Discover Nikkei
@discovernikkei.bsky.social
A global community sharing the experiences of Nikkei around the world. Publishing daily stories by and about people of Japanese descent who have migrated and settled worldwide. English, 日本語, Español, Português. A project of @jamuseum.bsky.social
Pinned
“Try three times harder”—this is Gerald Isobe’s personal motto. A Sansei from Hawai‘i who has been deaf from birth, he values Discover Nikkei as a way to connect with the international community and share his own story. He invites you to support Discover Nikkei on Giving Tuesday:
5dn.org/20for20
5dn.org/20for20
Two years after Ava Sakura exploring her Japanese Canadian heritage, she reflects on what it taught her, the people who helped her, and where it will take her next.
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#JapaneseCanadian
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#JapaneseCanadian
Part 5—Looking Forward
Read Part 4 The second semester of my third year (semester six of eight) was busy from the beginning. It was a whirlwind of a few months; my Map the System project didn’t make it to nationals, but received a storytelling award at the institutional level and apparently moved the judges to tears. The cover …
discovernikkei.org
December 8, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Two years after Ava Sakura exploring her Japanese Canadian heritage, she reflects on what it taught her, the people who helped her, and where it will take her next.
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#JapaneseCanadian
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#JapaneseCanadian
Sergio Hernández Galindo parallels the racial prejudice and injustices to Japanese immigrants across the Americas after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the policies of hatred, racism, and persecution faced by immigrants today.
The outbreak of the Pacific War and the persecution of Japanese immigrants in America
The Japanese attack on the Pearl Harbor naval base on December 7, 1941, not only triggered the war between Japan and the United States, but also intensified a campaign of hatred and persecution against the numerous Japanese immigrants and their descendants throughout the Americas. These immigrants had been living in the United States, Canada, and …
discovernikkei.org
December 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Sergio Hernández Galindo parallels the racial prejudice and injustices to Japanese immigrants across the Americas after the attack on Pearl Harbor and the policies of hatred, racism, and persecution faced by immigrants today.
This week's "My Name is Neal" is..."Already on the naughty list..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon #holidays #cat
#comic #cartoon #holidays #cat
Journal Entry #The Last 4 of 2025: "Holiday Humor..."
A weekly visual journal/cartoon about an easily-annoyed fourth generation American of Japanese descent. This week, “Already on the naughty list...” Check back every weekend for subsequent entries. Click to enlarge
discovernikkei.org
December 6, 2025 at 5:50 PM
This week's "My Name is Neal" is..."Already on the naughty list..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon #holidays #cat
#comic #cartoon #holidays #cat
When thinking of Florida, Japanese Americans aren't the first (or maybe even tenth) thing that comes to mind, but the state has a rich Nikkei history to be discovered. Learn about Florida's Nikkei legacy and how it connects back to Miyazu City in Japan.
discovernikkei.org/e... #yamatocolony
discovernikkei.org/e... #yamatocolony
Part 63: Exchange on the Roots of Florida Immigrants – Morikami Museum and Kyoto/Miyazu City
Visiting the grave of Morikami Suketsugu In Florida, in the southern United States, there is a vast facility called the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens that showcases Japanese culture. The reason this facility was built in Florida, where there isn't much of a Japanese presence, unlike on the West Coast, is because of the history …
discovernikkei.org
December 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM
When thinking of Florida, Japanese Americans aren't the first (or maybe even tenth) thing that comes to mind, but the state has a rich Nikkei history to be discovered. Learn about Florida's Nikkei legacy and how it connects back to Miyazu City in Japan.
discovernikkei.org/e... #yamatocolony
discovernikkei.org/e... #yamatocolony
📣 Poetry lovers! Join us Tues, Dec 9 at 6:30pm PST / 9:30pm EST for Nikkei Uncovered V, a virtual poetry reading hosted by traci kato-kiriyama featuring @aaroncaycedokimura.bsky.social, Erica Isomura, and Syd Westley!
