Stories of Solidarity: Japanese Americans in Five Points

This ongoing project includes the collection of recorded oral histories, a virtually guided mapping tour and a Japanese American business database.

Produced by the Japanese Arts network in collaboration with Mile High JACL.

In the wake of WWII during the 1940’s, following the closing of America’s incarceration camps, the area surrounding and within the historic Five Points neighborhood in Denver, Colorado saw a surge of Japanese-American culture and business in the “Larimer Corridor” downtown. Japanese businesses were concentrated during this time in the Five Points area due to oppressive redlining which did not allow them to open in other parts of the city. Japanese arrivals joined other communities of color who also inhabited and owned businesses in this stretch of neighborhood. Today, we remember this vibrant and cross-cultural neighborhood through the voices of lived experiences- and we celebrate the Japanese Americans and Five Points residents who are creating history for future generations in Denver's Five Points. 

In addition to research and data collection, my involvement in this project included the creation of a commemorative illustration and zine. Each zine features a sukiyaki recipe (the most popular order at my great-grandmother's restaurant), snippets from the oral history archive and the backside of the zine folds out to feature the illustration titled, “Diamonds at the Crossroads.” In this artwork, I aimed to honor the cultures of Five Points that are highlighted in the project. Alongside the Japanese American symbols of cranes, sakura and baseball, there are nods to Our Lady of Guadalupe, John T. Biggers (muralist) and Anne Batiste (quilting artist). The title of the piece is in reference to the literal diamond of the baseball field, the quilting pattern of the background and the crossing of roads in Five Points. However, it is also in honor of the gems of human connection that come from the crossing of cultures, the decisions we make and the unique space of transformation that is Five Points. All linework was executed in my tradition style of fude brush inking, but the color was applied digitally.