The Japan History Council of New York was created in December 2020 to establish a Digital Museum of the History of Japanese in New York and the region. The goal of the Museum is to collect, preserve, and disseminate this rich and varied history from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.
The Council continued to pursue this mission in 2022 with the following accomplishments:
- Over 24,000 visitors to the Digital Museum by the end of 2022
- First special exhibit and live event on the Iwakura Mission in March 2022, adding nearly 80 new items to the Digital Museum
- Presentation at the Mid-Atlantic Region Association for Asian Studies (MARAAS) Conference, October 2022
- Creation of presentation poster for the Digital Museum and the Council
- Yuka Yokoyama joined as curator of the Digital Museum, December 2022
- Financial cooperation of 35 entities in the activities of the Council
- Institutional outreach and collaboration with organizations such as Japanese American National Museum (JANM), Asia Society, Noguchi Museum, and Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP)
Looking ahead, the Digital Museum is currently developing its second exhibit, a study of the fascinating connections between the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) and Japan. A panel will discuss this history in Philadelphia in March 2023.
The Council is grateful to its sponsors for their continued financial support and donation of historical materials, which enable the Council to continue the work of preserving the history of Japanese in the New York area and transmitting it to future generations. Those wishing to contribute can reach the Japan History Council of New York by email at [email protected].
February 3, 2023, New York