✨ FREE! RSVP required to receive the Zoom link
www.janm.org/events/...
✨ FREE! RSVP required to receive the Zoom link
www.janm.org/events/...
December 4, 2025 at 7:39 PM
📣 Poetry lovers! Join us Tues, Dec 9 at 6:30pm PST / 9:30pm EST for Nikkei Uncovered V, a virtual poetry reading hosted by traci kato-kiriyama featuring @aaroncaycedokimura.bsky.social, Erica Isomura, and Syd Westley!
✨ FREE! RSVP required to receive the Zoom link
www.janm.org/events/...
✨ FREE! RSVP required to receive the Zoom link
www.janm.org/events/...
The history of DEI has existed much longer than the introduction of the term, and Thomas Nishi's stories of food, culture, and a willingness to push for diversity are proof.
My DEI Story
I worked at a large public university as the coordinator for Asian American student affairs. This was in the era when affirmative action was being renamed diversity, and before DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) became the general term to describe assistance to cultural and ethnic minorities. In my role, I attempted to bring positive attention …
discovernikkei.org
December 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The history of DEI has existed much longer than the introduction of the term, and Thomas Nishi's stories of food, culture, and a willingness to push for diversity are proof.
Seiguma Kitsutani's legacy spans two countries and more than a century. With the help of some long-lost family, one of his descendants finally pieces the full story together.
The Invisible Bond — The Legacy of Seiguma Kitsutani
Family memories unite souls beyond time. Between the late 1980s and early 1990s, when we were living as dekasegi in Odawara, we were fortunate enough to meet three of the children of Seiguma Kitsutani, my great-uncle. Among them, Aunt Michiko was particularly fond of my father. Whenever she could, she would invite us for meals …
discovernikkei.org
December 3, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Seiguma Kitsutani's legacy spans two countries and more than a century. With the help of some long-lost family, one of his descendants finally pieces the full story together.
“Try three times harder”—this is Gerald Isobe’s personal motto. A Sansei from Hawai‘i who has been deaf from birth, he values Discover Nikkei as a way to connect with the international community and share his own story. He invites you to support Discover Nikkei on Giving Tuesday:
5dn.org/20for20
5dn.org/20for20
December 3, 2025 at 1:47 AM
“Try three times harder”—this is Gerald Isobe’s personal motto. A Sansei from Hawai‘i who has been deaf from birth, he values Discover Nikkei as a way to connect with the international community and share his own story. He invites you to support Discover Nikkei on Giving Tuesday:
5dn.org/20for20
5dn.org/20for20
Oliver Wang highlights the Turtles, a Japanese American car club formed in 1949 in the Los Angeles area. He shares artifacts and stories from club members, in the new installment of "Cruising J-Town: Detours."
discovernikkei.org/e...
@jamuseum.bsky.social
discovernikkei.org/e...
@jamuseum.bsky.social
Racing Along with the Turtles: Nikkei Hot Rod Culture of the WWII-era
April 1949 Rafu Shimpo article about the formation of the Turtles Racing Club. In the spring of 1949, a group of Japanese American men from Los Angeles, all in their 20s, met to discuss forming a new car club: The Turtles. Their name was presumably a tongue-in-cheek joke about how slow their cars were, and …
discovernikkei.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Oliver Wang highlights the Turtles, a Japanese American car club formed in 1949 in the Los Angeles area. He shares artifacts and stories from club members, in the new installment of "Cruising J-Town: Detours."
discovernikkei.org/e...
@jamuseum.bsky.social
discovernikkei.org/e...
@jamuseum.bsky.social
Between being a respected historian, avid activist, and well-known safe space for queer and Asian students at SFSU, Dr. Amy Sueyoshi is more than a scholar—she's a community pillar.
