Japanese American Museum Of San Jose
The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum founded in 1987 that preserves Japanese American history through exhibits, an AAPI oral history digital archive, and K-12 curriculum, serving visitors, educators, and community organizations from its Japantown location.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersSan Jose, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Japanese American Museum Of San Jose does
The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural institution founded in 1987 and located at 535 North 5th Street in San Jose's historic Japantown. It operates a single physical museum site that is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, 12pm–4pm, presenting permanent and rotating exhibits that chronicle more than a century of Japanese American experience — including early immigration, agricultural community leadership, WWII incarceration, and the Redress Movement. The museum's flagship digital product is the AAPI Perspectives Oral History Project, a digital archive of 40+ video interviews with AAPI activists and leaders in Santa Clara County, paired with a four-chapter educational curriculum (Narrative & Identity; Systems & Power; Joy & Cultural Resistance; Transformation & Change) built on Ethnic Studies pedagogy and produced with San Jose State University. The museum also maintains the Manabu Oral History Project, a research library, a J-Town Community TV channel, virtual gallery tours, and a capital campaign to preserve the Sakauye Farmhouse.
JAMsj generates revenue from a diversified nonprofit mix: tiered walk-in admissions ($12 adult / $8 senior or student with valid ID, free for members, children under 5, active military families, and JCCH members), recurring annual memberships, facility rentals (Community Room up to 35 guests; Permanent Exhibit Gallery and Agricultural Exhibit Area up to 60 guests each), ticketed fundraisers (Summer Sake, Kampai for Christmas at $100/ticket), and institutional grants and individual donations. Confirmed grant providers include the Applied Materials Foundation, the National Park Service's Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) Grant Program, the County of Santa Clara, the JA Community Foundation, SVCF, and SV Creates. Operating costs are not disclosed.
The museum's customer base spans general public visitors, K-12 and university educators and students, AAPI community activists and leaders whose oral histories are documented, local Japantown community organizations using rental and event services, and partner organizations including SJSU, UCLA Asian American Studies Center, Nichi Bei Foundation, and Breaking Sky Productions. Distribution is hybrid: physical visits plus virtual tours, Zoom-based programs, YouTube-hosted oral histories, and event-based outreach (Films of Remembrance, San Jose Obon Festival).
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Japanese American Museum Of San Jose
- Legal name
- Japanese American Museum of San Jose
- Website
- https://jamsj.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit museum founded in 1987 that preserves Japanese American history through exhibits, an AAPI oral history digital archive, and K-12 curriculum, serving visitors, educators, and community organizations from its Japantown location.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultural Heritage Museum
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Libraries and Archives (51921)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film) (THAJADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)
Keywords
Where Japanese American Museum Of San Jose is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Jose
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Museum Admissions: Revenue from paid admissions with tiered pricing for adults, seniors, students, with free admission for members, children under 5, military, and JCCH visitors.
- Facility Rentals: Rental income from 2nd floor community room (up to 35 guests), Permanent Exhibit Gallery (up to 60 people), and Agricultural Exhibit Area (covered outdoor space, up to 60 people). Discounts available to local Japantown and non-profit organizations.
- Special Events and Fundraisers: Revenue from ticketed events including Summer Sake Fundraiser, Kampai for Christmas sake tasting ($100 per ticket), workshops, and staged readings.
- Membership Dues: Annual membership program offering free admission and other benefits to members.
- Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and grants from organizations including Applied Materials Foundation, Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program (National Park Service), and County of Santa Clara.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult General Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Senior Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student/Educator Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Children Under 5 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Active Military & Family |
| Subscription | Annual | JAMsj Members |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | JCCH Members |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Doodling Workshop Donation |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kampai for Christmas Sake Tasting |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose product offering
Product offeringCore offering
JAMsj operates a cultural museum that collects, preserves, and presents Japanese American history through permanent and rotating exhibits, an AAPI Perspectives digital oral history archive with educational curriculum, group and virtual tours, facility rentals, and community events and fundraisers. Its core revenue offerings include tiered admissions, annual memberships, donations, grants, facility rentals, and ticketed events.
