culture en

Kikou Yamata: Rediscovering the First Nisei Writer

Throughout the 20th century, Nikkei writers have dreamed of writing “the Great Nisei novel,” a work of literature that would express the Japanese/American experience ...

identity en

Giotta Fuyo Tajiri — An Artist's Voyage

In June 2019, Discover Nikkei published an article of mine on the Nikkei community in the Netherlands and on popular reactions there to the Redress ...

community en

Nikkei Chronicles #8 — Nikkei Heroes: Trailblazers, Role Models, and Inspirations

2 Presidents, 2 Senators, 2 Moms…and 2 Dads, too

My best friend Brenda and I have often talked about how much change and history our parents witnessed over the course of their lifetimes. We ...

culture en

Author Andrea Tsurumi on kindness and the role of uncertainty in art and cultural identity - Part 2

Read Part 1 >> Monnier: How do you describe your identity when you describe yourself? What words do you like? Tsurumi: Well, it depends on who ...

culture en

Author Andrea Tsurumi on kindness and the role of uncertainty in art and cultural identity - Part 1

In the undersea world of Andrea Tsurumi’s new picture book, Crab Cake, the community has a steady rhythm: “ Seahorse pretends to be seaweed…Parrotfish ...

culture en

Hapa Music is Black and Brown

Jhené Aiko and the Problem of Multiracial Self-Representation

At the 2018 VH1 Mother’s Day music tribute concert titled, Dear Mama: A Love Letter to Moms, Grammy nominated singer and songwriter Jhené Aiko ...

identity en

A Man With Two Names

My family roots are in the British Isles, but one name in my family tree stands out: Jujiro Takenuchi. My grandma, Elizabeth Taylor—no, not ...

identity en ja es pt

Nikkei Chronicles #7 — Nikkei Roots: Digging into Our Cultural Heritage

Sharing Heart Beats

(content warning; child abuse and suicidality) These days, I talk with my grandma, younger siblings, and a cousin, but that’s it for biological family ...

identity en

Nikkei Chronicles #7 — Nikkei Roots: Digging into Our Cultural Heritage

Japanese Hair: A Rambling Exploration of its Cultural, Familial, and Personal Roots

When I enter that “nonki” (as my grandma jokingly calls it) state of being where I sort of zone out of the present time and ...

identity en

Canadian Nikkei Series

Canadian Nikkei: Oakville Sansei Dr. Erik Nabeta - Part 2

Read Part 1 >> Have you ever been to Japan? What attracts you to it? Any contact with family there? Yes, Tokyo. It was only four ...