Artwork by Arisa Nakamura
Japanese American Remembrance Trail and Classroom Companion
In the early 1900s, Seattle’s Japantown —Nihonmachi — stretched from 4th Avenue South to 23rd Avenue South, a bustling enclave of family homes and independently owned shops, grocery stores, and entertainment venues. In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor came Executive Order 9066 in 1942, which forced all persons of Japanese ancestry into concentration camps – Nihonmachi never fully recovered. This walking tour takes visitors through the past and present Nihonmachi.
The classroom companion has been designed to examine intersecting strands within the story of Nihonmachi’s growth and ultimate end in 1942. Allowing students to compare and contrast the differences between strands; while making connections between their similarities or overlaps, gives teachers a way to take their class on a self-guided field trip.
For the teacher who wants to take their students on a learning adventure, this is an easy urban walking trail that is good for most mobility needs. There are areas of the neighborhood that do not have curb cuts for wheelchairs.
The Classroom Companion is here to assist your journey.
Download the guidebook by clicking the image:
