National Monument for the WWII Japanese American Incarceration

The Irei: National Monument for the WWII Japanese American Incarceration is a multi-faceted project that seeks to address the attempted erasure of  individuals of Japanese ancestry who experienced wartime incarceration by memorializing their names. This is the first time a comprehensive list of the over 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were unjustly imprisoned in U.S. Army, Department of Justice, and War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps has been successfully compiled – and thus the first time it has been possible to properly memorialize each incarceree as a distinct individual instead of a generalized community.

The idea of a book as a monument is inspired by the Japanese tradition of Kakochō (literally, “The Book of the Past”), a book of names typically placed on a Buddhist temple altar. This book is brought out for memorial services, when the names of those to be remembered are chanted. Following a ceremonial installation on September 24, 2022 at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), the Ireichō monument was on display at the museum until December 2024. The public was invited to view and acknowledge the names in the Ireichō by placing a Japanese hanko (stamp) underneath the name of each individual in the book.

Help Honor Every Name in the Ireichō

As of last month, thanks to the efforts of the community and public-at-large, 81,485 names out of the 125,284 listed in the original edition of the Ireichō have been acknowledged through hanko stamps. The Ireichō is a sacred book that honors each individual who was unjustly incarcerated during WWII, and we are working to ensure that every person in the Ireichō is recognized.

With the exhibit at JANM now concluded, the project aims to take the Ireichō on a national tour to all the former WRA camps, at least one WCCA assembly center, and DOJ internment camp. These stops will coincide with community-organized pilgrimages to provide the opportunity for individuals across the nation to stamp names in the Ireichō and ensure that each person receives acknowledgment.

To expand this national tour beyond the 12 former camp sites, project leaders are seeking to raise $125,284—a figure symbolizing the number of individuals in the Ireichō. Even a modest contribution of $1 will help honor someone in the Book of Names and potentially enable us to bring this vital project to Bainbridge Island.

We would deeply appreciate it if you could share this campaign with your network, especially if you know someone for whom stamping the Ireichō was a meaningful experience. Your support, even with a small gift, will help us achieve our goal of ensuring that every name is honored with a stamp of acknowledgment.

To contribute and learn more, please visit: Ireicho National Tour Campaign.