Associations and organizations

The Issei (Japanese immigrants) established cultural, business, and religious organizations that supported ethnic enclaves. This early form of networking served more than social and economic interests -- it became a substitute for the extended-family and village systems left behind in Japan. Christian and Buddhist neighborhood churches, Japanese language schools, and sports leagues allowed the Nisei (second-generation Japanese Americans) to participate in organized social activities as well as form peer networks.

Community activities (871)
Associations and organizations (537)

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537 items

img Officers of Portland Japanese Association (ddr-densho-259-331)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Formal group photograph of 14 Issei men, all very well dressed in western suits. These may have been the officers of the Portland Japanese Association."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-331/

img "Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church" (ddr-densho-259-338)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Group of Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church. Most probably members of Nipponjin Kai."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-338/

img "Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church" (ddr-densho-259-336)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Group of Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church. Most probably members of Nipponjin Kai."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-336/

img "12th Annual Intermountain District Young Buddhist League Conference" (ddr-densho-255-189)

Bottom right: "12th Annual Intermountain District Young Buddhist League Conference January 24-25 48 Davis High School Utah."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-255-189/

img Gathering of unidentified league (ddr-densho-255-191)

Gathering of men and women outside a building. A sign reads "Mountain League," but other qualifiers are unidentifiable.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-255-191/

img Association gathering (ddr-densho-255-192)

Gathering of men and women holding signs representing their location. Many of the signs read "Y.B.A.," which could be an acronym for "Young Buddhist Assocation."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-255-192/

img Issei men in front of Buddhist church (ddr-densho-259-330)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "39-40 Issei men sitting in chairs in front of what surely must have been a Buddhist church in Portland. The swastika on the door indicates that this was a Buddhist temple. I suspect that these men were members of the Nipponjin Kai--sometimes called the Nihonjin Kai--Japanese Association."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-330/

img "Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church" (ddr-densho-259-335)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Group of Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church. Most probably members of Nipponjin Kai."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-335/

img "The graduation exercise of the Americanization School sponsored by Japanese Ancestral Society" (ddr-densho-259-394)

Front of photograph: "The graduation exercise of the Americanization School sponsored by Japanese Ancestral Society Portland, Oreg. May 28, 1953." Caption by Homer Yasui: "Group portrait of the Issei in the Portland area who graduated from the Americanization school, in preparation for taking their citizenship examinations."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-394/

img Young People's Christian Conference (ddr-densho-259-365)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "I think that this gathering took place in front of what was then called the Centenary Wilbur Methodist Church, in Portland I suspect that this was a YPCC--Young People's Christian Conference--because many of the Nisei are wearing identification badges."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-365/

img Red Cross promotion with a Japanese girl and a white girl holding flags (ddr-densho-259-277)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Two girls sitting on a packing crate. The Caucasian girl is holding a Japanese doll and 2 American flags; the Japanese girl is holding a package and 2 Japanese flags. I don't know what this Red Cross promotion represents. The picture appears to be too recent to be a publicity shot of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-277/

img Issei gathered for memorial service (ddr-densho-259-364)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of mostly adult Issei men and women in formal dress in a small meeting hall. I believe that this was the Knights of Pythias Hall which the early Issei pioneers rented for their events. [In this picture,] the Issei remembered their comrades who had earlier died in Hood River...A friend …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-364/

img "Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church" (ddr-densho-259-337)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Group of Issei men posed in front of Buddhist church. Most probably members of Nipponjin Kai."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-337/

img Issei men in front of Buddhist church (ddr-densho-259-332)

A group of Issei men posed in front of a Buddhist temple in Portland, possibly members of the Nipponjin Kai Japanese Association.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-332/

img Nipponjin Kai members (ddr-densho-259-333)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Group of 39-40 well dressed Issei men standing on a lawn from the appearance of the men, I will guess that these were Nipponjin Kai members."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-333/

img Board of Directors of the Apple Growers Association (ddr-densho-259-29)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "I don't recognize any of the 14 Caucasian men in this group picture with [Masuo Yasui], but I suspect that they were the Board of Directors of the Apple Growers Association."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-29/

img Nisei baseball players (ddr-densho-259-539)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Ches [Tsuyoshi Yasui] in baseball shin guards, with other presumed baseball players. This may well have been part of the Nisei Athletic Club baseball team."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-539/

img Hood River Japanese Farmers Association (ddr-densho-259-363)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A large group of Issei men and women, some with their children, and all formally dressed, in front of a stone church. This was the Riverside Church, which is a Congregational church, and it still stands in Hood River. I think that this has a connection with a memorial service which the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-363/

img Japanese American organization (ddr-densho-26-163)

Photograph taken by James M. Amano, 3208 35th Ave So., Seattle, Washington

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-163/

img Kokaido, Japanese American clubhouse (ddr-densho-28-12)

The Kokaido was built in 1932 and was a focal point for activities of the Japanese American community in Bellevue, Washington. This photograph was taken shortly after the mass removal in 1942.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-28-12/

img Young People's Club of Seattle (ddr-densho-296-11)

Caption on reverse: "Seattle 1923-24 / Young People's Club / newspaper publishing. / [Masahide Yamashita] / provided young / Japanese Americans / a place to meet / to keep them off the / streets."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-296-11/

doc Postcard (ddr-densho-325-62)

The stamp on the card reads "Japanese Association of Isleton - Isleton, Cal."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-62/

img YMWBA delegates (ddr-densho-357-232)

Delegates for the Young Men's and Women's Buddhist Association Summer Conference sit in Berkeley Stadium. Hanako Yoshioka sits on the far left. Hanako's caption: "Our gang."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-232/

img Russian River (ddr-densho-357-234)

Delegates attend an outing to the Russian River during an Oakland Young Men's and Women's Buddhist Association Conference. Left to right: Rose Negi, Hanako Yoshioka, Niig Mitoma.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-234/

img Russian River (ddr-densho-357-245)

Delegates attend an outing to the Russian River during an Oakland Young Men's and Women's Buddhist Association Conference. Left to right: Hanako Yoshioka Terakawa, Niig Mitoma, Kaoru Negi, Yukie Yoshioka, Giichi Yoshioka, Rose Negi. Caption: "From K. N."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-245/