Henri and Tomoye Takahashi, along with Tomoye’s sister Martha Masako Suzuki established the family foundation in 1986. All three American citizens were incarcerated in the Topaz, Utah concentration camp during World War II, simply because of their Japanese ancestry. After the war the family returned to San Francisco, determined to help build friendship and good will for Japanese Americans and to improve understanding with Japan.

 The Takahashi Trading Company imported finely crafted home goods from Japan for their growing number of Takahashi retail stores in the Bay Area and NYC.  Their wholesale business expanded as they sold to stores and museum shops around the country.
Over fifty items won the coveted Good Design Award
from the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

In 2010, after Henri passed away in 2002, Tomoye Takahashi and Martha Suzuki were awarded Japan’s highest award of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for their contribution toward strengthening US-Japan relations and their work in the community.