In this issue…

New Kaiju Exclusives, Kawaii Gifts, and more!

Thanks to all who have checked out our new exhibition, Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys, which showcases hundreds of dazzling vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys, providing a feast for the eyes and the imagination. Our initial batch of limited and exclusive toys sold out lightning fast! However, there is still plenty of special merchandise related to the exhibition. Also, new items including exclusives sold only on-site will be available throughout the run of the show.

On October 20, Mark Nagata will be coming to JANM to paint a kaiju sculpture and sign books and other items. On that same day, we will release three new limited edition Nagata designed toys! A Captain Maxx, a glow-in-the-dark Tripus hand-painted by Nagata, and a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted Tripus variant. These will only be available on-site on a first come, first served basis. (No discounts are available on these items.)

Save the date for Member Appreciation Days on Friday–Sunday, November 23–25. Museum members enjoy a 20% discount at the JANM Store and janmstore.com. Members also receive free museum admission and a 20% discount at several other Southern California institutions. On Sunday, November 25, we will also be celebrating Museum Store Sunday with a book signing and 25% off on select JANM products and publications. See below for more details.

We hope to see you at JANM soon!

Maria Kwong
Director of Retail Enterprises

NEW IN BOOKS

This publication goes beyond the usual exhibition catalog and was designed by LATDA (Los Angeles Toy, Doll and Amusements) Museum for the collaborative exhibition of the same name at the Pasadena Museum of California Art in 2007. The exhibition featured the work of Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, David Gonzales, David Horvath, Sun-Min Kim, Brian McCarty, and Mark Nagata. Includes bios of all seven artists along with essays by Ivan Vartarian and Maria Kwong (curator). Profusely illustrated with colors photographs.

Beyond Ultraman

In the weeks following the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, American suspicion and distrust of its Japanese American population became widespread. The US government soon ordered Japanese Americans living on the West Coast to report to assembly centers for eventual transfer to concentration camps.

Dorothea Lange was hired by the War Relocation Authority (WRA) to photograph the removals and life at the concentration camp. More than a year later, Manzanar Project Director Ralph Merritt hired Ansel Adams to also document life at the camp. Lange and Adams were also joined by WRA photographers Russell Lee, Clem Albers, and Francis Stewart. Two Issei prisoners, Toyo Miyatake and Jack Iwata, also secretly photographed life within the camp.

These images express the dignity and determination of the Japanese Americans in the face of injustice and humiliation. Today the tragic circumstances surrounding displaced and detained people around the world only strengthen the impact of these photos taken 75 years ago.

Displaced

In this extraordinary picture book, author Joan Schoettler imparts the life of a remarkable woman, teacher, and artist.

From the Japanese American concentration camps to the creation of the San Francisco School of the Arts, Ruth Asawa’s life journey was one filled with injustice, learning, and expression. Known as the “Fountain Lady” of San Francisco due to the many fountains she designed, Asawa experimented with unconventional mediums, using lines, space, and wire to create dimensional sculptures.

The thorough research of illustrator Traci Van Wagoner is vividly apparent in the dynamic depictions of Asawa and her life that are sure to fascinate and inspire young readers. Ages 3–8.

Ruth Asawa

KAWAII GIFTS

The Year of the Dog is coming to an end, but we still have plenty of dogs coming in! The perfect combination of accessory and adorableness, this coin purse from Japan is made of silicon and will guard your money.

Shiba Inu Silicone Coin Purse

Due to the popularity of our small Yancha tote, we’ve added a matching cosmetic bag, so you can monku, monku in earnest!

Monku Manga Cosmetic Bag

Monku Manga Tote

AT THE MUSEUM

Current Exhibitions

hapa.me – 15 years of the hapa project

Through October 28, 2018

Artist Kip Fulbeck continues his project, begun in 2001, of photographing persons who identify as “hapa”—of mixed Asian/Pacific Islander descent—as a means of promoting awareness and positive acceptance of multiracial identity. As a follow-up to kip fulbeck: part asian, 100% hapa, his groundbreaking 2006 exhibition, hapa.me pairs the photographs and statements from that exhibition with contemporary portraits of the same individuals and newly written statements, showing not only their physical changes in the ensuing years, but also changes in their perspectives and outlooks on the world.

In addition, hapa.me includes portraits of hundreds of new participants and an interactive section where, on select days, viewers can join the community by having their portrait taken and writing their own personal statement.

For more information about the exhibition, please visit janm.org/hapa-me.

For related books and items, visit janmstore.com/hapa-me.

Captain Maxx battles Drazoran. Vinyl toys by Mark Nagata. Photo by Brian McCarty.

Through March 24, 2019

Kaiju translates to “strange creature” in English but has come to mean “giant monster” referring to the creatures like Godzilla and Mothra that inhabited the postwar movie and television screens of Japan. The advent of these monsters brought about the creation of characters to combat them—hence the emergence of pop-culture heroes like Ultraman and Kamen Rider.

Immerse yourself in a colorful universe of vintage and contemporary kaiju and hero toys from Mark Nagata, a toy designer and fervent toy collector.

For more information about the exhibition, related public programs, and exclusive merchandise, please visit janm.org/kaiju-vs-heroes.

For related merchandise, visit janmstore.com/kaiju-vs-heroes.

Holiday Shopping

Friday–Sunday, November 23–25

Members enjoy a 20% discount at the JANM Store and janmstore.com. They also receive free museum admission and a 20% discount at several other Southern California institutions.

Participants includes the California Science Center, Fowler Museum, Pasadena Museum of History, Skirball Cultural Center, and others.

Click on the link below for more details, restrictions, and a complete list of participants.

janmstore.com/membershopping

November 25 is the second annual Museum Store Sunday! We join over 700 Museum Stores from all fifty states, ten countries, and three continents to provide a special shopping experience.

Author Steve Ryfle will be at JANM at 1 p.m. to sign copies of his book Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa (see below). Join us for some kaiju-themed refreshments!

In addition, select JANM products and publications will be 25% off on 11/25/18, on-site only. (Discount cannot be combined with existing discounts and applies to applicable merchandise only.)

Check janm.org and our social media channels for more updates.

SUPPORT JANM

BECOME A MEMBER AND SAVE!

Become a JANM member and enjoy free general admission to the museum, discounts on workshops and other ticketed events, access to Members Only events, a 10% discount at the award-winning JANM Store and janmstore.com, and much more.

Members also enjoy 20% discounts during our two annual Member Appreciation Days; the next one will take place November 23–25.

Join or renew now!

Member Appreciation Days

COMMENTS/FEEDBACK

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The mission of the Japanese American National Museum is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience.

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