
Ep 3 The First Manzanar Pilgrimage
04/15/24 • 27 min
Hosts Michelle Malizaki and Koji Steven Sakai delve into the history of the Manzanar pilgrimage. They discuss its historical significance, personal connections, and the necessity of education to prevent similar injustices.
If you’re interested in joining this year’s pilgrimage, here is a link for more information: https://manzanarcommittee.org/2024/02/09/55-pr1/
ABOUT PILGRIMAGE
22min, 2006
Directed & Edited by Tadashi Nakamura - tadashinakamura.com
Produced by Karen L. Ishizuka
Exec. Produced by Robert A. Nakamura
PILGRIMAGE tells the inspiring story of how an abandoned WWII concentration camp for Japanese Americans has been transformed into a symbol of retrospection and solidarity for people of all ages, races and nationalities in our post 9/11 world.
With a hip music track, never-before-seen archival footage and a story-telling style that features young and old, PILGRIMAGE reveals how the Japanese American community reclaimed a national experience that had almost been deleted from public understanding. PILGRIMAGE shows how the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage now has new meaning for diverse generations who realize that when the US government herded thousands of innocent Americans into what the government itself called concentration camps, it was failure of democracy that would affect all Americans.
You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf3t-5JP65M
ABOUT US
Welcome to "Japanese America," where the Japanese American National Museum unveils captivating stories that add a Nikkei slant to the American narrative. In each episode, we explore Japanese Americans' unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs, illuminating their rich contributions to the mosaic of American life. From historical milestones to contemporary perspectives, join us for an insightful journey showcasing the diverse tapestry of a community that has shaped the American story in extraordinary ways. Welcome to "Japanese America," where each story unfolds like a chapter in a living history book.
For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org.
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited and Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in Conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum
Hosts Michelle Malizaki and Koji Steven Sakai delve into the history of the Manzanar pilgrimage. They discuss its historical significance, personal connections, and the necessity of education to prevent similar injustices.
If you’re interested in joining this year’s pilgrimage, here is a link for more information: https://manzanarcommittee.org/2024/02/09/55-pr1/
ABOUT PILGRIMAGE
22min, 2006
Directed & Edited by Tadashi Nakamura - tadashinakamura.com
Produced by Karen L. Ishizuka
Exec. Produced by Robert A. Nakamura
PILGRIMAGE tells the inspiring story of how an abandoned WWII concentration camp for Japanese Americans has been transformed into a symbol of retrospection and solidarity for people of all ages, races and nationalities in our post 9/11 world.
With a hip music track, never-before-seen archival footage and a story-telling style that features young and old, PILGRIMAGE reveals how the Japanese American community reclaimed a national experience that had almost been deleted from public understanding. PILGRIMAGE shows how the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage now has new meaning for diverse generations who realize that when the US government herded thousands of innocent Americans into what the government itself called concentration camps, it was failure of democracy that would affect all Americans.
You can watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf3t-5JP65M
ABOUT US
Welcome to "Japanese America," where the Japanese American National Museum unveils captivating stories that add a Nikkei slant to the American narrative. In each episode, we explore Japanese Americans' unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs, illuminating their rich contributions to the mosaic of American life. From historical milestones to contemporary perspectives, join us for an insightful journey showcasing the diverse tapestry of a community that has shaped the American story in extraordinary ways. Welcome to "Japanese America," where each story unfolds like a chapter in a living history book.
For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org.
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited and Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in Conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum
Previous Episode

Ep 2 Karate Kid Revisited
In the second episode of the Japanese America Podcast, Koji Steven Sakai and Michelle Malizaki discuss the 1984 film "The Karate Kid," exploring its portrayal of Japanese culture and reimagining some of its iconic scenes to highlight issues of cultural representation and racism. They touch upon the significance of Mr. Miyagi's backstory of being in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II and the impact it had on audiences. The episode also speculates humorous updates to the film, such as having all Asians secretly know martial arts or turning Cobra Kai into a K-pop dance troupe.
ABOUT OUR PERFORMERS
Dom Magwili is a lecturer for the Department of Asian American Studies at California State University Fullerton. Dom has been an active novelist, playwright, screenwriter, and actor.
Terence Chin (he/him) (Daniel) is an actor starting in the film industry. Recently graduated from Cal State LA with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts. During his years at Cal State LA, Terence has been in numerous plays, musicals, and student films.
LINKS
"The Karate Kid" 30th Anniversary Panel Discussion, Q+A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjfNyjlLa88&t=1s
Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/karate_kid
ABOUT US
Welcome to "Japanese America," where the Japanese American National Museum unveils captivating stories that add a Nikkei slant to the American narrative. In each episode, we explore Japanese Americans' unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs, illuminating their rich contributions to the mosaic of American life. From historical milestones to contemporary perspectives, join us for an insightful journey showcasing the diverse tapestry of a community that has shaped the American story in extraordinary ways. Welcome to "Japanese America," where each story unfolds like a chapter in a living history book.
For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org.
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited and Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in Conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum
Next Episode

S1E4 Grandpa the Spy?
Hosts Koji and Michelle delve into the complexities of Japanese American identity through Koji’s unique family story. They examine why he was sent from Hawaii to America’s concentration camps and how they answered the contentious loyalty questionnaire. The episode provides a multifaceted look at the Japanese American experience, from the pride in samurai ancestry to the moral dilemmas posed by questions of allegiance during a dark chapter in American history.
ABOUT OUR READER
Derek Mio is an actor and comedian from Huntington Beach, CA. He portrays real-life recipient Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura in the Netflix anthology series Medal of Honor--executive produced by Robert Zemeckis--and is the lead actor in the second season of the critically acclaimed AMC anthology series The Terror co-starring George Takei and executive produced by Ridley Scott. He is the creator and host of 'The BudoComedy Show' held at the Terasaki Budokan non-profit rec center in Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles featuring comedians such as Atsuko Okatsuka, Al Madrigal, Sheng Wang, Ian Bagg and more--the show has raised over $10,000 for the facility. Derek earned a Bachelor of Arts from USC's School of Cinematic Arts. His hobbies include surfing, fishing, birding, and wrangling his 2-year-old son.
ABOUT US
Welcome to "Japanese America," where the Japanese American National Museum unveils captivating stories that add a Nikkei slant to the American narrative. In each episode, we explore Japanese Americans' unique experiences, challenges, and triumphs, illuminating their rich contributions to the mosaic of American life. From historical milestones to contemporary perspectives, join us for an insightful journey showcasing the diverse tapestry of a community that has shaped the American story in extraordinary ways. Welcome to "Japanese America," where each story unfolds like a chapter in a living history book.
For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org.
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited and Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum
Japanese America - Ep 3 The First Manzanar Pilgrimage
Transcript
Koji, tell us about the time you went on a trip. I can't say. Why are you making me a pilgrimage?
I practice pilgrimage, That's good. Koji, tell us about the time you went on a pilgrimage. I remember the first time I went on a pilgrimage was probably right when I started working at the Japanese American National Museum. So sometime pretty late in my 20s or in my 20s, I should say. And I remember thinking, you know, like I've studied the
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