In this issue…

Read Chapter 1 now!

Award-winning author Naomi Hirahara’s eighth Discover Nikkei exclusive serial has just begun! Silk is a fictional account which imagines what life might have been like for the men and women of the Wakamatsu Colony, the first Japanese settlement in North America, from 1869–1871. New chapters will be published on the 4th of each month.

In this month’s e-newsletter, we share the history of the Wakamatsu Colony along with stories of other Issei who adventured out around the world.

—Discover Nikkei Team

NIKKEI CHRONICLES #8

Nikkei Heroes: Trailblazers, Role Models, and Inspirations

Last day to vote for your favorite Nikkei Heroes stories is November 15!

All 32 of the stories from Nikkei in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Peru, and the United States have now been published online!

Log in or create a Discover Nikkei user account to vote now! The Nikkei Heroes story with the most stars will be announced on November 18 along with the selections of our Editorial Committee (one per language—English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese). The selected stories will be translated into our other site languages and featured on our website, emails, social media, and other places.

Hope you were as inspired by this series as we were!

READ THE STORIES AND VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES

JOURNAL

Series: The 150th Anniversary of Wakamatsu Colony, the First Japanese American Settlement on the North American Frontier [EN, JA]
By Junko Yoshida
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first Japanese American settlement in North America. Read about its history and how the descendants of the Wakamatsu Colony Issei feel about their heritage.

Kensuke Ozaki: The Trader Who Worked Across Central America and the Caribbean Sea [JA, EN, ES]
By Keiko Fukuda
One aspect of migration is a sense of adventure, and Kensuke Ozaki’s story is a prime example. Not satisfied with being a “salaryman,” he traveled the Americas doing business. He has lived in Japan, Panama, Puerto Rico, and Florida, and continues living life to the fullest.

Japanese Peanuts, a Legacy of the Nakatani Family [ES, EN]
By Sergio Hernández Galindo and Emma Nakatani Sánchez
“Japanese peanuts” are popular treats in Mexico, but they were not created in Japan! Japanese immigrant Yoshigei Nakatani arrived in Mexico in 1932 and created this popular snack in La Merced, Mexico. Find out how he and his family grew them into a successful business.

The Mystery of Kaslo’s First Japanese Canadian [EN]
By Greg Nesteroff
When Japanese Canadians were forced from their homes on the western coast during World War II, many who were moved to Kaslo, British Columbia, were probably surprised to find a Japanese Canadian woman already living there. Greg Nesteroff shares what information he has found about her.

Sugi Kiriyama, A Typical Issei Woman [EN]
By Iku Kiriyama
Sugi Kiriyama was a typical Issei woman with an inspiring life. At age 100, she was among the Issei present to receive the first redress checks in Washington, DC.

A Guerra, o Café e a esperança levaram Ryo Mizuno ao Brasil [PT]
Por Luci Júdice Yizima
Saiba como Ryo Mizuno, conhecido como o pai da imigração japonesa no Brasil, viveu a época da transição do Japão da era feudal para a industrial. O que motivou este japonês visionário a depositar seu futuro no Brasil 110 anos atrás? Confira aqui.

NIMA–KAI

It’s easy to create a Nima account! Log in to update your profile, add your own community’s events, share your stories, and post comments on articles.

Join our Nima–kai and meet other Nima >>

Nima of the Month

densho (Washington, United States)

Densho’s mission is to preserve and share stories of Japanese American World War II incarceration to promote equity and justice today. They have be sharing some of these stories with Discover Nikkei since 2006. Recently at COPANI XX, we partnered with Densho to present a session titled “Power of Our Stories—Case Studies” where we discussed the importance of preserving and sharing personal and community stories, photos, and videos.

We asked Densho what they like about Discover Nikkei and this is what they said:

Discover Nikkei is an incredible resource to learn about the history of Nikkei communities around the world, and to gain insight into the contemporary storytelling, research, activism, cultural work, and more that is taking place today.

We love that the stories shared through Discover Nikkei are multigenerational, multilingual, and multiracial—highlighting the diversity and vibrancy of the global Nikkei community. It’s vital that these stories are lifted up and kept alive, and we’re grateful that this site helps to uncover little-known chapters of Nikkei history and provide a platform for voices and perspectives that have been previously overlooked.

The information curated by Discover Nikkei, from historical journeys to present-day experiences of people of Japanese ancestry, is absolutely invaluable for anyone interested in expanding their understanding of what it means to be Nikkei.

Read Densho’s stories >>

*Nima is short for Nikkei Nakama (nakama meaning colleagues, fellows, or circle).

EVENTS

There are many Nikkei community festivals, exhibitions, workshops, and other events posted on Discover Nikkei.

Share your own community’s events with others on Discover Nikkei. It’s free! Just log in, then click on the “Add an Event” link on the Events page.

Find local Nikkei events in our online calendar >>

SUPPORT DISCOVER NIKKEI

Discover Nikkei continues to grow each year with the help of our volunteers and site contributors, but there is a lot more we’d like to do.

Please consider a donation to the Japanese American National Museum in support of our project!

*When making your donation, please type “Discover Nikkei” in the comments section of the order form so we know that you are supporting our project.

—Thanks from the Discover Nikkei team!

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