Watch and follow along as Nina Nakao, JANM’s Education Assistant, leads you through our History Detectives activity to uncover the complex history of a canvas bag from World War II. Then, try your hand at being a history detective with a sample activity. Suggested materials to have while you watch: pen, pencil, and an object to explore!

Larry Akira Ogino was 23 years old when he began painting the five Untitled landscapes of the War Relocation Authority concentration camp at Poston featured in this video. From a bird’s-eye view of the camp through the guarded gates, and to close-up views of the Japanese American incarcerees, Ogino captures the life and scenery at Poston from 1942–1943.

Kristen Hayashi, PhD, the Director of Collections Management and Access and a curator at JANM, delves into how collections staff handles and stores three-dimensional artifacts within the museum’s permanent collection. Proper object handling and storage are the first steps to ensure long term preservation of artifacts. As keeper of your family treasures, you can incorporate these basic best practices into care for your own artifact collection.

Common Ground 360 is an immersive video experience led by Clement Hanami, JANM’s VP of Exhibitions and Art Director, that allows you to view the Japanese American National Museum’s core exhibition in 360°. All you need is a smartphone or VR glasses. Move the phone or headset to pan and tilt to watch from different angles. You can also view this on a desktop computer and use your mouse to click and drag on the video to pan and tilt to watch from different angles.

Following the path of an artifact’s history is rarely straightforward—research avenues can take you to unexpected places! In 2002, a short manuscript called Citizen USA about life in Manzanar as seen through the eyes of a young girl was donated to JANM. In 2019, in preparing for the manuscript’s publication, collections staff began to research the artifact’s background. Join collections staff members Jamie Henricks and Shawn Iwaoka as they uncover the story behind the manuscript: Citizen USA.

Citizen USA is available at the JANM Store.

In 2014, JANM collaborated with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Peter O’Malley and Family to present the Dodgers: Brotherhood of the Game exhibition, which explored the team’s storied past through four players and a Hall of Fame manager, each of whom made history in his own right: Jackie Robinson, Fernando Valenzuela, Chan Ho Park, Hideo Nomo, and Tommy Lasorda.

The exhibition’s co-curators—Dodgers’ team historian Mark Langill and Koji Steven Sakai— joined us for a Q&A moderated by Chris Komai. They discussed the impact of Hideo Nomo on Major League Baseball, what it was like for him, and what his success meant in Japan and to Japanese Americans. They also talked about the enduring legacies of the other featured individuals.

40 staff and 200 volunteers are the human resource numbers for JANM. With volunteers outnumbering staff 5:1, the hallways of the Takei Volunteer Center became much quieter places in early March when, for health safety reasons, we had to ask they no longer come into the Museum until further notice.

With half of our volunteers having been part of the JANM forces for 10 or more years, there are definite bonds that have formed between staff and volunteers. Learn more about these dedicated volunteers in the latest article of Discover Nikkei’s special series, Kizuna 2020: Nikkei Kindness and Solidarity During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This discussion centers on the inspiring force of activist Yuri Kochiyama (1921–2014), whose work to build community and solidarity across racial and generational lines in the decades after World War II is a timely model for today’s movement building and efforts toward meaningful allyship.

Dr. Karen L. Ishizuka, filmmaker and Chief Curator at the Japanese American National Museum, moderates a discussion about Yuri’s life, influence, and legacies with singer-songwriter Nobuko Miyamoto, public artist Tomie Arai, and writer Kai Naima Williams.

This program is co-presented by the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Tadaima! A Community Virtual Pilgrimage, the Japanese American National Museum, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center.

Each year, the Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest heightens awareness of Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo by challenging both new and experienced writers to write a story that showcases familiarity with the neighborhood and the people in it.

This year’s winning stories captured the spirit and cultural essence of Little Tokyo. Though we are not able to gather in Little Tokyo, Imagine Little Tokyo is bringing the awards ceremony online! Actors Tamlyn Tomita, Derek Mio, and Eijiro Ozaki will perform dramatic readings of the winning stories.

The contest is presented by Little Tokyo Historical Society in partnership with JANM’s Discover Nikkei project. This program is FREE, but RSVPs are required.

Tune in for a 15th anniversary celebration of the film, Big Drum: Taiko in the United States, and conversation with curator Sojin Kim and featured performers Kenny Endo, Kay Fukumoto (Maui Taiko), Teddy Yoshikami (Soh Daiko), and more!

Featuring America’s pioneering taiko figures, this film documents the development of American taiko and includes interviews and footage of drum-making and performances that reflect the ongoing transformation and diversification of this exciting performing art.

Watch the film, then join us for the Q&A on JANM’s YouTube channel.

Big Drum: Taiko in the United States DVD is available at the JANM Store.

Visit the award-winning JANM Store for that unique gift! Follow the new store Instagram @ShopJANMStore

This week ’ s featured item: Cat Tail Shamoji (Rice Scoop) .

JANM Members get 10% off!

Not a current member? Join or renew today!

JANM is proud to be a part of this collaborative undertaking between the National Park Service and the

Japanese American Memorial Pilgrimages (JAMP), involving representatives from many different contingents of the Nikkei community, as well as scholars, artists, and educators committed to actively memorializing the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Tadaima! means “I’m home!” in Japanese —it is our way of acknowledging that we are all home and the important reasons for why that is, while also celebrating the history, diversity, strength, and vibrancy of the Nikkei community.

This pilgrimage will run continuously for nine weeks, with new content provided

daily. The pilgrimage is free and open to the public and is available online at

jampilgrimages.com.