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Closed for Renovations

JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation and will reopen in late 2026. While the museum and store are closed, join us for programs and events on our Little Tokyo campus, throughout Southern California, and beyond. 

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  • "Kaiju vs Heroes" Opening Day Panel and Signing

    Sep 15, 2018

    In conjunction with the opening of Kaiju vs. Heroes, toy designer and collector Mark Nagata and Marusan toy company President Eiji Kaminaga will participate in a discussion about kaiju toy history, the world of Japanese toy collecting, and their companies’ histories (Nagata is the founder of Max Toy Company). The Marusan toy company created some of the first vinyl kaiju and hero toys of the 1960s and these toys m...

  • Members Only Exhibition Tour: "Kaiju vs Heroes"

    Sep 15, 2018

    In California in the 1970s, Mark Nagata was living an all-American childhood when an aunt and uncle serving on a US military base in Japan sent him a box filled with colorful kaiju and hero toys. For Nagata, those toys and the artwork of their packaging inspired him to study art, to zealously collect vintage Japanese vinyl toys, and to become a toy designer himself. Join Mark Nagata for a gallery tour during which...

  • ZOCALO—Can U.S. Democracy Survive Russian Information Warfare?

    Sep 14, 2018

    A Zócalo/Japanese American National Museum Event at JANM’s National Center for the Preservation of Democracy Moderated by Warren Olney, Host, KCRW’s "To the Point" American intelligence services have unanimously concluded that the Russian government intervened in the 2016 US elections, and seeks to meddle again this fall. One of Russia’s methods was to use social media to distribute disinformation. ...

  • Upper Level Members and VIP Reception: "Kaiju vs Heroes"

    Sep 14, 2018

    Members at the Sustaining Level and above are invited to preview Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys before it opens to the public. See hundreds of dazzling vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys, providing a feast for the eyes and the imagination. Program with a light reception to follow. Invitations were mailed in early August. Contact membership@janm.org to upgrade yo...

  • Kaiju vs Heroes

    Sep 15, 2018 - Jul 07, 2019

    With mighty fangs, menacing horns, and iridescent gold scales, the lizard monster Drazoran crushes an imaginary city while Captain Maxx, wearing a bright red suit, flies in to save the day. Drazoran and Captain Maxx are two of the monsters and heroes that emerged from the creative mind of Mark Nagata, a toy designer and fervent toy collector. At JANM, Drazoran and Captain Maxx join hundreds of dazzling vintage and co...

  • JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM TRAVELS “CONTESTED HISTORIES” TO SEATTLE

    Sep 13, 2018

    Los Angeles, CA—The Japanese American National Museum will travel its pop-up display of the Allen Hendershott Eaton Collection, which was saved from the auction block in 2015 through the efforts of Japanese American community leaders and activists, to NVC Hall in Seattle. The display will be free and open to the public on November 24 and 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. While conducting research for a book about art a...

  • JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM RECEIVES BEQUEST FROM ESTATE OF SETSUKO OKA

    Sep 11, 2018

    Los Angeles, CA—The Japanese American National Museum has received a bequest in excess of $525,000 from the estate of Setsuko Oka, a longtime museum member who died in October 2017. The funds will go toward educational initiatives as well as exhibitions and programs focused on Japanese artistic and cultural heritage in the United States, through the soon-to-be-established Setsuko Oka Japanese Heritage Fund. A plaque ...

  • Hapa Writers in Conversation

    Sep 08, 2018

    If you missed the program, you can watch it online on JANM’s YouTube channel. In conjunction with JANM’s hapa.me exhibition, creator and photographer Kip Fulbeck will moderate a conversation with hapa writers covering topics including Asian American identity, drawing from personal stories, and how cultural education influences their storytelling. The panel will include New York Times bests...

  • Maihashi: Make Your Own Reusable Chopsticks

    Sep 08, 2018

    SOLD OUT Versatile and timeless, chopsticks are a fundamental utensil for many Asian cuisines. In this workshop led by local woodworker Steve Hatanaka, attendees will create their own personal reusable chopsticks, also known as maihashi. Reusable chopsticks speak to the Japanese concept of mottainai, an effort to not be wasteful. Open to ages 8 and older, but minors must be accompanied by an adult. $12 m...

  • ‘VISION, VALUES, VOICES’ THEME FOR NATIONAL MUSEUM’S 2013 ANNUAL GALA DINNER ON APRIL 13

    Mar 26, 2013

    Los Angeles, CA - The Japanese American National Museum will present its 2013 Gala Dinner, Silent Auction, and After Party on Saturday, April 13, 2013 at the recently-renovated Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. This year’s Dinner theme, Vision, Values, Voices, will highlight how the National Museum’s work has successfully shared the first-person voices and evolving perspectives from the Japanese Amer...