Decoration Conferment Ceremony for Mr. Thomas Kevin Ikeda, Densho Founder

On May 16, 2024, a conferment ceremony and reception were held at the Official Residence to congratulate Mr. Thomas Kevin Ikeda, Densho Founder, on his receipt of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays. Mr. Ikeda’s family, friends, Japanese American community members, and many others were in attendance. 

Consul General of Japan in Seattle IYORI Makoto expressed his appreciation for Mr. Ikeda’s many years of continued contributions and formally conferred the Order. Mr. Ikeda spoke about leading Densho for many years while coming to understand his own identity as a Japanese American. He thanked his family, Densho colleagues, and staff at the Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle for their support and expressed gratitude for the honor of receiving the Decoration.   

In 1996, Mr. Ikeda founded Densho to record and digitize firsthand accounts of the lives and experiences of first- and second-generation Japanese and Japanese Americans who lived in the U.S. before and during World War II and to preserve those accounts as historical documents for future generations. Serving as Executive Director for about 27 years after its founding, Mr. Ikeda played a central role in the organization's activities, contributing significantly to the preservation and understanding of the history of Japanese American immigrants in the United States. 

Through his many contributions in promoting historical preservation and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States, Mr. Ikeda has made an invaluable and lasting impact on Japan-U.S. relations.