Japanese American Memorial
Washington DC, Washington DC, USA, 20001
Japanese Americans who lived through World War II are honored at this memorial, dedicated to Japanese-American military veterans and those who were incarcerated by the United States government simply for being of Japanese origin. The memorial’s centerpiece is a massive bronze sculpture of a pair of Japanese cranes trapped in barbed wire.
The basics
While the bronze statue is the monument’s most eye-catching element, the space is also defined by walls inscribed with the names of the different incarceration camps across the US (and the number of people confined there), and five panels of names of Japanese-American soldiers who died in World War II. Some Washington DC private and group tours include visits to the memorial, and you can opt to visit or drive by the memorial if you sign up for a private, customized tour.
Things to know before you go
The memorial is a must-visit for anyone interested in US history.
You can find out the location of specific names of those honored on the monument’s back wall on the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation website.
The memorial is wheelchair accessible via a lightly sloping paved pathway.
How to get there
The memorial is situated in the center of a triangular intersection where New Jersey Avenue, Louisiana Avenue, and D Street NW meet, on the northwestern corner of Lower Senate Park. Bus numbers 230, 250, 735, and 850 stop nearby. Union Station, where you can catch Amtrak trains and the red line of the DC Metro, is about a 10-minute walk away.
When to get there
The Japanese American Memorial is a year-round attraction, and while you can visit day or night, early morning is a great time to see—and photograph—the memorial, right when the sun comes up (if you're an early riser, that is). Weekend mornings tend to have less traffic than on weekdays.
Tidal Basin
If you want to see a lot of memorials in one place, head over to the Tidal Basin area, about a 10-minute drive from the Japanese American Memorial. Here you'll be able to see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Memorial as well as the Lincoln Memorial and memorials to the veterans of World War II and of the Vietnam and Korean Wars.
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