Little Tokyo Drift brings together veterans of the Nisei Week cruises and organizers of the Showoff to discuss the history and legacy of nikkei car culture in Los Angeles in a conversation moderated by Professor Oliver Wang with Joyce Chin, Janet Fujimoto, Tod Kaneko, Brian Karasawa, and Ken Miyoshi.

Beginning in the 1970s, the annual Nisei Week Festival became the premier destination for Japanese American cruisers who’d roll out in their freshly detailed cars, trucks and motorcycles to circle the carnival grounds. Japanese American auto enthusiasts have played vital roles within the Southern California car scene since the early 20th century and the annual Nisei Week cruises became one of the most visible displays of the nikkei community’s pride in their vehicles, hitting its peak in the mid 1980s before law enforcement brought things to a swift end after. However, since 2000, Nisei Week has become home to the Showoff, a car show inspired by the rise of import car racing and customization, thus continuing the link between Nisei Week and the local car scene for another generation.

Several panelists will also be bringing out their show cars to display on the JANM plaza on Saturday, August 21st.

You have the option to attend this program at the museum in the Tateuchi Democracy Forum on Saturday, August 21st or to watch the livestream online. The link for the livestream and instructions for visiting the museum will be emailed to you.

Complimentary museum admission is included with this program ticket.

Please see the information below for more details on visiting: https://www.janm.org/visit

RSVP TODAY

This program is presented in partnership with the YOMYOMF Foundation with support from the Nisei Week Japanese Festival.