Central San Jose in Santa Clara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Kawakami Building

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 30, 2012

1. Kawakami Building Marker

Inscription. When folks came back from the internment camps many of them were helped a lot by a local businessman, Torahiko Kawakami. He worked through the Buddhist Church hostel to resettle people and to get them back on their feet. He became known as Japantown’s “Ombudsman.”
Wright Kawakami

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Asian Americans.

Location. 37° 20.957′ N, 121° 53.627′ W. Marker is in San Jose, California, in Santa Clara County. It is in Central San Jose. It is on Jackson Street east of North 5th Street, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 225 Jackson Street, San Jose CA 95112, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in California’s San Francisco Bay Area,

in Silicon Valley,

and on the Coast Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dobashi Market (a few steps from this marker); Takalkni Printing (within shouting distance of this marker); Taihei Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Japantown Garage (within shouting distance of this marker); Issei Voices (within shouting distance of this marker); Japantown Theater (within shouting distance of this marker); Nihonmachi (within shouting distance of this marker); Asahi Baseball (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in San Jose.

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Japantown

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 30, 2012

2. Kawakami Building Marker

Detail from the Kawakami Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, January 30, 2012

3. Detail from the Kawakami Building Marker

Kawakami Building Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joseph Alvarado, April 12, 2022

4. Kawakami Building Sign

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 12, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 1,049 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on February 12, 2012, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 4. submitted on April 16, 2022, by Joseph Alvarado of Livermore, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.