Product overview
The Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) operates as a cultural institution offering both physical museum experiences and digital educational resources. The museum's core offerings include permanent and rotating exhibits documenting Japanese American history, with flagship exhibits such as the House Meeting(s) redress exhibit and Agricultural Exhibit. The museum's digital portfolio includes the AAPI Perspectives Oral History Project, a comprehensive digital archive featuring video oral histories, transcripts, and an educational curriculum with four thematic chapters. Additional services include facility rentals, group tours, virtual gallery tours, and community programming such as the Kiku Healing Series and annual Summer Sake Fundraiser. The institution also maintains a research library and archives for community research purposes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Permanent Gallery Permanent exhibit space showcasing the museum's core collection of Japanese American historical artifacts, photographs, and documentation. Chronicles more than a century of Japanese American history including immigration, agricultural community leadership, WWII incarceration, and contributions to West Coast communities.
- House Meeting(s): Opening the Door for Redress in San Jose Exhibit Rotating exhibit exploring the history of the Redress Movement in San Jose, examining community organizing and activism around Japanese American incarceration and reparations through personal stories and historical documentation.
- Agricultural Exhibit Outdoor covered exhibit space featuring the Sakauye Farmhouse and agricultural history of Japanese Americans in the region, including their leadership in the agricultural community.
- Virtual Gallery Tour Online virtual tour experience allowing remote visitors to explore the museum's exhibits and collections via the website.
- AAPI Perspectives Oral History Project Digital oral history archive documenting the lives and stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Santa Clara County, featuring video interviews with 40+ figures, transcripts, summaries, keywords, and time logs, grounded in Ethnic Studies pedagogy.
- AAPI Perspectives Curriculum Four-chapter educational curriculum (Narrative & Identity, Systems & Power, Joy & Cultural Resistance, Transformation & Change) with grade-appropriate lesson plans for educators teaching AAPI history and activism.
- Group Tours Guided museum tours for groups with customizable experiences and scheduled availability, including educational groups and organizations.
- Facility Rentals Rental of museum spaces including the 2nd floor Community Room (up to 35 guests), Permanent Exhibit Gallery (up to 60 people), and Agricultural Exhibit Area (up to 60 people) for private events, meetings, and gatherings. Discounts available for local Japantown and non-profit organizations.
- Summer Sake Fundraiser Annual fundraising event featuring sake tasting and seasonal small bites from local businesses, supporting museum operations and programming. Tickets on sale for 2026 event on August 15, 2026.
- Kiku Healing Series Wellness program collaboration with local healers introducing various methods of healing rooted in Japanese traditions, featuring sound baths, guided practices, and community dialogue.
- J-Town Community TV Community television programming showcasing Japanese American stories and cultural content.
- JAMsj Library Research library and archive containing historical documents, photographs, and resources related to Japanese American history and culture, available for community research purposes.
- Manabu: Oral History Project Oral history initiative focused on collecting and preserving personal testimonies from Japanese American community members.
Companies that use Japanese American Museum Of San Jose
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration11 records
Feature1 record
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- County of Santa ClaracoreCounty government partner supporting museum operations and the AAPI Perspectives project. Supervisors Betty Duong (District 2) and Margaret Abe-Koga (District 5) are noted supporters.
- San Jose State University (SJSU)coreAcademic partner for AAPI Perspectives project. SJSU Asian American Studies program offers courses in Ethnic Studies Methods and Oral History Methodology that train students as community oral historians.
- UCLA Asian American Studies CenterminorAcademic partner providing support for the museum and AAPI Perspectives project.
- Aratani C.A.R.E. AwardminorAward program supporting the museum's educational and preservation work.
- SV CreatesminorLogo sponsor appearing on museum website as supporting organization.
- Nichi Bei FoundationminorPartner presenting Films of Remembrance, the premier showcase of films commemorating forced incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII.
- Breaking Sky ProductionscoreVideo production partner for AAPI Perspectives project. Howard Lui serves as Lead Director, Videographer and Producer. Produced high-quality video interviews for the oral history archive.
- San Jose Buddhist Church BetsuinminorVenue partner for events like Films of Remembrance, located at 640 North 5th Street in Japantown.
