Join us for a rare opportunity to hear distinguished scholars from Japan present their research exploring the lives and relationships that connected Jack London with Japanese immigrants in early twentieth-century California.
This special presentation examines the remarkable stories of Yoshimatsu Nakata, who worked alongside Jack London at Beauty Ranch and aboard the Snark, and Kanae Nagasawa, the pioneering Japanese-born winemaker whose influence helped shape California’s wine industry. Drawing upon newly discovered historical evidence and original research, these presentations offer fresh perspectives on the cultural exchanges and personal friendships that linked Japan and California during Jack London’s lifetime.
Whether you are interested in Jack London’s legacy, Japanese history, or the shared heritage between Japan and the United States, this program offers a unique opportunity to explore these intertwined histories.
*Images
Nakata, 1910, Roamer October 1910 Album, Jack London Photographs and Negatives, The Huntington Digital Library, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California (Nakata mans the helm of the Roamer)
Jack London and the Japanese: Kanae Nagasawa and Yoshimatsu Nakata
Presented by Takaharu Mori
Professor Mori will explore Jack London’s relationships with Japanese immigrants, focusing on Yoshimatsu Nakata and Kanae Nagasawa, a descendant of samurai and one of California’s most influential early winemakers at Fountain Grove Winery in Santa Rosa. Through their stories, the presentation reveals the personal and cultural connections that linked Jack London with members of the Japanese community in Northern California.
Speaker Biography
Takaharu Mori is a scholar of American literature and one of the most influential figures in Jack London studies in Japan. After graduating from Chuo University, he served as Professor and Specially Appointed Professor at Kagoshima Junior College and the International University of Kagoshima, during which time he earned his doctoral degree. He is currently Emeritus Professor and Visiting Researcher at the International University of Kagoshima, and he also serves as President of the Jack London Society of Japan. His publications range from literary studies to regional history and transnational cultural exchange, and his major works—including Jack London and Kagoshima, Japan, Muku Hatoju and Jack London, and Jack London in Canada—have illuminated the multilayered relationships between Jack London, Japan, and Japanese immigrant communities in North America.
Crossing Boundaries and Embodied Experiences in Jack London’s California: Reading the 1914 Diary of Yoshimatsu Nakata
Presented by Nagako Muto
This presentation examines the remarkable 1914 diary of Yoshimatsu Nakata, a Japanese immigrant who lived and worked closely with Jack London. Nakata’s firsthand observations provide an intimate view of London’s daily life, physical challenges, and interactions with California’s legal and cultural landscape.
Through three compelling episodes—including London’s violation of a boating law, Nakata’s phonetic recording of London’s chronic skin condition, and London’s visits to the Turkish Baths in Oakland—Professor Muto demonstrates how Nakata’s diary reveals aspects of London’s life that can only be understood through the perspective of someone who shared his daily experiences. The diary offers valuable insight into both Jack London and the experiences of Japanese immigrants in early twentieth-century California.
Speaker Biography
Nagako Muto is a scholar of classical Japanese literature, specializing in the literary culture of the Heian period (10th–12th centuries). She holds a Ph.D. in Japanese literature and also works in bibliography and manuscript studies, focusing on textual transmission and the material features of premodern Japanese books. She has published more than sixty peer-reviewed articles and two single-authored books, and she has been the principal investigator of three JSPS KAKENHI research projects. She has also served as Vice President of the Jack London Society of Japan. Her recent research extends to transnational literary and cultural exchanges, including the newly discovered 1914 diary of Yoshimatsu Nakata, a Japanese immigrant who lived and worked with Jack London in California. Through this diary, she explores London’s daily routines, embodied experiences, and interactions with early twentieth-century California from the unique perspective of someone who lived alongside him. She has also recently identified new evidence of personal connections between Jack London and Kanae Nagasawa, the pioneering Japanese winemaker in California, further illuminating the network of Japanese figures surrounding London.
Jack London and Japan: New Perspectives
Presented by Kaoru Nishihara
Professor Mori’s former student, Dr. Kaoru Nishihara, will conclude the program with a brief presentation highlighting her own research into Jack London’s changing views of Japan and the Japanese people.
Speaker Biography
Kaoru Nishihara holds a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies, with a dissertation examining Jack London’s evolving views on the Japanese and the question of whether he can be considered a racist. She currently teaches as a part-time lecturer at Kagoshima Immaculate Heart College and Kamimura Technical College.
This event is part of a speaker series co-hosted by Jack London Park Partners and the Jack London Society, honoring the 150th anniversary of Jack London’s birth. JLPP is grateful for the support of the Jack London Society and its scholars in bringing this speaker series to life. Join us at Jack London State Historic Park throughout 2026 for a compelling lineup of speakers celebrating Jack London’s legacy.
Click here to learn more about the Jack London Society and the work they do to carry Jack’s legacy forward.
Images (left to right)
Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026
Time: 9:30 am – 11:00 am
Place: House of Happy Walls Museum, 2nd floor
Performance space can be reached by stairway only; for more information about access, please call (707) 938-5216.
Admission: $15
The park entrance fee is waived for this event.
Price: $15.00