Dr. Amy Sueyoshi: Creating Space through Community—Part 2
Read Part 1 Painful Rejection: Coming Out and Finding Community On a personal level, Sueyoshi faced painful rejection from her friends and family when she came out. “Every time I had to come out to a new colleague, another classmate, sometimes I would get sort of a weird reaction, like a cold kind of shock …
discovernikkei.org
December 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Between being a respected historian, avid activist, and well-known safe space for queer and Asian students at SFSU, Dr. Amy Sueyoshi is more than a scholar—she's a community pillar.
Author, academic, and Nikkei Dr. Amy Sueyoshi's seemingly infinite historical knowledge wasn't inherent. Find out how her family, community, and lived experiences shaped the scholar and activist she is today.
Dr. Amy Sueyoshi: Creating Space through Community—Part 1
“Every Cherry Blossom Festival, we would go to San Francisco and help fold wontons,” Dr. Amy Sueyoshi nostalgically recalls when describing helping her mother as a child at her brothers’ Boy Scouts Troop 12 booth. In the carefully folded dough of fried wontons, Sueyoshi found a deep sense of community that she would continue to …
discovernikkei.org
November 30, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Author, academic, and Nikkei Dr. Amy Sueyoshi's seemingly infinite historical knowledge wasn't inherent. Find out how her family, community, and lived experiences shaped the scholar and activist she is today.
This week's "My Name is Neal" is..."The Three WORST Days to Create a Cartoon..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
#comic #cartoon
Journal Entry #72 Bad Hours: "Creative Blocks..."
A weekly visual journal/cartoon about an easily-annoyed fourth generation American of Japanese descent. This week, “The Three WORST Days to Create a Cartoon...” Check back every weekend for subsequent entries. Click to enlarge
discovernikkei.org
November 29, 2025 at 5:36 PM
This week's "My Name is Neal" is..."The Three WORST Days to Create a Cartoon..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
#comic #cartoon
“My whole life I’ve always wanted to fit in, an outsider looking in. So when I see community, I go ‘I wanna be a part of it.’”
🎥 The 19th episode of Nima Voices features actors Christopher Sean and Tamlyn Tomita! Watch it on Discover Nikkei's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9AY...
🎥 The 19th episode of Nima Voices features actors Christopher Sean and Tamlyn Tomita! Watch it on Discover Nikkei's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9AY...
November 28, 2025 at 9:37 PM
“My whole life I’ve always wanted to fit in, an outsider looking in. So when I see community, I go ‘I wanna be a part of it.’”
🎥 The 19th episode of Nima Voices features actors Christopher Sean and Tamlyn Tomita! Watch it on Discover Nikkei's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9AY...
🎥 The 19th episode of Nima Voices features actors Christopher Sean and Tamlyn Tomita! Watch it on Discover Nikkei's YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9AY...
The stress of being a ranch manager would finally get to Shimizu Hisashi and his brother Mineo when, in the 1930s, they fall victim to tuberculosis.
Episode 6: The Story of Shimizu (Part 6) – Falling Ill
When we think of a boyadero, we imagine a tough, strong man, but Shimizu Hisashi was tall but thin and delicate. His job as a cattle broker and ranch manager was hard work, with no days off, rain or shine, and he was also stressed by dealing with rough men. This lifestyle gradually took a …
discovernikkei.org
November 28, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The stress of being a ranch manager would finally get to Shimizu Hisashi and his brother Mineo when, in the 1930s, they fall victim to tuberculosis.
This month’s “Nikkei Uncovered” poetry column, curated by traci kato-kiriyama, features poets featured in this year’s annual virtual poetry reading event, on Tuesday, December 9, 6:30-8 p.m. (PST), Aaron Caycedo-Kimura, Erica Isomura, and Syd Westley.
Feasting
As a (pre)Holiday season treat, we are grateful to share a piece from each of the poets who will be featured in our annual Nikkei Uncovered poetry event, happening on Tuesday, December 9, 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. (PST), in the virtual space through the Japanese American National Museum. We have a small feast here of text …
discovernikkei.org
November 27, 2025 at 9:56 PM
This month’s “Nikkei Uncovered” poetry column, curated by traci kato-kiriyama, features poets featured in this year’s annual virtual poetry reading event, on Tuesday, December 9, 6:30-8 p.m. (PST), Aaron Caycedo-Kimura, Erica Isomura, and Syd Westley.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lee Tonouchi uncovers Shari Tamashiro's surprising history with Okinawan food and how she became a renown Okinawan foodie in the latest instalment of Much Mahalos.
discovernikkei.org/e...
