Japanese immigrants have worked in, owned, and sustained restaurants in the U.S. for over a century and Japanese restaurants continue to be as integral a part of Japanese America as home cooking. In this third and final part of A Taste of Home, we will examine the past, present, and future of Japanese American restaurants and dining through a conversation with Chef Akira Hirose and Jo Ann Maehara (Azay Little Tokyo) and Chef Niki Nakayama (n/naka) moderated by Professor Samuel H. Yamashita. We will also hear from graphic novelist Sam Nakahira on her new book on 1970s California cuisine and local food movements through the story of Bill Fujimoto and explore the legacy of Japanese cuisine and restaurants with a presentation of items from JANM’s collection. 

This program is part of the series “A Taste of Home,” supported by the Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles.