Sae Iino: How a cultural ambassador hopes to build bridges between the people of Milwaukee and Japan

When Sae Iino left her hometown in Saitama Prefecture to study in Thailand, she knew the next chapter of her life would be one of discovery.

What she did not expect was that the journey would take her to Wisconsin, to be an advocate for Japanese culture in Milwaukee, where the Japanese community is small, scattered, and searching for connection.

Iino, who grew up in Iruma City just north of Tokyo, described her hometown as unassuming.

“We’re really well known for our tea,” she said. “But most Japanese people overlook my prefecture. It’s kind of ‘famous for nothing’ compared to Tokyo.”

The tranquil suburban surroundings of Iruma were influential on the development of Iino’s early life, even if she did not recognize the impact it all had on her while growing up.

“After I left Japan and then tried to start my life in another country, I finally realized how perfect my hometown was for me,” said Iino. “Iruma just seemed normal, but not every place is so clean and quiet.”

Iino explained that the lifestyle in a megacity like Tokyo was exciting, but also very stressful. That constant pressure often affected the quality of life for many. So when people needed to take a break, they sought a quiet place.

“My hometown is next to Tokyo, but it has really quiet places. So for the people who need a break or some space to relax, I think my hometown is a really good place for them,” said Iino.

Iruma gave her that space to explore her interests, and better understand herself. But she only knew Japanese society and its trend of conservative thinking.

Her perspective on the world shifted during her university years, and the experience kindled her interest to travel abroad to see the world with her own eyes. In one of her early classes, she recalled, a professor distributed newspapers from different countries, each covering September 11 from different angles.

“It was just one topic, about the 9/11 attack, but every newspaper presented different aspects of the information,” said Iino. “Until I then, I didn’t realize that so many perspectives could exist about one thing.”

That insight gave her the confidence to think beyond Japan and fueled her interest in cultural exchanges. After studying abroad, she applied for work with the Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI), a program sponsored by the Japan Foundation and the Laurasian Institution that places coordinators in U.S. communities to share Japanese culture.

Her father spotted the application notice while she was living in Thailand.

“Luckily, my father found one position about the JOI program posted in the city hall,” said Iino. “And then he called me and said, ‘With this job, you can go to the United States.’ Even though I didn’t ever say anything to him about wanting to go to the United States, he was like, ‘You should really do this, okay? Just go, go, go, go.’ So I applied for the job.”

Following his encouragement, Iino was accepted into the program and assigned to Milwaukee. Her work is managed locally through the International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW), a nonprofit founded in the 1920s and located near the Fiserv Forum. It is the Institute’s first time to host a Japanese cultural program.

As a JOI coordinator, Iino’s responsibility is to introduce Japanese traditions, language, and daily life to people with little exposure to Japanese culture. She also sees her job as connecting people.

“My job is like trying to be a bridge,” said Iino. “I can be a link between the people in Milwaukee and Wisconsin who are really interested in Japanese culture and want to learn about us. And then for the Japanese people who are living here, to help them grow and expand their community.”

Her vision underscores the dual role she sees for herself, not just in educating about Japanese culture, but in understanding the unique communities that make up Milwaukee.

“My job is teaching and sharing the Japanese culture, but I also want to learn American culture as well, and what the people of Milwaukee think about many things,” said Iino.

The city has already challenged her in unexpected ways. While larger Asian communities are more visible, the Japanese presence is less organized.

“The Japanese community is so small,” said Iino. “Yes, you can find Japanese people who live in Milwaukee, but mostly they came here because their wife or husband was living here. And then their children, yes, sometimes they speak in Japanese, but mostly their first language is English. So the Japanese language is slowly fading.”

She contrasted that condition with other Asian populations. Japanese people who came to the United States in modern times seemed to be better at assimilating into American culture faster. So the connections to their heritage were not as strong as other ethnic groups who remained more detached and isolated from mainstream society.

