What are the opening hours?

Thursday 12pm - 4pm Friday 12pm - 4pm Saturday 12pm - 4pm Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Japanese American Museum of San Jose

Name: Japanese American Museum of San Jose
Address: 535 N 5th Street, San Jose, CA, 95112, US
Telephone: +14082943138
Price range: $
Rating: 4.6

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Japanese American Museum of San Jose

The mission of JAMsj is to collect, preserve and share Japanese American history, culture and art with a focus on the Greater Bay Area.
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The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) showcases a unique collection of permanent and rotating exhibits chronicling more than a century of Japanese American history. Visitors will learn about early immigration of Japanese to America, their leadership in the agricultural community, their incarceration during World War II and the challenges they faced, while adapting and contributing to W

est Coast communities. JAMsj provides a historical forum that stimulates present day discussions on civil liberties, race relations, discrimination, and American identity.

09/01/2026

Join us at JAMsj for a special lecture by Dr. Hien Do, a pioneer of the SJSU Asian American Studies program, and discuss the field of study and the importance of community engagement 📚

This collaborative program between JAMsj and the SJSU Asian American Studies program is a free event. We're excited to provide a space for our community members to engage with Ethnic Studies and navigate Asian American identity and community!

📚 Intro to Asian American Studies & Community-centric Learning with Dr. Hien Do
🗓️ September 8 (Tues.) | 4PM - 5PM
📍Japanese American Museum of San Jose
🎟️ Free with RSVP: www.tinyurl.com/jamsj-aas-lecture

08/26/2026

This Friday, join us for a special sound bath session that centers on healing through vulnerability and introspection 🌀

This restorative sound bath program will invite guests to engage in healing through deep and vulnerable reflection. We encourage guests to examine themselves and their surroundings, and make connections between the current rotating exhibit on the Japanese American redress movement — how we heal in community and work through trauma as a collective and individual. Featuring special guest speaker Kazu Haga, author of Fierce Vulnerability, who will drive forward conversation about healing through introspective and vulnerable reflection.

🌀 Kiku Healing Series: The Sound(s) of Fierce Vulnerability Soundbath Session
🗓️ August 28 (Fri.) | 6:00PM-8:30PM
📍 Japanese American Museum of San Jose
🎟️ Tickets & more information https://www.jamsj.org/upcoming-events/2026-soundbath

08/19/2026

A few trinkets sit in our Rotating Exhibit Gallery, a small reminder of a much larger movement.

Ceramic pins, lovingly named "NOC Knacks", were produced and sold by members and supporters of the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee (NOC) to help support the organization’s ongoing redress work throughout the 1970s. Proceeds helped cover the costs of events, organizing materials, and travel, while fundraising itself became part of the community gatherings and organizing that sustained the San Jose movement for redress and reparations.

Founded in 1979 by Sansei concerned about the future of San Jose Japantown, NOC built networks, monitored redevelopment, and connected community members and institutions. As the national movement for Japanese American redress grew, NOC became a founding member of the National Coalition for Redress and Reparations (NCRR), working to bring national strategy into local actions inside the homes of San Jose Japantown.

🏡 Learn more about the local San Jose movement for Japanese American redress in our current rotating exhibit, House Meeting(s): Opening the Door for Redress in San Jose before it closes on September 20th. More information can be found on our website, at www.jamsj.org/house-meetings

08/18/2026

Happy National Nonprofit Day! Today, we’re celebrating the dedicated volunteers and community members who power JAMsj and continue to turn what was once thought impossible into reality for the neighborhood.

Our volunteer community is made up of historians and cultural stewards, artists, students, neighbors, and so many people who simply get it done. Their collective commitment sustains JAMsj and supports our mission to preserve and share Japanese American history, culture, art, and lived experiences, rooted in the community of San Jose Japantown.

We’re especially grateful to our Summer Sake team for making this year’s event possible, with special recognition to Board Member Denise Matsuoka, former Board Members Lori Kozen and Kristina Kozen, and longtime volunteers Kristen Abey and Samantha Brown for their leadership, coordination, and dedication.

