JAMsj E-News
Japanese American Museum of San Jose
April 2011
In This Issue
Children's Day Celebration
JAMsj Docent Training
Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese
Snow Falling On Cedars
Volunteer Opportunities
JAMsj Calendar
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Quick Links
JAMsj Blog (NEW)
JAMsj Youth Page


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JAMsj Store

Need to find a unique gift? Visit the new museum store.

JAMsj Hinamatsuri Event
Children enjoyed creating arts and crafts during the JAMsj Girl's Day celebration in March


Children's Day at JAMsj

 

Kodomono No Hi:  

JAMsj Celebrates the Beauty of Childhood 

 

 By Sarah Gabot 


Children's Day



May 1, 2011

Japanese American Museum of San Jose

535 N. Fifth Street

San Jose, CA 95112  


Brightly dyed carp streamers will soon be fluttering above houses in Japan and many Japanese American homes.

 

Kodomo No Hi, otherwise known as Children's Day, is a nationally observed holiday in Japan, traditionally celebrated on May 5.

 

JAMsj will be celebrating Kodomo No Hi on Sunday, May 1, with kabuto (samurai helmets), koinobori (carp streamers), and origami making in the museum parking lot for the annual Nikkei Matsuri Festival.

 

May 5 was previously recognized as Boy's Day in honor of male children but was changed to Children's Day after World War II. However, the celebration of Children's Day still maintains some of the traditions of Boy's Day.    Read rest of article... 

  

Japantown Walk Docent Training 


Japantown Walk Docent Training


Photo: JAMsj volunteers


April 30 & May 21, 2011

Japanese American Museum of San Jose

535 N. Fifth Street

San Jose, CA 95112  


Do you want to be a history interpreter? Volunteer to be a JAMsj docent and sign up for one or both of these training opportunities:

 

Japantown Walking Tour Docent

Saturday, April 30, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

 

Museum Gallery Exhibit Docent

Saturday, May 21, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.   

 

In addition to informational content, you will learn about the various strategies used to connect with visitors, reinforce learning, and leave visitors begging to come back for more. You will also learn that docents can learn from visitors.

   

If you have questions or wish to register for a workshop, contact Aggie Idemoto, Education Director at [email protected] or (408) 268-4440. If you would like to become a JAMsj volunteer, submit the online volunteer registration form, or request a hard copy of the form by contacting the JAMsj office at (408) 294-3138. 


JAMsj/Yu-Ai Kai Book Club

Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese

Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese



JAMsj/Yu-Ai Kai Book Club

 

Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese

by John V. Reynolds 


Friday, June 3, 2011

1:00 pm

Japanese American Museum of San Jose

535 N. Fifth Street

San Jose, CA 95112

  

 

 

Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese website

 

"I have just been told that there are threats about burning my house if I have any more Japanese in my home... I led many of these Japanese in the Scouts, taught many of them the value of Christian life of love and forgiveness. Can I so forget?"

George Kimbel, May 14, 1945

 

What happened to Lompoc's pre-war Nikkei community? Only two of one hundred families returned. The story of tiny, Lompoc, California, where a vibrant and varied Nikkei community with forty-year roots was dispossessed and denied return. Vanished: Lompoc's Japanese  is based on interviews with over eighty survivors, uncommonly candid  reports by a War Relocation agent on the scene, and from local newspaper accounts.  The book is illustrated with forty pages of photographs that have never before been published.  

 

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. Books are available for purchase in the JAMsj museum store. If you have questions, please contact Aggie Idemoto at  (408) 268-4440 or [email protected].

Snow Falling on Cedars 

Snow Falling On Cedars 


TheatreWorks brings the best-selling novel, Snow Falling On Cedars, to the stage at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. This beloved novel springs to life in a haunting tale of murder, redemption, and star-crossed romance set on a misty Washington island in 1954. Pride, prejudice, and the legacy of forbidden love permeate the trial of a Japanese American veteran charged in the death of a rival, rekindling memories of the wartime internment that once divided this remote community, and threatens its humanity still. For event information, click here 

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Volunteer Opportunities



JAMsj Volunteers
JAMsj volunteers have many rewarding experiences.  


"The Japanese American Museum of San Jose
is perhaps the most solidified organization that documents the history of the East-West experience in San Jose." - San Jose Metro "Best of 2011" 








We have a special request for friendly and enthusiastic volunteers for our new museum store. There are no skills required besides having a great attitude and a passion for telling the Japanese American story.  If you are interested in helping out at the museum store, please contact [email protected].

Remember that volunteering for the museum is a great way to add valuable work experience to your resume when you are between jobs.   

Help is desired in many exciting areas.
We have immediate openings, as follows:
  • Museum store staff
  • Docents
  • Volunteer coordinator
  • Event coordinators and assistants
  • Online communication developers
Other positions are also available. Click here for more information about our exciting opportunities.

Join the JAMsj family by becoming a volunteer!  Submit the online volunteer form from our website or call our office at (408) 294-3138 to request a hard copy of the application form.

JAMsj Calendar  

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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