Photo courtesy of Andy Frazer

On February 7, 2009, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) will honor Jimi Yamaichi, Ken Iwagaki, Gary Okihiro, and the late Eiichi Sakauye, as visionaries who never gave up in pursuing their dreams of building a museum in San Jose that told the many stories of  triumph and tribulation within the Japanese American community. In this month's JAMsj E-News, we turn the spotlight on JAMsj Director and Curator, Jimi Yamaichi.

Many people who know Jimi Yamaichi would say that he has unrelenting persistence, dogged determination, unbelievable resilience, and well-intentioned stubbornness. Those traits have served the community well as Jimi has created an indelible and dynamic vision for the Museum and for San Jose's vibrant Japantown.

Like many Nisei, Jimi encountered many obstacles and hardships during his life which formed the basis of his strength and resolve, hardening his determination to create a better community.

Jimi recalls his childhood as one that did not have the same opportunities as his non-Japanese American classmates. "I started first grade here (in San Jose) in 1927, and that's when the Boy Scouts were just getting off the ground. I always used to envy the non-Japanese kids who would come to school with their Scout uniforms, thinking 'Why can't we have Scout uniforms too?' Those little things stay with you...I never made it to be a Scout, but later in life, I was able to help the boys in leading Eagle Scout projects. That's the fulfillment that I have after not being able to be a Scout as a youngster."  Over the last twenty-five years, Jimi worked closely with the Boy Scouts and was able to help more than 60 boys in obtaining the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.

During Jimi's life, he witnessed many acts of racism and ostracism, but he never let those actions defeat him, and in some cases, his stubbornness and determination benefited others who followed in his footsteps. Read rest of article...

Event Info:


The Japanese American Museum of San Jose proudly announces a gala dinner to honor its visionaries on February 7, 2009. Click on the event website link above for more information on the event.


Pictured above: Jimi Yamaichi, Ken Iwagaki, Gary Okihiro, and Eiichi Sakauye, showing his crop of pears in 1945 in San Jose (photographer: Hikaru Iwasaki).

Flo Oy Wong
Raising the Voices
de Young Museum Satellite Exhibition
October 6 - November 26, 2008
Mohr Gallery, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View, CA
Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri: 9 am-7 pm Sat: 9 am-3 pm
More Info: Exhibition website

Flo Oy Wong is an artist and a friend of JAMsj who has worked closely with our Museum over the years. We are proud to announce that her Raising the Voices exhibition, which celebrates Flo Oy Wong's 70th year and her three decades of creating art, is drawing rave reviews from critics. The exhibition also incorporates 1942: Luggage From Home To Camp, an installation (courtesy of JAMsj) that features the suitcase as a symbol of the Japanese American internment experience.

Raising the Voices also includes a new mixed media piece, My Sister: Li Hong (MSLH), which honors Flo's 86-year-old developmentally disabled sister.  It is a work that explores the humanity of her sibling's life, a narrative of survival and compassion. Quite miraculously, during the time that Flo was making the piece, her sister spoke lucidly for the first time in years. MSLH consists of an embellished pinnable dress form with a sound component created from oral family reminiscences and Chinese opera music.