Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown

Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown An art experiment in San Jose Japantown bringing to life treasured community histories in virtual spa

Self portrait of the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown team at the Cool Cafe (Cantor Art Center, Stanford Universit...
02/15/2023

Self portrait of the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown team at the Cool Cafe (Cantor Art Center, Stanford University).

Sign up for walking tours of Hidden Histories augmented reality art!  There are four tours scheduled in January, so sign...
01/07/2023

Sign up for walking tours of Hidden Histories augmented reality art! There are four tours scheduled in January, so sign up now!

https://www.jamsj.org/upcoming-events/2023/1/13/113-hidden-histories-augmented-reality-walking-tour

Lots of people come to the neighborhood for food, shopping, or cultural events. But did you know that San Jose Japantown used to be called “Chinatown” and that its past includes a bustling Filipino business and social community on 6th Street? Come check out the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japan...

Reverend Hiroshi Abiko, passed away on October 6, 2022.Two years ago, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown did a video...
10/28/2022

Reverend Hiroshi Abiko, passed away on October 6, 2022.
Two years ago, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown did a video about his time in Hiroshima as a boy after World War II.
In memory of Reverend Abiko, here is the video ...
https://youtu.be/U9BepJN1QXI

Reverend Hiroshi Abiko served at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin from 1971 to 1983. He and Reverend Mike Morizono were two important figures in San Jose...

Haiku is a short poetic art form that originated in Japan and has a deep connection to nature and the seasons. Did you k...
09/18/2022

Haiku is a short poetic art form that originated in Japan and has a deep connection to nature and the seasons. Did you know that there are many haiku societies in the United States with thousands of members? And, did you know that one of the societies began in San Jose Japantown?

Kiyoko and Kiyoshi Tokutomi began the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society, exploring the writing of haiku in English. This is a look at their lives and the forming of the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society.

Click the thumbnail at the end of this post to view the Hidden Histories YouTube video about the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society.

This video only scratches the surface of the history and the people of the Yuki Teikei Haiku Society and haiku. To learn more, visit the Yuki Teikei website https://yths.org or their page https://www.facebook.com/yukiteikei.

Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project managers: Sue Kanegawa Yuen, Maylea Saito and Sabrina Kwong. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

Haiku is a short poetic art form that originated in Japan and has a deep connection to nature and the seasons. Did you know that there are many haiku societi...

Did you miss out on getting a copy of "San Jose Japantown - A Journey" the first time around? A reprint of the book will...
07/13/2022

Did you miss out on getting a copy of "San Jose Japantown - A Journey" the first time around? A reprint of the book will be available in September 2022. As the Japanese American Museum of San Jose is only printing 1,000 copies, pre-ordering is recommended.

The book is written by Hidden Histories documentarian Curt Fukuda and historian Ralph M. Pearce. It chronicles the Japanese, Chinese, Filipino and other ethnicities that contributed to the Japantown community. Essentially a reprint, the book also includes corrections to errors found in the first printing and a few additional photos and information.

The book project is produced by Jim Nagareda, former executive director of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose with Janice Oda (designer) and June Hayase (editor).

To pre-order a copy of the book, visit https://secure.givelively.org/event/japanese-american-museum-of-san-jose/san-jose-japantown-a-journey-book-pre-sale

View a Hidden Histories video promo of the book ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyjGgtDDWDo

Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

As we approach the 80th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 that set in motion the racist forced removal ...
02/15/2022

As we approach the 80th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 that set in motion the racist forced removal and mass incarceration of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans, it's time to stop and reflect.

Here is a community program that we produced last year on the "Hidden History of San Jose Day of Remembrance." It's important to remember that, even though DOR commemorations have become institutionalized in our local and dispersed JA communities, the origins of the Day of Remembrance are steeped in the grassroots movement to win redress/reparations for the WWII concentration camp experience.

