Discover Nikkei Fest: Celebrating 20 Years of Our Global Community
Community Event

In Person
/
Virtual
Date:
Feb. 8, 2025
Time:
noon – 7:30 p.m.

Celebrate the twentieth anniversary of Discover Nikkei with a day-long festival of activities honoring Nikkei family stories. Discover Nikkei is JANM’s international, community-based project that highlights Nikkei identity, culture, and history. Discover Nikkei Fest kicks off a year-long celebration of the website’s milestone anniversary with a Community Fair, Family Stories Workshops, International Nikkei Family Stories Panel Discussion (in-person and virtual), and Reception.
TICKETS
Available starting December 28, 2024; JANM Members presale tickets available now.
Community Fair only (FREE, but you must check in for participation in the drawing and stamp rally) | TICKETS |
Community Fair, Workshops, Panel Discussion, Reception (Adult: $15, Student/Youth: $5, JANM Members: FREE): | ALL ACCESS PASS |
Virtual Panel Discussion (FREE, but advance registration required by Friday, February 7, 10 a.m. PST to receive the Zoom link.) | REGISTER |
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
COMMUNITY FAIR (12 p.m.-3 p.m.)
- Meet Nikkei organizations from around Southern California
- Decorate a journal to write and draw in with this family-friendly activity! Make it your own by decorating it and then use it to collect thoughts, stories, poems, memories, and ideas. If you’re attending some of the workshops today, be sure to bring it along. You never know when inspiration will strike!
- Pick up tickets for an opportunity drawing (JANM members receive two tickets per member!)
- Participate in a rubber stamp rally
The fair is free but registration and check-in at the event is required to receive tickets for the opportunity drawing and participate in the stamp rally.
FAMILY STORIES WORKSHOPS (12 p.m.–2:45 p.m.)
Preserving Family Artifacts workshop 12 p.m.-12:45 p.m. | Learn how to care for your treasured family heirlooms and digitize precious photos and documents in this workshop led by JANM's Director of Collections Management & Access and Curator, Kristen Hayashi. |
Intergenerational Delight—a family stories poetry workshop 12 p.m.-12:45 p.m. | Explore your family stories, generational struggles, joys, and everything in between in this dynamic workshop led by Navigating With(out) Instruments author, traci kato-kiriyama. |
Nikkei Genealogy 101 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. | Begin your family history journey in this workshop led by Melinda Yamane Crawford and Linda Harms Okazaki of the Nikkei Genealogical Society. They will teach you how to research your family trees and dig into your Japanese roots and heritage. |
Senior Memory Collection 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. | Capture and preserve the memories of a special grandparent, parent, or any senior citizen in this workshop led by Let’s Talk Story Club. Multigenerational families and groups are invited to reflect on the life journey of seniors, record their stories in a personal memory book, and take home the book as a treasured keepsake. |
Video Life History Interviews 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. | Learn how to conduct an effective life history interview with JANM’s Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center. You’ll learn how to conduct background research, formulate questions, select your equipment, and conduct, transcribe, store, and share your interview. |
Family Stories Journaling 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m. | Discover how to write for pleasure and celebrate the experimentation and surprise found in journaling in this workshop led by writer and editor, Mia Nakaji Monnier. You’ll be guided through a series of prompts on documenting family stories with a family photo and a text message from a loved one. Short readings from a range of authors will show you the possibilities of journaling and personal writing. You’ll explore how to add some fun to the process with sketching, ephemera, found quotes, and colored pens. You will also learn the difference between journaling and memoir and have a chance to share your work or talk about how the writing process felt in a supportive environment. |
SHARING INTERNATIONAL NIKKEI FAMILY STORIES (3:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.)
Join a conversation about Nikkei family stories moderated by Naomi Hirahara and featuring Mitch Homma (USA), Andrew Hasegawa (Australia), Harumi López Higa (Peru), Gus Hokama (Argentina), and Jorge Okubaro (Brazil). Simultaneous translations for this in-person and virtual event will be provided in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Can’t join us in person? Watch the panel discussion virtually! Advance registration required by Friday, February 7, 10 a.m. (PST) to receive the free Zoom link.
REGISTER NOW
February 8 • 1:30 p.m. (Honolulu) • 3:30 p.m. (Los Angeles / Seattle / Vancouver) • 5:30 p.m. (Dallas / Mexico City / Chicago) • 6:30 p.m. (Lima / New York / Toronto) • 8:30 p.m. (São Paulo / Buenos Aires) • 11:30 p.m. (London) | February 9 • 12:30 a.m. (Amsterdam) • 7:30 a.m. (Manila) • 8:30 a.m. (Tokyo) • 10:30 a.m. (Sydney) |
RECEPTION (5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.)
Enjoy special musical performances by Gus Hokama, Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Los Angeles Branch, and John Azama; Nikkei-inspired food and drinks; a photo booth; and a silent auction that will give you opportunities to connect and reflect after the day’s festivities.
SPONSORS



With generous support from Akira and Hisako Nerio Imamura and family.
Media Sponsor: 
In-kind donations are generously provided by:

Artwork by Jay Horinouchi.