JAMsj E-News
Japanese American Museum of San Jose
August 2010
In This Issue
JAMsj Grand Opening
Camp Days Exhibition
Angel Island Trip
JAMsj Docent Training
An American Time Capsule
JAMsj/Yu-Ai Kai Book Club
Volunteer Opportunities
Calendar of Events
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JAMsj Grand Opening

 

JAMsj Grand Opening Events
October 16-17, 2010


JAMsj Grand Opening
The new Japanese American Museum of San Jose will open
 with two special events on October 16th and 17th.


The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) will celebrate the reopening of its all-new building on the weekend of October 16 and 17. "We are excited about this long-awaited 'rebirth' " exclaimed JAMsj president Aggie Idemoto.


Saturday, October 16, the grand opening ceremony will start at 1:00 pm and will feature entertainment by San Jose Taiko and a ceremonial blessing.  In addition, the ceremony will coincide with the 88th birthday celebration of JAMsj co-founder, curator, historian, and construction manager, Jimi Yamaichi. Click here for more information on the grand opening event.


Sunday, October 17, will feature a presentation and demonstration by "Camp Days" exhibit artist, Chizuko Judy Sugita de Queiroz,  See the following article for more details on the exhibition and special presentation.

Camp Days: 1942-1945 Exhibition


A Good American
Camp Days: 1942-1945

Childhood Memories of Chizuko Judy Sugita de Queiroz


Exhibition runs from October 16 to April 30



"This collection of paintings by the gifted artist, Chizuko Sugita de Queiroz, is her memoir in art of her girlhood years imprisoned in a camp called Poston in the desolation of a desert in Arizona..Chizuko's art is a powerful narrative of a shameful event in our history. It is also an evocative personal chronicle of the survival of a loving and resilient family."
-- George Takei

The Camp Days exhibition will be accompanied by two special events on
Sunday, October 17:


Slide Show Presentation: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Watercolor Demonstration: 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

There is no charge for either event. The watercolor demonstration is for students in Grades 3-12.
Since space is limited for the watercolor demonstration, registration is required for that event.
Call 408-294-3138 to register.

Click here for more information on the Camp Days exhibition and special events.

Angel Island Immigration Station Excursion

Angel Island Immigration Station Excursion

Saturday, September 18, 2010


Picture Brides



Most of the 60,000 Japanese on Angel Island
were "picture brides."









JAMsj and the San Jose Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) are co-hosting a bus tour to historic Angel Island, "The Ellis Island of the West," on Saturday, September 18, 2010. We will be visiting the newly restored 100-year old immigration station on a docent-led tour.

Angel Island is one of the most beautiful state parks in Northern California, yet it also holds a shadowy past for hundreds of thousands of Asian Americans. Although the Angel Island Immigration Station was a major port of entry for Asian immigrants, the experience of Chinese and Japanese immigrants was quite different at the station.  While both Chinese and Japanese immigrants faced strong anti-Asian sentiments and exclusionary laws, Chinese immigrants often faced longer detentions and harsher treatment than their Japanese counterparts at the Angel Island Immigration Station. Come to this event and find out why.

This will be an all-day event and it will be an excellent educational experience for all. Seating for this trip will be limited, so please plan to purchase your tickets early. Tickets will be available through Nikkei Traditions and will cost $70 for members of JAMsj and/or the San Jose Chapter of the JACL. The cost will be $85 for non-members.

Contact Carrie Kimura (JACL) at [email protected] or June Honma (JAMsj) at [email protected] for additional event information. Alternatively, you may call the JAMsj office at 408-294-3138.
JAMsj Docent Training


 JAMsj Docent Training


September 25 & 30, 2010
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Japanese American Museum of San Jose
535 N. Fifth Street
San Jose, CA 95112

JAMsj volunteers have been busy with new and returning exhibits in preparation for our grand opening. More docents and docent training are essential to the success of the expanded collection.