This grassroots movement called on us to struggle to unite with the very fractured sectors of our community. It required us to meet people and their families and to find out what they were thinking, what their story was. It challenged us to change ourselves and each other. It also rewarded us with the development of friendships and relationships that have strengthened the community as a whole.

https://youtu.be/6Ojel6LGxFw?list=TLGGGBSETpMRp9sxNTAyMjAyMg

Each year in San Jose Japantown, “Day of Remembrance” commemorates the signing of E.O. 9066 and the WWII forced removal of Japanese Americans. It is a commun...

Take a read of the article:"Roy Story" by Gary Singh on page 8 on the Metro Silicon Valley Newspaper "The writer really ...
12/17/2021

Take a read of the article:

"Roy Story" by Gary Singh on page 8 on the Metro Silicon Valley Newspaper

"The writer really understands that 'community spirit'' many talk about is actually embedded in the very buildings (via their histories) - and that J-Town's survival depends on getting in touch with these 'spirits.'

They generate the powerful feelings of belonging and connection needed to build a movement to care for and protect J-Town."

- Tom Izu, Co-Director of Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown Project

Metro Silicon Valley - 12/15/2021

Did you know that San Jose Japantown once had its own hospital? The historic Issei Memorial Building was originally buil...
11/12/2021

Did you know that San Jose Japantown once had its own hospital? The historic Issei Memorial Building was originally built as the Kuwabara Hospital in 1910 by the Nishiura Brothers, who were farmers in Mountain View.

Discover the hidden stories of San Jose Japantown through the magic of Augmented Reality art provided by the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown project. You can visit on your own, or for a limited time, you can sign up for a guided tour with Hidden Histories team members.

Tours are available through December 11, 2021. Visit https://hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/ to sign up for a tour and download the mobile app to view the art. Space is limited so put in your reservation as soon as possible.

Did you know that San Jose Japantown once had its own hospital? The historic Issei Memorial Building was originally built as the Kuwabara Hospital in 1910 by...

We are pleased to announce that we have received a grant from the City of San José's ABIERTO program to do walking tours...
10/22/2021

We are pleased to announce that we have received a grant from the City of San José's ABIERTO program to do walking tours of our exhibit during the months of November and December. Capacity is limited, so be sure to sign up!

Please click the link to complete this form.

Hidden Histories is now featured in the Rotating Exhibit Area at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose! Our exhibitio...
09/24/2021

Hidden Histories is now featured in the Rotating Exhibit Area at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose! Our exhibition features historic videos of the Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino communities that established Japantown. In addition, you’ll see artifacts from Heinlenville (San Jose Chinatown), videos of the Hidden Histories artists, and information about the augmented reality art installations.

Experience the immersive augmented reality art of the Hidden Histories project from the sidewalks of San Jose Japantown. In addition, you can visit the accom...

Join us today at Viva CalleSJ! We'll be at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose booth. Come pick up a map and explor...
09/19/2021

Join us today at Viva CalleSJ! We'll be at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose booth. Come pick up a map and explore J-Town! https://www.vivacallesj.org/

Join us today at Viva CalleSJ! We'll be at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose booth to talk about Hidden Histories...
09/19/2021

Join us today at Viva CalleSJ! We'll be at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose booth to talk about Hidden Histories and demo our AR! Come pick up a map and explore J-Town! https://www.vivacallesj.org/

Tamiko Nimura is an award-winning Asian American writer and local historian of the Japanese American community in Tacoma...
08/20/2021

Tamiko Nimura is an award-winning Asian American writer and local historian of the Japanese American community in Tacoma, WA. We were very lucky to have caught her eye in this article that she wrote for Discover Nikkei.

A bunch of little kids at the test/press event, shown in a screenshot of part of one of the artworks by Takeshi Moro (it’s part of an animation of Chinese American kids in Heinlenville Chinatown riding go-carts.) Carp flags (koinobori) are floating in front of me, their mouths open. Tanza...

