canadian identity and revels in the strength and beauty of our communities.

https://mitsukonoguchi.com/