Nisei Week

Nisei Week
source
Name	Nisei Week Japanese Festival
Caption	Parade during the festival in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles
Location	Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California
Years active	1934–1941, 1978–present
Founded	1934
Dates	August (annual)
Genre	Cultural festival

Nisei Week. Nisei Week is an annual summer cultural festival held in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, celebrating Japanese American heritage and community life. The festival features a range of events including parades, cultural performances, culinary exhibitions, business showcases and pageants that attract visitors from across Southern California and national Japanese American communities. Nisei Week serves as a focal point linking institutions, community organizations, artistic ensembles and civic partners.

History

Founded in 1934 by leaders from the Japanese American Citizens League and the Little Tokyo Business Association, the festival emerged amid the prewar Japanese American community of Los Angeles. Early editions showcased entertainers from Kabuki troupes, vendors associated with the Issei cohort, and civic leaders from Los Angeles City Council districts. The interruption of World War II and the issuance of Executive Order 9066 led to wartime closure and the internment of Japanese Americans associated with institutions such as Manzanar and Tule Lake, halting activities until community resettlement. Postwar revival efforts in the 1970s were driven by activists connected with groups like the Japanese American National Museum and the Japanese American Citizens League, aligning the festival with redress movements related to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Over the decades, the festival has intersected with cultural currents involving performers and organizations including Gish Jen, George Takei, Yo-Yo Ma, Isamu Noguchi, Ansel Adams, and arts partners like the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.

Organization and Events

The festival is organized by a nonprofit corporation composed of board members drawn from the Little Tokyo Business Association, the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, the Japanese American National Museum, and civic partners such as the Los Angeles County offices and the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles. Signature events include a headlining parade involving marching units from institutions like Lowell High School (San Francisco), taiko ensembles including Kinnara Taiko, and youth groups such as the Boy Scouts of America troops with historical ties to Little Tokyo. Programming has incorporated collaborations with performing arts institutions, drawing artists from Los Angeles Philharmonic, dance companies linked to Margaret Jenkins, and theatre companies such as East West Players.

Cultural Significance and Programming

Programming blends traditional and contemporary Japanese cultural expression, bringing in masters of Ikebana associated with the Urasenke school, tea ceremony practitioners connected to Japanese Tea Ceremony, martial artists from organizations like Aikido World Headquarters, and musical acts spanning enka singers and modern J-pop influenced performers who have ties to labels such as Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) incorporated. Educational panels have included scholars affiliated with universities like UCLA, USC, and California State University, Los Angeles, and community historians associated with the Densho Project and the Japanese American National Museum. The festival also features film screenings showcasing works by filmmakers such as Chris Tashima, Pat Morita, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and retrospectives referencing archives from institutions like the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Parade and Public Celebrations

The signature parade routes through Little Tokyo and has showcased grand marshals drawn from figures like Fred Korematsu (posthumous honors), entertainers such as George Takei, athletes like Tomoaki Kanemoto, and civic leaders including members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Floats have been sponsored by cultural organizations such as the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, corporate partners like Nissan Motor Corporation, and educational institutions including Cal State Los Angeles. The parade integrates traditional elements—mikoshi processions tied to Shinto shrines, taiko performances from groups like Kodo alumni, and dance troupes doing Bon Odori—alongside contemporary floats featuring pop culture references from companies like Bandai Namco and media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times.

Participation and Community Impact

Participation spans the Japanese American diaspora, drawing community members from regions represented by organizations such as the Japanese American Service Committee and the Japanese American Citizens League national office, as well as student groups from schools like Harvard-Westlake School and cultural clubs from universities including Berkeley, UCLA, and USC. The festival supports local businesses in Little Tokyo including longstanding establishments like Fugetsu-Do and the Japanese Village Plaza, and encourages economic activity through vendor marketplaces featuring artisans linked to galleries such as the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center gallery space. Nisei Week has been used as a platform for intergenerational exchange involving elders from Keiro Senior HealthCare and youth organizations such as Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA.

Controversies and Challenges

The festival has faced controversies and challenges including debates over commercial sponsorships involving multinational corporations such as Toyota Motor Corporation, concerns about cultural authenticity raised by activists connected to the Japanese American Citizens League and scholars from institutions like UCLA Asian American Studies Center, and disputes about representation of historical narratives tied to internment sites like Manzanar and advocacy groups such as Densho. Logistical challenges have included coordination with municipal agencies like the Los Angeles Police Department and lease negotiations with property owners including entities related to the Little Tokyo Business Association. The festival has also navigated public health and safety crises, adjusting programming during events influenced by statewide responses from the Governor of California and guidance from agencies like the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Category:Festivals in Los Angeles Category:Japanese-American culture in Los Angeles