Japanese American Museum of San Jose

Japanese American Museum of San Jose The mission of JAMsj is to collect, preserve and share Japanese American history, culture and art with a focus on the Greater Bay Area.
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The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) showcases a unique collection of permanent and rotating exhibits chronicling more than a century of Japanese American history. Visitors will learn about early immigration of Japanese to America, their leadership in the agricultural community, their incarceration during World War II and the challenges they faced, while adapting and contributing to W

est Coast communities. JAMsj provides a historical forum that stimulates present day discussions on civil liberties, race relations, discrimination, and American identity.

Last week at JAMsj, we were joined by Bonbu Stories, the creators of the Obon odori song “Lantern Song,” for a special w...
06/23/2026

Last week at JAMsj, we were joined by Bonbu Stories, the creators of the Obon odori song “Lantern Song,” for a special workshop with our museum volunteers 🎶

Workshops like this reflect what we're all about: bringing people together through cultural art and the shared stories of our communities. At the museum, we're committed to creating and sustaining a living community space that brings moments like these to life.

🤝 Volunteering with JAMsj means helping preserve history while actively building community in the present of our historic San Jose Japantown. Be among the first to know when our volunteer applications open when you join our E-News, sign up at: www.jamsj.org/enews

06/22/2026

Good music, good people, the best vibes 🎶

We’re so grateful to everyone who came through to Jammin’ with JAMsj x Minasan x SJ JACL! We spent the evening celebrating local creativity and the people who make our community special in the perfect setting: at the historic Issei Memorial Building and on a cool summer evening.

Special thanks to our partners on this magical program at Minasan and the San Jose JACL!
.and a round of applause for all of our performers: Studio Phoebe, Kyle Abbott & Su Bunjamin, The Practitioners, Ukulele, Jazz, and Shamisen players 🎶👏

✏️ To learn more and be among the first to find out about our events, follow us on our socials and check out our website! Sign up for our E-News to have notifications delivered right to your email at https://www.jamsj.org/enews

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the next jam!

2026 San Jose Obon is coming up this July,and while it's still a little too early for an officialforecast, we're pretty ...
06/18/2026

2026 San Jose Obon is coming up this July,
and while it's still a little too early for an official
forecast, we're pretty sure it's going to be HOT ☀

To help you cool off from the summer heat, we'll be
opening our museum doors free of charge during both
days of Obon! Stop by to:

🏠 Explore our cool new exhibit "House Meeting(s):
Opening the Door to Redress in San Jose"
🎨 Make and decorate your own uchiwa fan
🧊 Enjoy a refreshing cup of mugi-cha

Take a break from the sun, recharge, and then head
back out to enjoy all the Obon festivities. Learn more
about visiting the Japanese American Museum of San
Jose from our link in bio or our website at
www.jamsj.org

Our Free Admission Days are made possible by a
generous grant from the Applied Materials Foundation.

Dive with us deeper into the ideas of community organizing and activism on June 27 from 1:30–4:30 PM at JAMsj 💬This spec...
06/17/2026

Dive with us deeper into the ideas of community organizing and activism on June 27 from 1:30–4:30 PM at JAMsj 💬

This special free program will feature a panel discussion with activists who helped shape and drive the Japanese American redress movement, followed by roundtable conversations exploring community involvement, activism, and civic engagement today.

Panelists: Tom Izu, Susan Hayase, Yumi Hatta, and Francis Wong
Moderator: Yuki Nishimura

The program is free with museum admission and will be offered simultaneously on Zoom for those who cannot attend in person.

🗓️ June 27 (Saturday) | 1:30PM-4:30PM
📍Japanese American Museum of San Jose
📝 RSVP at www.jamsj.org/upcoming-events/kitchen-table-talks

🍶 Sip, savor, and celebrate the summer at JAMsj!Enjoy a curated tasting experience featuring premium sake, wine, and ref...
06/11/2026

🍶 Sip, savor, and celebrate the summer at JAMsj!

Enjoy a curated tasting experience featuring premium sake, wine, and refreshing non-alcoholic beverages, all in the distinctive setting of our museum located in the historic San Jose Japantown.

Guests will have the opportunity to connect with renown sake vendors while sampling specially prepared Japanese small bites created for this event.

🎟️ Learn more and purchase tickets from our website at:
www.jamsj.org/summersake

❕Please note that this event is for adults 21 years of age and older. Tastings and food are included with admission. All proceeds support the ongoing operations and mission of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.

