JAMsj Exhibits to Support Fifteen Languages with Innovative QR Translator Web App

Credit: Yukikazu Photography

Despite having lived in Japan for 18 years, my attempts to translate the agricultural area at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) for Yoko, my mother-in-law, had produced more confusion than enlightenment. Miming broccoli picking and bunching was not clarifying the topic! Imagine our joy when on our most recent visit to the museum, we discovered the newly installed QR Translator placards. With a simple click on her cell phone, an explanation in Japanese appeared. Within seconds a “now-I-get-it look” crossed Yoko’s face!

The new QR Translator placards are yet another example of the projects that were able to move forward despite the closure of the museum during the pandemic. With the QR Translator, JAMsj is able to work with technology in new and exciting ways to share the museum’s story with a wider audience. I spoke with Michael Sera, board president, and several of the QR Translator project team members about the installation.

Michael, can you describe the museum’s project with QR Translator?

By installing QR Translator, JAMsj aims to help visitors gain a deeper understanding of the history of Japanese Americans and improve accessibility and inclusivity for a much larger audience.

According to the QR Translator website, this cloud service makes translating printed materials into multiple languages simple and easy. After content is digitized, translated, and post edited, a QR code is generated. When scanned, the QR code can direct the visitor to the appropriate translation based on their phone’s language settings.

The museum will implement QR Translator in phases to include 50 display placards available in 15 languages!

Michael, how did this project get started?

If you’ve been to the outdoor agriculture exhibit, you’ve probably noticed that the signage has started to fade and the corners are curling up; some signs are missing, and others are covered in dust and dirt. We needed to do some updating!

It has been a dream to have information available in multiple languages, but then the signs would become bigger than the exhibits! We had talked about reducing the signage by using QR Codes to add more content, so I did a web search on QR code translation, and BINGO! The company QR Translator appeared in the search. As I went through their website, I realized they had the perfect solution for us. I sent them an inquiry, and someone from their marketing team got back to me. They are a Tokyo-based company, and we had several video conference calls. I told them what we were trying to do. Their team was extremely responsive and that is how we got to where we are today!

Michael, QR Translator is new to the U.S. market. Please tell us about the company.

I recommend visiting their website (https://en.qrtranslator.com/). QR Translator is a web service developed by PIJIN Co., Ltd in Tokyo, Japan. They started in 2011 as a startup company so they have a decade of experience in the field. Their mission is to give access to information and eliminate language barriers, or as they say on their website, “to free the world from language barriers with the power of Web Technology.”

Michael, tell us about the volunteers who have been working on this project and what they have been doing.

It’s been great working with this team of talented volunteers. Board member Chip Hayashi and I have just been managing the project and keeping the group on track. 

The real work was done by both new and old volunteers:

• Evan Schieber has been the main editor for the project, correcting the English and helping us develop some prototypes.

• Sachiko Blume has been the Japanese translator and the Photoshop specialist for the project.   Sachiko makes the Japanese machine translation native!

• Momo Cha supported us on the placard design, making sure the text is readable and the QR Translator and placards are all uniform, and she introduced us to Peter Inshaw, the president of Plotter Pros, which has produced the placards.

• Audrey Takeshita helped us on the placard design and shared the task with Momo.

• Lisa Van Dyke supported us with the graphic design for the “How to use QR Translator” signage.

Volunteers, what have you learned from your participation in this project that enables the JAMsj’s story to be shared with a wider audience?

Evan Schieber, a JAMSj volunteer since March 2020, is finishing his first year in college and planning on majoring in political science and minoring in urban studies. Evan was impressed with the ingenuity of the Japanese farmers in the early 1900s. 

“Proofreading all of the placards gave me the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the content in the agriculture section of the museum, as I've focused on the incarceration and old Japantown. For example, Mr. Sakauye was ingenious in finding ways to make the entire farming process quicker, whether that be in how broccoli was tied together with the broccoli buncher, or even in speeding up the construction of crates with his crate making jig.”

Sachiko Blume, a JAMsj volunteer for over 5 years, learned about some of the new projects at the museum when she attended the 2021 volunteer thank you brunch last September. She approached Michael about including more information for Japanese speakers. Growing up in Japan, she knew very little about the experience of Japanese Americans and had started volunteering at JAMsj in order to connect with Japanese Americans in the community. 

“If we included Japanese translations on the new placards, it would be very beneficial for Japanese visitors to fully understand and appreciate the exhibits. As I uploaded the English placards’ information onto the QR translation website one by one, I learned more about the history of Japanese Americans in detail. I learned how hard they worked and how creative they were!”

Audrey Takeshita, a new volunteer, is an illustrator/visual designer who connected to JAMsj while visiting San Jose, her husband’s hometown. Audrey was keen to get involved with sharing the JAMsj story. 

“I recall seeing the old photos and reading the stories, which became familiar and haunting at the same time. (It’s so important for) future generations to understand, respect, and honor what our grandparents and similar families went through. And yes, I learned the names of the farming tools and how they were used.”

Michael, the project is being implemented in phases. The agricultural area is first. What's next?

In addition to the outdoor agricultural exhibit area, the project aims to provide QR Translation labels in the main gallery. We plan to also incorporate QR Translator's multilingual QR codes.on placards on the landmarks and monuments in San Jose’s Japantown.

Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in this project and to the team at QR Translator in Tokyo!

By Lynda Gomi

Interested in writing for the JAMsj blog? Contact PublicPrograms@jamsj.org

JAMsj Welcomes Taline Ayanyan Mitten as New Executive Director

Taline Ayanyan Mitten, JAMsj Executive Director

JAMsj Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Executive Director, Taline Ayanyan Mitten, by unanimous vote. Ms. Mitten will bring her years of experience as a strategic and leader-through-service executive to JAMsj. Her background in non-profit and heritage preservation will help the museum meet its dynamic strategic goals and advance its mission to share Japanese American history and culture and promote cross-cultural understanding. She will also support the museum’s initiative to provide a historical forum that stimulates present-day discussions on civil liberties, race relations, discrimination, and the American identity.

”We are excited to have Taline join JAMsj as the new Executive Director,” said Michael Sera, JAMsj Board President. “Her operational skills and background in architecture will help us as we restore the Kawakami House and tackle future expansion projects,” he added.

As the Chief Operating Officer of Mar Structural Design in Berkeley, Ms. Mitten helped open the mission-driven firm in 2014 and oversaw its financial, marketing, and other operational departments, contributing to its sustainable growth and its positioning at the forefront of sustainable and seismically resilient structural design. 

Prior to that, Ms. Mitten developed expertise in heritage preservation through heritage documentation consulting at CyArk, an Oakland non-profit dedicated to "digitally recording, archiving, and sharing the world's most significant cultural heritage.” 

During her role at CyArk, Ms. Mitten worked on the digital recording of three Japanese American Confinement Sites: Manzanar and Tule Lake in California, and Topaz in Utah. “It was an unforgettable experience meeting and interviewing Jimi Yamaichi, one of the founders of JAMsj,” recalls Ms. Miten. “Experiencing the rich and welcoming experience created by him and seeing the immense contributions of the JAMsj board, staff, countless volunteers, and community partners at that time was what led me to want to become part of the museum,” Ms. Mitten said.

Ms. Mitten also reflected on the personal significance of this new chapter with the museum.

Ms. Mitten’s passion for cultural preservation began after she immigrated to the Bay Area from Syria in the 1990s with her mother and siblings. “JAMsj is a unique and precious resource in the San Francisco Bay Area, and its mission is of personal importance to me, not only as an immigrant but also as a third-generation descendant of Western Armenians who were violently forced to flee to Syria and other parts of the world during World War I, leaving their homes and businesses behind. It is, therefore, an honor for me to serve the JAMsj team as Executive Director, and to curate the conditions for the museum to continue to flourish, grow, and engage the community in new ways.”

Ms. Mitten holds a Master of Science in Conservation of Monuments and Sites from the Raymond Lemaire International Center for Conservation at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

Potluck and Poker, New Year Pastimes at the Kawakami House

We learned that the Kawakami House was purchased under George Kawakami’s name when he was only one year old. George and his family moved into the home in 1919. The family was incarcerated during World War II, and then George moved to Chicago for work where he started a family. 

His youngest son, Raymond Kawakami, was born in San Francisco in 1956 after George moved back to California. Raymond recalls that his earliest memories about the Kawakami House were the New Year’s dinners. 

The JAMsj Blog talked to Raymond to find out what it was like back then.

Raymond in front of the Kawakami House. Photo was taken by Jill Kawakami in March 2022.

Q. Please tell us about yourself.

My name is Raymond Kawakami and I'm the youngest son of George Kawakami.  I was born in November 1956 when my parents lived in San Francisco on Pine Street.  In 1962 we moved to Mountain View where I grew up, went to school, and then attended De Anza and Foothill Colleges. I've lived in the Bay Area all my life.  

In my work career, I had positions at NASA Ames, Fairchild Semiconductor, Synertek, AMD, Vitelic, and Samsung. My expertise is in scientific programming, and I programmed computers to test semiconductor chips. I have been retired since 2019, and I now live in San Jose with my wife and one of my two daughters.

Q. Did you ever live in the Kawakami House?

I never actually lived in Aunt Elsie's house, what is now referred to as the Kawakami House.  My father’s sister Aunt Elsie and her husband Uncle Ino (George Inouye) lived in the house, and we would visit them several times a year - the main time being at New Year's for some traditional Japanese food.

Q. Can you share some memories of the Kawakami House? 

Some of my earliest memories about the Kawakami House were the New Year's dinners.  All of the Kawakami's in the Bay Area would meet there for a potluck where everyone brought their special meal. Traditional mochi, manjū, soba was served although I myself was more of a ‘steak and potatoes’  type of person. 

It was a custom for my father and his family to play poker on New Year’s Eve. They would play for several hours after dinner.

Aunt Elsie did not have children, but there would be three or four of us kids every year and we had fun playing games in the TV room upstairs. There was a windy creaky stairway to the second floor. There were four bedrooms upstairs, but we never slept overnight. We lived close by. 

I remember that we never used the front door going into the house. Instead, we entered from the side door into the kitchen. But then when we leave, we always went out from the front door. I don’t remember why. But I do remember picking up our jackets from the closet under the stairway and then stepping down to the walkway surrounded by bushes saying goodbyes. 

Q. Can you please share some stories about your parents, grandparents, and family?

I was very young when my grandfather Kohachi passed away in 1959.  I vaguely remember attending a funeral at the Buddhist Church on Fifth Street just a block from the house, but I can't be sure if that's the time.  

The only grandparent I was close to was my mother's mother Kiyo Miyagi who lived with us in Mountain View.  She did not speak any English and I didn't speak any Japanese but we still somehow managed to communicate.  In our house, my father and mother did not try to teach us Japanese so what little I did pick up was when they spoke to my grandmother.  I never learned the language, but my older brother did when he went into the Navy and was stationed in Japan.

My father never talked about how his father managed to purchase the house or what it was like during the war. I never asked. My father was a quiet guy with a dry sense of humor. He was a hard worker. He worked for a wholesale florist delivering flowers in a pickup truck. 

My father was also a good bowler. He used to travel around the U.S. competing in the Nisei Bowling League and he had many trophies.

Aunt Elsie passed away in 1995. My father sold the house sometime after that. He passed away in 2011. 

