Historic childhood home of San Jose Mayor Norman Mineta sold to Japantown church

THE HISTORIC HOME of San Jose’s first Asian American mayor now belongs to a local church with deep roots in Japantown’s community.

Wesley United Methodist Church purchased the childhood home of Norman Yoshio Mineta last summer and spent the last year and half renovating the nearly 100-year-old house. The Mineta house, which sits across the street from the church, will be the new home of the church’s senior pastor, The Rev. John Oda. He will move in next month.