Growing up as a yonsei/gosei Japanese American (JA) in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Hawaii, I was always raised with JA traditions and community at the center of my life, spending lots of time at JA community centers, playing taiko and basketball, etc. JA culture and the JA community provided me with comfort, support, and values I try to live by. When the time for looking for colleges came around, I was really worried that I would not be able to continue being connected with my JA roots. When looking at a college I found myself asking “Where’s the nearest JA supermarket?” “Where’s the nearest JA community center?” “Does the college have a JA club?” JA culture and community are big parts of my life and it was scary to think that might not be the case for a large portion of my next four years. Starting college, starting adulting, starting life in a new place were already scary, let alone trying to do these things without keeping in touch with my culture. 

So where did I choose to go? How were these questions answered? I chose to study urban and regional planning at Cal Poly Pomona. There was a lot of uncertainty at first, even if this college had a taiko club, JA club, and was nearby some JA areas. Would I find friends within these clubs? Would I be able to tap into these resources? Would it be the same as back home? 

One and a half years in, while it may not be the same as being home, I can confidently say I have been able to continue being connected with my roots. While it took some time and a lot of going out of my comfort zone, I am now the Director of Cultural Affairs for my college’s Nikkei Student Union and spend a lot of my time involved with the club. I have found friends from many different backgrounds going through similar experiences. I am also now a proud owner of Japangeles merch, a regular patron of places like Fugetsu-do & Mitsuru Cafe, and can truly say I have kept connected to my JA roots. 

But this article is not meant to be about me, I wanted to make this guide to help college age JA going through similar experiences of uncertainty, homesickness, etc. This article is about ways to help you, the reader! 

This guide is for more than just JA college students, this guide is for anyone who wants to connect to their culture from wherever they call home. JA culture doesn’t have to be a part of how you grew up, and you don’t have to be super involved within the community. Being in touch with your roots, culture, heritage is important, and the people, traditions, values that have come before us are the reason we are able to exist right here, right now. 

Listed below are some ways (some I have tried, some I have yet to try) that you can use to keep in touch with your JA roots and community. Everyone’s circumstances and situation is different, but I hope some of these points can help you.

1. Take advantage of online resources!

There are a variety of platforms, like Yo!, available to anyone and everyone. From stories, to historical resources, to recipes, the internet has a wealth of JA culture and history for you to explore. Listed below are some of the many online resources that can act as a starting point:

Organizations

1. Japanese American National Museum - A museum dedicated to preserving and teaching Japanese American history
2. Discover Nikkei - A website created by the Japanese American National Museum that connects the international community of those of Japanese descent
3. Densho - Non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and making Japanese American WWII history, including primary sources like oral history, accessible
4. Okaeri - An organization that connects and supports LGBTQ+  Japanese/Japanese Americans and allies
5. Yo Magazine - The platform this article is on! An online platform connecting JA youth through articles and other resources

Podcasts

1. Japanese America - Hosted by the Japanese American National Museum
2. Yon Say - Hosted by Nikkei Rising (no longer releasing new episodes)

2. Explore!

There are JA communities, past and present, throughout the country—there could be some hidden JA history in your neighborhood! When doing research about Japanese incarceration during WWII for the JA club I’m in, I learned that there was an assembly center near my college. Here are some resources to get your historical research journey started:

1. For California, California Japantowns is a great resource on historical Japantowns
2. Densho has a lot of resources on their website - I frequently visit the encyclopedia 

Tips:

• Sometimes all it takes is a google search: Japanese Americans in ___
• A little tip I use when researching: type your search terms and then add “site:___” to filter results by domain extension (.org, .gov., .edu) - this can help you find information from specific types of sources
  • Ex: If I wanted to find resources about Japanese Americans from educational institutions and organizations I would type “Japanese Americans site:.edu”
• I sometimes use research guides and/or collections, which are helpful tools created by educational institutions that list resources for specific topics - sometimes educational institutions will offer their research guides and/or collections online, try looking up the topic terms and adding research guide and/or collection to the end, or go through the library’s main research guide and/or collections page
• Ask your local librarians! They are awesome, very knowledgeable people who also sometimes specialize in certain subjects. Reach out to see if they can help you with your questions of JA history in your area
• You can ask local community figures questions too, if they are available in your area
• Try to look for any historical plaques/markers which may give possible connections to JA history
  • For starters: try the National Register of Historic Places (run by the National Park Service) database
  • Some states and cities have their own databases of plaques and markers for historical landmarks

3. Chef it up!

‍One of the best ways to stay connected with JA culture is to cook! I know it may be hard to find some ingredients, but feel free to adapt! Japanese Americans have historically adapted recipes over the years to fit whatever ingredients are available.

