August 15, 2017 - September 17, 2017
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm
Thursday 12 pm to 8 pm
Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm
Closed on Monday
The exhibit, featuring rare and historically significant pieces of arms and armor from Japan's feudal era, will be held within GFBNEC's "Defining Courage" exhibition, located in the historic Buddhist temple on the west side of the plaza at First Street and Central Ave. in Little Tokyo.
The exhibition explores how second-generation Japanese American soldiers of World War II preserved and exemplified the samurai spirit--not only through the heroism of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion in the European Theater, but through the integrity of the Military Intelligence Service that served in the Pacific. The traditional code of bushido includes eight virtues: righteousness; courage; benevolence/mercy; respect; integrity; honor; loyalty; and politeness/self-control.
"Nikkei Samurai" is curated by Darin S. Furukawa and Michael Yamasaki, samurai arts specialists from the educational organization Jidai Arts (www.jidaiarts.com). Furukawa and Yamasaki have provided exhibitions of Japanese swords and armor for the Nisei Week Festival for the past 10 years, and were the curators for "Art of the Samurai: Swords, Paintings, Prints and Textiles" at LACMA, and "Jidai: Timeless Works of Samurai Art" at the Japanese American National Museum.
Admission
"Nikkei Samurai: Japanese Swords and the Nisei Veteran" is free with admission to GFBNEC's "Defining Courage" exhibition. The "Defining Courage" exhibition is free during Nisei Week, which runs from Aug. 19-27, 2017.
General admission during regular operations is $9 for adults and $5 for seniors. Students and teachers enter for free, courtesy of a generous grant from the Aratani Foundation.
In conjunction with the exhibition, GFBNEC will host a free public event on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2017, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will be able to try on a suit of samurai armor.
For more information, please go to www.goforbroke.org.
