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.
When John Esaki was growing up during the 1950s, his father, George Teruo Esaki, ran a camera shop in their hometown of Monterey, California. Esaki’s Photo Shop stood on Alvarado Street where Portolá Plaza is today.
“My earliest memories of going to visit him at his photo shop was him in the dark room in the back. He would be developing photos in chemical trays. It was the old-style photography where you expose the light on a sheet of paper,” said Esaki.
Does your mouth start to water when you see a steamy bowl of ramen or udon? Is your go-to snack Spam musubi or onigiri? Same here! Food plays a huge role in our cultural identities. This summer, Discover Nikkei is making a video that highlights how Nikkei around the world share a community through food. We’d love for you to participate!
Japanese American History and Art from JANM’s Collection is an exhibition produced by the Japanese American National Museum. It is traveling to various sites across Japan. See below for information about venues and dates.
Aug. 23 – Sept. 21, 2025
Furukawa Art Museum
2 Chome-50 Ikeshitacho
Chikusa Ward
Nagoya, Aichi 464-0066
Japan
As the leading institution in the United States that collects and preserves the history and culture of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans, the Japanese American National Museum is delighted to share the diverse artistic talent from our collection.
These works of art—presented as reproductions—represent the history of immigration and wartime incarceration and show us what these artists witnessed and felt at that time.
I recently got a chance to sit down with JANM’s new Chief Impact Officer, Kenyon Mayeda, to talk about what he has learned so far on his own professional journey and advice he has for young professionals as they navigate their own careers.
Do you love capturing the world in unique and creative ways? Do you have a passion and talent for photography? If you have your own equipment and are available on weekends and evenings, we’d love to hear from you!
Discover Nikkei is thrilled to announce the thirteenth edition of Nikkei Chronicles, our annual, themed open call for writings. Discover Nikkei, a project of JANM, is a community website highlighting Nikkei identity, culture, and history. Every year, we call on the global Japanese diaspora to share personal stories around a specific theme. This year’s theme is Nikkei Names 2: Grace, Graça, Graciela, Megumi?
International Exhibition Hall Nagoya City Civic Reception House
Nagoya, Japan
Monday–Friday: 9:15 a.m.–4:45 p.m., Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays
Web: nsca.gr.jp
As the leading institution in the United States that collects and preserves the history and culture of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans, the Japanese American National Museum is delighted to share the diverse artistic talent from our collection.