Category: Events

2013 Oshogatsu Family Festival

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda 1 Comment

Celebrate the New Year & the Year of the Snake with JANM!

Join us on Sunday, January 6 from 11am – 5pm for a BIG day full of family-friendly fun activities, crafts, and cultural performances…and it’s all FREE!

We will have a lot of everyone’s favorite activities, plus Year of the Snake-themed crafts & more!

Here are a few highlights to look forward to:

– Mochitsuki performance & demonstration by Kodama Taiko

– Common Grains returns with the Onigiri Design Contest. Last year, this was so popular that we ran out of rice! This year, we’ll also have a rice tasting and you can purchase different varieties of rice. [Learn about how Common Grains got started in this article by founder Sonoko Sakai on our Discover Nikkei site: Common Grains]

– World-renowned candy artist Shaun Ichiyanagi also returns to make snake sculpture candy! (Everyone can watch, but the candy snakes are for children only & will be raffled off at the start of every hour)

– Learn how to play taiko with Bombu Taiko

– Reptacular Animals presents a Reptile petting zoo! Come meet real snakes and other cool reptiles!

– Special fukubukuro (lucky bag) sale at the Museum Store

Check janm.org/oshogatsufest for full schedule >>

Here are some photos from last year’s Oshogatsu Family Festival taken by volunteer Richard Watanabe:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While you’re here, take advantage of the free admission all-day to check out Giant Robot Biennale 3 before it closes on January 20!

 

New Year's mochi by Hisako Hibi

Happy New Year!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment

Wishing you a Healthy & Happy New Year from the Japanese American National Museum!

New Year's mochi by Hisako Hibi
"New Year's mochi" by Hisako Hibi. Hisako Hibi Collection (99.63.2)

 

This image is from JANM’s permanent collection. It’s a painting by artist Hisako Hibi and features a still-life of kagami mochi / okasane.

On the back is this inscription:

Hisako Hibi. Jan 1943 at Topaz. Japanese without mochi (pounded sweet rice) is no New Year! It was very sad oshogatsu (New Year). So, I painted okazari mochi in the internment camp.

Our cultural traditions bring our families & communities together, and has the power to give us comfort.

Stan Sakai, JA Santa, & GRB3 artists workshop this Saturday!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment

This Saturday will be another busy day at JANM! We’ll have 3 great reasons to visit us with your friends & family.

  • 11am – 2pm: Take a Picture with Japanese American Santa
    Japanese American Santa is coming to town! Take home a special holiday photo.
Usagi Yojimbo books available at the Museum Store!
  • 12pm – 2pm: Stan Sakai Book Signing
    Stan Sakai returns to JANM! Signed Usagi Yojimbo books make great holiday gifts. The Museum Store will have copies of his two latest books for sale—Usagi Yojimbo #26: Traitors of the Earth & 47 Ronin (signing books only)
  • 2pm – 4pm: Giant Robot Artists’ Entourage Workshop with Albert Reyes & Saelee Oh
    Come make art with Albert Reyes and Saelee Oh from Giant Robot Biennale 3 in this hands-on workshop. Immerse yourself in a variety of techniques and styles.

Here’s a description of what Saelee Oh has planned:

Open Love Letter to the Universe: We will be creating lots of artwork together! You can make portraits of your spirit animals, make artwork as an amulet for healing and protection for yourself and to give out to others and to illustrate our wishes for our world to be a better place.

Saelee Oh installation in "Giant Robot Biennale 3"

 

All three events are free with Museum admission (if you’re a member, that means it’s all free!). While you’re here, be sure to check out the Giant Robot Biennale 3 exhibition (closes January 20, 2013).

If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping, find meaningful & fun cultural gifts at our award-winning Museum Store. We have many more items—including one-of-a-kind ceramics, jewelry, and art pieces—than what is available online at janmstore.com.

‘Tis the season to come on down to JANM for our last Target Free Family Saturday of 2012!

Lynn Yamasaki Leave a comment

Phew!  It’s been a busy year full of family fun and we’re ending 2012 with festive holiday performances and activities this Saturday, December 8th.  Hope you’re ready to join us.

For our craft activities we’ll be making garland, wintery scenes, and of course our friend Ruthie will be ready to fold origami with you all.

There will be cookies, a photo booth, storytelling, and more!  Take a look at the full program for the day here.

As I get materials ready for Saturday, I look at the shelves of our supply closet and see traces of all the various activities we’ve done over the past few years.  Besides realizing that it’s probably time to do a big clean-up job in here (yikes!), I am also reminded of all the fantastic creativity we’ve seen from JANM’s family day visitors.  Pieces of cardboard, bits of yarn, and piles of wiggly eyes have been transformed into some amazing and unique robots, masks, puppets, bags… the list goes on and on!

You are all wonderful and you keep us inspired and excited about what we do here at JANM!  Thank you to all who have joined us for Target Free Family Saturdays.  We hope to see you this coming Saturday and next year for Oshogatsu and another year of family day fun!

(More) Reasons to Be Excited about JANM’s 2013 National Conference in Seattle

Allyson Nakamoto Leave a comment

We are hosting a national conference next year in Seattle, Washington! It will be from July 4-7, 2013 at the Sheraton Seattle and the theme is “Speaking Up! Democracy, Justice, Dignity.” Go on-line for the latest information about the program of events, our speaker line-up, and to register.

