Free Admission on July 20: Come See the New Nikkei National Museum!

The Nikkei National Museum Re-Opens on July 20, and Celebrates with Free Admission

Mark Your Calendars! Free for one day only, on July 20.

Come visit the new Nikkei National Museum, and the new Karasawa Museum exhibit space with an inaugural exhibit called “Nikkei 日系”. This ambitious exhibit will elucidate milestone events of our community’s history in a non-linear and intersectional way. 

The Opening Reception will be on Saturday July 20, 2019, at 1:30 – 5:00pm. On this day, everyone is welcome as our guest. Regular admission is $5 or free with NNMCC membership. Please consider becoming a NNMCC member for future free access to the gallery, complimentary admission to all NNMCC events, and discounts in the museum shop.

Featuring a New Core Exhibit:

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Nikkei 日系

Pronunciation: nee-kay

Literal translation: of Japanese ancestry

Definition: anyone with one or more ancestors from Japan, and/or anyone who self-identifies as Nikkei (XI COPANI Eleventh Pan-American Nikkei Conference 2001).

The term Nikkei originated in Japan during the Meiji imperial restoration, beginning in 1868, to identify Japanese immigrants and their descendants residing in foreign countries. Today, it is widely used within the Japanese diaspora worldwide but often requires explanation outside of Japan where the label is most relevant.

More than 25 individual and family stories, accompanied by rare and previously inaccessible personal belongings from the community, give evidence to lived experience of Nikkei in Canada. Discover unique stories of arrival, heroism in the face of racism, the resilience of community, and the experience of generations through the intersections of migration, racism, identity, and belonging.

The core exhibit promises, over time, to rotate through a repository of over 30,000 photographs, 35 metres of textual records, 500 oral history recordings, 100 film reels, and over 2500 artefacts and artworks, which continues to grow with the tireless efforts of our archive and collections team.

2019 Exhibit Programs*:

  • July 20 - Opening of Charles H. Kadota Resource Centre from noon

  • July 20 - Opening of new Karasawa exhibit space from 1:30pm

  • Aug 24 - Film screening from 2pm of The Vancouver Asahi – 2014 directed by Yuya Ishii, starring Satoshi Tsumabuki, Kazuya Kamenashi, Ryo Katsuji, Yuske Kamiji, Sosuke Ikematsu, Koichi Sato. Running time 133 minutes.

  • Aug 31/Sept 1 - Gallery tours during Nikkei Matsuri

  • Oct 8 – 11 - Alberta Sugar Beets Bus Tour

  • Oct 17 – Nov 2 - Hold These Truths, Cultch Historic Theatre
    Directed by Lisa Rothe, starring Joel de la Fuente, exec produced by Tamlyn Tomita
    www.holdthesetruths.info

  • Dec 14 - Nikkei Christmas Boutique

*Programs are subject to change. Please check centre.nikkeiplace.org for details and updates.

2020 plans include an inter-generational dialogue, art making, preserving photos, and genealogy workshops.