Japanese America

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A little something different from me! 🎙️
Many of you know me through Japanese America, but I've also been working on a new narrative podcast with Milton: The Red Room.
It's a fictional audio thriller that begins with an impossible 911 call and unravels into a mystery involving a missing teenager, disturbing secrets, and supernatural horror.
We've put a lot of work into bringing this story to life, and today is officially launch day! Huge thanks to Voyage Media for helping us get it out into the world.
If you enjoy audio dramas, mysteries, and thrillers, I'd love for you to check it out. And if you listen, please consider leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. It really helps a new show find its audience!
🎧 Listen to The Red Room: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-red-room/id6820253320
Thanks for supporting the projects I create. ❤️
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Every October, the leaves start falling, pumpkin spice hits the menus, and the internet gears up for the exact same annual screaming match: what is harmless fun, and what is straight-up cultural appropriation?
In this special guest-free Halloween episode, co-hosts Koji Steven Sakai and Michelle MaliZaki bypass the tired internet finger-wagging to unpack the real cultural divide at the heart of this debate. Why do locals in Japan often love seeing tourists in kimono, while Asian Americans cringe when they see a polyester "geisha" robe at an American frat party?
Koji and Michelle conduct an autopsy on the classic aisles of Spirit Halloween—from funeral collars and kabuki stagehands to inflatable sumo suits—before stepping up as judge and jury in the Japanese America Court of Appeals to rule on anime cosplay, the Boston MFA "Kimono Wednesdays," and 2000s pop stars. Plus: a simple, three-point litmus test to keep your Halloween costume fun, respectful, and off call-out threads.
📸 Follow Along with the Costumes We Discussed
Want to see the exact photos, museum protests, and Spirit Halloween offenses we’re breaking down on the mic? Check out the visual references below:
The "Sexy Geisha" [View Image]
The "Ninja" Origin: [View Image Link]
The Inflatable Sumo Suit: [Insert Link] 
The Boston MFA "Kimono Wednesdays": [View Archive / Photo Link]
Pop Stars & Japonesque: [View Photos Link]
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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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When John Okada published No-No Boy in 1957, it was met by the Japanese American community with silence, discomfort, and outright rejection. Okada passed away in 1971 believing his novel was a failure, unaware that it would later be rediscovered and hailed as a foundational classic of Asian American literature. 
In this episode, Koji and Michelle are joined by author, filmmaker, and historian Frank Abe—author of the biography John Okada: The Life and Rediscovered Work of the Author of No-No Boy and director of the PBS documentary Conscience and the Constitution. Frank shares what it was like to accidentally become the cover model for the iconic 1976 CARP edition, how Okada drew inspiration from real-life draft resister Jim Akutsu, the critical historical differences between "No-No Boys" and draft resisters, and the tragic story behind Okada’s lost second novel. Plus, Frank discusses his current work adapting No-No Boy for the stage at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, followed by reflections on community trauma, healing, and post-war identity. 
About Frank Abe
Frank Abe is a Sansei author, filmmaker, and journalist who has spent decades unearthing and preserving essential stories of Japanese American resistance and literary history. He wrote and directed the landmark PBS documentary Conscience and the Constitution, which chronicles the organized draft resistance at the Heart Mountain concentration camp. 
Abe is the co-editor of the anthology John Okada: The Life and Rediscovered Work of the Author of No-No Boy (University of Washington Press) and The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration (Penguin Classics), as well as co-author of the graphic novel We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration. An early member of the Asian American Theater Workshop and collaborator with CARP (Combined Asian American Resources Project) in San Francisco, Abe famously served as the cover model for the groundbreaking 1976 republication of No-No Boy. He is currently developing a 21st-century stage adaptation of No-No Boy in collaboration with the Seattle Repertory Theatre. 
To learn more about Frank’s background, browse his published books, and screen his documentary work, visit resisters.com/frank-abe-bio.
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Enjoyed the episode! Don't forget to rate, review, and tell a friend!
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
Support the show

