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 Koji here. I’m stepping away from our usual schedule for a moment to share a new project I’ve been building in my garage in South Pas.
As a screenwriter and producer, I’ve realized that some of the biggest "plot holes" aren't in Hollywood—they’re in our history books. That’s why I’ve launched Un-History. Using a piece of analog hardware that picks up a ghostly frequency I call the "Dead Air," I’m pulling history’s biggest icons onto the hot seat for a final audit of their lives.
In this premiere episode, I’m cross-examining Thomas Jefferson. We’re digging into the massive contradictions of the man who wrote the vocabulary for freedom while running a 600-person forced labor camp and drowning in a $2,000 wine habit.
If you like the way we deconstruct stories here at Japanese America, I think you’re going to love this.
Listen to Episode 01 now and subscribe to the new "Un-History" feed wherever you get your podcasts.
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It is peak Sakura season in the Pacific Northwest. In this episode of Japanese America, Michelle and Koji beam up to the Rose City to sit down with Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong, the Executive Director of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon (JAMO).
Hanako shares her personal journey from growing up in Idaho—where her own family’s incarceration history was largely absent from her education—to becoming a self-described "steward of memory" and "translator" of the past. We dive into the "quietly defiant" identity of JAMO in its new home in the Flanders Building and the fascinating, diplomatic history behind the 100 Akebono cherry trees that line the Portland Waterfront.
Join us for a deep dive into resilience, undeniable belonging, and the "vibe" of planting something beautiful in the soil of a place that once tried to push you out.
Learn more about JAMO at jamo.org.
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited by Koji Steven Sakai
Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum

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"Irene made all of us believe that museums could be more than things that looked towards yesterday. They could be places that are central to today and tomorrow."
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we are dedicating this episode to a true titan of the Japanese American community: the late Irene Hirano Inouye. As the longtime CEO of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and founder of the U.S.-Japan Council, Irene’s vision turned a "mess" of an old temple building into an international landmark and a permanent home for our stories.
In this deep dive, we explore Irene’s journey from a service-driven childhood in Gardena to leading national foundations like Ford and Kresge. We also get personal, discussing the "mundane" objects that connect us to our history.
Subscribe & Leave a Comment: If you were curated in a museum today, what mundane object would represent your heritage? Let us know in the comments!
Links & Resources:
·        Learn more about JANM:Japanese American National Museum
·        The US-Japan Council:Explore Irene’s Global Legacy
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited by Koji Steven Sakai
Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum

Send us Fan Mail
What happens when two distinct cultures become one lived experience? We’re kicking off Season 3 of Japanese America with a bit of a "chill" as we look ahead to the Winter Olympics starting next month. In this premiere, hosts Michelle and Koji dive into the archives of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) to revisit a powerful interview with an American icon: Kristi Yamaguchi.
Originally recorded for JANM’s landmark exhibition, More Than a Game: Sport in the Japanese American Community, this interview captures Kristi reflecting on her journey long after her historic 1992 gold medal win. We go beyond the skating highlights to explore the deeply personal stories that shaped her, including:
The "Reading Rule": Why a young Kristi had to master her ABCs before she was allowed to hit the ice.
A Hidden Challenge: Kristi’s early years dealing with clubfoot and how corrective braces and dance therapy eventually led her to the rink.
The Silence of the Camps: A moving look at the Sansei/Yonsei experience and the reluctance of her grandparents to discuss the wartime incarceration.
Resilience through Loss: The turning point in 1991 when, following the loss of her grandfather and coach, Kristi had to choose between giving up or going for gold.
The Secret Result: A charming behind-the-scenes story of how she actually found out she won the Olympic Gold before the cameras were even rolling.
Stick around until the end as we tease our upcoming special episode for Women’s History Month featuring the late Irene Hirano Inouye, the visionary leader who made preserving these stories possible.
Links & Resources:
Learn more about JANM: Japanese American National Museum
Explore the Exhibition: More Than a Game: Sport in the Japanese American Community
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Additional Music by Maksym Malko and  Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited by Koji Steven Sakai
Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum

Send us Fan Mail
Celebrate the holidays through a Japanese American lens! 🎄🥢 From quirky Christmas traditions in Japan to the rich flavors of New Year’s osechi, this episode uncovers the meaning behind festive rituals. Featuring moving performances from "Unforgotten Voices From Heart Mountain: An Oral History of the Incarceration," co-authored by Joanne Oppenheim and Nancy Matsumoto, and the diary of Stanley Hayami, we honor resilience, gift‑giving in hard times, and the enduring legacy of the Japanese Americans.
Season 2 returns this February—don’t miss it!
For more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org. 
CREDITS
The music was created by Jalen Blank
Additional Music by Maksym Malko and  Ievgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay
Written by Koji Steven Sakai
Hosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven Sakai
Edited by Koji Steven Sakai
Produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum