A Step Toward the Next 100 Years

By TOMOKO NAGAI
RAFA STAFF WRITER

The Japanese Institute of Sawtelle (JIS) in West Los Angeles on Feb. 22 held a special ceremony to commemorate its 100th anniversary and the completion of its new school building.

Supporters from the Japanese American community, school staff, members of the Los Angeles City Council, and 142 current students and their parents gathered in the gymnasium to celebrate this memorable day with joy and pride.

The event also marked the official unveiling of the newly renovated facility, which was part of preparations for the upcoming opening of the Terasaki Japanese Immersion Preschool, a full-time project two years in the making.

JIS traces its origins back to November 1925, when founder Gisuke Sakamoto began teaching four students in his own home. Since then, the school has grown with the mission of providing Japanese language education and preserving Japanese culture for Japanese American children. Today, students from ages 3 to 18 attend weekend classes.

At the ceremony, Paul Terasaki of the Terasaki Family Foundation (a longtime generous supporters of JIS), Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, and Deputy Consul General Naoshige Aoshima of the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles gave congratulatory remarks. The City of Los Angeles also presented awards to individuals and organizations for their contributions.

In addition, JIS expressed gratitude to West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple, which provided classrooms during the renovation period, by presenting a certificate of appreciation.

History and Future of the School

Board member and grandson of the founder, Randy Sakamoto, gave a presentation on the school’s history using slides. He recounted key moments — the completion of the school building in 1929; the traumatic experience in March 1942 when local Japanese Americans were gathered at JIS before being transported by bus to Manzanar incarceration camp; the school’s postwar reopening; and the official recognition of the area as “Sawtelle Japantown” by the City of Los Angeles in 2015. Through these events, JIS has remained a central part of the Japanese American community.

The renovation project was made possible by generous support from the Kaslof Foundation, the Terasaki Family Foundation, and others. Paul Terasaki emphasized the importance of Japanese language schools like JIS, explaining that his grandparents and father valued their connection to Japanese culture.

“It’s really important to have a school like this to provide that structure, for us to learn, and for future generations to learn. We’re really happy that this all came to happen,” he said.

Reflecting on his own experience as a former JIS student, he shared fond memories of people he met through the school and the culture he experienced, and expressed high hopes for the new full-time preschool.

Aoshima called the 100-year milestone “a testament to the continued transmission of Japanese language and culture to the next generation.” He praised JIS for enduring through war-time hardships and becoming a place of learning and community exchange that has significantly contributed to the growth of the Japanese American community in Los Angeles.

He also honored the determination of Japanese Americans who continued their education even in camps like Manzanar and stated, “The fact that the spirit of providing good education to the next generation has been passed down to today’s JIS is something to be proud of.”

Alumni Reflections

Several alumni who attended JIS as children were also present, including June Emiko Fujimoto and Ayako Masada.

Fujimoto said, “I was seven when I went in, and ten when I came out [of camp]. So I do remember quite a bit.” She attended JIS after the war ended. Speaking about the 100th anniversary, she said, “Well, I didn’t think we’d live this long to be able to see it.”

After the war ended in 1945 and Japanese Americans were released from the camps, many families returned to the Sawtelle area from camps as well as places like Colorado where some had relocated. The number of returnees gradually increased, and friendships began to form again.

Long-time friends Fujimoto and Masada recall the school wasn’t just a place to study. “It was just more. Because we live two blocks that way, June was up here, and we were over there. It was a social gathering,” said Masada. “And because of the prejudice we faced, they kept us together for a while. It was like one big community.”

After Pearl Harbor, many families destroyed any possessions connected to Japan, including valuable heirlooms. Yet Fujimoto recalled, “My father made us proud of who we are. When we left I was seven. So I remember he said he was the only one that didn’t burn any papers. Or he didn’t bury anything. He just said, ‘We’re going to be back someday.’ [After Pearl Harbor, many families destroyed any possessions connected to Japan, including valuable heirlooms.

“Just as he believed, the family returned to Sawtelle, and JIS became a cherished place of learning and emotional support for the children.”

One young father of a current student shared his thoughts about JIS’ 100th year: “My father went, I went, and then now my son is going, so I think about that sort of continuity of the different generations. You know, you look around, there’s so much of the neighborhood that’s changed, and this is one of the things that’s … a link to the past and also at this point, hopefully the future.”

For those who have lived their lives alongside JIS, the day was a reminder of both the things that change with time and the things that remain steadfast.

JIS Today and the Road Ahead

Due to the area’s development and real estate hike, the number of Nikkei families living in the Sawtelle area is not as many as before. However, the families still bring their children to JIS on weekends. Some children are from alumni families, some are from newly arrived families, and some are from families with no Japanese background. Yet students still go through the same school gate. Some children are from alumni families, some are from newly arrived families, and some are from families with no Japanese background.

During the ceremony, students presented flowers and performed songs and dances. The younger children’s heartfelt singing and the older students’ energetic “Sōran Bushi” dance in traditional happi coats filled the venue with excitement.

Visitors touring the new building admired its design, featuring skylights and the warmth of wood, while young children eagerly played in the sandbox and on the playground. Former teacher Eiji Sakamoto, who witnessed the 90th anniversary of the school, expressed his feelings on the new changes. “The old look is gone. It’s become so bright,” he said, visibly moved.

The school’s principal, Miwa Takahashi, reflected on the successful centennial event: “We are grateful for the past 100 years and now begin building the next 100 years for a new generation.” She added, “We want to create a place that brings joy to children and becomes a gathering space across generations.”

With the launch of the full-time preschool soon, JIS now embarks on its journey into the next century.

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