Martha Chaiklin

August 9, 1960 – February 4, 2026

Martha Chaiklin passed away on February 4, 2026 in Columbia, MD after a battle with cancer. She was 65.

Born in Massachusetts and raised in Columbia, Maryland, Martha grew up curious about the world and the people in it. That curiosity became the foundation of a life devoted to learning, travel, and sharing knowledge with others.

Martha earned a B.A. in Asian Studies from Washington University in St. Louis and an M.A. from University of Michigan. She later moved to Japan, where she worked in advertising and completed a second master’s degree in Japanese history at Seijo University. She went on to earn her Ph.D. from Leiden University in the Netherlands.

Over the course of her career, Martha worked as a historian, museum curator, professor, editor, and writer. She authored or edited eight books, contributed chapters to many others, and published numerous scholarly articles. Her research focused largely on Japan and on the ways everyday objects—such as glass, ivory, textiles, shoes, and other materials—could reveal stories about culture, trade, and human connection across the world. 

Martha believed history could be found in the things people made and used in daily life. She once described herself simply as “a historian of stuff,” fascinated by how objects could connect people across cultures and centuries. She served as curator of Asian history at the Milwaukee Public Museum and later contributed to exhibitions and projects at several institutions, including the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. 

Martha lived and worked across the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, and Dubai, forming friendships that spanned continents. She was known for her sharp mind, wide-ranging curiosity, quick wit, and distinctive sense of humor. She was equally comfortable discussing early modern trade networks, the history of glassmaking, the cultural meaning of elephants, or the significance of shoes in society.

She was the proud mother of two sons, Samuel and David Suzuki, and loved speaking about them whenever she had the chance. She is also survived by her mother, Sharon Chaiklin; and her siblings, Seth Chaiklin and Nina Chaiklin.

She will be remembered not only for her scholarship, but also for her warmth, humor, generosity, and the many lives she touched around the world.

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