The Golden Gate Institute, or better known as “Kinmon Gakuen,” represents a history and place that goes beyond its official title and original use as a Japanese language school. Established in 1911, just five years after Japantown was established, and at a time when anti-Japanese sentiment was at one of its historical peaks, a group of first generation Japanese community leaders (Issei) joined together to create a Japanese language school for their children (Nisei), who were prohibited from enrolling into public schools.

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They envisioned a school that would not only provide language classes but introduce important cultural, traditional and social customs and values that could be shared and passed down to future generations.

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After many years of dedicated fundraising, a new building for Kinmon Gakuen was constructed in 1926, where it currently stands today. At its zenith, over 600 students were enrolled at Kinmon Gakuen.

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During the war, the school was seized by the U.S. Government and was used to process the hundreds of Japanese families that lived in San Francisco before they were sent to concentration camps. The school was then entrusted to the Booker T. Washington Community Center and was returned to the Japanese when the war had ended. 

 

In 1931, the school was visited by Prince and Princess Takamatsu and, in 1934 by Prince and Princess Kaya. Then, in 1960, Crown Prince and Princess Akihito also visited the school and participated in lessons with the children.