- Sake TrendminorPartner for Kampai for Christmas! sake tasting event. Led by Meg Kawamoto, Sake Sommelier and owner of Sake Trend. Proceeds support JAMsj and YAK.
- YAKminorPartner organization for Kampai for Christmas! sake tasting fundraiser. Proceeds support JAMsj and YAK.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Japanese American National Museum: JANM is the largest U.S. museum dedicated to Japanese American history, located in Los Angeles. Comparable mission of preserving Japanese American heritage, though it operates at significantly greater scale with broader national reach.
- Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: APAC is the Smithsonian's pan-Asian Pacific American initiative with national programming and digital content. Overlaps with JAMsj's AAPI oral history and educational mission but at a much broader institutional scale as part of a national museum network.
Direct peers
- Museum of Chinese in America: MOCA is a New York-based museum dedicated to documenting Chinese American history and culture. Highly comparable as an ethnic-specific American heritage museum offering exhibits, oral histories, and educational programming for similar audiences.
- Japanese American Museum of Oregon: Oregon Nikkei Endowment operates a Japanese American museum in Portland focused on preserving Japanese American history in the Pacific Northwest. Closely mirrors JAMsj's regional-heritage-museum model with similar scope and offerings.
- Wing Luke Museum: Wing Luke Museum in Seattle is a Smithsonian-affiliated pan-Asian Pacific American museum. Directly comparable as an AAPI-focused cultural institution offering exhibits, oral histories, and educational programs serving a similar community-heritage mission.
- Japanese American Museum of the South Bay: JAMSB is a Japanese American heritage museum in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. Directly comparable mission, scale, and community-museum model serving a Japanese American audience in a different regional market.
Regional players
- Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii: JCCH operates the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii and offers reciprocal free admission to JAMsj. Comparable as a Japanese American heritage and cultural center, though it serves a different geography (Honolulu) and operates at a larger institutional scale.
- Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California: JCCCNC in San Francisco's Japantown serves a comparable Japanese American community-heritage mission in the Bay Area. Overlaps with JAMsj's cultural programming and audience, but operates in a different city within the same region.
- History San José: History San José operates the local history museum in the same city as JAMsj. Comparable as a regional history institution serving overlapping educational and tourism audiences in San Jose, though broader in subject matter.
- Japanese Friendship Garden of San Jose: Japanese Friendship Garden is a cultural attraction in San Jose's Kelley Park that presents Japanese culture through gardens and programming. Complementary rather than direct competitor; overlaps with JAMsj's audience and Japantown-area cultural ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose social profiles
Digital presenceJapanese American Museum Of San Jose financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Japanese American Museum Of San Jose
What does Japanese American Museum Of San Jose do?
JAMsj operates a cultural museum that collects, preserves, and presents Japanese American history through permanent and rotating exhibits, an AAPI Perspectives digital oral history archive with educational curriculum, group and virtual tours, facility rentals, and community events and fundraisers. Its core revenue offerings include tiered admissions, annual memberships, donations, grants, facility rentals, and ticketed events.
Is Japanese American Museum Of San Jose a public or private company?
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Japanese American Museum Of San Jose founded?
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose was founded in 1987. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Japanese American Museum Of San Jose based?
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose is headquartered in San Jose, United States, in the North America region.
How does Japanese American Museum Of San Jose make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Museum Admissions are the primary driver. The others are facility Rentals, special Events and Fundraisers, membership Dues and donations and Grants.
Who are Japanese American Museum Of San Jose's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Japanese American National Museum and Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. Direct peers are Museum of Chinese in America, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Wing Luke Museum and Japanese American Museum of the South Bay. Regional players are Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii, Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, History San José and Japanese Friendship Garden of San Jose.
Does Japanese American Museum Of San Jose have an API?
No public API is recorded for Japanese American Museum Of San Jose.
What industry is Japanese American Museum Of San Jose in?
Japanese American Museum Of San Jose's product category is Cultural Heritage Museum. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAF, Specialty Museums (e.g., Maritime, Aviation, Sports, Music, Film), with a secondary code of BPAGAHAF, Libraries, Archives & Special Collections. Its NAICS code is 712 and its SIC code is 7900.