As the Cubs take the field in Tokyo, the Marquee Sports Network has highlighted an important connection between baseball and the Japanese American community in Chicago—especially in Wrigleyville and Lakeview, where many families resettled after World War II.
JASC was honored to be part of this feature, with insights from cultural historian Erik Matsunaga and personal reflections from our own Kay Kawaguchi and Yuri Yatsuda. Their stories reflect the resilience of a community that once thrived near Wrigley Field and the ongoing efforts to preserve culture for future generations.
Baseball has played a role in bringing Japanese and Japanese American stories to the forefront, and the Tokyo Series is a powerful reminder of how much has changed—from a time when Japanese Americans were forcibly displaced to today, when Japanese players like Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga are celebrated on the world stage.
