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Nima-kai

@Masaji

*Sansei *Born in Toronto *Grandparents are from Shiga and Kumamoto kens* Families were interned in Kaslo, Bayfarm and on a Manitoba beet farm * Lived in Sendai, Japan from 1994 to 2004 * Teacher in Brampton, ON * Aikidoka * Writer for the Nikkei Voice for close to 20 years * Writer of "Canadian Nikkei series" which aims at preserving Canadian Nikkei stories. Future of the community? It depends on how successful we are in engaging our youth. The University of Victoria's (BC) Landscapes of Injustice project is a good one.... gambatte kudasai!

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Nima since 2008 last login 6 hours ago
@Highwayman

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Retired from both the U.S Air Force and local government. A Sansei whose parents were incarcerated at Heart Mountain, Wyoming (father) and Rohwer, Arkansas (mother).

California, United States of America Nima since 2021 last login 1 day ago
@yn

A Japanese who lives in Los Angeles. Project manager for the Discover Nikkei Web site at the Japanese American National Museum.

California, United States of America Nima since 2005 last login 3 days ago
@editor

Discover Nikkei’s administrator account. We share Discover Nikkei programs, events, and important site updates. If you have questions or are interested in becoming more involved, please reach out to us at Editor@DiscoverNikkei.org.

Los Angeles, California, United States of America Nima since 2005 last login 5 days ago
Vicky K. Murakami-Tsuda @vkm

I’m a Yonsei, occasional artist and writer, and full-time Digital Program Manager at the Japanese American National Museum. I was born in Los Angeles and have lived in Southern California almost my entire life. I am fluent in English, can understand about 80% of conversational Japanese, and don’t know any Spanish or Portuguese (although after having worked on Discover Nikkei for so long, would like to learn someday). I love working in Little Tokyo and living in Gardena. Both areas give me wonderful access to Japanese/Nikkei food, community, and culture. I bowl in a Nikkei league once a week, and spend my free time eating, sleeping, playing on my phone and computer, rooting for the Dodgers, watching TV and reading, spending time with family and friends, and traveling. I love working on Discover Nikkei and learning about so many different Nikkei experiences around the world!

Gardena, California, United States of America Nima since 2005 last login 1 week ago
@gjm

Texas, United States of America Nima since 2023 last login 1 week ago
@june

Volunteer for Discover Nikkei. Content creator on Twitch [twitch.tv/juniepat] & YouTube [youtube.com/c/JuniepatTV].

California, United States of America Nima since 2009 last login 1 week ago
@JANM

The largest museum in the United States dedicated to sharing the experience of Americans of Japanese ancestry as an integral part of U.S. history. Visit janm.org to learn more about our exhibitions, public programs, and projects.

Los Angeles, California, United States of America Nima since 2009 last login 1 week ago
chase from indiana @chastings

Chase Hastings currently assists with uploading and setting up articles at Discover Nikkei. He was drawn to Discover Nikkei by his interest in Japanese American history. He currently enjoys reading articles about Japanese-language media in Japanese diaspora communities. In his freetime you can find him drinking coffee, learning how to contra dance, or reading.

Bloomington, Indiana, United States of America Nima since 2023 last login 2 weeks ago
Mari [真理 まり] L'Esperance @poet

I write and currently live in the Los Angeles area with my husband. My mother was from Kamakura, my father is a New Englander of French Canadian ancestry, and I was born in Kobe and raised in SoCal, Guam, and Japan. You can read more about my writing at www.marilesperance.com. よろしくお願いします!

California, United States of America Nima since 2013 last login 1 month ago
@katsuohiguchi

KATSUO HIGUCHI, a Brazilian Nisei, was born in the city of Pompéia, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, but spent his childhood until he was 12 years old in Tupã, another city in the same state. He has lived in the capital, São Paulo, for many years, where he graduated in Law, married a Nisei, and has 3 children and 2 granddaughters. Practically his entire professional life has been focused on the area of Human Resources, where he specialized in dealing with “people”, his passion. He was an executive, director and businessman. Another passion he has always had was “writing”. Since he was young, he contributed to school and company newspapers and, sometimes, he dared to send articles to newspapers in the Japanese community of SP, which were published daily. He has been contributing to the newspaper NippoBrasil for some time now and, recently, he had the pleasure of being accepted as a Contributor to Discover Nikkei.

