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Bearing the Unbearable tells the story of the forced removal of Japanese Americans from their home on Bainbridge Island during World War II and their subsequent incarceration in Manzanar and Minidoka concentration camps, innocent of any crime and suspect only because of their ethnicity. Told in the words of Bainbridge Islanders who survived the camps, the film explores the experience of incarceration and the unconstitutional suspension of these islanders' civil rights. 
Paul Dunn Let it Not Happen AgainThe Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial honors the first Japanese Americans to be excluded, forcibly removed from their community, and incarcerated during World War II. At the memorial, visitors can reflect and learn about this site’s maxim of Nidoto Nai Yoni (Let It Not Happen Again). 
Visiting the Memorial
Visit the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, near Seattle, Washington. 
Upcoming Events
See website managed by the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community Areas of Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Open March 1st through December 1st, a temporary, on-site trailer is staffed by a National Park Ranger Fri-Sun. During the summer months, the trailer may be staffed up to five days per week, depending on the availability of additional seasonal personnel. Inside, visitors can find informational pamphlets, Junior Ranger booklets, the National Park Service stamp, and additional interpretive materials about the impact of EO 9066 on Bainbridge Islanders. The station remains locked when the park ranger is out roaming the memorial grounds.
To reach a Ranger call: 206-713-8407 Passport Stamp Available Here Request a tour Crafted by the Timber Framers Guild in 2006, the pavilion was constructed using traditional Japanese woodworking methods, including hand planing and the use of no metal fasteners. Inside, visitors will find informational panels that explain the history of Japanese Americans on Bainbridge Island and the importance of community allyship before, during, and after the exclusion.
A ”Story Wall,” constructed of native cedar and granite, is a focal point of the Memorial. The Wall follows the exact path that the Japanese Americans walked on March 30, 1942, as they were forcibly removed from their homes and exiled to incarceration sites during WWII. The Wall tells the story of Japanese Americans of Bainbridge Island through terra cotta artworks that capture and depict quotes from survivor oral histories. The Wall spans 276 feet, one foot for each of the 276 residents who were excluded from the island. The names and ages of all 276 residents are memorialized on the Story Wall. The Wall and surrounding landscape create an environment for learning, rememberance, and reflection.
The Departure Deck sits at the exact location of the former Eagledale Ferry Dock, from which Japanese Americans departed at the start of their forced removal to Manzanar. An interpretive public art installation evokes the feelings of fear and uncertainty that the Japanese Americans experienced as they departed for an unknown destination and an indeterminate amount of time. The artwork consist of steel sculptures created by Vaughan, Washington artists Anna Brones and Luc Revel, and a gate created using the shou sugi ban woodburning technique by long-time memorial advocate John Buday.
Connected to the memorial is Pritchard Park a 50-acre beachfront park with a small trail system and a view of the Seattle Skyline and Mount Rainier. This area is great for watching the ferries, searching for wildlife, or enjoying a beach picnic after visiting the memorial.
History of Bainbridge Island
Learn more about Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial here. 
Bainbridge History Museum
Explore the stories of Bainbridge Island and celebrate the experiences of our diverse community. 
Manzanar National Historic Site
Click the image to learn more about Manzanar War Relocation Center. Junior Ranger ProgramDownload the Bainbridge Island Junior Ranger Booklet on our Junior Ranger page to learn more about the Japanese American community of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and how this history inspires their mission: Nidoto Nai Yoni - Let It Not Happen Again.Photo Gallery Bainbridge Island Japanese Ame...15 Images Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial is built where the first group of Japanese Americans was forcibly taken from the island. The memorial honors those who suffered this injustice and the friends and neighbors who stood beside them and welcomed them back. |
Last updated: January 24, 2025