🚶This week, we completed our JAMsj x PAC*SJ San Jose Japantown Walking Tour series, with all proceeds supporting the res...
06/06/2026

🚶This week, we completed our JAMsj x PAC*SJ San Jose Japantown Walking Tour series, with all proceeds supporting the restoration of the Sakauye Farmhouse!

Thank you to everyone who joined us on these walks and helped bring our community’s stories to life. One of the most meaningful parts of the tour was seeing history shared not just through buildings and landmarks, but through the people who continue to shape San Jose Japantown today. We were so fortunate to run into community leaders from Kogura Co. and Nichi Bei Bussan, who generously and spontaneously shared their experiences and perspectives with participants, turning each of our walks into a living conversation about our neighborhood’s past, present, and future.

We are also deeply grateful to local historians Curt Fukuda and Robert Ragsac, whose knowledge and storytelling helped connect us to the generations of people, businesses, and families that have made San Jose Japantown what it is today.

🚶‍♀️We hope to see you (or run into you) on our next walk around town! Keep up with us here or to learn more about visiting the museum and San Jose Japantown check out our website at: www.jamsj.org

Music, stories, and community in the garden at the historic IMB ♫ Jammin’ with JAMsj is a collaborative program with SJ ...
06/04/2026

Music, stories, and community in the garden at the historic IMB ♫ Jammin’ with JAMsj is a collaborative program with SJ JACL and Minasan that brings the San José Japantown community together through music, history, and art.

This ongoing series highlights local artists, supports small businesses, and creates a welcoming space for intergenerational connection while celebrating the creativity of our community.

The program is free and open to the public with registration! Please note that seating is limited.

🗓️ June 13th (Sat.), 2026 | 4:30-6:30
📍 Issei Memorial Building Garden
565 N 5th Street, San Jose 95112
✏️ RSVP at www.jamsj.org/upcoming-events

Our first JAMsj Fam Mixer was a slice of everything we love: community, conversation, and good food! 🍕Thank you to every...
06/01/2026

Our first JAMsj Fam Mixer was a slice of everything we love: community, conversation, and good food! 🍕

Thank you to everyone who joined us at JTown Pizza to welcome our newest board members: Jimi Sadaki Kogura, Judy Higuchi, Julie Takata, and Tanaka.

We’re so grateful to grow, celebrate, and build the future of our community museum together with our volunteers, board members, and staff! See you at the next one! 👀✨

On Thursday, May 28, together with our preservation partners, we hosted “Sake for the Sakauye Farmhouse: Restoring Histo...
05/31/2026

On Thursday, May 28, together with our preservation partners, we hosted “Sake for the Sakauye Farmhouse: Restoring History, Celebrating Solidarity” at History Park.

We extend our sincere thanks to Santa Clara County Supervisors Betty Duong and Margaret Abe-Koga for co-hosting this special event. We are also grateful to SakeTrend and Kazumi Wines for their generous support and amazing refreshments.

The preservation of the Sakauye Farmhouse is made possible through allyship, solidarity, and collaboration across our community. This historic site represents an important chapter of local Japanese American history and the history of the Valley of Heart's Delight, and its restoration will help ensure that future generations can learn from and connect with these stories.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and to the many donors whose generosity supports this work. Together, we are preserving our shared history and strengthening our community for generations to come!

Donate today or learn more about this historic preservation effort at www.preservation.org/sakauye

05/27/2026

Walk with us! We're inviting you to join us in this preservation effort and learn about the multicultural history of San Jose's Japantown on our June 3rd walking tour with PAC*SJ 🚶🚶🏼

Hear from JAMsj's Executive Director Vanessa Hatakeyama as she draws connection between the historic San Jose Japantown and the Sakauye Farmhouse. One of our museum's co-founders, Eiichi Sakauye, was one of many Japanese American farmers and among the immigrant families who built the agricultural landscape of the Santa Clara Valley. The restored Sakauye Farmhouse at History Park will become a co-curated educational and exhibit space to keep these stories alive.

🏠 Looking to join the walking tour? Tickets can be purchased from our link in bio! If you can't make it but would still like to support the preservation effort, ALL donations made during the month of May will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50K! Donate today and learn more at www.preservation.org/sakauye

Address

535 N 5th Street
San Jose, CA
95112

Opening Hours

Thursday 12pm - 4pm
Friday 12pm - 4pm
Saturday 12pm - 4pm
Sunday 12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+14082943138

Website

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