The Kawakami Family was photographed in San Jose Japantown in 1947. George is second from the left and Elsie is fourth from the left. Kohachi is third from the right.

Q. Any memories about San Jose Japantown when you were growing up? 

What I remember about Japantown growing up was that there were many restaurants and stores all within a couple of blocks of each other.  The manjū and tofu shops on Jackson, along with the corner drugstore and Dobashi market. 

Of course, each July when the Obon Festival takes place we would go there and enjoy the food, music, and dancing.  

On Sixth Street, just north of Jackson, our family friend Jim Sakamoto had a barbershop.  I'm told that even when we lived in San Francisco, my dad would take my brother and me down to San Jose for our haircuts.  That continued on when we moved to Mountain View.

Q. How would you like to see the Kawakami House evolve and what kind of role do you wish it will play in the future?

I would very much enjoy seeing the Kawakami House restored to some of its past glory.  The earliest memories I have of the house were from the mid-1960 so I don't think I can help restore it to what it looked like before that.  

I do think that the house can be held up as an example of the type of architecture that once existed in the area and used as a reminder of some of the struggles that Japanese immigrants had when coming to this country and what their families had to endure through the war and relocation.

By Norri Kageki

You can read the past articles on the Kawakami House at the following links.

Kawakami House Project - A New Beginning

Meet Aaron Ushiro, Architect Behind the Kawakami House Project

JAMsj Volunteer Sydney Kasson is First Princess!

The 2022 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Program was held on April 9 in San Francisco Japantown and Sydney Matsuko Kasson, who was sponsored by JAMsj, became the First Princess. Yay!!

Sydney is a Junior Visual Designer at Cisco Systems, Inc. and volunteers on the marketing team at JAMsj as a graphic designer.

The Queen Program aims to “develop young women of Japanese descent to become future community leaders who will preserve and continue traditions and bring forth new ideas” according to the program’s mission statement. It is one of the highlights of the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco.

On program night, Sydney and the court showcased everything they had been learning, practicing, and preparing since December of last year. The opening number was a traditional Japanese odori (dance), which came together beautifully despite the fact that they had to learn the dance through Zoom meetings.

They then each made a speech for the Japanese American community. In her speech, Sydney talked about how at first she did not feel “Japanese enough” but how she appreciated her family and became to want to be an advocate for Japantown. She also acknowledged the strength of our community and emphasized that every single person matters.

The JAMsj blog asked her how she feels and here is her answer.

 “This title is such an honor to have, and I honestly could not have done it without the help from my family, the museum, and each of the girls on the court. I am honored and excited to be able to represent the community, but even happier to represent the museum. I hope that people really turn to me as not just a leader, but a friend. I want to be an advocate for the community, but also an active member in it! I hope to continue to do so through the museum.” 

As First Princess, Sydney will volunteer with her court members at local community events and organizations over the course of a year and build a foundation for life-long involvement in the community.

Congratulations Sydney!!!

By Norri Kageki

Interested in writing for the JAMsj blog? Contact PublicPrograms@jamsj.org

Meet Aaron Ushiro, Architect Behind the Kawakami House Project

Year 2022 is going to be a busy one for Aaron Ushiro. As a member of the JAMsj Board of Directors, he will be leading the project to renovate the Kawakami House. And as an architect, he also has a brand-new day job. The JAMsj Blog sat down with him to learn about him and what’s happening with the Kawakami House Project this year and beyond.

Aaron in front of the Kawakami House

Q. Please tell us a little about yourself.

A. I'm originally from the Hawaii town of Wailuku in Maui and I came to California when I was 17 years old. I went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where I majored in architecture, with a minor in construction management. My career has moved me all around California, starting in Southern California where I worked for an architect that did educational work, building schools, and school district offices. Then I worked for a general contractor as a field engineer to learn how a project is built and worked on restoring the historical US Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. Then I worked on building envelope and restoration projects in the Bay Area where our team was hired by homeowners and Architects to fix problems in a building or to prevent something from going wrong as they were being built. That was really fun. 

Next, I wanted to expand my skillset and learn what it takes to represent the owner. So, I became the Senior Architect at the Mineta San Jose International Airport. I worked there for 7 years and the last project I worked on was designing and building the new Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) facility. It's a fire station dedicated to airport emergency operations. The facility at the Mineta San Jose International Airport was originally built in the 1960s and it was falling apart. It's been three years in the making and is just about to officially open. Every time I talk to the firefighters they are glowing and I can tell that they love the new facility.

Q. It sounds like you have a lot of experience in restoration and that you have the perfect background to lead the Kawakami House Project. How did you become involved with JAMsj?

A.It was around 2013 when I was representing the airport. There were a lot of events that involved Norman Mineta and as I was getting notified of these events. I felt that the Japanese American community should be present when Norm comes back home. So, I called Michael (Sera, JAMsj President) and told him that I'd like to get more of the community involved. Michael brought in the representatives from the community and that’s how I got to know him. 

I started volunteering at the board meetings and listened to get a feel of who we're working with and what we represent. I had a good job at the airport, but it lacked that sense of community. Beyond doing my job here in San Jose, I didn't feel like I was part of San Jose. I felt like I just lived here – almost like a visitor. Something was missing. And so, when Michael asked me to do this, I felt like I'm making a difference. I can use my skill set to help an organization with a vision greater than myself.

And then Michael introduced me to the Kawakami House project and asked me how we could get it started.

Q. And how did you embark on this project?

A. First, we did a lot of research and investigation on the background of the house.  Historical Reports, thesis’, and interviewing past volunteers/board members were intricate in getting the home’s story.  What we found is this home represents the struggles and tenacity of the Japanese Americans as their family members were incarcerated at Heart Mountain Wyoming War Relocation Authority, represented in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and became naturalized citizens after years of living in the United States. 

We then interviewed the Kawakami Family, the son, and niece of George Kawakami. George was the first son to be born in the United States and had US citizenship.  His father, Kohachi, bought the house in George’s name when he was one year old.  At the time, Alien Land Laws prevented non-citizens from owning property.  This presented the only way to gain property rights at the time.  The son, Raymond Kawakami, sent me this naturalization certificate of Kohachi Kawakami, and this was what hit me right in the heart.  Just a few years before he passed away, he was granted citizenship. So, the very thing that prevented him from buying the house, he was finally given before the end of his life. Unfortunately, his wife passed away before that, so she couldn't see that.

Kohachi Kawakami's naturalization certificate

We have a pretty good handle of what that house used to be and what it represented. And now that it's in the possession of JAMsj, we needed to figure out what we want to do with it. We asked everybody to get together and had a brainstorming session with the volunteers, the Board, and Advisory Board. What kind of functions? What kind of spaces do you want to see? How do you want to use it?

And what we came up with was that everybody wanted to call it a “storytelling space” where people could tell their immigration story, whether it's Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, Korean – the whole spectrum of the Asian American experience.

And then there's another thought that we wanted to get to and that was to serve as a community hub. There are some community groups that don't have a meeting space. We could provide that opportunity for them to use it for their meetings. And then lastly, we have to keep operating as a museum and we have expenses.  So, what if this could be used for corporate retreats and then we can generate revenue from it, so we can support the actual museum and have a mixture of experiences. 

So those are the three purposes that we are looking into, and we are going to move forward with that in the rehabilitation design.  Not only do we need to rehabilitate the exterior, but there's a lot of work to be done in the interior.  Data systems, mechanical, electrical systems, plumbing systems – they all have to be upgraded. Once we have all the infrastructure upgrades, then we know that it can support all those different functions we talked about.

Q. So where are we at now?

A. So, it's in a very early stage, but amazingly, we've had some very generous donations within the past few months. We had a $100,000 donation towards the house and then another donor gave us $350,000 that we can use for this project. This allows us to start the actual design. We hope to get that started in April, and then we'll probably finish towards the end of 2022.

The next step would be to start a capital campaign program, which will be led by our fund development managers. It's a big endeavor, but you have to start with a big vision. The good news is that the initial donations will help us show what we are trying to do and that will help with raising more money. We can show them the rendering and drawings which I think will spark interest. 

Q. Can you tell us about your new job?

A. At the end of January, I started as a Commodity Manager for Apple Real Estate and Development. My job responsibilities will involve the design, fabrication, and procurement of specific building finishes for Apple Stores worldwide.  I’m excited to embark on this new opportunity. 

By Norri Kageki

You can read a previous article on the Kawakami House Project at the following link.

Kawakami House Project - A New Beginning

Happy Girls’ Day!

Looking for suggestions to celebrate Girls’ Day?

Visit the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and learn about the beautiful dolls on display from March 3 - 20, 2022. You will see full sets representing a Heian period wedding including the musicians, court ladies, and helpers, as well as sets with just two dolls representing the emperor and empress. Many of the dolls are on loan for this display, including a set of dolls crocheted while in the internment camp.

Pam Yoshida has organized the exhibit at JAMsj as well as the dolls displayed in shop windows around Japantown including two dolls modeling protective masks. How many can you find?

‘Pandemic’ HIna Dolls

 Girls’ Day dolls come in all shapes and sizes. The first Girls’ Day dolls I purchased were made out of toothpicks! 

Hina Dolls made out of toothpicks

In past years JAMsj has enjoyed hosting a craft day to commemorate Girl’s Day, but Omicron messed with this year’s plans. Try making your own dolls with this simple Girl’s Day craft project at home. Print out these 2 pages - Dias and Dolls - and follow the instructions in this video. Many thanks to the Cherry Blossom Court of Northern California for their help in creating the video.

Eating is always a great way to celebrate Girls’ Day. 

Hina arare

Start Girls’ Day with an Americanized take on hina arare, the puffed rice snack coated with sugar. Add hina arare to your cereal bowl and cover with milk.  The sugar coating makes the last sip of milk so deliciously sweet!

Sakura mochi continues the tradition of Girls’ Day snacks that are pink, green and white. And, yes, you should eat the leaf! The salty taste of the cherry leaf is the perfect complement to the sweet bean paste filling. 

Feeling overwhelmed by your busy day and no time to change into a kimono?  Try this easy alternative. Instant Kimono - #GirlsDayJAMSJ

End the day with Chirashi Zushi. ‘Chirashi’ roughly translates as scattered. My favorite chirashi zushi has anago or unagi mixed into the rice, but nothing says ‘girl’ like pink sushi! So make sure the dembu is generously sprinkled or ‘scattered’ on top.

Chirashi Zushi

There is a saying in Japan that a delay in putting away the ohina dolls can lead to a delay in marriage, but I’m not familiar with any saying that looking at ohina dolls, making crafts or eating Girls’ Day treats has repercussions. So whenever and however you celebrate, may it be an auspicious and delicious day!

By Lynda Gomi and Miranda Aochi

Watch the Recording: Seventh Annual Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution

On January 30, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) helped organize the Seventh Annual Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, an event created to honor the Japanese American civil rights leader and build upon his legacy of advocacy and civic education. This year’s event was held virtually and kicked off with presentations of vintage 48-star flags signed by Japanese American incarceration camp survivors, followed by a panel discussion revolving around the theme, “Building Resilience in the Fight for Racial Justice: Learning from the Past to Build a Better Future.” 

