Downtown Seattle in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)
Starting Over After the War
A Brief History of Japanese Americans In Seattle
| | Legacy of Justice at Hirabayashi Place | |
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, February 20, 2026
1. Starting Over After the War Marker
As WWII ended, Japanese Americans began to return to Seattle from the camps where they had been incarcerated. Anti-Japanese sentiment remained high, and many returnees found that their homes and possessions had been vandalized or stolen. The Hunt Hotel at 16th and Weller, formerly the Japanese Language School, served as a hostel for returnees as they worked to rebuild their lives. Among the returnees were the Moriguchi family, who reopened their Tacoma store, Uwajimaya, on Main Street in Seattle, and the Murakamis, owners of Higo Variety Store at 6th and Jackson. These and other businesses served as anchors for the community as it slowly rebuilt after the war. Nihonmachi was never the same, however. Many Japanese families did not return: the basement of the Panama Hotel still contains hundreds of suitcases and trunks full of possessions that were hurriedly stored there in 1942, and never retrieved.
[Captions:]
Uwajimaya Company, c. 1945. Courtesy of Uwajimaya and the Moriguchi Family.
Japanese American waitress and diners, Bush Garden Restaurant, c. 1960. Courtesy of Wing Luke Museum.
Nisei veterans gathered at the first annual memorial for Nisei soldiers killed in action during WWII, held at Lakeview Cemetery in 1946. The Nisei Veterans Committee was founded in Seattle in 1946 when racist practices barred Nisei veterans from joining mainstream veterans organizations. Courtesy of the Nisei Veterans Committee.
Return to Seattle. Kirie (Japanese paper cut) image by Aki Sogabe created for the permanent exhibit, Unsettled/Resettled: Seattles Hunt Hotel, Courtesy of the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington.
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Industry & Commerce • War, World II. A significant historical year for this entry is 1942.
Location. 47° 36.027′ N, 122° 19.731′ W. Marker is in Seattle, Washington, in King County. It is in Downtown Seattle. It is on 4th Avenue South near South Main Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 212 4th Ave S, Seattle WA 98104, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Washington’s Puget Sound Region. It is also on the American Pacific Coast, in the Pacific Northwest, and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor. Globally, it is in North America, in the Cascade Range, in the Inside Passage, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Wartime Incarceration (here, next to this marker); A Thriving Nihonmachi (a few steps from this marker); Japanese Farmers and Alien Land Laws
Photographed by Douglass Halvorsen, February 20, 2026
2. Starting Over After the War Marker
This is marker five of five markers facing 4th Avenue at Hirabayashi Place.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . . Hirabayashi Place (#19).
Although completed in early 2016, Hirabayashi Place is a building that merges the past to the present with a call to the future. Built by InterIm CDA, this seven-story, 96-unit affordable housing project provides a new anchor for Nihonmachi along its western edge.(Submitted on March 26, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon.)
The building is named in honor of Gordon Hirabayashi. While many Japanese Americans during World War II demonstrated their loyalty to America by serving in the U.S. military, Hirabayashi fought to uphold American values rooted in the U.S. Constitution by defying the evacuation order and curfew. He was arrested and jailed for his actions and fought a long but successful court battle to overturn his convictions and clear his name.
Legacy of Justice installations of public art and interpretive elements interweave throughout the building, anchored by a 10′ tall by 8′ artwork by Roger Shimomura, depicting various icons pertaining to Hirabayashis life and influence. Start with this artwork located at the south entrance, then explore the buildings outside along Main Street and 4th Avenue for more.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 31, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 7 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 26, 2026, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
