Amy Uyematsu

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Amy Uyematsu is a sansei poet and teacher from Los Angeles. She has six published collections, including her most recent, That Blue Trickster Time. Her first poetry collection, 30 Miles from J-Town, won the 1992 Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize. Active in Asian American Studies when it first emerged in the late 60s, she was co-editor of the widely-used UCLA anthology, Roots: An Asian American Reader. Her essay, “The Emergence of Yellow Power in America” (1969), has appeared in numerous publications.

Amy was a poetry editor of Greenmakers: Japanese American Gardeners in Southern California (2000). In 2012 Amy was recognized by the Friends of the Little Tokyo Branch Library for her writing contributions to the Japanese American community. Amy taught high school math for LA Unified Schools for 32 years. She has also taught creative writing classes for the Little Tokyo Service Center.

Updated January 2023

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Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Stone Songs

By Amy Uyematsu, traci kato-kiriyama
19 Jan 2023

Happy New 2023, everyone! What better way to begin than with the beauty of poetry and prose from Amy Uyematsu and her most recent collection, That Blue Trickster Time (What Books Press). Here, we have three selections from a wise and fiery collection with a life force she breathes through her words of the inanimate, the historical, the body, the memory that sings, dances, and cries throughout—enjoy! —traci kato-kiriyama * * * * * * Amy Uyematsu is a Sansei poet and teacher from Los Angeles. She has six published collections, including her most…

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Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Year-ending

By Amy Uyematsu, Tamiko Nimura, traci kato-kiriyama
18 Mar 2021

As we survey the past year of lockdowns and quarantines that started here in the States by mid-March, 2020, we take stock of a wide spectrum of revelations and experiences over the last twelve months. From new personal practices and experiments in the arena of safer-at-home, to illness and loss, further exposure of inequities and suffering, uprising and reckoning, community unlearning and building—we share the works of two artists who give us a glimmer of their lives through poetics about this last year, oriented to the pandemic. Veteran author Amy Uyematsu returns to the column with ju…

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Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Inspiration

By Amy Uyematsu, G Yamazawa, traci kato-kiriyama
20 Aug 2020

Hello Discover Nikkei network! I am beyond thrilled this month to bring this pair of poets to the Nikkei Uncovered poetry column. LA-born and raised, veteran Sansei poet and our inaugural feature for the column back in 2016, Amy Uyematsu returns to us with a beautiful piece about Tanko Bushi (that had me yearning ever more for Obon this summer). And first time with this column, we have National spoken world champ and hip hop artist, G Yamazawa out of Durham, North Carolina with one of my favorite pieces that I hope you all will have the pleasure of someday experiencing through his live perfor…

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My E.O. 9066 Stories: Frank Kikuchi, Manzanar DJ

By Amy Uyematsu
13 Mar 2020

On April 12, 2017, I interviewed Frank Kikuchi, a local Nisei who currently lives at Hollenbeck-Palms Retirement Community. Frank, now 93 years young, was a disc jockey at Manzanar, where he was confined from 1942 through 1945. Frank and Archie Miyatake were good friends and became a DJ team. These are excerpts from a longer interview. * * * * * Amy (A): How old were you when you went to camp? Frank (F): I was 17. A: When did you begin doing your DJ work at Manzanar? F: About a year after I got into camp, and I got to be friends with Archie Miyatake. A: What kind of music did you …

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Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Location

By Amy Uyematsu, Hiroshi Kashiwagi, traci kato-kiriyama
15 Dec 2016

For the column’s inaugural post, we wanted to begin with the theme of place, location, and community and to highlight two veteran poets—Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Nisei poet based in San Francisco since 1962, and Amy Uyematsu, Sansei poet and native Angeleno. We are excited to begin with two writers who dedicate much of their creative focus and livelihood to poetry and who have had an influence on so many. Cheers to what their poetry uncovers… —traci kato-kiriyama * * * * * Born in Sacramento in 1922, writer and actor Hiroshi Kashiwagi was incarcerated at Tule Lake Segre…