Featured panelists included Dr. Karen Koremetsu, founder and executive director of The Fred T. Korematsu Institute and daughter of Fred Korematsu; Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Johnny Gogo, who spearheaded the flag signing project; and Zahra Billoo, executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations - San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA). Adena Ishii, a student at Santa Clara University School of Law and a JAMsj volunteer, moderated the panel.

In case you missed the event, you can watch the recording below. We’ve also included a transcript for the first half of the panel discussion

Besides JAMsj, other official sponsors of the event included The Santa Clara County Superior Court, The Fred T. Korematsu Institute, Asian Law Alliance, CAIR-SFBA, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, and Santa Clara University School of Law.

Panel Discussion - Partial Transcript

Below is a transcript of the first half of the panel discussion. 

Note: The transcript has been edited for clarity.

• Introductions

• Racial justice and building resilience

• Allyship in the 21st century

• Resilience of Japanese American WWII camp survivors

Introductions

“We need to agree to disagree, find that common ground and build upon that, so we can make the changes in our country. That’s what this day represents. ”

— Dr. Karen Korematsu

Adena Ishii: I introduced myself a bit earlier, but just to say a little more, my name is Adena Ishii, and I am a student at Santa Clara University School of Law, third year there, as well as a volunteer with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. I myself am Japanese American, and I'm proud to be here today to moderate our panel. 

Let's have the panelists introduce themselves. I'd like to start off with Dr. Karen Korematsu. Thank you so much for being here with us, and also happy birthday to your father.

Dr. Korematsu: Well, thank you, Adena, and hello, everyone. Yes, happy Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, and as I always say, Happy Birthday, Daddy. He would have been 103 years old, which is incredible. But more importantly, his legacy just seems to grow in leaps and bounds. Thanks to everyone across this country. It's truly amazing. 

For people that don't know, Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is the first day in U.S. history to be named after an Asian American, and so that's what my father's day represents. Especially during this time of our big divide, obviously in this country and even around the world, I want you to know that my father lived by his principles of right and wrong. He treated everyone like he wanted to be treated. 

Certainly he had pushback. He had criticism. People were against him. His own Japanese American community in 1942 vilified and ostracized him for taking a stand against the government, but he kept on for what I call like a quiet warrior. He just never would give up, and this day represents our civil liberties and the Constitution. 

My father never blamed anyone. He was never angry. He just believed that the government was wrong, and he was right to take a stand — that's what we all have the ability to do, as long as it's not hateful, as long as there's no violence — that truly we need to respect each other, respect each other's differences, to try to understand each other's differences and to appreciate them and to listen. We need to agree to disagree, find that common ground and build upon that, so we can make the changes in our country. That's what this day represents. 

The incredible project — I must have to add again, my deepest, profound thanks to Judge Gogo, for this flag project. I have to tell you and share. Fred Korematsu Day is also recognized in Hawaii and Virginia and Florida, New York City, and now even the state of Arizona. I'm taking this flag to Arizona, presenting it actually. We're meeting with the Senate and the House. They're going to be reading the proclamation or the legislative bill for Fred Korematsu Day, and I'm going to show them the flag, because they have two incarceration camps, Gila River and Poston, and because they took an oath to uphold our Constitution, and this is what this is all about, and to encourage civic participation, because that's how we're going to make a difference. 

Judge Johnny Gogo presents to Dr. Karen Korematsu a vintage 48-star flag signed by Japanese American internment camp survivors.

I don't care which party you're with, but to help support our country and find those causes that we believe in. So I'm looking forward to our conversation, and thank you all, especially Judge Roberta Hayashi, for your inspiration and creating the seventh annual Fred Korematsu Day for Santa Clara and San Jose, and all those who participated behind the scenes and in front of the camera. So thank you all very much.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Judge Gogo, if you could introduce yourself, please. And also just your connection with — I know your flag signing projects, of course, but otherwise.

Judge Gogo: Thank you very much, Adena, for being our moderator. It is an honor and a pleasure for me to be on this panel. I've actually watched these presentations for Fred Korematsu Day here in San Jose, like Judge Roberta Hayashi said, since 2015, and that's how I got involved in learning more about the events. My connection again, so starts back to 2015, and then continues as I got appointed to the bench in late 2019, and was invited to be a speaker. Again, I just thought to myself, how can I get more people involved in learning about this injustice, so that we can try and prevent these atrocities from happening again? 

So that's, in a nutshell, how I got involved in the project, the Korematsu Day, but I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge the legal team that worked on Fred Korematsu's case, in particular, Dale Manami, Peter Irons — who's a professor at U.C. San Diego, was one of my professors back at U.C. San Diego back in the day — Don Tamaki, Robert Rusky, who recently died December of 2021. Just really, within weeks ago, Karen Kai, Lorraine Bannai, Eric Yamamoto, Leigh-Ann Miyasoto, Edward Chen, Dennis Hayashi, Donna Komure- Toyama, and Marjie Barrows. That was the legal team, as Dr. Karen Komatsu knows, that helped overturn the conviction with the coram nobis. So thank you to them. This 48-star flag signing project was born [out] of my participating and listening to Karen Korematsu, Dale Minami, Roberta Hayashi, other speakers, and it's been my honor to travel the country to have those survivors sign these flags. 

We now have five flags that we have signed. The first flag is donated to the Japanese American Museum in San Jose. The second flag, I plan to donate that to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The third flag has been donated to the Fred T. Korematsu Institute. The fourth flag is going to be traveling with Dr. Karen Korematsu to the Arizona state legislature tomorrow, and then hopefully we can match that up with Professor Billingslea's project and have that travel to different colleges and universities to help educate future generations of students. And then the fifth flag actually has been donated to the Japanese American Museum in Portland, Oregon. We can't forget about the state of Oregon, city of Seattle, which also suffered from the Executive Order 9066. So, let me stop there, because I know that we have other questions and other panelists, and so I'll turn it back over to you, Adena.

Adena Ishii: Yes, thank you, Judge Gogo. Zahra, if you could introduce yourself,

Zahra Billoo: Thank you so much, Adena, and really thank you to my co-panelists, the Korematsu Institute, the Santa Clara County Superior Court, and Santa Clara University for making this possible. Karen, I haven't seen you in person in a couple of years. I remember in 2020, I thought COVID might just be two weeks, and here we are in 2022, doing this program virtually. It's really an honor to be here with all of you again today.

My name is Zahra Billoo. I'm the executive director at CAIR-San Francisco Bay Area. We're the nation's largest American Muslim civil rights organization, and our work includes both protecting the rights of American Muslims and frankly, by extension, all Americans, because when we protect one minority group, everybody benefits — when one minority group is targeted, everyone is at risk — but also empowering the American Muslim community, to speak up and protect themselves, to advocate for legislation, to tell their stories, and to hold people accountable when they are harming us. 

Korematsu Day is very personally and professionally important to me, because when I was just 17, and 9/11 happened, I remember, before any community came forward, it was the Japanese American community that reached out to the Muslim community and said, we've been here. We know what this is like, and we know what happens on day two to all of you, and so we won't let that be the case. I remember I was in Southern California at the time. The Japanese American leaders stepped forward. They joined our community at press conferences, they raised their voices, and they advocated for us. So when I began my work at CAIR, I got to meet Dr. Karen and learn more about her father's legacy. 

One of the questions that many of us continue to ask is, why don't more people know about this? Could we protect ourselves from future harm by learning from our history, and not just from our history in terms of what happened and what was done in under the false guise of national security, but also, Fred's courage in speaking out against all odds, speaking out when it was frightening, speaking out, frankly, when his community wasn't always there with him, and the forces of the government were seeking to harm him. 

So today's special, because our work remains to be done. We see as we look at what is happening to Afghan refugees coming in, as we look at Central American migrants coming in, and as we look at how black and brown people are treated right here, in our country, when they're already here and have been here for generations, we're reminded that we have to continue to talk about the Korematsu legacy.

Racial Justice and Building Resilience

“We build resilience by celebrating the wins, by engaging in self-care, and by building solidarity across communities, so that we know that when we’re in the middle of it, we’re not alone.”

— Zahra Billoo

Adena Ishii: Thank you so much for introducing yourself and for sharing why this day is so important to you and should be important to all of us. I really want to start with talking about our theme for the day. 

Today our theme is “Building Resilience in the Fight for Racial Justice.” We have these events every year, and I think that's very important, but I want to acknowledge that we're in this time where people are so separated politically, but also physically with the COVID pandemic. We had planned in hopes to have this event in person, and here we are, online, and that has presented its own challenges. 

But in any case, our theme again, “Building Resilience and Fight for Racial Justice,” and the question I have for you — first off, the U.S. Constitution provides that all persons are entitled to equal protection under the law, and that no person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The concept of racial justice started when the Fourteenth Amendment passed after the Civil War, but over 150 years later, it's not fully realized. So I'm curious, for all of you, what does racial justice mean to you? Also, how are you building resilience in your work? Maybe I'll send it back to Zahra first, since we just heard from you.

Zahra Billoo: Racial justice to me, and the work that I do, is about realizing that promise. The first step is acknowledging that we are so far from them, that the people who wrote that promise, were themselves, often working to undermine it. When we start there, and we acknowledge where we are, we can then start to say, okay, what needs to happen? Racial injustice happens in so many ways, structurally. A lot of times, we focus on individual hatred and individual crimes, and that's important, but a lot of times it is the case that our government is perpetrating these harms. So we have to name the problem, we have to look at the many ways in which injustice is happening, and then we have to work towards resolving this for all communities - the Japanese American community, the American Muslim community, Black Americans, Latinx individuals, and not just racial and religious groups, right, but different economic status, different citizenship status, and so on. And the work is hard. 

Your question of resilience is one that resonates deeply, because the work is hard, and it's exhausting. Frankly, we're here talking about this on a Sunday, and so it's not just even a nine-to-five job for people who choose to take an interest in it. It is a life calling. We build resilience by celebrating the wins, by engaging in self-care, and by building solidarity across communities, so that we know that when we're in the middle of it, we're not alone.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Yeah, I want to come back to this engaging and communities and self-care piece later. Dr. Korematsu, would you like to respond?

Dr. Korematsu: Yes, thank you. Our focus at the Korematsu Institute is civics and civic engagement and participation. So we start with education. That was what was so important to my father, that we carry on with education, but now we need to be more purposeful. This is not about just talking about history. History is now present, and we need to teach our young people about the collective marginalization of all ethnicities, including the indigenous friends and American Indians for whom this has been happening since day one, that these struggles have been ongoing. It's not like just all of a sudden, we've had anti-Asian hate and violence. This history goes even beyond the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. 

This is what we do in our country. People should not be afraid of that. This is what's really of concern to me now, that people are concerned. Even when we're talking about injustice — to me, injustice is book burning, or book banning, or to attack some of the curriculum that's in schools. I'm fighting for ethnic studies across this country to be in school, so that we can learn about each other's diversity and appreciate it. The injustice comes in all different levels, and happens to all different ethnicities, and the way that we build this is together, to build that resilience to work together, to say, okay, these are the issues. We're not always going to agree, but to find that common ground, and to build on that. That's the civil liberties that we need to promote and preserve, and our Constitution. 