Introduction for Prospective Docents

Curator Jimi Yamaichi and Education Director Aggie Idemoto will provide docent training for new and experienced docents on Saturday, September 25, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm at JAMsj. The session will be repeated on Thursday, September 30, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Interested in becoming a JAMsj docent?  You can submit an online volunteer application form.  For further information or if you would like to register for docent training, contact Aggie Idemoto at (408) 268-4440 or send email to [email protected].

The Barracks Room:  An American Time Capsule

An American Time Capsule

By Will Kaku

I am not a religious person, and I do not believe in fate, but I have a very hard time providing logical explanations for some mysterious coincidences in life. I encountered one such strange coincidence recently when I attended this year's Tule Lake Pilgrimage.

 

My father, Shogo Kaku, at Heart Mountain
Shogo "Bill" Kaku at Heart Mountain
I have written several times about my relationship with my father and his difficult experience at the Tule Lake Segregation Center. I have told the story about the painful secret that he held for more than 65 years ("The Secret of Tule Lake"). And I have also reflected on the fact that with his rapidly deteriorating mental and physical state ("Living History"), many of his stories and secrets will be gone forever.



With thoughts about my father's tragic Tule Lake experience and his failing health on my mind, I was taken aback when I received my apartment room key upon arrival at the Tule Lake Pilgrimage. I stared at my assigned room number. It was "1302C" -- the same block (13), barrack (2) and room (C) assigned to my father when he was incarcerated at Tule Lake.


The chances for this coincidence are perhaps not astronomical, but it is hard to believe that it did happen considering that there were more than 18,000 people incarcerated at Tule Lake at its peak.

 Read rest of article...

JAMsj/Yu-Ai Kai Book Club
Autumn Loneliness

JAMsj/Yu-Ai Kai Book Club
October 1, 2010
1:00 pm
Yu-Ai Kai Community Senior Services Center
588 N. Fourth Street
San Jose, CA 95112

Autumn Loneliness:
The Letters of Kiyoshi & Kiyoko Tokutomi, July - December 1967


Translated by Tei Matsushita Scott and Patricia J. Machmiller

Awarded "Best Memoir of 2010" by Hardscratch Press

Autumn Loneliness


"Although I did not know the Tokutomis were such significant people in the world of haiku, I still found the story of their love, their hardships, their separation, and their challenges to be presented in a way that enchanted, captivated, and fascinated me. The book is nearly impossible to put down." -Hardscratch Press judge



This book is not available in local libraries. Copies can be purchased through the JAMsj store. Send email to [email protected] or call 408-294-3138.

The book club meets the first Friday of every other month and is always open to new members. Selections are chosen collaboratively at the end of each meeting and align with the JAMsj mission:  the celebration of Japanese American art, history, and culture.  If you have questions, please contact Aggie Idemoto at  (408) 268-4440 or [email protected]


Volunteer Opportunities


JAMsj VolunteersJAMsj Volunteers

As we get ready for our grand opening, we will need many more volunteers to help with various activities. Help is desired in many exciting areas.
 
We have immediate openings for:
  • Docents
  • Museum store staff
  • Volunteer coordinator
  • Event coordinators and event assistants
  • Online communication developers
There are many other positions that are available. Click here for more information about our exciting opportunities.

Become a part of the JAMsj family by becoming a volunteer! Send email to [email protected], fill out an online volunteer form, or call our office at (408) 294-3138.


Calendar of Events
September 11, 2010: Midori Kai Boutique
September 18, 2010 : Aki Matusuri
September 18, 2010: Angel Island Immigration Station Tour
September 25, 2010: JAMsj Docent Training
September 26, 2010: Valor With Honor Film Screening
September 30, 2010: JAMsj Docent Training
October 1, 2010: JAMsj Book Club
October 2, 2010: Spirit of Japantown Festival
October 16, 2010: JAMsj Grand Opening Ceremony
October 17, 2010: JAMsj Camp Days Presentation and Demonstration
October 23, 2010: Issei Memorial Building Centennial Celebration
November 13, 2010: JAMsj Winter Boutique

JAMsj Logo

Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj)
535 N. Fifth Street
San Jose, CA 95112
Tel: (408) 294-3138
Email: [email protected]
www.jamsj.org