But in case you need even more reasons to gather your family to join us in Seattle at the conference, how about these…

Seattle was the setting of the TBS Japanese drama, 99 Years of Love (2010) and John Okada’s book, No-No Boy (1979). Readers of No-No Boy will recognize this sign:

Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten has been at the vegetarian & vegan Plum Bistro in Capitol Hill. And if it’s raining, you can slurp down a hot bowl of nabeyaki udon at Hiroshi’s Restaurant in Eastlake. Meanwhile near the International District, the Cheeky Cafe serves up eclectic food in these very generous portions.

(Bonus: sharing a meal at the Cheeky Cafe with JANM Board of Governor, Tom Ikeda of Densho.)

And what says more about a city than its independent book store? Elliott Bay Book Company will be coming to our conference with lots of books!

The early bird registration closes on January 31! Click here for more info about JANM’s National Conference.

Holiday MAD*ness coming up!

Maria Kwong Leave a comment

Before you get too caught up in Thanksgiving preparation, don’t forget that this weekend is Member Appreciation Days weekend.

If you are a current JANM member (and you must have your card to do this) you can visit 21 cultural institutions in Southern California and receive free admission and 20% discount in some of the most unique stores in town (and a couple in San Diego too, for those of you who are traveling!)

Member Appreciation Days participating institutions list >>

Check the list for details and exceptions (some places are not open all three days!) And have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The 7th-Annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar

Collections Management & Access Leave a comment

The 7th-Annual

Los Angeles

Archives Bazaar

Saturday, October 27, 2012
9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Doheny Memorial Library
USC University Park Campus

Los Angeles history comes alive at the 7th-annual Los Angeles Archives Bazaar. Organized by L.A. as Subject and presented by the USC Libraries, the annual event celebrates the diversity of Southern California’s history. For scholarly researchers, journalists, history buffs, and those simply interested in exploring the stories of Los Angeles, discovery awaits everyone at the Archives Bazaar. This event is free and open to the public.

The Archives Bazaar draws its strength from the breadth and variety of its participants’ collections. Large institutions such as the Autry National Center of the American West and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will be represented at the bazaar along with smaller organizations and private collections whose materials fill the gaps left in the city’s official history. Other participating organizations include the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, the California African American Museum, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, and the Japanese American National Museum. In all, more than 70 archives are expected to be represented.

The USC Libraries serve as the host institution for L.A. as Subject, an alliance of libraries, museums, and other archival and cultural organizations. The relationship complements the USC libraries’ strong Regional History Collection and is a natural outgrowth of the libraries’ efforts to preserve and expand access to the primary sources of L.A. history.

Archives Bazaar website: http://www.laassubject.org/index.php/archives_bazaar

Join us at the 2013 National Conference

Allyson Nakamoto Leave a comment

Join us…

July 4-7, 2013 at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel Speaking Up! Democracy, Justice, Dignity Our expanded Web site has launched and we’re so excited! Check out the sessions and activities being planned for JANM’s fourth national conference. A multigenerational, multicultural audience of over 1,000 attendees is expected for this not-to-be-missed community gathering. And, save time and money with our NEW online registration—JANM members save up to 35% with our Early Bird registration. Be sure to share the newswith your family and friends. See you in Seattle!

Participants at our 2008 conference in Denver.

Giant Robot Biennale 3 exhibition site is online!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment

The opening of Giant Robot Biennale 3 is coming up next weekend!

And we just launched the special exhibition site with information about the upcoming Giant Robot Biennale 3!

Check it out for info about the exhibition, video, artist bios, related public programs, audio tour, and more:

janm.org/grb3

We’ll be adding more artist images and other goodies in the next few weeks.

We also have an interview with GRB3 curator Eric Nakamura on our Discover Nikkei website: Giant Robot Biennale 3: Behind the Scenes with GR’s Eric Nakamura

 

If you’re in the Los Angeles area (or will be next weekend), be sure to join us next Saturday night for the GRB3 Opening Party!

GRB3 Opening Party
Saturday, September 22
6PM – 10PM
FREE!

Celebrate the exhibition opening with curator Eric Nakamura, GRB3 artists, and a performance by Money Mark!

 

 

We also recently just added a few new Giant Robot items to our online store!

Check out the new Giant Robot /JANM logo t-shirt and the Giant Robot Big Boss Figures set on janmstore.com.

Giant Robot Biennale 3 — Opening Party on Sept 22nd

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda 4 Comments

 Giant Robot is returning to JANM!

GRB3 Opening Party
Saturday, September 22
6PM – 10PM
FREE!

Giant Robot Biennale 3 opens with a party on Saturday, September 22.

Join us as we celebrate the exhibition opening with curator Eric Nakamura, GRB3 artists, and a performance by Money Mark!

The third show in conjunction with Eric Nakamura, owner of Asian American pop culture juggernaut Giant Robot. Giant Robot Biennale 3 will feature a gallery of eight emerging artists along with a customized vinyl figure collection.

Following two previous successful exhibitions at the National Museum, the Biennale continues to push the envelope with a creative, fresh, and uniquely interactive experience. This year’s exhibition highlights the works of Rob Sato, Deth P. Sun, Ako Castuera, Eishi Takaoka, Saelee Oh, Sean Chao, Albert Reyes, and Zach Gage.

Using figures designed by Uglydoll creator David Horvath, Nakamura curated Project Remix, a custom vinyl show with over 80 artists from seven countries—including the rare combination of both established customizers and fine artists.

Special additions to the exhibition include an original piece from Japanese painter Masakatsu Sashie as well as arcade machines running Jeni Yang and Beau Blyth’s new indie video game, Catburger.

Check janm.org/grb3 for more info about the exhibition and related programs.