Thank you to KALW's Katherine Simpson for this wonderful piece about our project! Follow the link below to hear to her i...
08/18/2021

Thank you to KALW's Katherine Simpson for this wonderful piece about our project! Follow the link below to hear to her interviews with Hidden Histories advisor Robert Ragsac and artist Takeshi Moro, as well as a bit of J-town soundscape. https://www.kalw.org/arts-culture/2021-08-17/japantown-art-project

A digital art project strives to uncover the “Hidden Histories” of San Jose’s Japantown neighborhood. Despite the name, the area was what former resident Robert Ragsac calls a “rainbow neighborhood,” home to flourishing Filipino, Chinese, and Japanese immigrant communities.

“We’re going on a picnic,” the Filipino father would announce to his family. Back in the 1930s through 1960s, this often...
07/22/2021

“We’re going on a picnic,” the Filipino father would announce to his family. Back in the 1930s through 1960s, this often meant “We’re going to so-and-so’s ranch and I’m going to watch the chicken fights.” Excluded from mainstream activities and events, the first generation Filipinos (the Manong Generation) had to create their own entertainment. For many of these hard-working farm laborers, this included chicken fights.

Isidoro “Izzy” Arevalo, Leo Escalante Jr., Sally Regala, Ben Villarruz, Helen Ragsac Sanchez, and Albert “Corky” Bueno recall the Manong Generation and their enjoyment of chicken fights.

Click the link below to view the video on the Hidden Histories YouTube channel.

Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Documentarian and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For information about Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

“We’re going on a picnic,” the Filipino father would announce to his family. Back in the 1930s through 1960s, this often meant “We’re going to so-and-so’s ra...

This fortune cookie was a memento from the inaugural showcase of the augmented reality (AR) artpieces created for the Hi...
06/23/2021

This fortune cookie was a memento from the inaugural showcase of the augmented reality (AR) artpieces created for the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown project. That quote is a comment by historian Connie Young Yu, a descendant of Heinlenville Chinatown, the author of "Chinatown, San Jose," and one of the incredible advisors to our project which reveals the lives of the people of Chinatown, Japantown, and Pinoytown -- a proto-Asian American community nestled together just north of downtown San Jose.

Photo by V'k' Yamashta.

The augmented reality Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown art is live. You can view it anytime using your mobile devi...
06/21/2021

The augmented reality Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown art is live. You can view it anytime using your mobile device and the AR-vos application (link below for downloading the app).

Pictured are the Hidden Histories artists at the June 19 showcase event. Left to right (back row) Na Omi Judy Shintani, Anna Wong, Lucien Kubo, Takeshi Moro, and Maylea Saito. Left to right (front): Kelly Nishimura and Tamaki Fujino. No pictured: Kiki Wu and Rochelle Mae Gatus.

Thank you to everyone for making the event a great success!

To download and install the free AR-vos app: ar-vos.com

Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanagawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara. Documentarian and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For more information: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

We're in Sal Pizarro's column in the The Mercury News!
06/18/2021

We're in Sal Pizarro's column in the The Mercury News!

“Hidden Histories” uses AR technology to explore the diverse cultural past of Japantown.

A very timely story from Adhiti Bandlamudi on KQED's Bay Curious. Heinlenville stories will return in augmented reality ...
06/17/2021

A very timely story from Adhiti Bandlamudi on KQED's Bay Curious. Heinlenville stories will return in augmented reality this weekend! Join us for our opening celebration. Saturday, June 19th, 4-6pm at Art Object Gallery in San Jose Japantown.

San Jose has been home to five Chinatowns throughout its history, so why doesn't it have a Chinatown today? The answer lies in the city's dark and racist past.