“Compared to the Chinese community or the Korean community in Milwaukee, we do not have a big one. They are always gathering and talking in their languages, and celebrating their culture,” said Iino. “It’s a little embarrassing because, being Japanese, we have so many beautiful things in our culture. But because we are so good at adjusting, adapting, and accepting other cultures, we are not so good at protecting our own. So it is harder to hold a big community together.”

One of her first experiences to personally connect with members of the public came at “CAFE: A Celebration of Culture with International Bazaar,” a festival held in Oak Creek Festival on September 13. The annual event has been held for several years, as a day to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity through educational interaction and thoughtful conversation.

Iino was offered a booth at the last minute. With limited time to prepare, she relied on a simple idea.

“We do have tons of origami supplies. So I thought, maybe just doing and sharing how to make origami would be a good thing to promote my booth as a JOI coordinator at the International Institute of Wisconsin,” said Iino.

Expecting only a handful of visitors to stop by her table, she was instead overwhelmed by public interest.

“I thought just maybe 10 or 15 people would stop by my booth,” she said. “But we had a really big crowd the entire time. So I was really surprised and a little bit panicked. We had a Pachinko-like game for prizes, but most people just waited to make the origami. They formed a line, and everyone just patiently waited for their turn. I didn’t realize that making intricate origami cranes would be so popular.”

That early success showed Iino the appetite in Milwaukee for cultural exchange, even if the Japanese community itself was modest in its outreach.

Upon her arrival in July, Milwaukee itself left an early impression on Iino with its diversity of festivals and ethnic celebrations. Coming from Japan, where she said cultural events are more limited to traditional seasons, she was struck by the breadth of activities she discovered over the summer.

“I feel lucky to have adapted to the American way of life in Milwaukee,” said Iino. “But one of the first things that surprised me was that so many events and festivals happen here. You celebrate the heritage, ethnicity, and identity of so many cultures. That made me so inspired, because I didn’t know so many cultures existed in Milwaukee all at once.”

Firsthand encounters at events like Mexican Fiesta and an Irish festival affirmed for Iino the city’s openness. She described visiting the ethnic celebrations along the shores of Lake Michigan as “really amazing.”

When asked during her interview with Milwaukee Independent to describe Milwaukee to people in Japan, she reached for its most recognizable symbols, but also emphasized its character.

“The easiest way, I’d say, to describe Milwaukee is that it’s famous for cheese and beer,” said Iino. “But then, I would tell them that Milwaukee has a lot of diversity. That is not something most Japanese people experience.”

Her time in the city has also highlighted how American perceptions of Japan often begin with stereotypes. She acknowledged that romanticized images, whether of anime or food, can serve as entry points for people unfamiliar with Japanese culture. Her goal is to offer broader perspectives than those surface images, a mission she hopes can grow into something that lasts beyond the duration of her 2-year assignment.

“I really want to make a big festival about Japanese culture, not just in Milwaukee, but in Wisconsin,” she said. “I have met a lot of the teachers who come from Japan to teach the Japanese language here, and sometimes they are even American teachers who are fluent in Japanese. I have also met the Milwaukee Japanese Association, which is a community with strong roots from Japan. My hope is to gather everyone together to support a festival, so we can build a legacy for the next generation.”

For Iino, cultural exchange is not just about staged performances but also about the way people approach one another. She draws on the Japanese concept of moderation that guides her outlook.

“Hara hachibunmei means to eat until you are 80 percent full,” said Iino. “Mostly we use the idea when talking about food, but sometimes it’s a way of thinking. For me, 80 percent is enough. Don’t push for 100 percent, because too much expectation can harm you when it falls short.”

That philosophy, she explained, also shapes her approach to working in Milwaukee. It is not a condition that will ever be perfect. But with the process of continued effort, it can be improved and polished with conversations that leave room for learning and growth.

“I hope that there’s more opportunity to show our culture and talk with each other,” Iino added. “Not only in showing, like a performance, but honest exchanges, where we can really talk.”