São Paulo, Brazil Nima since 2017 last login 1 month ago
@ckomai

Chris Komai is a freelance writer who has been involved in Little Tokyo for five decades. He was the Public Information Officer of the Japanese American National Museum for over 21 years, where he handled publicity for the organization’s special events, exhibitions and public programs. Prior to that, Komai worked for the Japanese-English newspaper The Rafu Shimpo for 18 years as a sports writer, sports editor and English editor. Komai also serves on the Little Tokyo Community Council Board, the Little Tokyo Public Safety Association Board and the Keiro Foundation Board. He has been a member of the Southern California Nisei Athletic Union Board for basketball and baseball for 40 years. Komai is one of the founders of the Nikkei Basketball Heritage Association (NBHA), which seeks to connect JA basketball history to the current players and their families. He earned a B.A. degree in English from the University of California at Riverside.

Los Angeles, California, United States of America Nima since 2005 last login 1 month ago
@garyono

Los Angeles, California, United States of America Nima since 2005 last login 1 month ago
@seiya

United States of America Nima since 2022 last login 2 months ago
Aaron Caycedo-Kimura @AaronCK

Aaron Caycedo-Kimura is a writer, visual artist, and teacher. He is the author of two poetry books: the full-length collection Common Grace (Beacon Press, 2022) and Ubasute, winner of the 2020 Slapering Hol Press Chapbook Competition. He is also the author and illustrator of the nonfiction book Text, Don’t Call: An Illustrated Guide to the Introverted Life (TarcherPerigee, 2017). His honors include a MacDowell Stanford Calderwood Fellowship, a Robert Pinsky Global Fellowship in Poetry, and a St. Botolph Club Foundation Emerging Artist Award in Literature. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous journals and anthologies, including Beloit Poetry Journal, The Cincinnati Review, Shenandoah, RHINO, Salamander, Cave Wall, Consequence, and elsewhere. Caycedo-Kimura earned his MFA from Boston University and teaches creative writing at Trinity College.

Connecticut, United States of America Nima since 2014 last login 2 months ago
StevenSano @0jiSan

Born in Berkeley, California 1955. Currently living in Vallejo. Paternal side Sano from Yamanashi, mother side Wada, from Fukuoka. All early 1900's. 

California, United States of America Nima since 2022 last login 2 months ago
@jacaranda

I was born in Tokyo. I work as a tour guide for Brazilian and Portuguese customers. I love flowers, especially the beautiful Jacaranda flowers. My dream is to go to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Of course, I'll be rooting for Samurai Japan!

Japan Nima since 2011 last login 2 months ago
@Ioko

São Paulo, Brazil Nima since 2016 last login 2 months ago
@totoro2

California, United States of America Nima since 2005 last login 2 months ago
@oaamensore

Okinawa Association of America (OAA) in Gardena, California | Preserving, promoting, and perpetuating Okinawan culture Connect with us: https://instagram.com/oaamensore https://facebook.com/oaamensore Sign up for our email list: https://tinyurl.com/oaa-email-list

Gardena, California, United States of America Nima since 2022 last login 2 months ago
@Harry_Takahide_Daijo

Born in Foz do Iguaçu, western Paraná state, Brazil, he is the second son of Harry and Ligia Daijó. Married to Adriana Rodrigues Daijó for over 20 years, no children. Graduated in Law from the Bauru Law School - Toledo Educational Institution - ITE (06/24/1995), he began his professional career with the Public Prosecutor's Office of the state of São Paulo, in the District of Bauru/SP, under the guidance of Dr. Heitor Evaristo Fabricio Costa and Dr. João Costa Gomes. Postgraduate degree in Strategic Business Management (Executive MBA) - University of São Paulo - USP (08/15/2012) and also in Forest Management - Federal University of Paraná - UFPR (05/03/2019). Bachelor's degree in History from Uninter. Author of the articles "The urgency of learning the Portuguese language for Japanese immigrants in Brazil in the 1940s", published in Caderno Intersaberes (Curitiba, v. 11, n. 33, p. 37-56, 2022) and "Passages from Takahide Daijó's life correlated with Tomoo Handa's work 'The Japanese Immigrant'", published in Caderno Intersaberes (Curitiba, v. 12, n. 40, p. 6-24, 2023) - both in partnership with Prof. Dr. André Luiz Moscaleski Cavazzani. He also wrote the article "Excerpts from the diary of Japanese immigrant Takahide Daijó related to his union with Rosa Kiguti". He also has an international certification in environmental auditing by IEMA, a participant of ORCID (Connecting Research and Researchers). In the first half of the 90s, he was the guitarist and vocalist of the rock band LEXHARE and in the second half, he was president of the Progressive Party in Foz do Iguaçu. Between 2004 and 2006, together with journalists Andye Iore and Fábio Linjardi, he wrote regularly for the "anti-news" blog Factorama. In 2015, in partnership with his brother, Hedryk Genson Daijó, he published the book: "An awakening: behind the scenes of a transplant" (Editora Eureka). A businessman, Harry has been a managing partner of the company Expoagro – Exportadora Agropecuária Ltda. for 30 years. He founded the companies Expoagro SA, Iguassu Agronegócios Ltda., Rádio Foz-Lago Comunicadora Ltda. and Arte Final Cosméticos Ltda. He also founded the Association of Young Iguaçu Broadcasting Entrepreneurs (AJEIR) and the Panorama Artistic-Cultural Association. He was a partner in the SPE Construction and Incorporation of the Omoiru Building Ltda. and in the companies Riobase Mining Ltda. and Daijó & Filhos Import and Commerce Ltda. He is a partner in the companies Sysmob Technologies Ltda., Biogranos Monitor, Itoman Asset Management Ltda., Amadeus Real Estate Development Ltda. and Figueira da Foz Real Estate Development Ltda.

Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil Nima since 2024 last login 3 months ago
@julia_murakami

Julia Murakami is a Yonsei native Angeleno, the daughter of a Kibei Sansei Hibakusha father and a Shin-Issei mother. She's the Volunteer Program Manager and a Project Manager at JANM. Her most recent project is the exhibition "Transcendients: Heroes at Borders". Prior to joining the Museum staff, Julia volunteered at JANM for 17 years in a variety of capacities.

Whittier, California, United States of America Nima since 2007 last login 3 months ago
Nima of the Month Learn about some of our favorite Nima and what they like about Discover Nikkei.

Hiro Ramos Nako is a Peruvian writer with a bachelor’s degree in Communication from the Universidad de Lima. Having attended two different Japanese school in Lima growing up, Hiro is very familiar with Lima’s Nikkei community. He hopes to continue working on his Japanese skills now that his Japanese has gotten a bit rusty.

Hiro began volunteering as a writer for Discover Nikkei in 2024, and has written several stories about the Nikkei community in Lima. Hiro enjoys covering Peru’s cultural landscape and sharing stories about the Peruvian Nikkei community. He strives to use his writing as a tool to promote diversity and fight against social injustice. Check out some of Hiro’s stories on Discover Nikkei to learn more about Nikkei in Peru.

What do you like most about Discover Nikkei?

What I like the most about Discover Nikkei is all the opportunities I am given to explore the diversity of the Nikkei community. From writing chronicles to interviewing fellow Peruvian Nikkei people, I believe all these different stories have taught me different things about myself and my community and have made me closer to it. Even though I feel like I haven’t been here for too long, I believe that Discover Nikkei has made me experience writing in a different way, which makes me feel more fulfilled. For a few articles I’ve written, I’ve reconnected with people I hadn’t reached out to in years, and I’ve also met new people whose life stories have made me see a wider scope of the history of both Japanese immigration and the Nikkei community worldwide.

How do you connect to your Nikkei identity?

Responding to this question used to be something that I struggled with. Despite being heavily connected to the community from having Nikkei friends, studying in Nikkei schools, and participating in events, I often didn’t feel as connected as others. This is something I’ve heard a few other people my age say they have experienced, since the further we get from the initial immigration generation, the more some traditions get lost. However, now I’ve realized that I connect to my identity in different ways. The shared experiences I have with others from my generation might not be similar to the ones our parents or grandparents had, but we still have a lot in common and that makes us feel connected. I also feel connected with my identity by learning more about other people’s life stories, because they often make me realize I’m not the only one with some experiences.

Meet more Nima of the Month
Are you a Nima*? Nima are members of Discover Nikkei’s global community called Nima-kai. Create an account and share your personal and community stories, events, and more related to the Nikkei experience. Connect with Nima around the world! *The term “Nima” comes from combining Nikkei and nakama (Japanese for “colleagues”, or “fellows”, or “circle”). Create an Account

Discover Nikkei Updates

SAVE THE DATE
Discover Nikkei Fest is on February 8! Join us for a community fair, workshops, a panel discussion, and much more. Sign up now for virtual or in-person tickets.
NIKKEI NAMES 2
The Editorial Committee and Nima-kai Community Favorites have been announced! Find out which stories are this year’s favorites 🏆
PROJECT UPDATES
New Site Design
See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!