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Journal

Read about the Nikkei experience from different perspectives. The Journal includes personal essays, research papers, human interest stories, fiction, opinions, and more.

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Latest Articles

An Unsent Letter to My Nisei Grandpa–Part 3 of 3

By Lena Newlin
3 Oct 2023

A 100 del Gran Terremoto de Kanto: Un ejemplo de la solidaridad de México y América Latina

By Carlos Uscanga
2 Oct 2023

Where Dreams Come True—The Works of Debbi Michiko Florence

By Chiana Fujiwara
2 Oct 2023

Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 3

By Norm Masaji Ibuki
1 Oct 2023

My Name is Neal

Journal Entry #Over 25% Body Fat: "Super-Heavy..."

By Neal Yamamoto
30 Sep 2023

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migration

Postwar Japanese Emigration to the Dominican Republic — Part 1: A Tragic Tale

By Greg Robinson

A tragic episode in the transnational history of Nikkei in the Americas is that of the Japanese colonists who settled in the Dominican Republic in …

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identity

The Child of a Thousand Generations

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community

Tad Nakamura’s Art and Activism

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community

The Chuo Gakuen School: The Seeds of Prestige for the Japanese Community in Mexico

Series

Home Leaver: A Japanese American Search for Belonging

By Lon Kurashige
28 Apr 2023 - 29 Sep 2023

This series consists of reflective essays on Japanese American identity and search for belonging based upon the author’s recent experiences in Japan. Part confession, part historical analysis, part cultural comparison, …

Tokita Tales

By Shokichi “Shox” Tokita
10 Nov 2021 - 25 Sep 2023

This series shares personal, touching stories of Shokichi “Shox” Tokita’s family, which includes their incarceration in Minidoka concentration camp, his family struggles after the War, and his mother who ran …

History of Seattle Nikkei Immigrants from The North American Times

By Ikuo Shinmasu
18 Aug 2021 - 6 Sep 2023

This series explores the history of pre-war Seattle Nikkei immigrants by researching old articles from the online archives of The North American Times, a joint project between the Hokubei Hochi …

Inspire Forward: Nikkei Heroes Under 30

By multiple authors
24 Jan 2022 - 30 Aug 2023

This monthly series features interviews with young Nikkei who are 30 years old and younger from around the world who are helping to shape and build the future of Nikkei …

The Power of Irei

By Sharon Yamato
27 Nov 2022 - 15 Aug 2023

A series of articles related to the Irei: The National Monument for the World War II Japanese American Incarceration, a three-part installation listing the names of more than 120,000 people of Japanese …

Lincoln Der

Lincoln Der is a freelance editor and writer. He has earned his BA in Creative Writing from the University of …

Eric K. Yamamoto

Eric K. Yamamoto is an award-winning, internationally recognized Professor of law at William S. Richardson School of Law, University of …

Jennifer Benitz

Jennifer Benitz is an experienced writer covering a range of topics with a focus on health care and Army news. …

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war

An Unsent Letter to My Nisei Grandpa–Part 3 of 3

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culture

Where Dreams Come True—The Works of Debbi Michiko Florence

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identity

Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 3

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culture

Journal Entry #Over 25% Body Fat: "Super-Heavy..."

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identity

Chapter 6—Three Nuns

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community

The Life of an American Sign Language interpreter — Part 2

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community

The Life of an American Sign Language interpreter — Part 1

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war

An Unsent Letter to My Nisei Grandpa–Part 2 of 3

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community

Losing a True and Trusted Friend

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community

Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 2

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culture

Journal Entry #Around 80,000 Words: "Novel Novels..."

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An Unsent Letter to My Nisei Grandpa–Part 1 of 3

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Rediscovering Poston

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Frozen Hair, Work Stoppages, and Other Lesser-Known Stories from Heart Mountain - Part 1

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identity

Hajichi Stories — Tree Local Women Tell Why Day Got Their Okinawan Hand Tattoos

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media

Wisdom Grown Wild: A Conversation with Filmmaker Rea Tajiri — Part 2

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identity

Identity in the Music Industry with Musician & Two-Time Grammy Nominee Nick Lee

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culture

Journal Entry #Combining 26 Characters: "Cliché in Vain..."

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culture

The Heart of Naomi Hirahara’s Evergreen

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identity

For Kyra Karatsu—Writing is a Foregone Conclusion

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war

Exposing America’s “Secret Weapon” — Part 2

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politics

Layle Lane: Black Woman Educator and Defender of Japanese Americans

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culture

David Mura’s Work Continues to Push Readers to Question the World

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war

In Their Own Voices: Understanding Heart Mountain through Oral Histories

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community

The Readmission: Toyohiko Kagawa’s 1950 US Tour

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media

Wisdom Grown Wild: A Conversation with Filmmaker Rea Tajiri — Part 3

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politics

Chapter 15 (Part 2) — Nisei’s Political Involvement in the Japanese American Citizens League

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culture

Journal Entry #5 Hail Marys and Isopropyl: "Bad Juju..."

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identity

Japanese Family Protocols

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community

Chapter 5—Japan as Number One

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community

Susan Miyagi McCormac Leads JapanCulture•NYC: Sharing Her Passion for Japanese Culture and Japanese Life in New York City

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culture

Tribute to Amy Uyemastu: After — Part 3

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war

Exposing America’s “Secret Weapon” — Part 1

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war

No More Euphemisms: My Mother Was a Hostage

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culture

Tribute to Amy Uyemastu: After — Part 4

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community

Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 1

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A Dream Deferred, A Dream Fulfilled

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culture

Journal Entry #4 Body Types: "Poor, Poor Pitiful Ken..."

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politics

Chapter 15 (Part 1 ) — Nisei’s Political Involvement in the Japanese American Citizens League

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culture

Preserving Legacy and Artistry: A Behind-the-Scenes Look into the Henry Sugimoto Collection

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culture

Artist and Documentarian: The Life of Kango Takamura

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culture

Bridging the Past and Present: Preserving History Through the Tanaka Photo Studio Collection

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war

Nikkei Incarceration

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EO9066’s ‘Coerced Prison Work(ers)’

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culture

Journal Entry #6 More Noises: "Onomatopoeia Mania..."

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sports

Stephen Nelson Makes History as New Dodgers Announcer

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culture

Journal Entry #24 Hours: "Some Days are Too Long..."

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war

Frozen Hair, Work Stoppages, and Other Lesser-Known Stories from Heart Mountain - Part 2

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media

A New Take on Madama Butterfly Updates Puccini’s Opera for Modern Times

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politics

WTF — Not the What, Why, or When, It’s the How

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culture

Darcy Tamayose on Exploring Hauntings by Ghosts, Grief, and Guilt

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media

Wisdom Grown Wild: A Conversation with Filmmaker Rea Tajiri — Part 1

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identity

Rice, Race, and Growing up Hafu

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culture

Journal Entry #Lumenø: "The Stygian Box..."

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war

Coming Home: My Family’s Journey to Ireichō

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identity

To Be Nikkei