President’s Award Honoree Alan Miyatake
The Nisei Week President’s Award serves as the Nisei Week Foundation’s lifetime achievement award. Identified and selected by the President, the award recognizes an individual or organization who truly upholds the Foundation’s mission and has made significant contributions to the Japanese & Japanese American communities. In 2026, the Nisei Week President’s Award goes to photographer Alan Miyatake.
Alan Miyatake was born in Los Angeles in 1953. He attended elementary and high school in Montebello after growing up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. He is the son of Archie and Takeko Miyatake and grandson of Toyo Miyatake, a Japanese American photographer best known for his images documenting Manzanar, and the Nisei Week Japanese Festival.
Being a part of a family business, Toyo Miyatake Studio, Alan was around Little Tokyo his entire life. Every activity revolved around Little Tokyo and the Japanese American community, and he has been involved with the Nisei Week Japanese Festival since he was born. Alan participated in the Baby Show, marched in the Nisei Week Grand Parade as a scout, and photographed Nisei Week events for more than 50 years.
Alan never missed the Nisei Week carnival when it was around. He always brags about being “picked up by Nisei Week Queen Akemi Tani” in 1960 when he got lost as a Cub Scout trying to get back to the studio after the parade.
Alan’s three-generation family business, Toyo Miyatake Studio, has proudly photographed every Nisei Week Japanese Festival since 1934. He has been the owner and photographer since 1992. He and his wife, April, have two daughters, Sydney and Lindsey.