The California Japantown Landmark is a permanent outdoor historic exhibit that unifies and tells the history of Japanese American communities in each of the three remaining historic Japantowns in the State of California (San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles).
The landmark captures the hopes and struggles of the Japanese American community, and provides the millions of visitors to these Japantowns with the opportunity to learn about and gain a better understanding of the history and challenges of the Japanese American community in California.
The three-sided nine-foot tall landmark stands on the sidewalk to the entrance of the Peace Plaza. The landmark was designed by the nationally acclaimed artists of Lou Quaintance and Eugene Daub and incorporates a poem by noted San Francisco poet Janice Mirikitani.
Funding for the landmark project was provided by generous grants from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program (CCLPEP), as well as additional funds from former Governor Gray Davis through the California Parks and Recreation Department, Proposition 40 funds designated for historical and cultural preservation.