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Discover Nikkei

Japanese migrants and their descendants

Amy Uyematsu

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Series this author contributes to

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書評：和泉真澄『日系カナダ人の移動と運動―知られざる日本人の越境生活史』

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Kizuna 2020: Nikkei Kindness and Solidarity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tiempos pandémicos: teletrabajo y koden digital

Kizuna 2020: Nikkei Kindness and Solidarity During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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香川県海外移民の父：今雪真一の情熱と功績

第３部：金子正則知事の南米訪問とその主な見解

Nikkei Chronicles #12

Read the Growing Up Nikkei stories!

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The Little Match Girl — Debut Ballet Performer Yurino Niyama

Kenny Kusaka’s Calling—How he chose stand-up comedy as his service

The Nakashima Process Book: A New Book By Mira Nakashima, The Daughter of Famed Woodworker George Nakashima

The Kawamoto-Wipala Farm in Leland, Washington: A Farm for the Ages — Part 5

Journal Entry #Written in '34: "The Bizzaro Version..."

Camp Survivor Recalls Killings at Manzanar

Interpreting Lost in Translation 20 years later

Ayumi Takenaka: “Even though we don’t have an exact definition of Nikkei cuisine, its origins are in Peru”

Dr. Ryuzo Yanagimachi—Heads or Tails?

In American Dream

The Kawamoto-Wipala Farm in Leland Washington: A Farm for the Ages — Part 4

Relearning our culture

Pictures of Belonging: Rediscovering Three Remarkable Japanese American Artists

Growing Up Nikkei As An Adoptee—A Conversation with Author Susan Ito

Chapter 16 (Part 2) — Activities of Kibei Japanese American Citizens League

The Kawamoto-Wipala Farm in Leland Washington: A Farm for the Ages — Part 1

The Legacy of Resistance: Nimura/Kashiwagi Family at Ireichō

Journal Entry #3 Days Left: "Menacing Mitts..."

Embracing Imperfection: A Journey of Self-Exploration in Japan

The Amazing Tashiro Family - Part 2: Ken Tashiro, Journalist

The Poker Table—Part 2

Shared Memories

Journal Entry #First Appeared in 1940: "A Wild Hare..."

Continental Drift: How anti-Japanese sentiment in Australia affected Nikkei Communities in the US and Canada

Tribute to Amy Uyemastu: After — Part 6

The Kawamoto-Wipala Farm in Leland Washington: A Farm for the Ages — Part 2

A New Look at Nisei Veterans: Lawrence Matsuda and Matt Sasaki’s Fighting for America

Journal Entry #4 Harbingers: "Armageddon Anxiety..."

Keeping the Beat: The Story of Legendary Drummer Paul Togawa

Chapter 7—Home Leaver

The Poker Table—Part 3

Tribute to Amy Uyemastu: After — Part 5

Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 5

In it for da Long Haul: Grant Kagimoto Shares da Secret to Cane Haul Road's Longevity

Chapter 8—The Way Home

The Kawamoto-Wipala Farm in Leland Washington: A Farm for the Ages — Part 3

Artist Audra Furuichi Meets Her Match—How she created her nemu*nemu comic empire

Journal Entry #1918-2023: "Good Boys..."

Papa Was a Samurai Warrior!

An Albuquerque Childhood

The Poker Table—Part 4

Historian Arthur A. Hansen on his latest book, Manzanar Mosaic

Dr. Jiro Takai's Journey of Becoming From the Soo to Nagoya University — Part 6

Will Ireton Uses Analytics, Trackman to Help Dodger Players Improve Their Performances

Journal Entry #17 Days Left: "Making Faces..."

Unlocking Family Mysteries

Journal Entry #Only 6? Really?: "The Despair of Driving..."

**Read the Growing Up Nikkei stories!**

Artist Audra Furuichi Meets Her Match—How she created her nemunemu* comic empire