#foodie #okinawan #hawaii
Lee Tonouchi uncovers Shari Tamashiro's surprising history with Okinawan food and how she became a renown Okinawan foodie in the latest instalment of Much Mahalos.
discovernikkei.org/e...
#foodie #okinawan #hawaii
Da Hawai‘i Okinawan Community Spirit: Okinawan Foodie Shari Tamashiro and da Value of Yuimāru
Back in her hanabattah days [childhood] growing up in Mililani, Hawai‘i, Shari Tamashiro, 53, nevah really ate Okinawan food even though she half Okinawan. She says it’s cuz her mom stay Japanese das why and her mom did all da cooking at home. Da one Okinawan food Shari remembahs sampling during her youth wuz da …
discovernikkei.org
November 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lee Tonouchi uncovers Shari Tamashiro's surprising history with Okinawan food and how she became a renown Okinawan foodie in the latest instalment of Much Mahalos.
discovernikkei.org/e...
#foodie #okinawan #hawaii
Lee Tonouchi uncovers Shari Tamashiro's surprising history with Okinawan food and how she became a renown Okinawan foodie in the latest instalment of Much Mahalos.
discovernikkei.org/e...
#foodie #okinawan #hawaii
Seattle Nikkei Xavier Nishikawa's experience at Mexico's Vibra Joven camp was more than an adventure abroad. He returned home with new friends, new knowledge, and a new perspective on being Nikkei.
Discovering My Global Nikkei Identity in Mexico
Going to Mexico for the first time was something that both frightened and excited me. As a Japanese American from the Seattle area, I had grown up with limited connections to my Nikkei community, and representing the United States and the Nikkei Youth Association (NYA) at Vibra Joven (a Japanese youth camp hosted in Mexico) …
discovernikkei.org
November 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Seattle Nikkei Xavier Nishikawa's experience at Mexico's Vibra Joven camp was more than an adventure abroad. He returned home with new friends, new knowledge, and a new perspective on being Nikkei.
Tania Neira Uejo's path has always led back to children's books, as a mother, writer, and editor—and all of these things have brought her back to being Nikkei in Latin America.
The editor who reinvented herself as a children's author
In the publishing world, the role of the editor is often more demanding and less valued than that of the author. Therefore, when Tania Neira Uejo decided to study Peruvian and Latin American Literature at the National University of San Marcos, her career could have taken the fast track of becoming a writer or the …
discovernikkei.org
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Tania Neira Uejo's path has always led back to children's books, as a mother, writer, and editor—and all of these things have brought her back to being Nikkei in Latin America.
As the protagonist of Alden Hayashi's short story reflects on the immense cultural differences between himself and his mother, an unexpected gift sheds light on the situation.
The Maneki-Neko—Part 3
Read Part 2 That night as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling while Keith was fast asleep, his light snoring mixing with the muffled sound of our neighbor’s TV, I began thinking about my mother and her views on homosexuality. She was raised by Japanese immigrants and, before the opening of Japan to the …
discovernikkei.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
As the protagonist of Alden Hayashi's short story reflects on the immense cultural differences between himself and his mother, an unexpected gift sheds light on the situation.
In this week's "Shin Issei Journey" by Arisa Nakamura, Yoko & Ken switch places as Ken struggles with Japanese lessons.
discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
Episode 10: Nihongo
A semi-monthly comic that explores the experiences of contemporary Japanese immigrants in the U.S. This week, “Nihongo” Check back twice a month for subsequent entries. Click to enlarge
discovernikkei.org
November 23, 2025 at 9:23 PM
In this week's "Shin Issei Journey" by Arisa Nakamura, Yoko & Ken switch places as Ken struggles with Japanese lessons.
discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
John Kitsuse's name might bring up his sociological research, but he was more than an academic. A father, social butterfly, and respected chef, Kitsuse's life was much more than academia.
