Nihonmachi ("Japantowns")

Because of housing and employment discrimination, Japanese Americans tended to cluster in ethnic neighborhoods known as Nihonmachi, or "Japantowns." Living, working, studying, and worshiping in close proximity made for tight-knit communities. With the forced removal of Japanese Americans in the spring of 1942, the bustling Nihonmachis of the West Coast closed down and never fully recovered, even after the war ended.

Nihonmachi ("Japantowns") (189)

Gallery view
List view

189 items

img Family in front of their store (ddr-densho-13-39)

Left to right: Mr. Kawai, unidentified, Haruye (last name unknown) holding Teruo Shibata, Kinzo Asaba, and Nobujiro Shibata in front of Sagamiya, a Japanese confectionery, which was located at 524 Main in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown. Sagamiya was an institution in Seattle's Nihonmachi, well known for its mochigashi (Japanese rice cakes). Founded in the ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-39/

img Three Issei men and child outside the Mitsuwado store (ddr-densho-13-2)

Mitsuwado was located at 522 Main Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown. The store sold a variety of items including books, records, record players, and fishing tackle. Left to right: Kinzo Asaba (the store's owner), Mr. Osawa, unidentified, and unidentified.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-2/

img Sagamiya confectionery (ddr-densho-13-1)

The Sagamiya confectionery was located at 524 Main Street in the area previously known as Nihonmachi, now Seattle's International District. Sagamiya closed in the early 1970s. Left to right: Yoshi Mamiya, Shuzo Asaba, Nobujiro Shibata, Kinzo Asaba, and Rick Mamiya.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-13-1/

img Nihonmachi covered in snow (ddr-densho-16-14)

This photo shows Seattle's Nihonmachi or Japantown in the winter.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-16-14/

img Interior of Higo Ten-Cent Store (ddr-densho-16-25)

This photo shows the store's original light fixtures.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-16-25/

img Nihonmachi covered in snow (ddr-densho-16-15)

This photo shows Seattle's Nihonmachi or Japantown in the winter.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-16-15/

img Dai Nippon baseball team visiting from Japan (ddr-densho-18-14)

The Dai Nippon baseball team in front of the N-P Hotel in Seattle's Nihonmachi area.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-18-14/

img Aiko photo studio (ddr-densho-35-295)

Aiko photo studio was located on the second floor of this building on Sixth and Jackson in Seattle.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-295/

img Issei women at the Astor Hotel (ddr-densho-35-298)

These women and children are standing outside of the historic Astor Hotel, which housed the Nippon Kan Theatre.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-35-298/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 68, No. 25 (June 20, 1969) (ddr-pc-41-25)

Select article titles: Noguchi hearing ending next week" (p. 1); "Seabrook JACL installation fete to commemorate 25th anniversary" (p. 1); "L.A. city human relationships votes 6-1 for repeal of Title ll" (p. 1); Ruth Benedict's study of Japanese lauded for foreign policy hearing" (p. 1); Tourist potential pf Little Tokyo eyed by planners" (p ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-41-25/

img Dinner party (ddr-densho-124-27)

These Issei are eating dinner at Maneki Restaurant in Seattle's Nihonmachi or Japantown. (L to R): Azuma (or Higashi), Eiji, unidentified, Tamura, unidentified, Azuma (or Higashi), Yoshizo (or Ryozo), Yamaguchi, Tadashi.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-124-27/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 66, No. 20 (May 17, 1968) (ddr-pc-40-20)

Selected article titles: "JACL to commemorate historic Nisei event" (p. 1), "Two Views of Discrimination in Japan" (p. 1), "Winners of JAL-JACL fellowship" (p. 1), "Surgeon General appoints ex-Hanford Nisei as consultant in pharmacology" (p. 3).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-40-20/

vh Ted Nagata Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1013-3-12)

Thriving Japantown in Salt Lake City following World War II

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1013-3-12/

vh Ted Nagata Interview Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1013-3-18)

The decline of Japantown in Salt Lake City

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1013-3-18/

vh Frank Miyamoto Interview Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1002-1-2)

Delivering newspapers as a child; description of the prewar Japanese American community

This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not life ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1002-1-2/

vh Richard Onishi Interview Segment 2 (ddr-jamsj-2-2-2)

Memories of San Jose's prewar Japantown

This interview was conducted by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, and is part of a project entitled "Lasting Stories: The Resettlement of San Jose Japantown," a collaborative project between the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and Densho.

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-jamsj-2-2-2/

vh Victor Ikeda Interview Segment 14 (ddr-manz-1-23-14)

Seattle's Japantown: restaurants and the bathhouse

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-23-14/

vh Yosh Nakagawa Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-172-9)

Description of childhood neighborhood: "the 'new suburbia' for Japanese Americans"

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-172-9/

vh Peggie Nishimura Bain Interview Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-170-10)

Working in a restaurant in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-170-10/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 75, No. 21 (November 24, 1972) (ddr-pc-44-46)

Selected article titles: "Fed Aid Urged to House Aged Displaced by Stadium" (p.1-2), "Iva Toguri Denied Relief from U.S. Court to Pay Fine" (p.1), "NASA Exceptional Service Medal Won by Telecommunications Engineer" (p.1), "Community, Political Involvement Stressed" (p.3), "Draft Evasion Case Appeal Reversed" (p.6).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-44-46/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 76, No. 05, (February 9, 1973) (ddr-pc-45-5)

Select article titles: "Vietnam War Dead: 61 Nikkei" (p.1); "Growing Tide of Japanese Investment Worries Hawaii" (p.1); "128 Teams, 5 from Japan, to Roll at Portland Pinfest" (p.4); "Lt. Gov. Ariyoshi Predicts Focal Point of World Affairs Shifting to Pacific" (p.4).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-45-5/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 77, No. 18, (November 2, 1973) (ddr-pc-45-43)

Select article titles: "Tuai Exonerated by Board of Ethics" (p.1); "Senator Inouye Calls for Nixon to Resign" (p.1); "Sac'to Asian Youths Caught in Drug Culture" (p.1); "Placer County JACLer Files Papers to Incorporate New City of 6,600 "(p.3); "San Jose Mayor Mineta Tells Youth to Become Involved in Government" (p ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-45-43/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 76, No. 21, (June 1, 1973) (ddr-pc-45-21)

Select article titles: "Inouye: Impeachment if Hard Evidence Warrants It" (p.1); "City Housing Okays Project for Li'l Tokyo" (p.1); "Rep. Mink Wants HEW to Establish National Asian Studies Institute" (p.1); "Nisei Born in Texas Internment Camp Conferred Law Degree at San Diego" (p.2); "Effects of Parents Being Away from Home" (p ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-45-21/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 55, No. 8 (August 24, 1962) (ddr-pc-34-34)

Selected article titles: "Legislative Progress to Tax-Exempt Claims Seen, Committee Oks King Bill" (p.1), "House Approves WW2 Claims Bill" (p.1), "Nihonmachi Project Diagrams Presented" (p.1), "'Are You Really an America!' Badgers Nisei Students with UCLA's Project India" (p.1), "Internal Revenue Service Slashes Open a Wound" (p.2), "Pearl Harbor Spy Story ...

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-34-34/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 55, No. 12 (September 21, 1962) (ddr-pc-34-38)

Selected article titles: "Hart Immigration Bill" (p.1-2), "Washington Repeal Campaign on SJR 21 Moves into High" (p.1-2), "1889 Land Law 'Lies about Like a Loaded Weapon'" (p.1), "Japanese American Community Leaders First to Be Summoned in New Series of Conferences with Seattle Mayor in New Hall" (p.3).

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-34-38/