San Francisco Japantown Task Force

DATA SHEET

Place/Event: Kinmon Gakuen Building – Japanese Language School

Address: 2031 Bush St., San Francisco

Description:

In the heart of Japantown’s residential district lies Kinmon Gakuen, one of the oldest structures in San Francisco’s Japantown. The school currently operates a weekly Japanese language education program, and houses Nihonmachi Little Friends, a bilingual daycare center. The building, which has undergone several renovations since its inception, currently serves about 42 students in six mid-sized rooms, and features its own kitchen, social hall, library, and auditorium. The program, run mostly by volunteers, employs six paid instructors.

History:

In the late 1800’s, a core group of San Francisco Japanese associations gathered to address the community’s need for a Japanese educational system, motivated largely by an 1895 school exclusion law passed by the San Francisco Board of Education, which made it difficult for children of Japanese ancestry to attend public schools. Through fundraising and donations, Kinmon Gakuen (literally translated, “Golden Gate School”) was officially opened on January 18, 1911, with a first-year enrollment of 133 students, offering elementary, intermediate, and high school-level courses. The school eventually expanded to its current location at 2031 Bush, serving hundreds of students and offering culturally relevant courses in Japanese language, ikebana (flower arrangement), Japanese music, and etiquette training. During World War II, the school was shut down, and continued discriminatory laws kept it closed until 1949.

Significance:

Educational, Historical, Social, Cultural

Recognition of Significance:

Pending Status as California Historical Landmark; Visited by Emperor of Japan in 1933, 1935, and 1959

Sources:

Shizue Mihara, Volunteer/Principal, Kinmon Gakuen School

Other Comments:

Kinmon Gakuen now operates only on Saturdays, but the building has always been used extensively by other local programs and remains a historical icon for the community.

Prepared By: Young Kim Date Prepared: 7/2/04