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Nima-kai

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Last Login Date Joined
@mhorita

I'm a nisei living in the historic fishing village of Steveston, near Vancouver, B.C. Currently the Marketing and Visitor Services Manager for the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, a museum commemorating the fishing history of Canada's west coast.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Nima since 2014 last login 1+ years ago
communities festivals food
@Greg

I am a native New Yorker who is Professor of History at l'Université du Québec À Montréal, a French-language institution in Montreal, Canada. In addition to writing multiple books on Japanese American and Japanese Caandian history, I write the regular historical column "The Great Unknown" for the NICHI BEI WEEKLY newspaper.

Quebec, Canada Nima since 2011 last login 1+ years ago
communities Japantowns
@JCCC

Ontario, Canada Nima since 2005 last login 1+ years ago
@sk25

Ontario, Canada Nima since 2012 last login 1+ years ago
communities families festivals food Japantowns taiko
@alexiskimiko

Ontario, Canada Nima since 2012 last login 1+ years ago
communities families Japantowns
@Raiden_Taiko

Canada Nima since 2005 last login 1+ years ago
@Sally

I'm a writer living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and work for PaperTigers, a multicultural children's literature blog and website based in San Francisco.

Manitoba, Canada Nima since 2011 last login 1+ years ago
children's books communities families festivals food Japantowns taiko
@Kaze_No_Rhythm

Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada Nima since 2005 last login 1+ years ago
festivals taiko
@melissakaita

Ontario, Canada Nima since 2011 last login 1+ years ago
communities families food
@pia

I am working on a media installation about Japanese Canadian and Japanese American internment during WWII. Please see the website at: just beyond Hope. We have 2 more weeks on our Kickstarter campaign - so PLEASE help me by circulating this to your friends and family. Thanks, Pia

British Columbia, Canada Nima since 2011 last login 1+ years ago
communities families
@shells

Hi, I am not a Japanese, but am interested in the Japanese culture, especially the traditional kimono and its art and craft.

British Columbia, Canada Nima since 2010 last login 1+ years ago
accessories arts and crafts festivals Japanese arts Japantowns kimonos
@kika

British Columbia, Canada Nima since 2010 last login 1+ years ago
communities families festivals
@almostjapanese

Alberta, Canada Nima since 2009 last login 1+ years ago
communities families festivals food Japantowns taiko

Nima of the Month

Learn about some of our favorite Nima and what they like about Discover Nikkei.

Manuel Okata @ManuelOkata

Miami, Florida, United States of America

Manuel Okata was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba. He studied visual arts at the Benny Moré Arts Academy and the Cuban University of the Arts in Havana, where he graduated from the Scenic Design program in 2020. Since he was a child, his family was always very connected to the Nikkei community. In 2017, Manuel had the honor of meeting the former prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, which sparked him to take on a more active role in the community. In 2019, he traveled to Japan to study Japanese language and culture through the MEXT program, and had the opportunity to reconnect with several family members.

Manuel became a Discover Nikkei volunteer in 2024. He has lent his illustration and graphic design skills to our site and our social media accounts, including creating an Oshogatsu illustration for our email newsletter and Instagram and revamping our Nikkei Uncovered poetry column logo. We are so grateful for Manuel’s creative contributions to making our site a more vibrant and colorful place, and we’re excited to share more of his work in the coming months!

How did you learn about Discover Nikkei and why did you decide to become a volunteer?

After returning from Japan, I continued my activities within the Comité Gestor of the Japanese colony in Cuba, in charge of areas related to education and culture, alongside Susana Oye. Through her, I learned about the project called Discover Nikkei. A year ago I arrived in the United States, and I wanted to find a way to stay connected with the Nikkei community here, which is why I decided to offer myself as a volunteer and collaborator with Discover Nikkei through illustration and design. I hope in the future to remain connected and connect further with all the Nikkei here and around the world.

How do you connect to your Nikkei identity?

I think I connect with my Nikkei identity through my day-today, even in my projects. It’s part of who I am and I feel proud. In my work, I try to fuse my cultural roots, like I myself am: a mix of various nationalities and identities.

Meet more Nima of the Month

Are you a Nima*?

Nima are members of Discover Nikkei’s global community called Nima-kai. Create an account and share your personal and community stories, events, and more related to the Nikkei experience. Connect with Nima around the world!
*The term “Nima” comes from combining Nikkei and nakama (Japanese for “colleagues”, or “fellows”, or “circle”).
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Nikkei Family 2: Remembering Roots, Leaving Legacies
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