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Nima-kai

@RIKINOSUKE1873

I am a member of Nikkei Australia. My great-great grandfather - Sakuragawa Rikinosuke - was the first Japanese immigrant to settle in Australia, after arriving in 1873 as a circus performer. He arrived with his seven year old adopted son, Togawa Iwakitchi, who is my bloodline. I am interested primarily in researching the Japanese origins of these ancestors.

Queensland, Australia Nima since 2022 last login 1 month ago
@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 1 month ago
@TTPM

Tuney-Tosheia McDaniels is studying the effects of precipitation through the lens of Jungian Psychology. Precipitation can impact psychological well-being throughout the world, which is also often depicted in animation.

Japan Nima since 2020 last login 1 month ago
@kabahead

California, United States of America Nima since 2019 last login 2 months 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 2 months ago
@Helen_Yoshida

I am an oral historian, creative writer, and the Communications Writer at JANM. I earned my MA in History from California State University, Fullerton.

California, United States of America Nima since 2023 last login 2 months ago
@karenkawa7

Karen Kawaguchi is a writer based in New York City. She was born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and a Nisei father from Seattle. Her dad served in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Service while his family was incarcerated at Minidoka. Karen and her family moved to the U.S. in the late 1950’s, living mostly in the Chicago area. In 1967, they moved to Okinawa where she went to Kubasaki High School. After attending Wesleyan University (CT), she lived in Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Seattle. She recently retired as an editor in educational publishing, having worked for Heinemann, Pearson, and other leading publishers. Karen began contributing articles to the Discover Nikkei website earlier this year, including pieces for Inspire Forward: Nikkei Heroes Under 30 and an article about the importance of preserving and sharing family history. She volunteers for Literacy Partners (adult ESL) and enjoys going to Japan Society, art museums, and botanical gardens. She feels fortunate to be able to draw deeply from the three cultures in her life: Japanese, American, and Japanese-American.

New York, United States of America Nima since 2022 last login 3 months ago
@Konrad

Konrad Aderer is a documentary filmmaker and freelance producer based in New York City. Much of Konrad’s independent work (lifeorliberty.org) has focused on communities targeted by immigration enforcement, including most recently Enemy Alien (2011) a feature documentary on the fight to free a post-9/11 detainee, a struggle which compels Konrad to confront his own family history of World War II internment. Konrad’s work has been supported by the Center for Asian American Media, New York State Council of the Arts, the Fledgling Fund, and other grantmakers. He holds a B.F.A. in Drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, received his first video production training at Third World Newsreel and the rest on the job, and is set to complete his Masters degree in Sociology at Brooklyn College in 2011.

New York, United States of America Nima since 2011 last login 3 months ago
@jonathan

California, United States of America Nima since 2019 last login 3 months ago
@nmatsumoto

I am a Toronto and New York City-based freelance writer who covers food, agriculture and the environment for publications including The Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Civil Eats. Nancy is the co-author of The Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders: Supporting Self-Esteem, Healthy Eating & Positive Body Image at Home. She is a 2018 Stone Barns Exchange Fellow and a certified advanced sake professional.

New York, United States of America Nima since 2009 last login 4 months ago
@aldenmhayashi

Alden M. Hayashi is a Sansei who was born and raised in Honolulu but now lives in Boston. After writing about science, technology, and business for more than thirty years, he has recently begun writing fiction to preserve stories of the Nikkei experience. His first novel, Two Nails, One Love, was published in September 2021. His website: www.aldenmhayashi.com.

United States of America Nima since 2021 last login 4 months ago
@Matsugen

I have established NAC-J, a non profit organization, and are engaged in communicating the history of Japanese Americans. As part of that, I made a movie "Go for Broke! Memorie of Hawaii Japanese Niseis". This movie was premiered at the 2012 Maui Film Festival. And, produced the movie "Okagesama de ~Hawaii Nikkei Women's Trajectory". This movie has been officially selected for the 2021 Hawaii International Film Festival. The revenue of the activity will be used to support Kansha Preschool run by Nisei Veterans Memorial Center of Maui. This Kansha Preschool is a preschool that conveys pride and value as a Nikkei and gratitude to Nisei.

Japan Nima since 2012 last login 4 months ago
@nakamuraliana

Brazil Nima since 2023 last login 4 months ago
@askilbred

Alison is an artist, musician, and designer originally from the LA area who is passionate about forging connections across divides. She is grateful to be a part of the Discover Nikkei and greater JANM communities.

California, United States of America Nima since 2022 last login 5 months ago
@jcccwa

We are an organization that is committed to preserving, promoting and sharing Japanese and Japanese American culture and heritage. Mission To build and grow a central gathering place for sharing and promoting Japanese and Japanese American culture and heritage. Description To learn more about our programs and activities please visit our website at http://www.jcccw.org/ Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Mixi!