Remembering John Kitsuse: Sociologist, Colleague, and Chef—Part 2
Read Part 1 Chicago Tribune, November 4, 1958. The success of The Managed Casualty helped to launch Kitsuse’s career. It also led to a lifelong friendship with Leonard Broom, who remained in touch with Kitsuse throughout his life. In 1957, Kitsuse left Los Angeles and accepted the position of assistant professor of sociology at Northwestern University …
discovernikkei.org
November 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM
John Kitsuse's name might bring up his sociological research, but he was more than an academic. A father, social butterfly, and respected chef, Kitsuse's life was much more than academia.
As World War II progressed, the Vashon Japanese experience military service, leaving their homes behind, and even arson.
Vashon Japanese: Struggles and Resilience in Wartime—Part 2
Read Part 1 Numerous Japanese men from Vashon enlisted in the military, including Masaharu Kunugi, Yonekichi Matsuda, Don Dairoku Matsumoto, James Toshiyuki Matsumoto, Glenn Miyoshi, Masaru Miyoshi, Masao Nakamichi, Tokio Otsuka, Eddie Owada, Sam Isamu Sakamoto, Augie Masaomi Takatsuka, and Tom Torao Yoshimura. They enlisted in military units, including the 442nd Regiment and the Military …
discovernikkei.org
November 22, 2025 at 10:45 PM
As World War II progressed, the Vashon Japanese experience military service, leaving their homes behind, and even arson.
This week's "My Name is Neal" is..."Holiday Annoyances:
Year-round irritations that feel worse during the holidays..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
Year-round irritations that feel worse during the holidays..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
Journal Entry #From 10/31 - 1/1: "Frustration Levels Up..."
A weekly visual journal/cartoon about an easily-annoyed fourth generation American of Japanese descent. This week, “Holiday Annoyances: Year-round irritations that feel worse during the holidays...” Check back every weekend for subsequent entries. Click to enlarge
discovernikkei.org
November 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM
This week's "My Name is Neal" is..."Holiday Annoyances:
Year-round irritations that feel worse during the holidays..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
Year-round irritations that feel worse during the holidays..." by Neal Yamamoto: discovernikkei.org/e...
#comic #cartoon
Even though finding Saito Shosaku's painting was like winning the lottery for Karen Spahn, his story and work is scattered and faded. Still, those that knew him—students, coworkers, family—tell heartwarming stories about him.
Rough Diamond—Part 2
Read Part 1 In her detective-like investigation, Karen Spahn recounts that, over time, she uncovered numerous pieces of information that formed a true puzzle of his life. She contacted people at the Rosario association, but didn't obtain much information. He learned that Saito had taught students at a Japanese elementary school in Escobar, and he …
discovernikkei.org
November 22, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Even though finding Saito Shosaku's painting was like winning the lottery for Karen Spahn, his story and work is scattered and faded. Still, those that knew him—students, coworkers, family—tell heartwarming stories about him.
Even though finding Saito Shosaku's painting was like winning the lottery for Karen Spahn, his story and work is scattered and faded. Still, those that knew him—students, coworkers, family—tell heartwarming stories about him. Originally published in Nikkei Voice.
The Samurai In Our Closet: Uncovering Long Hidden Family History
What if the most powerful story you ever learned was the one your family never told you? For Mandy Shintani’s entire life, there was a secret hidden in the closet of her parents’ home in a small town in Ontario. Safely wrapped up and tucked away was a 450-year-old samurai sword belonging to her father, …
discovernikkei.org
November 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Even though finding Saito Shosaku's painting was like winning the lottery for Karen Spahn, his story and work is scattered and faded. Still, those that knew him—students, coworkers, family—tell heartwarming stories about him. Originally published in Nikkei Voice.