Walking Tour: Lakewiew's Japanese American History

In the years following World War II, a wave of about 20,000 Japanese Americans (JAs) resettled to Chicago after being incarcerated in War Relocation Authority “internment camps.” They were part of a government plan to disperse and assimilate Japanese Americans across the country. When they first arrived in Chicago, many Japanese Americans lived on the South and Near North sides.

But by the 1960s, a JA community formed in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. At its peak, the neighborhood was home to nearly 150 Japanese-owned businesses and institutions, including traditional Japanese restaurants, markets, churches, and community organizations.

On Saturday, November 2nd, JACL Chicago’s Kansha Project is partnering with local historian Erik Matsunaga, who — along with some special guests — will take us on a walk through Lakeview’s history as a JA residential and business enclave. The tour will conclude at the Nisei Lounge with a facilitated conversation with JAs who grew up in the neighborhood.

Registration will close on October 26th. JACL Chicago members can use code 'JACL' to get $5 off each ticket.

What happens if it rains? We will email attendees on Friday, November 1st if the tour is cancelled due to forecasted rain.

Who can participate in the tour? Anyone ages 21 and up can join us!

What should I wear? Wear comfortable shoes (the tour involves about a mile of walking) and dress for the weather forecast!

Where do we meet? We’ll meet in front of the Belmont Red Line stop at 10:15 a.m. The tour will begin at 10:30.

Stay connected! You can learn more about JACL Chicago and the Kansha Project here. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Additional questions? Email Katherine Nagasawa at kcnagasawa@gmail.com.

The Kansha Project is a JACL Chicago program founded in 2011 that connects self-identified, Japanese Americans, ages 18-25, from the Midwest to their identity, history and community.

Erik Matsunaga is a Chicago-born Yonsei of Japanese and German descent. His investigations into Chicago’s Japanese American community have been featured on Discover Nikkei, an online project of the Japanese American National Museum; The Alphawood Gallery’s Then They Came for Me exhibit; and WBEZ Chicago Public Radio’s The Afternoon Shift. He currently manages @windycitynikkei on Instagram.