Definition: memory; recollection; remembrance.

The purpose of Kioku is to provide a place to keep the things we carry with us. It is a Japanese American family scrapbook. It is a compendium of our community’s recollections and artistry and opinions. It is a future keepsake for those who want to hold our stories in their hands.

Katherine Terumi Laubscher got the idea for Kioku after the Heart Mountain Pilgrimage, where she wondered how she could preserve and communicate the vibrant and varied stories, experiences, artistic viewpoints, and important work that she encountered there. Click here to read more about it in an essay she wrote for Yo! Magazine.

We are honored to share Kioku with the JA community, and we hope you enjoy it!

Kioku is currently a self-funded venture supported by generous donors, artists, and readers. Proceeds are directly reinvested into the magazine.