I mean, we have free speech, and as long as we appreciate that, we not may not always agree, that's okay, but to do it in a mindful way, where we can learn from each other, and to listen and to keep pushing, because, as my father... I mean, mind you, when Executive Order 9066 was issued, all due process of law was denied, and we need to be mindful of that. That's when you speak up and say, no, this is part of our Constitution. You can't do that. At least we now have the organizations to support each other and to work together. I know we're going to talk a little bit about allyship, but that's part of it as well.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Judge Gogo, do you have anything you'd like to add?

Judge Gogo: Just briefly. In the chat. I'm hoping that people were able to see the name that I just put in there, Mas Hashimoto, Liberty Lost ... Lessons and Loyalty. One of the fantastic stories from this flag signing project journey that I embarked upon was my meeting of Mas Hashimoto and his wife, Marcia Hashimoto, who live in Watsonville, California. Mas, when he was a young boy, was imprisoned with his family at the Poston prison camp in Arizona. Mas had some brothers who ended up serving in World War II. Mas himself, when he was eligible, served in the military in the Korean War, to show their loyalty to the United States, the country that unfortunately had imprisoned them during World War II. Mas later becomes a U.S. history teacher at Watsonville High School. He retired a while ago, but he taught for nearly 35 years, and he put together this TED talk that was put online in 2018. 

I would invite the audience to Google that TED talk from Mas Hashimoto and listen to his message, because as a U.S. history teacher, Mas, and I, as a minor in history myself, I really do appreciate the lessons of history, and Mas takes us back to the days of our Constitution that did not outlaw or prohibit slavery, in through the Chinese Exclusion Act that Dr. Karen Korematsu mentioned, and then the Alien Land Law Act that prohibited primarily the Japanese Americans and the Japanese nationals from owning land here in California through World War II, the Executive Order 9066. That's what I would add to this part of the conversation, that this history has been going on for a while. Please listen to Mas Hashimoto's short 20-minute TED Talk to understand more about that.

Allyship in the 21st Century

“The point to allyship is getting out of our silos, and working even across the aisle, working with different people in different organizations, and finding that common ground where we can make a difference.”

— Dr. Karen Korematsu

Adena Ishii: Thank you. I'd like to return to this conversation that we had just briefly about resilience and allyship. In the videos earlier, we heard a little bit about how Japanese Americans really got involved after 9/11 to prevent discrimination and hate against Muslim Americans. That allyship is very important in many of our different fights for racial justice. So if I could have Zahra speak a little bit more about what does allyship mean in the 21st century, or anyone else for that matter?

Dr. Korematsu: Well, allyship, really the meaning of the word is to work together. As I pointed out, in 1942, when the Executive Order 9066 was issued, there weren't the organizations around to stand up and speak out against this. You had the Quakers, who were very peaceful. You had the ACLU, but they even threatened Mr. Besig, who was the executive director of the Northern California affiliate that wanted to take on my father's Supreme Court case, with ouster. The ACLU President, Roger Baldwin, said, we don't take on cases, only amicus briefs, but then, he was friends with President Roosevelt, and everyone was willing to support the war effort. I mean, that's come no different than what happened after 9/11, and certainly, we rally around as Americans, as we should. 

But at the same time, there was no one, and at least now, as I said before, we do have organizations that can help each other to support each other and to make sure that we get out of our silos. The point to allyship is getting out of our silos, and working even across the aisle, working with different people in different organizations, and finding that common ground where we can make a difference. 

I know the governors of each state are now meeting in Washington, D.C. They're having a [National] Governors Association meeting, because I just met with Governor Ducey. They've said, we don't always agree. They come from different parties, but they still try to find that common ground to find those issues that they can build upon, and then try to understand each other's differences and where the problems are. It's not easy. It takes a lot of time. You're not always going to agree, but we all have to try. We have a privilege in this country, where we can do that. In other countries, you cannot. It's a matter of appreciating each other's differences in trying to understand them. Building allyship is to work on those issues and even voting. 

Goodness sakes, right now voting is such a big issue. Everyone should be a part of that, ally, and work together to make sure that people are registered, have the right that can be there, to vote, understand the issues, whether it's community, state, national. It's all part of what we need to do to make this country better. To me, allyship is being American and supporting our efforts and our citizenship.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Zahra, I saw that you had unmuted. Did you want to say something?

Zahra Billoo: Dr. Karen put it all really well. I would offer some additional considerations around allyship. The first is we have to let the most impacted people lead, right. So if I want to be an ally to people in different parts of the U.S. that are facing restrictions on their voting rights, right, they tell me what to do. If I want to be an ally to black communities who are facing just continued police violence, they tell me what to do. So that's the first thing I remind myself around allyship, which is to follow the lead of the most impacted people. 

The second is that so much of allyship is contingent on relationship building. So if I have never talked to my neighbors, I've never talked to my friends, I've never gotten out of my silo, and I show up in a time of crisis to be an ally, sure the effort is sincere, but it may be jarring for people who don't know me there. They're asking, who are you? How do I know that I can trust you? 

And that takes me to my third point, which is that allyship is at times most tested when it is uncomfortable. The Japanese American community risked unpopularity, risked discomfort, and continues to be really principled in their solidarity with the Muslim community, and so the question is, are you there for me when it's hard? Are you there for me when you have something to lose? 

When we consider these three things together, that's honestly when I think we get the strongest allyship. I let the most impacted person lead. I invest in my relationship with them. It's not an exchange of allyship, I am there for them as a friend, as a community member, and as the neighbor. And I am there for them, when it is less popular to do so. I'm there for them when I may take a personal or professional risk to be in solidarity with them. So as we think about allyship, in this era, when so many times the allies are the ones that come under attack, and everyone is nervous and doesn't know who to trust, these are the things I would suggest we consider.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. I appreciate that perspective. I think that's very important. Oftentimes I have seen folks who are trying to be allies with projects that I'm working on, and they sort of come in, and they have an idea of how things should be, and it's with the best intentions, right? But you know what they say about that, right? The road to hell is paved with the best intentions. So, you know, keeping in mind who is at the center of this? Thank you. 

Judge Gogo, did you have anything you want to add about allyship?

Judge Gogo: Just one small part, again, tying it back to the flag, because many people on this panel may not know, and in the audience may not know that I'm actually from the beautiful island of Guam. And so I'm Guamanian, right, Pacific Islander American, and I'm not Japanese American. Some people say, you know, Johnny, you're not Japanese American, why are you doing this project? Ultimately, it's because I'm an American, and I want to do the right thing. When you talk about allies and allyship, when I took the flag down to the 48 star flag down to Los Angeles, for the Los Angeles community to sign the flag, I was able to set up a special one-on-one signing with George Takei from Star Trek fame. George, when he was signing the flag, and we were chatting a little bit about this project, he says, "You know what you are, Johnny?" he says, "You're an ally." It's little things like that, this signing project, educating our younger generation, those little bits of things that individuals can do, adds to being an ally and allyship.

Resilience of Japanese American WWII Camp Survivors

Adena Ishii: Thank you for sharing that story. I'd like to ask you another question, Judge Gogo. In your conversations with survivors of the Japanese American concentration camps, did they ever speak about how they stayed strong during that time, going back to this resilience?

Judge Gogo: Thank you again, Adena. On these five flags, we've accumulated over 1,000 signatures from survivors. Those 1,000 signatures represent 1,000 different stories. Each individual has their own unique story. 

I'm reminded of my last visit, and I was able to take at least most of these flags to all of the 10 relocation camps. The last camp that I visited, on December 31st, was Manzanar, and I had the opportunity to visit the museum at Manzanar. When you visit the museum and Manzanar, one of the photos and signs that they show you is for Manzanar's "One camp. 10,000 lives. One camp. 10,000 stories."

In my research and in reading the different memoirs and listening to the nisei generation tell me and share with me their stories, the "shikata ga nai" phrase, it cannot be helped, you know, accepting what cannot be changed and doing your best to let it roll off your back. That was the model of the first generation, or the issei generation, right, the immigrants from Japan, and those were the adults who had to take care of their children in the camps. Because they had faced this discrimination and racism when they immigrated from Japan, that was what they were used to, right? Again, as both Zahra and Dr. Karen Korematsu stated, we didn't have the allyship that we do these days, nobody standing up to help protect the Japanese American community. So they had to essentially endure or deal with it. The other Japanese word that I learned was "gaman," you know, its of Zen Buddhist origin, meaning to endure the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity, perseverance. 

Those are the key concepts that I learned from talking with those that were in the camps. That's how they had to learn to live through this. It was the issei generation that suffered the most stress and the most anxiety, because they had to leave all of their possessions behind, their belongings, their professional lives, their businesses, their schooling, etc., and forced into these relocation camps, and that is traumatizing. That is post-traumatic stress syndrome, at its definition. So that's how they got through it.

Adena Ishii: Thank you for sharing that and for sharing those stories, and just to add to that idea that there are so many different stories that each individual has their own story. I think, also, I want to comment that I know there are people who felt that gaman was not enough. Actually, the way that they were able to survive that experience was doing something, you know, fighting back against it or protesting. And, and I think that in the next sort of generation, the sansei, I've seen that a lot,

Judge Gogo: Yeah, if I can add to that. Thank you, Adena, for reminding me. Not all of the folks in the camps agreed on one particular response. Again, you have different individuals with different opinions, different mindsets. There were some in the camps that were pro-Japan. After Pearl Harbor and after the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans, there were some that were very, very much wanting to to join the United States military to fight back both in the European theater as well as the Pacific theater, and they were initially denied the opportunity to join the military, because the United States government, again at that time, prohibited Japanese Americans from joining the military. And then there were those who resisted in the camps. They resisted going into the draft. And so there were a lot of differing opinions as I learned and listened and read and studied throughout this project. Very fascinating experience for me to go on this journey. So thank you for reminding me about the differing opinions amongst the Japanese American community within the camps themselves.

Adena Ishii: Yeah, thank you. And thanks for adding on those lessons that you learned as well. I think also as a fourth-generation Japanese American, as a yonsei, one of the reasons why I'm really passionate about this work and fighting for racial justice is because of my grandparents' experience, that one of my grandmothers was in camp, and then I had two grandfathers that both served in the Military Intelligence Service, and also the 442nd [Regiment], so it's very much a part of my family history, and I think still really impacts me and how I feel, when I see racial injustice happen today. 

For the full panel discussion, please watch the recording above.

[Volunteer Spotlight] Meet our Newest Board Member Chip Hayashi

Chip Hayashi joined the JAMsj Board of Directors in December 2021. Chip is the Marketing Team Program Manager, Public Programs Co-Director, and JAMsj Young Professionals Network (YPN) leadership team member.  In addition to his tech knowledge, Chip also has great people skills and a wonderful sense of humor. 

Chip with his family

Q. You are a new volunteer at the museum. What motivated you to volunteer now? We know that you just had a child! 

A. The recent highlight on "Stop Asian Hate" was a strong motivator for me to join JAMsj. I've been an active volunteer dating back to my high school days, but never looked into how I can specifically give back to our Japanese American community. One day I stumbled upon the museum's Instagram post (funny how social media works nowadays) and from there I simply contacted Michael (Sera, JAMsj President).

I'll also admit that having a child (the term "pandemic baby" seems to be catching on) is very time-consuming, but I think volunteering at JAMsj is one step towards creating a community and future that matters for our kiddo. 

Q. You have so many amazing skills! In a year you have taken volunteer photos at volunteer day, coordinated the marketing team into a finely oiled machine, worked with the NCI intern on data analysis, and much more. What project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?