Are you READY for our Inaugural Showcase? (Or more specifically, is your mobile device ready?) To optimize your enjoymen...
06/17/2021

Are you READY for our Inaugural Showcase? (Or more specifically, is your mobile device ready?) To optimize your enjoyment of our Augmented Reality (AR) artwork we recommend the following:

- Download the AR-vos app to your mobile phone. It's easier to do over your home WiFi, and will save you some time when you arrive. The app can be found both in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
- Bring a portable battery charger and your charging cable, as well as earphones/earbuds (some pieces have audio tracks).
- Prepare for the heat! Remember to bring your sunscreen, hat, and water bottle.
- Wear good walking shoes. The AR artwork is scattered all across Japantown. There is a lot to see and you will probably not see everything in one day. Please plan for a return visit!

Please remember that Hidden Histories is a community art experiment. More-recent smartphones (three years old or newer) should have no problem viewing the exhibit. Some older phones will also work. For best results, we are recommending that you come with family and friends and be sure that someone in your party has a newer phone. On the day of the exhibit, we will also have roaming docents available with devices that can see the AR art. See you there!

06/10/2021

Thank you Content Magazine for this wonderful feature of our project and our artists!

Don't miss our opening event! Saturday, June 19th, 4-6pm at Art Object Gallery and on the streets of San Jose Japantown!

06/09/2021
“We’re living in the world, but there are a lot of things we don’t know. And, now we have a virtual world, waiting for u...
06/09/2021

“We’re living in the world, but there are a lot of things we don’t know. And, now we have a virtual world, waiting for us to explore. That is part of my inspiration—the virtual world, the physical world, and the spiritual world.” — Kiki Wu

Discovering that San Jose Japantown developed out of Heinlenville (Chinatown), artist Kiki Wu chose the Chinese community’s Da Jiu festival (honoring past ancestors) for her augmented reality art. Her work taps into the vitality and cultural richness of the celebration that brought together the Chinese over a hundred years ago in San Jose. https://youtu.be/G5FjFsh_aRg

“We’re living in the world, but there are a lot of things we don’t know. And, now we have a virtual world, waiting for us to explore. That is part of my insp...

“You know, my grandfather once got a hit off Victor Starffin of the Tokyo Giants,” remarked Jeff Hayamizu to author/hist...
05/14/2021

“You know, my grandfather once got a hit off Victor Starffin of the Tokyo Giants,” remarked Jeff Hayamizu to author/historian Ralph M. Pearce. Ralph was surprised to learn that Hayamizu’s grandfather, Joe Jio, wasn’t playing in Japan at the time. He was playing against the Tokyo Giants at the Asahi Baseball Field in San Jose’s Japantown.

This Hidden Histories video covers the historic 1935 baseball game where the San Jose Asahi played against the formidable Tokyo Giants (now the Yomiuri Giants). Experience the excitement of a game that took place over eighty-six years ago.

Click the image below to view the video on the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown YouTube channel.

Opening in mid-2021, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For more information: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

“You know, my grandfather once got a hit off Victor Starffin of the Tokyo Giants,” remarked Jeff Hayamizu to author/historian Ralph M. Pearce. Ralph was surp...

How do two different generations view the Japanese American identity and experience? And, how do a Nisei artist and a Sa...
04/29/2021

How do two different generations view the Japanese American identity and experience? And, how do a Nisei artist and a Sansei artist use their craft as a medium to connect with their history? Through juxtaposing these stories from two generations, Maylea Saito wants to raise awareness of the Japanese American experience.

Maylea Saito is a Sansei Chinese Japanese American mixed-media artist. With a creative career that originated in self-taught graphic design and screen printing, she has recently begun transitioning into murals and community-centered installation art. Through her work, Maylea explores the themes of identity, intimacy, cultural memory, and shared experiences.

Click the link below to view the video on the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown YouTube channel.

This is the seventh in a series about the commissioned artists for the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown project.

Opening in mid-2021, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Documentarian and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For more information: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2weQ_9GRm4E

How do two different generations view the Japanese American identity and experience? And, how do a Nisei artist and a Sansei artist use their craft as a medi...

The Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown presents an informal introduction workshop on how to play Hanafuda (Japanese ...
04/02/2021

The Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown presents an informal introduction workshop on how to play Hanafuda (Japanese "flower cards"). Hear the history of Hanafuda, and learn about the different playing styles and card symbols. The show features Supervising Community Artist Corinne Okada Takara and Hidden Histories Artist Tamaki Fujino, who grew up in Hawaii and Japan respectively.

This video is a recording of the workshop that was originally broadcasted live on March 26, 2021. It was a companion to our San Jose Japantown Gambling show. Click the image below to view the video on the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown YouTube website.

Opening in mid-2021, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For more information: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

The Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown presents an informal introduction workshop on how to play Hanafuda (Japanese "flower cards"). Hear the history of ...

03/27/2021

We are live!

Get in the spirit for Saturday's "Hidden Histories of Gambling in SJ Japantown" program with an informal workshop on how...
03/26/2021

Get in the spirit for Saturday's "Hidden Histories of Gambling in SJ Japantown" program with an informal workshop on how to play Hanafuda (Japanese "flower cards"). Hear the history of Hanafuda, and learn about the different playing styles and card symbols.

Hidden Histories Hanafuda Workshop
Friday, March 26th, 7:00 PM
No Registration Necessary
Click Here to Join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83967165851?pwd=V0dXOVROZkJ0R3I0MElBTlJaeWRMZz09
Passcode: 252288

Enjoy this sneak peek at our next program, Hidden Histories of Gambling in San Jose Japantown, coming up this Saturday, ...
03/23/2021

Enjoy this sneak peek at our next program, Hidden Histories of Gambling in San Jose Japantown, coming up this Saturday, March 27th at 1pm! Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_c-_CGMkrSOmvIpzc6FZveQ

There was a house on a farm where First Street intersected with the Bayshore Highway (101). You could only go there at night and you could only enter if you were Asian and passed the approval of the bouncer. This place was known as the “Cabbage Patch,” where workers could go for gambling and "entertainment."

In this video, Isidoro “Izzy” Arevalo, Leo Escalante Jr., Sally Regala, Ben Villarruz, Helen Ragsac Sanchez, and Albert “Corky” Bueno share memories of the infamous Cabbage Patch.
https://youtu.be/8WtgG3aBjSM

There was a house on a farm where First Street intersected with the Bayshore Highway (101). You could only go there at night and you could only enter if you ...

By spring 1942, the Japanese Americans were sent to camps due to the distrust and suspicion that all Japanese were spies...
03/10/2021

By spring 1942, the Japanese Americans were sent to camps due to the distrust and suspicion that all Japanese were spies and loyal to the Emperor. Yet, despite the Anti-Asian furor, the U.S. Government recruited the Japanese Americans to serve in the armed forces and even work in places like the Tooele Army Depot, that stored ammunition. Phil Matsumura, who was the San Jose JACL executive secretary during the Resettlement, recalled working at Tooele.

This is an excerpt from a 1990 interview with Phil Matsumura by the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee.

Click the image below to view the video on the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown YouTube channel.

Opening in mid-2021, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College, the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project, and the Filipino American National Historical Society - Santa Clara Valley. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For more information: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

By spring 1942, the Japanese Americans were sent to camps due to the distrust and suspicion that all Japanese were spies and loyal to the Emperor. Yet, despi...

Jack Matsuoka (1925-2013) was a Nisei cartoonist whose comic strip "Sensei" were regularly published in Hokubei Mainichi...
03/01/2021

Jack Matsuoka (1925-2013) was a Nisei cartoonist whose comic strip "Sensei" were regularly published in Hokubei Mainichi newspaper throughout the 1960s and 1970s. He also published a book of cartoons that depict the humorous and poignant depictions of everyday life in a World War II American concentration camp entitled Camp II, Block 211 .

In this 1979 cartoon, Jack commented on the Pacifica school strike. He imagined schools closing down and children being forced to learn via television. Little did he know that over 40 years later because of a Pandemic, students will be forced to learn via screen time.

