In May 2022 Koho Yamamoto celebrated her 100th birthday in a park in New York City with students of all ages.
Koho studied sumi-e (Japanese brush painting) with Chiura Obata in the Topaz Art School, and her art name “Koho” (meaning “Red Harbor”) is derived from Obata’s art name–a special honor recognizing her talent. At the age of 20, she was the youngest member of the Topaz Poppy Poetry Club. When she and her family were transferred to Tule Lake, the other members of the poetry club signed a “card” wishing her well in sumi ink.
Koho has continued her close relationship with the Obata family (pictured here with Obata’s granddaughter, Mia Kodani) and continued practicing and teaching her art.
See Mia’s story and “The Topaz Poppy Poetry Club” members’ farewell card to Koho.
The Topaz Stories Team
Join us TODAY (August 13, 2022 at 1-2:30 pm) at the AZ Gallery in the Tanforan Mall. Five Topaz Stories authors will read their stories, and we’ll talk about how a few non-techy retired volunteers gathered over 70 stories from Topaz survivors/descendants, launched a website, and hosted two exhibits to share the stories with the public. Click here for details and registration or just register here (the event is free).
- Plan to visit the Topaz Stories Exhibit in the Salt Lake City State Capitol building, open through December 2022.
- Contact us if you have a Topaz Story to share.
- Follow us on Instagram @topazstories
Media Coverage:
Watch Topaz survivors tell their stories (abc4 news, 4/22/2022)
Listen to the “In the Hive” podcast with interviews with Ann Dion, Jonathan Hirabayashi, and Topaz survivors Jeanie Kashima and Joseph Nishimura (KCPW, 4/28/2022)
Read How a Utah exhibit about Topaz Camp looks to find empathy in ‘an ugly stain on American history (ksl.com, 4/22/2022)
Read “Topaz Stories rise from the dust,” (Department of Culture & Community Engagement, 4/2022)
Listen to KQED Forum, Day of Remembrance interview with Ruth Sasaki, 2/15/2022
Listen to Max Chang and Ruth Sasaki interviewed (KRCL RadioActive, 2/9/2022
Read On Topaz Stories and ‘Authentic Voice’, the Discover Nikkei interview with Ruth Sasaki (10/14/2022)
Listen to Remembering the Japanese American Incarceration, the Topaz Stories podcast with Ruth Sasaki and Jonathan Hirabayashi (6/2/2021)