Sun, Dec 20 · 1:00 pm–3:15 pm
Listed on MUSAY · checked Nov 11
Sunday, December 20, 1:00 pm–3:15 pm
Oakland Museum of California
1000 Oak St, Oakland, California 94607
$10
Your browser does not support the video tag. Your browser does not support the video tag. Spotlight Sundays: Japanese American Legacies of Resistance Program | 1–3:15 pm Post-Program Gathering | 3:15–3:45 pm All-Inclusive Ticket Join koto artist and cultural historian Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto and her son, Brian Mitsuhiro Wong, for an engaging program exploring the resilience of Japanese traditional performing arts during World War II incarceration. Through live performances, personal stories, and a presentation of instruments and other personal objects preserved from the camps, they will illuminate how Japanese American artists sustained their cultural traditions under extreme circumstances. The program will open with a traditional Japanese performance with Shirley and Brian, followed by a screening of Hidden Legacy: Japanese Traditional Performing Arts in the World War II Internment Camps, and a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Kirk Kanesaka, a kabuki actor, Japanese classical dancer, and assistant professor of Japanese and Asian Studies at California State University. Visitors are then invited to explore these historic objects and try their hand at playing a traditional Japanese instrument. This program is a part of our exhibition programming for BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration on view through December 27, 2026. General TICKETs ON SALE 12/1 member TicketS ON SALE 11/30 Accessibility Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Wheelchairs, sensory inclusive devices, and additional amenities are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options. About Speakers and Performers Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto’s musical roots stem from her mother’s learning the koto as a child in the American prison camps of WWII. This legacy informed Shirley’s performance through the years and inspired her to research Japanese cultural arts practiced in these camps. Based in Oakland, California, she is a Master’s DaiShihan teacher by the Chikushi Kai Koto School in Fukuoka, Japan. Shirley’s has been recognized by the Hokka Nichi Bei Kai Bunka (Japanese cultural arts) Hall of Fame and Taproot Fellowship 2024, a recognition of traditional artists & culture bearers across the U.S. Her studio is in Oakland. Brian Mitsuhiro Wong represents the third generation of koto musicians in his family. He has played the koto since he was 5 years old. Brian also plays and teaches shakuhachi and shamisen. He attained his Kyoshi credential in koto instruction from the Sawai Koto Conservatory from Kazue Sawai in Tokyo with Grand Prix honors. In 2007, Brian earned his BA in Music Composition at California State University East Bay. Brian performs in the Bay Area in a variety of genres, also as part of the Golden State of Song Program talking to 4th grade students about music in the WWII prison camps. Dr. Kirk Kanesaka is a kabuki actor, Japanese classical dancer, scholar, and Assistant Professor of Japanese and Asian Studies at California State University, San Bernardino. Recognized as the first non-Japanese professional kabuki actor, he bridges traditional Japanese arts and contemporary performance. His research explores Japanese theatre, literature, intercultural performance, and traditional aesthetics. He holds a shihan (professor’s degree) from the Bandō School of Japanese Classical Dance, performing as Bandō Hirohichirō, and is a master Japanese doll artist. In 2024, he received a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination for choreography for East West Players’ Pacific Overtures.
The museum offers paid on-site parking in its underground garage. Nearby street parking and public transportation options are also available in downtown Oakland.
11:00 am–5:00 pm
The venue’s general opening hours. This event’s time comes from the listing.
Added to MUSAY Nov 10, 2026.
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