For over forty years, Nikkei fish trucks delivered fresh seafood, rice, and other Japanese goods to homes across the Southland. They also provided a valuable community service by bringing a taste of home six days a week to Nikkei throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

This special event will feature testimonies from the families of half a dozen former fish truck operators, with rare photographs and home movies. Read more about fish truck history with Chelsea Shi-Chao Liu’s Discover Nikkei article, “Remembering the L.A. Retail Fish Association.”

See the exhibition at ArtCenter in Pasadena

Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community tells the stories of influential figures and everyday car lovers alike who have played vital roles in countless car scenes—from hot rods and lowriders to the import craze and drift racing.

See the five classic cars that anchor the exhibition: George Nakamura’s 1940s “Meteor” hot rod; Brian Omatsu’s custom 1951 Mercury coupe known as the “Purple Reign”; a 1956 Ford F100 pickup truck owned by Kirk Shimazu; Tod Kaneko’s 1973 Datsun 510, one of the models that launched the import car craze; and a hot pink 1989 Nissan 240SX from professional drift racing driver Nadine Sachiko Hsu’s days with the Drifting Pretty team.

Revisit historic Los Angeles locations such as the original Ascot Speedway in South Los Angeles; F&K Garage in Little Tokyo; sites of the Mojave dry lake racing scene; Lion’s Drag Strip; the Irwindale Speedway; and classic service stations through photos and memorabilia; and discover the central role that cars and trucks played in the working lives of Japanese Americans.

Come for the cars, stay for the stories, and take Cruising J-Town home with you when you purchase the companion book. Filled with insightful essays, vintage and contemporary photographs, drawings, and more, it’s available for purchase online at the JANM Store.