💜 To everyone who gives their time, energy, and expertise to JAMsj: thank you! Our work is made possible because of you. Interested in joining our volunteer family? Join our E-Newsletter to learn about the next volunteer recruitment opportunity at www.jamsj.org/enews

08/17/2026

Kampai to an incredible evening of community and generosity! 🍶

Thank you to all who helped make this year’s Summer Sake 2026 tasting such a memorable celebration. From our generous sponsors and event organizers to our dedicated volunteers, vendors, and community supporters… This evening would not have been possible without you! 💜

We’re also incredibly grateful to our sake and beverage vendors for sharing their expertise as well as our food partners for creating delicious small bites. To everyone who joined us—thank you for showing up, raising a glass, and supporting us in our mission at JAMsj.

Your participation helps sustain the operations and programs of museum and our work to bring alive the San Jose Japantown community’s past, present, and future.

💭 Learn more about the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and how to visit at www.jamsj.org

08/10/2026

Due to popular demand from JAMsj volunteers and members, we’re so excited to introduce our new JAMsj canvas tote bag! ⭐

Be among the first to get your hands on the bag next week at Summer Sake 2026! The JAMsj canvas tote is also included as a swag bag for event sponsors. A major thank you to the local Zonkey Toys for helping us with the production!

🍶 Summer Sake 2026
🗓️ August 15, 2026 (Saturday) | 4:00PM-6:00PM @ The Japanese American Museum of San Jose

🎟️ Learn more about our museum's most exciting summer fundraiser when you visit www.jamsj.org/summersake

08/08/2026

Join us this August as we close out the season with some fun summery programs 🎇

What’s on at JAMsj this month? Get your calendars open for:

🍶 8/15 — Sip with us at Summer Sake, support the museum as you taste sake, wine, and matcha from various local vendors. Get tickets today at www.jamsj.org/summersake
🏡 8/27 — Free Admission Day at JAMsj
🎵 8/28 — A special sound bath session in the JAMsj Gallery. Featuring a conversation led by special guest speaker Kazu Haga, author of Fierce Vulnerability. Get tickets today at www.jamsj.org/upcoming-events
🌈 8/30 — March with us at Silicon Valley Pride!

Check out our website or at our link in bio to keep up to date with all the JAMsj happenings!
Did we miss something? Leave us a comment to let us know about other events this month ⭐

Our 2026 free admission days are held thanks to a generous grant from the Applied Materials Foundation.

07/23/2026

Together, we're one step closer to preserving an important piece of San Jose history.

The historic Sakauye Farmhouse has survived discriminatory land laws, unjust incarceration, the loss of surrounding farmland, and development. Today, it remains a rare link to the Japanese American farmers who helped shape the Santa Clara Valley.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, community partners, and a matching grant from the K/T Foundation, we raised $133,130.32 toward the farmhouse's restoration. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped bring this project to this milestone.

Significant restoration work still lies ahead. With your continued support, the Sakauye Farmhouse will become a place where future generations can learn about San Jose's Japanese American agricultural heritage.

Join us in our mission to restore the Farmhouse, learn more and donate today: www.preservation.org/sakauye

07/21/2026

Every SJ Obon, we look forward to opening our doors to community artists of all walks of life to chill at our museum. We thought we'd share a few masterpieces in progress 🎨

Learn more about Japanese American history, culture, and art when you visit the Japanese American Museum of San Jose this summer. For details on how to find us, visit our website www.jamsj.org

07/18/2026

This past weekend, Obon was held in San Jose Japantown. For decades, volunteers have helped shape Obon into the vibrant community tradition it is today. As we honor those who came before us, we also celebrate the living community that continues to sustain these traditions for future generations. Through their collective efforts, Obon remains a vital expression of San Jose Japantown’s living history and Japanese American cultural heritage.

Thank you to everyone who helps keep the San Jose Japantown’s Obon tradition alive. Until next year, and we wish everyone a wonderful time at Obon festivals being held all over the world🏮

Address

535 N 5th Street
San Jose, CA
95112

Opening Hours

Thursday	12pm - 4pm
Friday	12pm - 4pm
Saturday	12pm - 4pm
Sunday	12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+14082943138

Website

http://www.jamsj.org/

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