Cartoon by Jack Matsuoka, courtesy of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj.)

https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Jack_Matsuoka/

San Jose Japantown is more than a business center or destination for ethnic food and products. San Jose Japantown is a l...
02/22/2021

San Jose Japantown is more than a business center or destination for ethnic food and products. San Jose Japantown is a living community that provides essential goods, services, and socializing to people living in the neighborhood and beyond.

“I am interested in art that can give voice and vision to our communities Being a Japanese American artist, I feel a responsibility to tell our unique stories. In telling our stories, one looks back into history in order to understand what came before us, to see what our ancestors' lives were like in this new land”

These are the words of Lucien Kubo, a Sansei (third generation) Japanese American artist and political activist. She has always worked with physical, hands-on media such as ceramics, drawing, photography, and collage assemblages. Her participation in the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown represents a departure by venturing in the digital world. Lucien intends her augmented reality art to reflect the changes in Japantown throughout the decades, especially related to the Sansei activism.

This is the sixth in a series about the nine commissioned artists for the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown project. Click the image below to view the video on Lucien Kubo on the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown YouTube channel.

Opening in mid-2021, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College and the Chinese Historical & Cultural Project. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

For more information: www.hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/

San Jose Japantown is more than a business center or destination for ethnic food and products. San Jose Japantown is a living community that provides essenti...

Happy Lunar New Year from the team at Hidden Histories! Please enjoy our New Year's Traditions program, originally broad...
02/12/2021

Happy Lunar New Year from the team at Hidden Histories! Please enjoy our New Year's Traditions program, originally broadcast on January 17, 2021. The show features New Years celebration stories and traditions as told by members of the Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino communities. Included are cooking demonstrations, storytelling, and an assortment of fun anecdotes!

Why are firecrackers exploded during Chinese New Year? What special foods are served at Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year)? Why do some Filipinos jump up high at ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ojel6LGxFwEach year in San Jose Japantown, “Day of Remembrance” commemorates the signin...
02/07/2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ojel6LGxFw

Each year in San Jose Japantown, “Day of Remembrance” commemorates the signing of E.O. 9066 and the WWII forced removal of Japanese Americans. It is a community tradition with its iconic candlelight procession, cultural performances, and speeches. But did you know how it started, or that its political and cultural energy came from the redress movement of the early 1980s?

This livestream was originally broadcasted on February 6, 2021. The guests on the show include Julie Yumi Hatta, Richard Katsuda, Jon Jang, and Francis Wong. The show will include excerpts from Jon Jang’s “Reparations Now.”

Click the image below to view the video on the Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown YouTube channel.

Opening in mid-2021, Hidden Histories of San Jose Japantown is an augmented reality art project of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose funded by the Immersive Technology in the Arts grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with Microsoft with support from the California History Center Foundation, De Anza College. Project directors: Susan Hayase and Tom Izu. AR artistic advisor: Tamiko Thiel. Project manager: Sue Kanegawa Yuen. Supervising community artist: Corinne Takara Okada. Archivist and video creator: Curt Fukuda.

Each year in San Jose Japantown, “Day of Remembrance” commemorates the signing of E.O. 9066 and the WWII forced removal of Japanese Americans. It is a commun...

02/06/2021

Join our live broadcast!

Enjoy this sneak preview of our upcoming program, "Hidden Histories of San Jose's Day of Remembrance." Join us on Feb 6t...
02/02/2021

Enjoy this sneak preview of our upcoming program, "Hidden Histories of San Jose's Day of Remembrance." Join us on Feb 6th to learn about the origins of this important community observation and hear stories from original organizations on what it meant to them and how it continues to resonate with our community today. Just in time to help you prepare for NOC’s annual Day of Remembrance later in the month! https://youtu.be/azosIaqjdPA

More Info: https://hiddenhistoriesjtown.org/hidden-histories-of-san-joses-day-of-remembrance/

Each year in San Jose Japantown, “Day of Remembrance” commemorates the signing of E.O. 9066 and the WWII forced removal of Japanese Americans. It is a commun...

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