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

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

10/14/2026

It's harvest season! 🍎 Shop our new iris-fold recipe cards at the JAMsj Museum Store. These cards include a classic recipe featuring seasonal fruits with a skillfully crafted iris-fold design made by our JAMsj Cardmakers.

It's also that time of year... Year of the Sheep calendar cards are now in-stock in all sorts of colors and quirks! 🐑📅

🍐 All now available in limited quality!
JAMsj is open Thursday through Sunday, 12-4PM. 535 N. Fifth St, San Jose, CA 95112

10/13/2026

Join us for Skate Day & Halloween in Japantown this year, a free event full of Halloween festivities and skateboarding activities all around town!

Visit participating representatives and organizations to collect Japantown-themed stickers! The sticker rally ends at the end of Halloween or when supplies run out. Don't miss it!

🗓️ October 31st, 2026 |12PM - 7PM
📍San Jose Japantown, 5th & Jackson Street, the Issei Memorial Building, and the Japanese American Museum of San Jose
Learn more about this event at www.taiko.org/halloween

10/07/2026

Roll in for Halloween in Japantown this year.. with a new skateboarding twist! 🛹🎃

This year, San Jose Taiko is partnering with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose to add “Skate Day” to the usual festivities with extended hours, skateboarding activities, and a special skate demonstration by Judi Oyama.

Enjoy these activations during Halloween in Japantown this year:
🖼️ Judi Oyama: To Be Seen / Not Heard opens at JAMsj, admission is free only on Oct 31
🛹 Skate Day across Japantown with a special skate demo by Judi Oyama at JAMsj and skate lessons with GoGo Skateboarding
🍭 Halloween in Japantown with a performance by San Jose Taiko
🏁 Sticker rally with Japantown-themed stickers to collect from participating orgs/businesses

Stay tuned for details! For more information visit:
🔗 www.taiko.org/halloween

Judi Oyama: To Be Seen / Not Heard is made possible by The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation as JAMsj’s Rotating Exhibit Sponsor of 2026.

2026 Free Admission Days at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose are made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Applied Materials Foundation.

10/01/2026

In her first solo museum exhibition, Judi Oyama conveys what no single headline ever could.

Judi Oyama: To Be Seen / Not Heard opening October 31st, 2026, introduces the artist and athlete through her family history, the discipline forged over a lifetime of competing at the highest level, and the daily choices few ever see.

The Japanese American Museum of San Jose is open Thursday through Sunday, 12PM-4PM.

📝 Learn more about this upcoming exhibition and plan your visit at www.jamsj.org

This exhibition is made possible by The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation as JAMsj’s Rotating Exhibit Sponsor of 2026.

09/27/2026

Congratulations to JAMsj Executive Director Vanessa Hatakeyama, who was honored at Golden State Valkyries Japanese Heritage Night as a Power Forward Honoree! 🏀

The JAMsj team is so proud to celebrate Vanessa and her vision, energy, and commitment to JAMsj and the community we serve! We’re also excited to cheer on the Valkyries into the playoffs, go Valks!

Bay Area born and raised and a longtime San Jose Japantown resident, Vanessa carries a deep connection to the community and a passion for bringing people together. Through her leadership at JAMsj, she works alongside our staff, board, volunteers, artists, local businesses, and community partners to preserve and share Japanese American history, art, and culture—and to celebrate the vibrant, diverse community that continues to thrive in San Jose Japantown.

🏡Looking to visit the museum? The Japanese American Museum of San Jose is open Thursday through Sunday, 12pm to 4pm each day. Learn more about our museum and events on our website, www.jamsj.org.

09/16/2026

It's the final week to view House Meeting(s): Opening the Door for Redress in San Jose 🏠 We're just sharing some of our favorite memories from our opening reception, created together with our community members who shaped the movement for redress in San Jose.

The Japanese American Museum of San Jose is open Thursday through Sunday, from 12pm to 4pm each day.

🏡 Plan your visit at our link in bio or at www.jamsj.org

09/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for JAMsj’s first free public lecture! We were so grateful to provide space for generations of students and activists to learn and build community with one another.

This program holds special meaning for the JAMsj family and our San Jose Japantown community. Many of our community members were among the activists who fought for relevant, community-informed education—being part of the movement for Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies programs at universities across the country. At SJSU, while the minor program was established in 1970, the university’s Asian American Studies major was officially established in 2024.

We're especially grateful to Dr. Hien Do for sharing your knowledge and helping us facilitate a space for community connection through shared history!

Want to be among the first to hear about our next public lecture? Sign up for the JAMsj newsletter today at www.jamsj.org/e-news

09/14/2026

This week is your last chance to experience House Meeting(s): Opening the Door for Redress in San Jose, closing September 20, 2026 🏡

Through stories from the San Jose community, the exhibit explores the house meetings, relationships, and behind-the-scenes efforts that helped build the Japanese American redress movement. House Meeting(s) invites visitors to take a closer look at how trust, connection, and collective action helped shape a movement for justice and recognition of unjust incarceration.

🚪 Don’t miss it before it closes! Visit the Japanese American Museum of San Jose open Thursday–Sunday, 12–4 PM. Learn more about the exhibit and our museum on our website, www.jamsj.org

09/09/2026

We’re opening our doors September 10th (tomorrow!) for a Free Admission Day at JAMsj! 🚪

Step into San Jose Japantown’s not-so-distant past and rediscover the history of the Redress Movement at our latest exhibit, House Meeting(s): Opening the Door for Redress in San Jose, closing on September 20th, 2026.

The Japanese American Museum of San Jose is open Thursday through Sunday, from 12pm to 4pm each day.

🏡 Learn more about visiting the museum from our website at www.jamsj.org

2026 Free Admission Days at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose are made possible by a generous grant from the Applied Materials Foundation.

09/08/2026

We’ve got cards for all occasions 💌 Find them on Saturday, September 12th from 9:30AM - 4PM at the Midori-Kai Arts & Crafts Boutique!

Shop special iris-fold cards, made by the JAMsj Card Makers. The card makers are a volunteer group that meets at the museum on Fridays. Using special washi paper made in Japan, the signature cards are made by using a technique called “iris folding.” Iris folding is done by arranging and layering strips of paper in a spiral pattern.

⭐ Midori-Kai Arts & Crafts Boutique
🗓️ Saturday, September 12 | 9:30AM - 4PM
📍 Lakeside Office Plaza | Parking Lot 1279 – 1299 Oakmead Parkway, Sunnyvale, CA 94085
🔗: https://midorikai.com/annual-boutique/

See you there!

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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