A. "Amazing" is too much praise! I'm fortunate that the museum volunteers and Board feel comfortable with me participating in the various workstreams. The honest answer is that ALL projects have been really fun and engaging for different reasons. Marketing drives museum visibility both in-person and via our social platforms. Working with interns/students is my passion away from work, and meeting the other JAMsj volunteers have been awesome.

Q. You've been so active at the museum. But a good volunteer experience also involves you learning something new.  What has volunteering at the museum taught you?

A. Volunteering at the museum has been an incredible opportunity for me to get to know others that support the Japanese American and AAPI communities. This may sound obvious, but nonprofits such as JAMsj really do run 100% on their volunteers! Seeing the dedication from everyone has taught me that I can always do more to give back to our communities. There's always more work to be done, and that's great. 

Q. You were recently featured with 4 other volunteers as the new leaders of YPN- the Young Professional Network of the museum.  What can you share about the plans for this group and your role in it?

A. YPN is another passion point and I'm grateful the museum let me take part in leading the group. Shout out to the 2022 Leads group! Adena Ishii, Julia Zimring, and Miranda Aochi!

We're looking to expand from last year's strong leadership. This year the focus will be connecting and empowering emerging leaders through social and professional career-building opportunities! Our values are around inclusivity, equity, and respect for the Japanese American and AAPI community, so please join us if interested! (You can connect directly to YPN at YPN@jamsj.org)

Q. In the museum Facebook post about YPN (Please join the Japanese American Museum of San Jose Facebook group to meet the YPN leads) you listed your hobbies as photography, sneakers, and food. What are your top 5 favorite foods?  And please share a photo of your sneakers, as many sneakers as you can fit in one photo. We heard that you own more than 200!

From Chip’s collection of sneakers

A. Top five favorite foods, easy. Ramen, Ramen, Ramen, Ramen, and Ramen. All jokes aside, I'd likely go with, in order, ramen, ice cream, kimchi soup, tenzaru soba, and unaju. Yeah, ice cream. 

I, unfortunately, can't fit all my sneakers into one photo so I've included a photo of two pairs that draw strong influences from Japan. One has sashiko stitching (or at least inspired sashiko construction) while the other pair on the right includes Japanese lettering "Air Jordan" in Japanese and a koi fish-scale pattern on the white mudguard area. My only other fun fact about sneaker collecting is being featured in the Wall Street Journal article about collectors. I can talk about sneakers for hours...and that's embarrassing so I'll stop here.

By Lynda Gomi

Interested in writing for the JAMsj blog? Contact PublicPrograms@jamsj.org

Kawakami House Project – A New Beginning

One of the major projects that JAMsj will be working on in the next three years is the renovation of the Kawakami House that stands next to the museum on North Fifth Street in San Jose Japantown. This year is the start of the transformation of this historical building into an architecture that will support the JAMsj mission, and the future activities of various Asian American communities.

The Kawakami House on North Fifth Street next to JAMsj

The JAMsj Blog will be posting articles on the Kawakami House Project on a regular basis to share with our readers the progress of this exciting project and behind the scenes stories.

In this first post of the series, we wanted to start off with a little history of the Kawakami House and how JAMsj plans to utilize it. 

The Kawakami House is historically significant.  When Kohachi and Fuji Kawakami wanted to purchase the house in 1919 as first-generation immigrants, they did not have the rights to do so. So they decided to buy the property under their one-year-old son’s name. This way, George Kawakami, a U.S. born U.S. citizen, became one of the first, if not the very first Japanese American to be a homeowner.

The family continued to live in the house until they were forced to relocate to the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming. They left the house in care of a lawyer who was able to keep it in their name. They leased the house while they were incarcerated, and they were able to come back to live there after the war. 

“Through all the turmoil, the house was still there, still in their name and it represents a big part of the history and what Japanese Americans in California went through” says Aaron Ushiro, a member of the JAMsj Board of Directors, and an architect who will be spearheading the renovation project.  “We want to use it for the museum’s activities - something that supports our vision, which is building bridges of understanding through inspiration, innovation, and inclusion.” 

JAMsj plans to establish the new building to do three things. First of all, the storytelling of Japanese American and Asian American history. Secondly, to become a community hub for Japanese Americans and all Asian American communities. And lastly, to be able to lease the venue for corporate events so that it will generate additional revenue for JAMsj to support other museum activities.

The Kawakami House from the back

The building will need to undergo a major makeover. The good news is that JAMsj has been able to receive some generous donations to kick start this project. Thank you! 

Check back next month as we talk to Aaron to get more details on what to expect in the coming months.

By Norri Kageki

Interested in writing for the JAMsj blog? Contact PublicPrograms@jamsj.org

Learn about Civil Rights Champion Fred Korematsu and His Fight for Justice at the Seventh Annual Commemoration

This month, America celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day when we honor our most famous civil rights leader, remember the struggles that he and others faced, and reflect upon the state of racism and civil liberties today. But Dr. King is not the only civil rights hero we should all be saluting this month. January 30 is Fred Korematsu Day, a day to honor a Bay Area native and national icon who challenged the federal government for the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, advocated for reparations for Japanese American internees, and fought for the civil rights of all Americans throughout his life. 

But how much do you really know about Fred Korematsu and his impact on American democracy? Where do Japanese Americans stand in current discussions of civil rights in an era of anti-Asian hate crimes, Black Lives Matter protests, and reactionary legislation against critical race theory? How does Korematsu’s legacy affect Muslim Americans, immigrants from Latin America, and other people of color?

Join us this Sunday, January 30 at 11:30am for a virtual community event, Seventh Annual Commemoration of Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Once again, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose is an official organizer of the event, along with The Superior Court of California, The Fred T. Korematsu Institute, Asian Law Alliance, Council on American-Islamic Relations - San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA), Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, and Santa Clara University School of Law.

This year’s event will kick off with the presentation of vintage, World War II-era flags autographed by Japanese American incarceration camp survivors from across the nation.  Judge Johnny Gogo of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, who spearheaded the 48-Star Flag-Signing Project, will present a flag each to Dr. Karen Korematsu, founder and executive director of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute and daughter of Fred Korematsu, and to the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, where it will be on display.

At 12:00 noon, the event will feature a panel discussion, “Building Resilience in the Fight for Racial Justice: Learning from the Past to Build a Better Future.” Panelists will include Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIR-SFBA, Judge Johnny Gogo and Dr. Karen Korematsu.

To join the virtual event, please register here.

Attorneys attending the event can receive one hour of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit, provided by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley.

Streets in San Jose named after Japanese American civil rights leaders Fred Korematsu and Gordon Hirabayashi.

FAQs

Where can I learn more about Fred Korematsu?

Here are some resources:

• Read his bio or request an educational toolkit on the Fred T. Korematsu Institute website

• Watch video: Fred Korematsu: A Civil Rights Hero

• Access education resources on the U.S. Courts website

Where is Fred Korematsu Day observed?

Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is observed every year in California, Florida, Hawaii, Virginia, and New York City. Several other states have also recognized Fred Korematsu Day by proclamation.

What was Fred Korematsu convicted of?

In 1942, Korematsu was convicted of defying military orders for Japanese Americans to report to relocation centers for incarceration.

Where were Fred Korematsu and his family incarcerated?

They were sent to the Central Utah War Relocation Center, also known as the Topaz Relocation Center, where they lived in a converted horse stall.

Why did the United States Supreme Court uphold Korematsu’s conviction in 1944?

During his incarceration, Korematsu fought his conviction, eventually leading to the federal case, Korematsu v. United States. On December 18, 1944, a divided court ruled that the incarceration of Japanese Americans was lawful due to “imminent danger to public safety.”

How was Korematsu’s conviction overturned?

Korematsu’s conviction was overturned in 1983 after legal historian Professor Peter Irons and researcher Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga discovered that in 1944, the government’s legal team willfully withheld F.B.I. reports from the Supreme Court and even attempted to destroy some of these documents that showed that Japanese Americans committed no acts of treason and posed no threat to the country, making mass incarceration unjustified. A pro bono team that included the Asian Law Caucus re-opened the Korematsu case on the basis of government misconduct, and his conviction was overturned on November 10, 1983.

What honors and awards did Fred Korematsu receive?

Some of the many honors and awards that Fred Korematsu received include the Presidential Medal of Honor, the California Senate Medal, Rainbow PUSH Coalition Trailblazer Award, Pearstein Civil Rights Award, Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award, National ACLU Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award, and honorary doctorates from City University of New York Law School, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, California State University East Bay, and the University of San Francisco. 

For more information, see the Fred T. Korematsu Institute website.

Where did Fred Korematsu live in the Bay Area?

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland and lived many years in San Leandro, where a high school campus is named after him.

Welcoming the Year of the Tiger

Happy New Year from JAMsj!

We welcome the year 2022 - the year of the Tiger. There are many events and development planned this year, including the 35th anniversary of JAMsj in September. Please check back often as we will be sharing all the exciting news through this blog.

As you celebrate the new year with your family and friends, how about some arts and crafts? Let’s make a zodiac cube! You can download the image below and check out the video on how to make one.

Image and video by Lynda Gomi

Cheers to health, happiness, and prosperity in 2022!

Kotoshimo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu!

Jim Nagareda looks back at 4.5 years as Executive Director at JAMsj

Jim Nagareda has been the Executive Director of JAMsj since March 2017. Rooted deep in the Japantown community, he has greeted thousands of visitors to the museum from all over the world. He has been essential in keeping the museum running, especially during these difficult COVID times, all the while making sure the volunteers are happy and busy. JAMsj is grateful for all his hard work and will surely miss him as he moves on to his next adventure in the new year.  

The JAMsj blog had a chance to sit down and talk to him about his favorite memories.

Jim heard many stories from visitors in the barrack area of the museum

What were your favorite memories?

I would say the people. I love the museum, because of the people. You don't know who's going to come in on any day. They come from all around the world, and they all have their stories. And getting to know all the volunteers - they all have their own stories, too. So, the most fun part of my job was meeting all the people.

Can you share a couple of stories that were most memorable and inspiring?

There are quite a few that stand out. One of them was an Obasan that came to visit, and I met her in the barrack (section of the museum). She said her job as a child in the internment camp was to put newspaper in all the little holes between the boards, so the dust didn’t come in. I really enjoyed hearing real stories like that.

Lawson Sakai (photographed by Jim)

I also heard stories directly from some of the 442 (Infantry Regiment) vets. Just incredible, incredible stories. They look like somebody you know – your grandpa or father, and yet they went through all these struggles. And it's because of them, that we're able to live the life that we're leading now. They really paved the way for us to become good American citizens with good standing. And without them, who knows? It's really hard to say.

For example, Lawson Sakai, a veteran who recently passed. He had a great memory. He could recount everything that happened on the battlefield, It gives you chills when you hear him talk. And they were 18, 19 years old. I couldn't picture myself at that age, doing the same types of things that they did.

Unfortunately, most of those people are gone now. And we can't hear those stories anymore. Yes, we do have some recordings, but it’s not the same. It’s not as moving as standing right next to this guy telling you the story. When Lawson talked with people at the museum, everyone was just quiet. They were just listening so intently to what he was saying. I don't think you'd get that same feeling by watching a video presentation.