Some of my favorite recipes that don’t require too many ingredients:

1. Teri spam/beef/hotdogs
   1. All you need is teri sauce (can just be soy sauce and sugar) and a meat, simmer on low heat or toss on medium heat - be careful of high temperatures as teri sauce will burn
2. Chi Chi Dango Mochi (made in a rice cooker/microwave)
   1. My go to recipe is taken from the package of a Marukai microwave chi chi dango pan:
      1. Combine (make sure all lumps/pockets of mochiko are gone)
         1. 1 ½ cups mochiko flour
         2. 1 ½ cups water
         3. 1 cup sugar
      2. To cook, either:
         1. Microwave in a greased pan for 5 minutes on high and then 2 minutes on medium
         2. Pour a 1 to 1 ½ inch layer in the pot of a rice cooker (make sure to add non stick spray or a little oil) and hit the regular steam/cook button, check regularly with a toothpick to see if cooked through, watch out for browning or burning
      3. Coat a clean surface in katakuriko (potato starch) and when cool, cut to desired size with a plastic knife 
      4. If you’re feeling fancy wrap pieces of the mochi in parchment paper and twist the ends, I’ve made a chi chi dango lei before
3. Curry
   1. My recipe is based off of a recipe from Just One Cookbook, but as a college student I make the following adjustments:
      1. I add potatoes, carrots, onions and any meat I have laying around
      2. I like to mix curry block brands too
      3. I eat my curry with chicken nuggets (preferably dinosaur shaped) for a quick college meal
      4. I have added leftover meat from going out to eat to be the “katsu” to my curry - air frying does wonders

Tips:

1. A solid teri sauce can be used for EVERYTHING, find a recipe that suits your taste, then add it to spam, thinly cut beef, hot dogs, etc, my personal recipe has shoyu, brown sugar, and mirin
2. SHARE - I like to give people food I’ve made to return favors, to say thank you. for birthdays, etc.
3. Ask your family if you could borrow any JA cookbooks, a lot of JA organizations have cookbooks, sometimes multiple editions too
4. Follow social media accounts like @tabemanda on Instagram, she makes a lot of content about JA food

‍4. Represent!

‍Wear some JA inspired clothing to represent your heritage. Here’s some links to some JA clothing businesses that sell online:

1. Japangeles in Little Tokyo (no permanent online shop, but they have a couple days a year where you can order online)
2. Shoyu Drip 
3. Sumofish
4. Ryoko Rain
5. For other JA and AANHPI businesses, check out Yo!’s AANHPI Small Business Shopping Guide

5. Ask!

‍If you have someone you can ask about JA culture, try to ask them some questions if they feel comfortable answering. Those who have come before us are oftentimes the best places to learn something new.

1. Ask your family
   1. Family history and heritage is oftentimes complex, while family members can be valuable sources of culture and history, asking questions about the past can be difficult for family members
   2. Make sure to be patient and respectful, respect their wishes if a family member would rather not talk about certain subjects, what’s most important, is their emotional wellbeing
   3. Here’s some questions to get you started:
      1. Where does your (or our) family originate from?
      2. What is your favorite childhood memory?
      3. What is your favorite JA food?
      4. What is your favorite tradition?
      5. Check out this page from the UCLA library for more ideas!
2. Reach out to teachers, professors, community figures as well! They may be willing to share their knowledge and experiences with you.
3. Read Yo! Magazine articles covering related topics, including how to archive:‍
   1. "Our Legacy: How I Created a Family Photo Archive” by Justin Kawaguchi‍
   2. “A visit to the archives (Learning from our AAPI Leaders)” by Eo Hanabusa

While it may seem scary to ask, with patience, respect, and some beforehand research, you can learn and maybe document JA history on your own

6. Organize!

1. Whether you have a JA club/organization at your school or not, you can always try to organize JA events and activities!
   1. I helped my friend teach obon odori to my college’s NSU
   2. Look into the process of starting a JA or AANHPI club at your school

Some things to remember…

1. This is nowhere near a complete list, so if you have any suggestions that have worked for you or how this guide could be improved, please send them in! 
2. You are not alone. While at some times it may not feel like it, there are other JA and non-JA youth going through similar experiences. 
3. Dino nuggets and curry taste best when shared with friends!

What’s most important is NOT how heavily involved you are in the JA community or how many traditions you follow. The only thing that matters is that you are satisfied with your personal connection with your JA heritage, whatever that might be. It doesn’t matter whether that connection is made through direct involvement or the things listed above like cooking cultural food. When I’m feeling homesick or missing my community at home, I cook curry or teri spam and share it with my friends. It is not what your community looks like, but how you build a system of support and shared experiences with friends, family, community organizations, role models, and those around you.

Do what you are comfortable with and what fits your life. No matter where you live or how involved you are, you ARE JA. Your cultural identity and connection is just that: yours. It’s not determined by where you live or how many hours you spend at a Japanese American community center. This guide is meant to help you and your connection to your heritage, no one can tell you what’s enough involvement or traditions followed other than yourself!