Send us Fan Mail
Welcome back to Japanese America! In Season 3, Episode 7, we step directly into one of the most monumental, legally complex, and deeply emotional chapters in our community’s history: the fight for Japanese American Redress. 
While most people think of Redress in terms of the landmark Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the 120,000 Japanese Americans forced into domestic concentration camps, there is a massive parallel story of international kidnapping and legal limbo that took decades to bring to light. In this episode, we explore the extraordinary narrative of Japanese Latin American (JLA) deportees. 
Through the rare, deeply personal oral histories of the three Naganuma Brothers—Jimmy, George Kazuharu, and Kazumu Julio Cesar—we trace a family’s journey from a thriving life in Callao, Peru, to being abducted by the U.S. military, fumigated with DDT upon arrival in New Orleans, and incarcerated at the Department of Justice internment camp in Crystal City, Texas. 
We examine their multi-decade battle for basic legal status after being classified as "illegal entrants," and highlight the fierce advocacy of their sister Kiyo, whose bold confrontation with U.S. officials made her siblings some of the few Japanese Peruvians to receive the full $20,000 Redress settlement. Koji also shares his own personal connection to Crystal City, where his family was incarcerated after his grandfather gave up his citizenship, illustrating the diverse and irony-filled nature of that camp
Links & Resources Mentioned
Discover Nikkei & Densho Partnership: Listen to the full oral histories and read the complete transcripts for Jimmy Naganuma (https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/927/), George Naganuma (https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/928/), and Kazumu Julio Cesar Naganuma (https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/927/)
Learn More: Visit the Japanese American National Museum (JANM.org) for exhibitions, history, and community resources.
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Enjoyed the episode?  Don't forget to rate, review, and tell a friend! 
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
Support the show

Send us Fan Mail
Welcome back to Japanese America! In our annual July Obon Special, we explore how the traditional summer dance circle has expanded into a massive, multi-ethnic movement of resistance, collective healing, and cross-cultural solidarity. 
In this episode, we feature powerful clips from the new documentary Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement—a brilliant co-production between the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and PBS. We trace the incredible journey of how an early 1980s request for the first English-language Obon song evolved into FandangObon: an iconic Los Angeles festival fusing Japanese Obon, Mexican Fandango, and West African drum traditions. 
Along the way, Michelle shares her nostalgic memories of childhood Obon festivals in Japan (complete with a loophole for bad manners), while Koji stands firm on his lifelong stance that "gangsters don't dance"—unless, of course, a childhood crush was involved. We also dive into what our ancestors might think of Koji's legendary Minor League baseball dance moves. 
What We Discuss in This Episode:
The First English Obon Song: How Reverend Masao Kodani of Senshin Buddhist Temple challenged icon Nobuko Miyamoto to bridge a cultural gap in the early 1980s. 
Obon as Resistance: A poignant look at how Japanese Americans kept the Obon tradition alive behind barbed wire in WWII concentration camps, dancing in the camp dust as an act of survival. 
The Birth of FandangObon: The magical moment Nobuko stepped into a Mexican Fandango workshop, recognized the shared community structure of the participatory circle, and fused it with Obon. 
LA Cultural Synthesis: Artists Quetzal Flores and Martha Gonzalez reflect on what it means to find collective healing, beauty, and joy through intergenerational solidarity. 
Cultural Nuances & "The Rules": Michelle and Koji discuss the differences between Japanese and American street manners, the multi-layered nature of Japanese spirituality (Shinto shrines, Christmas, and Buddhist funerals), and sharing cross-cultural clothing like yukata and happi coats with respect. 
The Ultimate Dance-Off: Michelle challenges Koji's rhythm, prompting Koji to defend his skills using Minor League classics like "The Chicken Dance," "The Bus Driver," and "The Q-Tip". 
Featured Voices & Film Credits
Nobuko Miyamoto: Legendary activist, musician, dancer, and founder of Great Leap. 
Reverend Masao Kodani: Former head minister of Senshin Buddhist Temple. 
Quetzal Flores & Martha Gonzalez: Grammy Award-winning musicians and pillars of the LA Fandango/Son Jarocho movement. 
The Film: Audio clips featured in this episode are pulled directly from Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement, a co-production by the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and PBS. 
Links & Resources Mentioned
Watch the Movie: Stream the full documentary right now on PBS: Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement on PBS. (https://www.pbs.org/video/nobuko-miyamoto-a-song-in-movement-gjvy7f/)
Learn More: Visit the Japanese American National Museum for exhibitions, history, and community resources. (www.janm.org)
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Enjoyed the episode? Grab your uchiwa fan, head to your local temple, and step into the circle this summer! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! 
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