SF JACL Japantown Journey Mural Proposal
The mural will honor and celebrate the 115 years of a community’s survival and resilience.
Japantown Journey Mural New Image
The San Francisco Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, proposes to create a mural on the high-traffic exterior wall facing Geary Boulevard at the entrance to the Peace Plaza.
The historical mural is funded by three generous Trust Funds: Yo Hironaka, Greg Marutani and Frank Minami, who were members of JACL and integral to the preservation of San Francisco Japantown. It is in their names that SFJACL launched this proposal.
The mural will depict the history of SF’s Japantown and artfully create images of persons, places and events that will tell the story of one of the three remaining Japantowns in the U.S. The purpose is to educate and enlighten visitors to the value of diverse communities to our City, and to instill pride and gratitude for the community’s future generations.
Do you have questions about the Mural Proposal?
To contact us for more information
It takes a collective heart to build something great
The Team
SF JACL Board of Directors:
Judy Hamaguchi
David Takashima
Emily Murase
Merry Nishimura
Elena Nielsen
Artists Team
Rigel “Crayone” Juratovac, Master Artist
Advisory:
Ben Kobashigawa - Professor Emeritis, SF State University - Bio
Darcy E. Nishi - Bio
Kenji Taguma, Nichi Bei Foundation - Bio
Rosalyn Tonai, National Japanese American Historical Society - Bio
Video Documentarian
Greg Viloria, Monks Media Works
News & Updates
Upcoming Mural Related Meetings and Events
Look here for upcoming meetings
Nominations
Nominations closed at midnight on December 31, 2022 and the initial list is located below. The initial list contained 73 names, including individuals both living and deceased. In reviewing nominations, the SFJACL board determined that, to be considered further, candidates should only include deceased individuals. Nominations were posted on the website in advance of the January 12 community meeting. At the conclusion of that meeting, 27 semifinalists were announced. The list of finalists will be posted to the SFJACL website and in the Nichi Bei weekly newspaper.
Nomination Process for Portraits to be included on Japantown Journey Mural
The SF JACL established the following criteria for portrait nominees:
1. Established and built San Francisco Japantown and who have made significant contributions
to continue to build and preserve it; or
2. Advanced our diverse stories and history through education, the arts and culture; or
3. Played a leadership role in social justice and civil rights issues
Each criterion should have a significant connection to San Francisco Japantown.
Victor Abe
Kyutaro Abiko
Yona Abiko
Jeff Adachi
Hatsuro Aizawa
Shichinosuke Asano
Ruth Asawa
Masao Ashizawa
Helen Cooke Jones
Steven Doi
Jimbo Edwards
Dianne Fukami
Nobusuke Fukuda
Robert Hamaguchi
Michiya Hanayagi
George Hibi
HIsako Hibi
James Hirabayashi
Hikoroku & Suwa Honnami
Howard Imazeki
Hisako Inouye
Archbishop Nitten Ishida
Hiroshi Kashiwagi
Ichiro Kataoka
Steven Katayama
Saburo Kido
Kathleen Kimura
Tsuyako "Sox" Kitashima
Toshi Koba
Major Masasuke Kobayashi
Greg Marutani
Shizue, Linda, Vicky, Dad Mihara
Janice Mirikitani
Sandy Mori
Susan Muranishi
Kenji Murase
June-ko Nakagawa
Benh Nakajo
Steve Nakajo
Nichi Bei Kai
Chiura Obata
Kathleen "Kay* & Takeo Okamoto
Bobby & Ricky Okamura
Guy Ono
Michi Onuma
Wayne Osaki
Jon Osaki
Fujima Rokushige
Robert & Others Sakai
Tomatra Scott
Michael Sera
Shin Sekai
Wes Senzaki
Iwao Shimizu
Charles Sullivan
Tomoye & Henry Takahashi
Seiichi Tanaka
Yoshiro Taniguchi
George Togasaki
Kazue Togasaki
Yoshiye Togasaki
Taro "Tom" Tsukahara
Edison Uno
Clifford Uyeda
Yori Wada
James Wakasa
Lloyd Wake
Peter Kenichi Yamamoto
Lawrence Toshimichi Yamamoto
George Yamasaki
Minoru Yamasaki
Janice Yanehiro
Hatsuye “Hatsy” and Hisao “Moses” Yasukochi Yasukochi