What was your favorite event/exhibit during the years?

It would probably be one of the exhibits on the veterans. Nisei veteran photographer Shane Sato did an exhibit with his photos. We’ve organized discussions with vets and we've shown some movies. The things they went through and the sacrifices they made. You can read these stories in a book, but when you hear it firsthand from a guy that was there, during that time, it's just incredible.

Jim (right) with Shane Sato

What was the most interesting thing that was donated to the museum?

Paperwork that was found in the closet of the bowling alley (photographed by Jim)

We did get a nice donation from a bowling alley that’s just down the street, owned by Japanese Americans. They were cleaning out a closet and they found this material that they were going to toss out. But luckily one person in their family group said, “No, we should bring it to the museum.” And it was such important information! They are forms that people filled out before they went to internment camp and they include information on where they lived, who's in their family, etc. And these are the original copies - hundreds of them filled in by different people. The papers are very delicate. We still don’t know what to do with it, but if anything, we should try to scan it. And then possibly create a map of where the people lived. We would need grants and people to make that happen.

And that's the one thing I really love about the museum. You never know what's going to walk in the door. I know the people that own that bowling alley, but I didn't know that was coming in.

If you can brag for a minute, what are you most proud of?

I would say, overall, stability and consistency. Having one person here all the time is important. I know what other people are doing. I know how everything's connected. That made it a lot more work for me but I think that volunteers appreciated it. I always try to take time out and talk to all the volunteers and see how they're doing. We definitely would not have a museum without the volunteers. There's no way. Some people only volunteer one day out of the year. But we need them to do that.

I'll definitely miss being here. I mean, it was so much a part of my life.

What will you be working on next?

One of the things that I will be working on in 2022 is that we will be reprinting the book “San Jose Japantown: A Journey”. The 450-page book was first published in 2014 after spending 15 years of putting it together. It was all volunteer work. We sold out of it within one year and we're getting ready to reprint it next year in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of the museum.

Outside of the museum, I do have some plans, but I will save that for later.

How would you like to see the museum develop and expand in the future?

It's such an important resource. I think that there are so many people that still don't know the story of Japanese Americans. And so, I think that we need to do a better job exposing the museum and what it has to offer to other ethnicities, not only the U.S. but all around the world. There are so many stories of Japanese Americans that have excelled in whatever they did, whether it be Judo or business, or arts. We need to keep those stories alive. That needs to be the top priority.

Thank you, Jim! We wish you the best of luck!

San Jose Japantown Holiday Gift Guide

It’s the holiday shopping season in San Jose Japantown! This year, as you hunt for gifts for loved ones, don’t miss out on all the fabulous and eclectic gifts available from our beloved J-Town shops. Below we’ve compiled a sampling of some of the amazing things you’ll find in the neighborhood, including handmade and locally produced items you won’t find anywhere else. So grab an egg nog latte at Roy’s, bring your reusable shopping bags, and help support the small businesses in our community! 

Can’t make it over to Jackson Street any time soon? No worries, many of the businesses have online stores as well, so get in your orders soon!

Note: Prices mentioned are representative of typical offerings; actual prices may vary.

Japanese American Museum of San Jose Gift Shop

Before COVID-19, a dedicated group of volunteers used to meet at the museum every Friday to make these gorgeous greeting cards by hand, cutting and folding decorative papers into elegant designs. Many of them are seniors, and with shelter-in-place, several have been making cards at home and donating them to the museum for sale. Besides the popular kimono designs, there are Christmas cards and gift tags, as well as adorable hand-sewn ornaments, such as the mouse and owl shown above. Stationery and gift tag sets range from $2.50-$6.00. Hand-sewn ornaments cost $7.00-$8.00.

The museum is also a great place to shop for Asian American books, toys, and vintage housewares. And don’t forget, you can give a membership to the museum!

5 N 5th St. www.jamsj.org Open Thu-Sun, 12-4.

Roy’s Station Coffee and Teas

Roy’s is such a local institution, wouldn’t you feel proud to sport one of their pegasus logo hoodies? The thermal bottles unfortunately are no longer for sale, but plenty of other merchandise is available, with a 20% discount through Christmas Day at their online store. These include the zip-up hoodie (starting at $40), Japantown t-shirts ($24), and Roy’s beanies ($14). If you visit Roy’s in person, be sure to grab a cuppa one of their special holiday beverages: Egg Nog Latte, The Great Pumpkin (Thai with pumpkin spice) or Churro Churro Latte. Yum!

197 Jackson St. www.roysstation.com Open daily 8-3.

Biscuits Pet Boutique

Sorry folks, these mouth-watering treats are for fur babies, not for people. Visit Biscuits to get a festive assortment of peanut butter-based doggie snacks, all made in USA. Prices range from $1.99-$6.99. The shop also has a large inventory of bowties, bandanas, and other apparel for your furry fashionistas.

223 Jackson St. shopbiscuits.com Open Tue-Fri 11-6. Sat 10-6. Sun 10-5. 

Kogura Company

You can’t go wrong with gift shopping at Kogura Company. The spacious store is teeming with wonderful finds, from kawaii sticker sheets (perfect stocking stuffers!) to elegant porcelain vases and origami books and papers. For the doll collector in your family, or anyone who could use some cheerful home or office decor, these charming hand-painted kokeshi dolls are an excellent gift. Kogura Company has more than 20 different kokeshi to choose from, starting from $26.95.

231 Jackson St. Open Thu-Sat, 10-5. Sun 10-4.

Cukui

For the sports fans in your family who also love great street style, Cukui is the place to get awesome t-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps, all featuring original hand-drawn designs that pay homage to Bay Area cultural heritage. You’ll find unique apparel for all your favorite Sharks, A’s, Giants, Warriors, 49ers and Raiders fans. Their Black Friday sale lasts until the end of the year, with many items 50% off, including selected caps now only $20!

229 Jackson St. cukui.com Open Tue-Fri 11-5. Sat-Sun 11-5.

Nikaku Animart

When you finish your Godzilla pie at JTown Pizza and head back on N 6th St, don’t overlook the stairs that lead up to Nikaku Animart. This place is one of the oldest purveyors of manga and anime books, posters and collectibles in the country! The folks at Nikaku Animart assured me that the hottest holiday gifts for anime fans this year are the Demon Slayer action figures ($19.95). They’ve also got plenty of Totoro stocking stuffers and K-Pop merchandise, check out their Facebook page for their latest offerings. On the other end of the spectrum, Nikaku also specializes in traditional Japanese arts and crafts, and features a wide assortment of handicrafts, housewares, and ceramic bonsai pots.

615 N 6th St. Open Dec 1-19:  Wed-Fri 12-5:30. Sat 11-5:30. Sun 12-4:30.
Dec 21-23: 11-5:30. Dec 24, 11-4

Nikkei Traditions

Do you have a wacky cousin or goofy pal who shamelessly professes their love of Spam? Or maybe you know someone obsessed with corgies or maneki nekos or matcha taiyaki? Well, if these special folks are on your gift list, look no further because Nikkei Traditions has a ginormous collection of snazzy socks, ranging from $8.00-$9.75 a pair. It’s always a delight to visit this gift shop, with so many fun items to explore. For the holidays, they’ve even got Hawaiian themed Christmas ornaments -- wouldn’t a surfing snowman be perfect on your tree?

219 Jackson St. nikkeitraditions-sj.com Open Thu 3-6. Fri 2-6. Sat 11-6. Sun 11-4.

Classic Loot

The fashionistas of the world love to scoff at Crocs, but no more! Now you can make your favorite foam clogs as fashion-forward as they are feet-friendly. At Classic Loot, you’ll find a colorful assortment of statement-making Croc charms ($5), ranging from Tupac Shakur and Hello Kitty to popular slogans like “Save the Turtles.” For the non-Croc wearing folks on your gift list, Classic Loot is a great place to find trendy apparel, accessories, and novelty items. Amp up the style of your loved ones with a new, used or homemade gift from this awesome boutique!

570 N 6th St www.classicloot.com Open Tu-Thu 12-7. Fri-Sat 12-8. Sun 12-6.

The Arsenal

The Arsenal is easy to find because it has a hilarious mural of a gorilla holding a cone of oozing purple ice cream. If you go to the art supply section of the business (they also have an art gallery and art classes), you’ll find some nifty gifts for artists, like these stunning pearlescent watercolors, which you can buy individually for $8 or get a set of six smaller pans for $12. Other special items are their 10th-anniversary custom sketchbooks, embossed with The Arsenal logo ($20) and hand-printed greeting cards featuring vibrant designs from local artists ($12-$15).

208 Jackson St. www.thearsenalsj.com Open Tue-Sat 1-5.

Nijiya Market

Photo copyright Nijiya Market

While shopping for gifts in J-Town, you’ll probably want to stop by Nijiya Market to get some fresh vegetables, sushi rolls or frozen udon. As you enter the store, grab a flyer on the table advertising their traditional Japanese Christmas cakes, available as strawberry cream or chocolate round cakes (starting at $32), or a chestnut-flavored Mont Blanc roll ($38). They’re available at Nijiya Markets throughout the Bay Area for pick-up on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. 

240 Jackson St. www.nijiya.com Open daily 9-7. Christmas 9-6.

Come Visit!

Thanks for reading our San Jose Japantown Holiday Gift Guide! Unfortunately, we weren’t able to feature all the amazing businesses in our neighborhood, but hopefully we’ve piqued your interest enough to swing by for your holiday shopping. For a complete list of businesses, please visit the Japantown Business Association website.

The Story Behind the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown Exhibit

Have you ever noticed the sign above Nikkei Traditions on Jackson Street?  Do you know why the words “Shanghai” hang above the shop? For almost two years, Susan Hayase and Tom Izu have led a community of historians, artists, and technicians to create 19 augmented reality art pieces on the streets of Japantown. The Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown exhibit, currently housed in the museum’s rotating exhibit area, introduces this project. Using augmented reality technology, the public can interact with art inspired by the experiences of the Chinese, Japanese and Filipino residents of the area. If you aren’t able to make it to the museum you can begin your exploration of the exhibit on the website.   

Susan and Tom took a few minutes to share some more information about this amazing project.

AR art piece “Winds of Change” by Lucien Kubo

What was your inspiration for this project?

The stories told by local historians, Connie Young Yu and Robert Ragsac, about Heinlenville and Pinoytown, inspired us to explore this history further and encouraged us to find ways to move this important history to the center of the Japantown narrative. The augmented reality art by internationally known digital media artist Tamiko Thiel provided us with a way to make these hidden histories available to the community and beyond into the future. Bringing our place-based community history to the foreground is a way to unite our multi-generational and dispersed communities and creates a sense of the value of place that can potentially be a bulwark against gentrification and erasure.

You chose the 9 artists a day before lockdown started. How has the pandemic affected your plans?

We had originally envisioned a lot of in-person interaction between community members, the artists, and our advisors, with lots of activities at the museum and throughout various parts of Japantown. The idea was that we'd give a non-virtual, immersive experience of Japantown for our artists and a chance for the community to interact with the artists and our project team to share stories and get the community interested in what we were trying to do. We also assumed that the tech training and the artists' work on their art pieces would be in-person featuring lots of interaction, discussion, and feedback. We were looking forward to having Tamiko Thiel, Lead Artistic Advisor, and Peter Graf, Lead Technical Advisor come out for a visit from Germany where they live to give some hands-on demonstrations and talks.

