Japantown San Jose (California) is one of three remaining authentic historic Japantowns in the United States. I recently visited it for the first time and it was a wonderful experience.

My friend and I stopped in a gift shop called Kogura Company which is run by an elderly man who said he took the shop over from his father. This gentleman seemed so appreciative of our small purchases. He said we had made him very happy today. I couldn’t help but wonder how his father had managed to keep the business going, especially during the war years when all Japanese were interred in camps and usually lost all their possessions.

I hope to go back in the summer and maybe get up the courage to ask if I can take his picture.

My image of a rooftop in Japantown San Jose, with texture from Distressed Jewel added. Canon S5