State recognizes San Jose’s Japantown as a cultural district

For community leaders in San Jose’s Japantown, receiving statewide recognition as a cultural district affirms what they already know about the historic neighborhood. After a competitive process of more than 70 applicants, Japantown is one of 10 neighborhoods chosen last week to be a state-designated cultural district. This recognition provides the district with a $10,000 grant, as well as branding resources to attract more visitors. The five-year designation runs from Jan. 1, 2026 to Dec. 31, 2030. “Regardless of the designation, we already know that we’re a cultural district,” Vanessa Hatakeyama, executive director of the Japanese American Museum of San…