"For community leaders in San Jose's Japantown, receiving statewide recognition as a cultural district affirms what they already know about the historic neighborhood. After a competitive process of more than 70 applicants, Japantown is one of 10 neighborhoods chosen last week to be a state-designated cultural district. This recognition provides the district with a $10,000 grant, as well as branding resources to attract more visitors. The five-year designation runs from Jan. 1, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2030."
""Regardless of the designation, we already know that we're a cultural district," Vanessa Hatakeyama, executive director of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, told San José Spotlight. "It was inspiring to hear that so many neighborhoods and organizations went through this process because they just have that love and that connection and that pride in their communities and their neighborhoods.""
Japantown in San Jose earned state designation as one of ten California cultural districts, selected from more than 70 applicants. The designation includes a $10,000 grant and branding resources, and runs Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2030. The California Cultural Districts program was established in 2015 via Assembly Bill 189 and uses a rigorous process including peer panel review and site visits. The Japanese American Museum mapped roughly 180 cultural assets in Japantown. San Jose Taiko will oversee grant spending. The Issei Memorial Building serves as a key meeting space for multiple cultural and civil rights groups and housed the museum initially.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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