Seattle, Washington, United States of America Nima since 2012 last login 5 months ago
@CrystalCityPilgrimage

Register now for the 2023 Crystal City Pilgrimage, taking place October 26-29 in San Antonio and Crystal City, Texas. REGISTRATION CLOSES ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2023. For more information, please visit us at https://www.crystalcitypilgrimage.org/ Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/CrystalCityPilgrimageCo

California, United States of America Nima since 2023 last login 6 months ago
@mtsukayama

Peruvian sansei with Okinawan background. Now she works as a freelance translator (English/Spanish), freelance writer and designer for Chimujusan (“courageous” in uchinaaguchi), a brand developed together with her boyfriend. She writes for her blog Jiritsu.

Peru Nima since 2013 last login 6 months ago
@kyrakaratsu

Kyra Karatsu is a Japanese-German Yonsei who grew up about an hour from Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo -- a site that she frequently visited with her Nisei (and longtime JANM volunteer) grandmother, Mary. Kyra is a third-year college student and is majoring in Communication. In addition to school and work, she enjoys writing for Discover Nikkei and the Rafu Shimpo.

California, United States of America Nima since 2021 last login 7 months ago
@GVJCI

-Mission- The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute serves the needs of the Japanese American community of the South Bay Area through educational, cultural and social programs by: Providing programs and activities, sensitive and relevant, to the needs of our senior citizens and youth; Offering use of facilities and support to community organizations which foster the best interests and welfare of the community and Striving to create an environment for better inter-generational understanding, for perpetuating the ethnic heritage of Americans of Japanese ancestry, and for promoting cultural pride and respect for all humanity. -Company Overview- The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community center providing various classes, programs, services, and facilities to the South Bay area. We also provide affordable housing through the JCI Gardens Apartments, the adjacent senior housing property. The GVJCI's roots date back to 1912, with the establishment of the Moneta Gakuen, a Japanese language school. In 1967, it was formally incorporated as the Gardena Valley Japanese Language School. Then, in 1968, the corporation changed its name to the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute to incorporate the broader services and functions the organization offered. In 1971, Compton Gakuen, Gardena Gakuen, and Moneta Gakuen merged, opening its doors officially as the GVJCI's Japanese Language School.

Gardena, California, United States of America Nima since 2010 last login 7 months ago
@Ejoishi

Florida, United States of America Nima since 2024 last login 7 months ago
@silvialumy

Silvia is a Brazilian Nikkei who has been a Nima-kai member since 2009. She started sharing her experiences as an exchange student in Japan on Discover Nikkei in May 2009.

São Paulo, Brazil Nima since 2009 last login 8 months ago
@juncurabongolan

Jun Cura-Bongolan is a Filipino yonsei born and raised in Toronto, Canada. His late grandmother was a war-displaced Japanese Filipina that had been separated from her prewar Issei father following the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War II. His family's tragic history encouraged him to pursue Anthropology with a Certificate in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies at York University, and continues to influence his work in community organizing around social justice issues. Currently, he is the founder and President of the Filipino-Japanese Descendants Association in Canada.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Nima since 2018 last login 8 months ago
@kirk_hora

I am a 4th Generation Nikkeijin. Interested and want to know my Japanese family history.

Philippines Nima since 2024 last login 9 months ago
@rkn3c

Virginia, United States of America Nima since 2024 last login 9 months ago
Nima of the Month Learn about some of our favorite Nima and what they like about Discover Nikkei.

Chiana Fujiwara is a junior at University of California, Irvine, where she studies psychology. Born and raised in Southern California, she is a fifth-generation Japanese American and Mexican American, and a second-generation Chinese American. Chiana enjoys solo traveling, studying in cafes, and learning about history. She also translates ancient Chinese poetry, which you can read on her website. Chiana hopes to become a clinical psychologist.

Chiana has been a Discover Nikkei volunteer writer since fall 2022, where she writes about present-day Nikkei culture in the United States. Stay tuned for more of her insightful stories in the coming months!

What do you like most about Discover Nikkei?

Throughout my time with Discover Nikkei, I have been able to dip my toes into the wide breadth of knowledge and cultural understanding that comes with interviewing many incredible artists and their works and stories from the overseas Japanese community! It has been a great privilege to learn more about those with similar backgrounds and how they each choose to uniquely embrace their identities, as well as more about the local culture and history of Japanese Americans and other overseas Japanese. I grew up with my attention mainly turned to mainstream media, which was not usually Japanese, so being able to discover and share with others the talented individuals who make media catered to spreading Japanese American culture or just generally can be there to serve as role models in the Japanese American and Asian American community is a very lovely feeling!

How do you connect to your Nikkei identity?

Aside from connecting to my Nikkei identity through speaking with my family about their experiences being Japanese American, I also have recently begun to explore Japanese food a lot more! I personally believe that food is the key to culture, and it has been dozens of fun getting to try out Japanese places with friends and try a bunch of different foods I’ve never had before. I’ve also joined the Japanese Student Association at my school, so from there I’ve met some really wonderful people who are very much more well-versed in Japanese culture than I am and are willing to help me navigate that part of my identity (especially through food).

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

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