The pandemic totally upended these plans and forced us to figure out how to do all of this virtually. Our wonderful team sprang into action and came up with alternatives: virtual training sessions covering AR technology and AR art. Tamiko Thiel and Corinne Okada Takara, our supervising community artist, created training aids, tutorials, and online practice activities. We had Zoom sessions featuring stories about Heinlenville Chinatown, Japantown, and Pinoytown shared by our advisors. Curt Fukuda, our documentarian/archivist, dug into his archive of oral histories and produced many videos covering the history of the three communities as well as making available other resources for the artists. We created virtual "tea and coffee" hang-out sessions for artists to ask questions as they began to work on their AR art pieces.

Hidden Stories Project Kick-Off Meeting. (From left to right: Curt Fukuda, Sue Kanagawa Yuen, Tom Izu, Susan Hayase, Corinne Okada Takara.)

 You have worked with many different artists on this project. How were you inspired by the artists?

It was an experiment and something completely new for both of us. We didn't really know how the artists would handle this project or what they would come up with. We didn't have a set template that would somehow ensure we'd cover what we thought we needed to cover.

We had many worries: that artists not familiar with Japantown and Asian American history might not connect with the content and material we wished to explore, and that artists who had no experience with immersive technology might find it too difficult to take on this project.

However, our artists, dealing with all of these unknowns, with the stresses of the pandemic, and whatever else was going on in their busy lives produced art pieces that moved us and made us really proud to have worked with them!

Both of us were amazed by the range in a variety of styles and how each artist approached different stories that most inspired them, and how they took on some difficult technical issues. We really feel that they took to heart the community building lesson we felt was at the center of this project, and we are so grateful for their effort and what they produced.

AR art piece “Flags” by Takeshi Mori

Have there been any unexpected opportunities resulting from connections made during your work on the exhibit?

People from outside of our area have expressed interest in our project with an eye towards doing something similar for their particular communities, and we are strongly encouraging them to do so. We are hoping our project will inspire others to use immersive technology for grassroots, community-based projects and would love to see more happening!

Also, we ended up creating a significant library of resource materials in the form of video recordings. These are recordings of the eight virtual public programs we produced for the museum covering the history of the three communities. The content of the shows range from Halloween Ghost Stories to New Year's Traditions, to Gambling, and of course, Heinlenville and Pinoytown history lessons. Additionally, Curt created over 67 short videos on related topics and issues on Japantown. We didn’t originally plan to do any of these! All are available to the public on our project website and YouTube channel. 

What are the next steps for this exhibit and future plans?

 We received an Abierto grant from the City of San Jose that will help us run walking tours between now and the end of December. You can find more information about our walking tours here.

Coupled with our exhibit currently featured in JAMsj's rotating exhibit area, we are looking forward to generating additional interest and support for our work and for JAMsj in general.

We are also currently in discussions about what we'd like to see happen with our project in the New Year. We'd love to do more AR art pieces and cover some areas we feel we didn't get to cover this last time around. This would include more AR related support for the Pinoytown Walking tours that our advisor, Robert Ragsac, is working on with the Filipino American National Historical Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter. We are also interested in continuing work with the Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, including pieces that could be exhibited at both History San Jose and here in Japantown at the site of Heinlenville Chinatown. Another idea might be to help integrate AR into JAMsj’s main gallery exhibits which would allow the museum to add and change content without altering the permanent display.

Regarding bigger projects, the scope of our future work will depend on how much additional support and funding we can secure.

BioQuilts: Weaving in Science and Culture for a Sustainable Future

The two-week global climate summit COP26 has just wrapped up and there is definitely more awareness of the importance of sustainability.

Corinne Okada Takara wants to keep that conversation going.

Corinne is an artist, educator, and community activist whose main interest is in Sustainability Design and Arts. She develops art projects that bridge the general public with the research community so that they can learn from each other in order for us to collectively come out with solutions for a sustainable future.

Corinne has been involved in the San Jose Japantown activities for over 20 years and one of her latest projects, the BioQuilt, is currently on display at JAMsj. The JAMsj Blog talked with her on how the BioQuilt came to be.

Corinne Okada Takara

Q. Were you always interested in science and biology?

Yes, it actually started very early in my life. I grew up visiting my father’s family in Hawaii. His early childhood years were on a plantation on Maui and everyone recycled and reused material. We made toys using all kinds of different plants. So, I grew up with an understanding that there is beauty and a purpose in using natural things.

I grew up moving 11 times as a child. Whenever we moved, dad would make a garden. In every garden, he would try to grow plants from Hawaii that he cherished and also local plants. I always carried that with me. Even though I was focusing on art, I saw that science and biology were really a huge expanding space and that we need to grow our knowledge about it.

BioQuilt “Cranes in Flight” is on display at JAMsj until Dec. 30, 2021.

Q. How did you start using biomaterial in your art?

Back in 2016-2017, I went to The Tech Museum in San Jose (now called The Tech Interactive) and they had an exhibit called Bio Bricks. They had a lab where they were growing mycelium (the root-like structure of mushrooms) into bricks. The mycelium can live off almost on any waste substrate. I thought that was fascinating and started thinking of what else we can do with them.

At the same time, I was interested in how to start engaging the public into the conversation on sustainability – how to sustainably grow materials that we use for science, art, and architecture. So I began bio-tinkering in my garage, experimenting with different organisms that you can grow.

[Details on how a BioQuilt is made can be found here.]

Q. What is your goal with the BioQuilt project?

My goal is to expand the general public’s understanding of science and create new spaces for the conversation between the public, youth, and scientific institutions. It is really more about the process than the outcome.

Because we are talking about microorganisms and fungus, people could get turned off. So how do we get people interested, touching things, and growing things in a playful way? I thought quilts were something that was familiar and attractive.

Q. You also emphasize the cultural aspect of this project.

Yes. To achieve the goal, I bring in the cultural perspective to make the conversation even more engaging to different communities. That’s why I reached out to different communities, including Japantown and Little Saigon in San Jose. For example, the theme of the BioQuilt at JAMsj is “Cranes in Flight” using a mold that is shaped like a crane. We used rice and ramen for the material.

There is a huge conversation going on at the research level of biomaterials and getting the general public into the conversation is really important. I want to elevate different communities with storytelling about the future of sustainability. I want to get the people thinking about it multi-generationally. The quilt will be disassembled, but the conversation will continue in their spaces.

BioQuilt close-up

On the other hand, there is a lot of opportunities to bring cultural knowledge and cultural perspective into the scientific world.

For example, agar (kanten) is an ingredient we use in Japanese cooking. Many people in science institutions don’t know that. Their only experience with agar is in their petri dish and they don’t know that you can buy it at the store. They don’t know the story of where it came from. It is important that we share the cultural knowledge because, in order for us to move into a sustainable future, we really need to reach out across the globe to the knowledge of other cultures, including the indigenous cultures.

I learned from my dad that you don’t fully know about the plant unless you know it in Hawaiian, Japanese, and the legend that goes with it.

Q. What will you be working on next?  

I am currently involved in multiple organizations. One is called BioJam, which is an educational collaboration between Bay Area communities of color and students at Stanford University. The other is a biology educational initiative for youths in Salinas.

My family and I are planning to move back to Hawaii next year and so my role right now is to figure out how to hand things off. I want to start working on similar activities in Hawaii and try to build these programs there. I will start having cross conversations with the organizations that I work with in Hawaii and the ones I work with here in California.  

[If you are interested to learn more about Corinne’s work on BioQuilts, here is a video.]

Great to see everyone at the Volunteer Brunch!

On September 25th, for the first time in two years, JAMsj was able to hold a Volunteer Brunch. A total of forty-five volunteers gathered to see each other in person – some for the first time – and to hear the latest on what is happening at the museum. 

2021 JAMsj Volunteer Brunch

Presentations were made by JAMsj board members.

Michael Sera, JAMsj President, shared with the group how the museum has been utilizing technology to reach out to a broader audience (link to Volunteer Spotlight article) during the pandemic. He showed a demo of the two Virtual Tours that JAMsj is preparing to launch. One is a docent-led virtual tour in which participants can feel like they are actually walking inside the museum and even take a close-up look at artifacts. The other is a self-guided tour that visitors to the JAMsj website can enjoy anytime at their own pace.   

Gordon Smith, Vice President and Head Docent, gave an update on the Kawakami House Project. Aaron Ushiro, who is the Senior Architect at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, has become a new member of the JAMsj Board of Directors. “Having a real architect on board has really helped us accelerate the Kawakami House renovation project,” said Gordon. The project is estimated to cost over $2 million and JAMsj will be working on a major capital campaign in the coming months.

The Kawakami Project is one of the three pillars of “JAMsj 2025,” which is the roadmap for the next few years that will guide JAMsj in realizing the museum’s vision - “Building bridges of understanding through inspiration, innovation, and inclusion.” The plan is for the Kawakami House to become a hub for events and future leadership programs across the Asian American community, according to Todd Shimizu, Marketing and Creative Director of JAMsj. 

Lynda Gomi, Secretary and Education Leader of JAMsj, shared a major accomplishment that around 2,000 students have attended the JAMsj virtual tours just in this past year.

For those that couldn’t make it, you can see the recording of the event below. Thanks to Kazu Gomi for manning the video camera!

After the presentations, each volunteer received a nice bento prepared that morning by JT Express in San Jose Japantown and a new purple JAMsj T-shirt. The T-shirt was designed by volunteer Emily Schulze who just entered college.

Many thanks to all the volunteers that made the Volunteer Brunch successful and all that attended! It was great to see you all!

Volunteer Spotlight Miranda Aochi Nikkei Community Intern 2021

Each summer the museum welcomes a Nikkei Community intern for an eight-week program to foster and connect young leaders to San Jose’s Japantown community. The 2021 NCI intern was Miranda Aochi. Some of you may recognize her name, if not her face, from her years of volunteering at the museum as a minor.  Miranda, who is a junior at UC Berkeley majoring in data science with a minor in dance and performance studies, shared some of her special memories for this month’s volunteer spotlight.

Miranda (left) with her family.

 Q. Do you remember your first visit to the museum?

Yes. My family visited the museum in late 2013 because my brother was doing his 5th grade Heritage Report and we had heard that our great-grandfather’s suitcase (from my dad’s maternal grandfather) was located there.  My dad and his siblings had grown up in the Japantown community, but my brother and I hadn’t been involved in the Japanese American/Japantown community. My parents saw getting involved with the museum as a way to connect us with our Japanese heritage.  We started volunteering in early 2014 along with my mom who helped run the Facebook page.

 Q. Did you join a craft day event?

Yes! Helping with crafts during Hinamatsuri and Kodomo no Hi was how I first started volunteering for the museum. One year, my whole family stood on the corner of the street to direct people to the JAMsj Winter Boutique. My brother and I were competitive dancers growing up and I remember dancing with the signs and basically doing anything that would capture the attention of the people driving by to get them to come to check out the event. While we were out there, we actually met Congressman Mike Honda, and he took a picture with us!

Miranda with her brother at the Winter Boutique

Once my brother and I were a little older, some of the docents persuaded my family to consider becoming docents ourselves. My dad, brother, and I started docent training and  shadowed different docents on the weekends. I later was trained by Rich Saito to also become a receptionist, so I eventually started spending some weekends behind the desk.

