Little Tokyo Community Profiles

Engaging the Community: Occidental College’s 2009 Partnership with Discover Nikkei

Morgan Pitelka

This spring, ten students in the Occidental College Asian Studies seminar “Japanophilia” had the opportunity to get to know some of the business leaders of the Japanese American community in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. The seminar is unusual, looking at the historical connection between Japanese self-identity and Western fascination with …

On Japanophilia: Collecting, Authenticity, and Making Identity

Morgan Pitelka

Japanophilia, or the obsession with things Japanese and the idea of Japan, has a long history. Although the term implies a rather unhealthy passion, Japanophiles have by no means been marginal figures, but rather some of the key players in the history of Euro -American encounters with Japan. In the …