(L-R) David Eguchi, Tod Kaneko, Darryl Kim, and Paul Katata working on a supercharged, pro-street Chevrolet Vega in the garage of Glen Kuwata (Photo – Tod Kaneko)
The Japanese American National Museum and ArtCenter College of Design Present Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community.
By News Desk
On view from July 31 to November 12, 2025, at the Peter and Merle Mullin Gallery on ArtCenter’s South Campus in Pasadena, Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community is presented as part of JANM on the Go, a traveling initiative from the Japanese American National Museum (JANM).
The exhibition celebrates Southern California’s enduring love affair with the automobile through the lens of Japanese American experiences. Featuring more than 100 objects, including rare photographs, home movies, memorabilia from car clubs and service stations, race car drivers and collectors, concept car designs, and five classic vehicles, the show explores how Japanese Americans have shaped U.S. car culture over the past century.
Curated by writer and scholar Dr. Oliver Wang, Cruising J-Town chronicles the people and stories behind the community’s wide-ranging influence, from hot rods and gardening trucks to the import tuner boom and professional drift racing. The exhibition is grounded in oral histories from more than 100 Nikkei car enthusiasts, mechanics, racers, designers, and industry professionals.
“Japanese Americans have long been a part of Southern California’s car culture. From a humble gardener’s truck to a customized hot rod or a stout family sedan to a professional race car, generations of Nikkei have been behind the wheel and under the hood, working at the gas pumps, and designing concept cars,” said Wang. “Cruising J-Town broadens our understanding and appreciation of Southern California car scenes by exploring the many ways that Japanese Americans have participated and innovated within them. It also asks visitors to consider how Japanese Americans used cars and trucks not only to make a living but to assert their belonging and make their presence known.”
At the heart of the exhibition are five iconic vehicles:
- George Nakamura’s “Meteor” hot rod from the early 1940s
- Brian Omatsu’s custom 1951 Mercury coupe, known as “Purple Reign”
- A 1956 Ford F-100 once owned by West L.A. gardener Yoshio Shimazu, restored by his son, Kirk Shimazu
- Tod Kaneko’s 1973 Datsun 510, one of the models that ignited the import car craze
- A hot pink 1989 Nissan 240SX driven by professional drift racer Nadine Sachiko Toyoda-Hsu, founder of the Drifting Pretty team
Through archival images and memorabilia, the exhibition revisits historic sites such as the original Ascot Speedway, location of the “world’s first Japanese race” in 1915, F&K Garage in Little Tokyo, the Mojave dry lake racing scene, Lion’s Drag Strip in Wilmington, and longtime service stations like Harry’s Texaco in Gardena and Jack’s Auto Service in Little Tokyo.
Cruising J-Town tells the stories of influential figures and everyday car lovers alike, including racing mechanic Takeo “Chickie” Hiroshima; Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama of hot rod outfitter Mooneyes in Santa Fe Springs; the first international go-kart champion, Jimmie Yamane of North Hollywood; Larry Shinoda, the designer behind the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray and other iconic cars; and members of teenage social clubs and car clubs like The Atomettes, The Buddhaheaders, The Shogans, The Paladins, Shoreline Racing, and KMA.
The exhibition highlights both renowned figures and everyday enthusiasts, including:
- Racing mechanic Takeo “Chickie” Hiroshima
- Shige Suganuma and Chico Kodama of hot rod outfitter Mooneyes in Santa Fe Springs
- Jimmie Yamane, the first international go-kart champion from North Hollywood
- Automotive designer Larry Shinoda, best known for the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray
- Teenage social and car clubs such as The Atomettes, The Buddhaheaders, The Shogans, The Paladins, Shoreline Racing, and KMA
The exhibition also explores the critical role cars and trucks played in the working lives of Japanese Americans. Nikkei gardeners relied on their trucks to run successful businesses, while fish truck drivers, or sakanaya, delivered fresh seafood and Japanese groceries to suburban communities six days a week.
No account of Japanese American history is complete without acknowledging the impact of forced removal and incarceration during World War II. The exhibition documents the brief period in 1942 when Japanese Americans were permitted to drive themselves and their belongings to assembly centers such as Santa Anita and camps like Manzanar, often in family cars that were later impounded without compensation.
For more information on related programming, click here.
Cruising J-Town: Behind the Wheel of the Nikkei Community Opening Reception July 31, 2025 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm On View July 31 – November 12, 2025 Wednesday – Sunday 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Location Peter and Merle Mullin Gallery ArtCenter College of Design, South Campus 1111 S. Arroyo Parkway Pasadena, CA 91105 Free and open to the public.
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