We’re excited to welcome the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)—found at janm.org—as a distinguished guest of JCCS this year. Founded in 1992 and rooted in the Little Tokyo neighborhood of Los Angeles, JANM is the national repository for Japanese American history and culture. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, it preserves over 130 years of Nikkei experiences, from immigration stories to wartime incarceration, through exhibitions, oral histories, film archives, and more .
JANM’s mission is to deepen understanding and appreciation of America’s cultural diversity by sharing the rich, multi‑generation narrative of Japanese Americans, including powerful projects like Ireichō and Discover Nikkei . Their dedication to history, creativity, and social justice makes their sponsorship a meaningful and inspiring addition to JCCS.
Spotlight:
Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community
Currently on view from July 31 to November 12, 2025, at the Peter and Merle Mullin Gallery, ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, CA, Cruising J‑Town explores how Japanese Americans have shaped—and been shaped by—Southern California’s vibrant car culture.
What’s on display and why it matters:
- Over 100 artifacts, including rare photographs, home‑movie footage, car‑club memorabilia, racing gear, and ephemera from gas stations to speedways .
- Anchored by five classic cars—George Nakamura’s “Meteor” hot rod, Brian Omatsu’s “Purple Reign” Mercury, Kirk Shimazu’s 1956 Ford F‑100, Tod Kaneko’s 1973 Datsun 510, and Nadine Sachiko Hsu’s pink 1989 Nissan 240SX from the drift scene .
- Curated by Dr. Oliver Wang, the exhibit frames cars as symbols of speed, style, work, and community, weaving stories of economic mobility, cultural pride, innovation, and resilience—from working fish trucks and internment memories to hot rods and drift racing .
- Highlights include racing pioneers like Jim Yamane (first Japanese world karting champion), designer Larry Shinoda (Corvette Sting Ray), car‑club culture, and poignant moments such as a family’s car being searched at Santa Anita during WWII .
This exhibition not only celebrates Japanese American creativity and community in the automotive world but also invites reflection on how mobility—literal and metaphorical—drives identity and belonging.
Highlights include: JCCS organizers Koji and Terry Yamaguchi and recent events.
A companion book of the same name is now available at JANM’s online store. The book features essays and images inspired by the same stories and histories found in the exhibition and are written to stand on their own. Follow @cruisingjtown and @jamuseum on Instagram for updates about the exhibition and the book.