 Q. The Nikkei Community Internship (NCI) was created by the JJCCsj (Japantown Community Congress of San Jose) to connect the three remaining Japantowns and encourage youth to get more involved in the Japanese-American community. Would you share what drew you to this program? 

Although I had been loosely involved with the museum throughout middle school and high school, I didn’t feel very connected to the Japanese American community. I really only spent time in Japantown when I was younger when we went to special services at the church, had dinner at one of the many restaurants, or went to Obon. I saw NCI as a way to get more connected to the Japanese American and Japantown communities as well as make connections with people my age who are also interested in learning about the history of the community and looking at ways to preserve the community. Being placed at the museum was a plus! 

 Q. Compare your childhood impression with your current experiences. 

Something that has always struck me is how many people aren’t aware of the Japanese American story and incarceration experience during World War II, so I’m very appreciative of how much visitors are willing to listen and learn when they visit the museum. I’ve truly learned and heard so many impactful stories from other docents and from volunteers. Volunteering with the museum from such a young age, I’ve always felt that I have a responsibility in sharing the history and story of Japanese Americans because it’s not something that is talked about enough. I remember we spent maybe ten minutes on the incarceration during my U.S. history class in high school. Most of the kids in my class didn’t really care about the topic. This need to have these conversations is something that has only been reinforced through my experience as an intern as community members remind us that it is up to us to keep the narrative alive.

I also don’t think I ever realized as a child how powerful the knowledge inside of the museum is and how unique San Jose Japantown is. Throughout all of the different meetings that I got to have with various community leaders this summer, the conversation on what they love about San Jose Japantown almost always talked about how close-knit and supportive the community is. People love that San Jose Japantown is a neighborhood full of family-owned businesses and that it isn’t more commercial like San Francisco and Los Angeles. There’s also been a lot of discussion about ways that the younger generations can support the community. I’ve been inspired to get more involved in the community because I’ve learned that in order to preserve the community, we must adapt and evolve with the community.

I feel like the biggest change that I’ve noticed at the museum might be the people. While a lot of the people who were with the museum when my family first started are still involved, some have moved on. I also realize that means others need to fill in and step up. We’ve gotten to welcome so many new volunteers into the community though! 

Q. What influence has the museum had on you and how do you see the museum playing a role in your life in the coming years?

The museum has taught me a lot, not just history and culture-wise. I’ve learned to be a better listener and have more empathy towards others, I’ve gotten much more comfortable with public speaking, and I’ve seen what it means to be a part of a community. Even though I’ll be back in    Berkeley this fall for school, I hope to continue applying the knowledge and experiences that I’ve gained through the museum and the NCI internship. I would also love to find ways to stay involved and support the organization remotely.

Volunteer Spotlight Michael Sera ~Technology will Bring JAMsj to the Next Level~

In this first article for our new Volunteer Spotlight Series, we talked with Michael Sera, who has been the Board President of JAMsj since 2017. He has been key in building bridges with people in and outside of the community for JAMsj to grow. He talked about how JAMsj was forced to start using technology due to the pandemic, and how that technology is going to help us expand even further. 

Q. Since July 1, JAMsj is now fully open Thursday through Sunday - back to its normal hours. This is a major milestone. Can you look back at what happened in the past 15 months after the museum was forced to close due to COVID?

A. Initially we were struggling to figure out what we were going to do as things started to shut down. We wanted to play it safe at JAMsj and we decided to close before the County did. 

First, we started having virtual public programs and that helped us stay connected with the community. In the beginning, we struggled with technology. We had audio and video problems and people were not comfortable logging in. But as time progressed, we became more and more comfortable with the technology to a point where we did some unique programs that we would not have been able to do without technology.

Then we started providing virtual school tours. The virtual tours were mainly slide presentations on Zoom. The experience was not the same as in-person tours at JAMsj, but it worked out very well because we were able to give tours to large groups as well as schools that were from outside the Bay Area. We were able to reach a much broader audience, thanks to technology.

Because that was successful, we decided to kick it up a notch. We had Keiko Iwaisako from Ricoh reach out to us and she came in with their 360-degree high-resolution camera.  She captured the inside of the museum and was able to create an interactive 360 degree tour of the JAMsj gallery. The docents will be able to use these images in their presentations and the audience can actually feel like they are being walked through the museum. It’s a live tour and you can ask questions. The whole idea behind this is that we want people to get a taste of the museum even though they may be out of State or in another country so that when they visit the Bay Area they will want to come to visit JAMsj and San Jose Japantown in person.  

We are now in the prototyping phase and getting feedback from the docents. Once we have all this worked out, we’ll go live. 

Q. That’s amazing. Are there other ways JAMsj is planning to utilize technology?

A. The other idea is to make it possible for visitors to take a self-guided virtual tour through our website. For that, another company came through on July 27 to scan the entire museum. In the self-guided virtual tour, you can control where you go and what you see. 

Q. JAMsj also had two virtual auctions during the pandemic, and they were both hugely successful.

A. Yes! We learned that we are much better off doing virtual auctions than doing it live in our parking lot. The big difference is that we have a much greater reach and people can view the items from the comfort of their homes.

Q. How has your life been outside of the museum?

A. (As a business consultant) All of my clients are in Japan. It’s been very productive doing everything over Zoom. I’ve been able to continue my business and have conversations we need to have between my clients and the suppliers here. For me, my business has not stopped. 

I do miss the in-person meetings.  The minute we can travel to Japan, I hope to start visiting again.  There will be lots of clients who want to go and meet the customers face to face.  You can build a relationship on Zoom but it’s not the same. They are trusting us as a representative, but until they physically see each other and have a heart-to-heart conversation, some decisions are hard to make.

Q. Did you try something new as you were working from home?

A. I set up a video conference studio inside my home. I bought lighting, a DSLR camera, a video mixer, an audio mixer, a stream deck, a shotgun microphone, and a teleprompter. With my studio, I can edit recordings and produce events.  I created this environment to help facilitate virtual events, I can switch seamlessly from introducing a speaker to showing a recorded video, then back to live Q&A. 

I had to come up to speed with the technology and learned bit by bit watching YouTube videos.  I would not have done this if it were not for the pandemic. 

What I would love to do is if we end up doing a hybrid model, which would be a mix of live and recorded events at JAMsj, I can bring in what I’ve learned to the museum. My system allows four separate video inputs, so we can have one camera on the audience, one on the speaker, a presentation, and a video that can be switched seamlessly. We could almost create our own live stream and have a clean output. Technology has become so good at the consumer level.  We look forward to having everyone back for in-person events at JAMsj.

JAMsj Co-Founder and Visionary Ken Iwagaki’s Spirit Will Live On

Ken Iwagaki, one of the founding members of JAMsj, passed away on July 4th, 2021. He was 95 years old.

His involvement with JAMsj spanned over 50 years. 

Ken made a huge contribution to the museum during its formative Japanese American Resource Center (JARC) years. After the organization was started as a one-room resource center in the Issei Memorial Building, Ken became the full-time leader and built it into an increasingly active and vibrant organization. 

In the JARC newsletter published in July 2002, Ken, who was then the Chief Financial Officer of the organization, was called the “official workhorse” of the Board. He was “busily working on Museum business a minimum of five days a week.” 

His goal at that time was for the organization to “get a new building” that would “also be used to support various other community art and culture organizations.” Later he made it possible for the museum to obtain the Kawakami House next door to JAMsj, which is now being planned to be a key pillar of future expansion.

No job was too small or too big for Ken. For example, his contribution to the Winter Boutique, one of the most important fundraisers for the Museum was invaluable. During his active years, he would lead the effort to set up the venue the day before, be the first to open the facility on the day of the event, and the last to clean up and haul away what was leftover in his truck at the end of the long day.

Ken was born in Cupertino, incarcerated in Heart Mountain for six months, and relocated to Grand Junction, Colorado, where he graduated high school. He then became a civil engineer and started a company in 1959 called Allied Engineering which worked on civil engineering, surveying, and architectural and structural design. He later became president of the company. He was awarded the 5th Annual Asian American Heroes Award by Santa Clara County in 2006.

Outside of the Museum, Ken also contributed to the community serving as coach/commissioner for Community Youth Service (CYS) baseball and basketball, YMCA youth board member, and board member of Yu-Ai Kai Senior Service Center. When he was able to break away from all these commitments, he would enjoy trout fishing and traveling,  

He is survived by his wife, Marty of 69 years, his children Sue, Mark, and Jon and grandchildren Alexandra and Gordon.

In an article titled “Ken Iwagaki Responds to Visionary Accolade,” in the JAMsj spring 2009 newsletter, after he was awarded the award, he wrote the following. “The accolades that were given to me at the Gala Dinner actually should have been given to the many volunteers who have supported the museum over the years.”

He further wrote that “the success of an organization is measured by the success of its volunteer program” and asked the newsletter editor to print the names of all the past and present volunteers in the next newsletter.

Thank you, Ken. Your spirit will live on forever as JAMsj continues on our mission.

Soft Reopening: Come see the powerful artwork by Bryan Ida

After a full year of being temporarily closed due to COVID-19, JAMsj is now open to visitors on weekends. The formal reopening is scheduled in mid-June when the state is expected to fully reopen and lift most capacity and activity restrictions. For now, the museum would like to gradually start welcoming back visitors (without a big announcement) and was happy to greet about 20 guests over the past two weekends.

“One of the reasons that we wanted to reopen at this time is that we would like as many people as possible to see our current Rotating Exhibit,” says Jim Nagareda, Executive Director of JAMsj.

Jim Nagareda in the Rotating Exhibit area. The picture on the very left is artist Bryan Ida’s grandfather.

The JAMsj Rotating Exhibit area now features the powerful and unique series of work titled "con.Text" by artist Bryan Ida. Visitors will be able to see 10 almost life-size ink portraits of people that Bryan has a personal connection with. If you look closely, you will be amazed to notice that the pictures are fully drawn by text instead of lines. Each portrait represents a historical moment and an underlying subject including racism, civil rights, and human rights.

First and foremost, there is the portrait of Bryan’s grandfather as he is waiting to board a bus to the internment camp during World War II. The image is entirely composed of the text from Executive Order 9066 by which President Roosevelt mandated the incarceration of Japanese Americans in 1942.

Another picture is of Bryan’s neighbor, a Muslim woman, on her way to prayer in the wake of the travel ban. This picture is composed with the text of 1,550 of President Trump’s tweets starting from the Presidential Inauguration Day on January 20, 2017, to September 25 of that year.

The con.Text exhibit has been on display at JAMsj since August 2020 and was initially planned to be shown for six months. Because the museum was forced to close during that time, Bryan has graciously offered to extend his exhibit through August 29, 2021.

Denise Hayashi in front of the Museum Store

During the soft reopening period, Jim and Denise Hayashi, JAMsj Office Manager will be greeting visitors and there will not be docent-led tours yet. The two will be preparing for the formal reopening, “making sure that we have a safe process in place so that not only our visitors, but our docents and other volunteers will feel comfortable to come back to work,” says Jim. 

As JAMsj gets ready to go back into full swing, the JAMsj blog is also back up and running. Please check back often so that we can share with you new developments and stories of the museum and our community.