Interviews
On international marriages (Japanese)
(Japanese) I used to work on the fifth floor of the broadcasting station, and his office was on the sixth. Even at that, we’d always arrange to meet somewhere else. We were barely able to meet, though—and only at places where nobody would see us. I didn’t want to be like everyone else. There were a lot of Japanese women walking together with foreigners at that time, hanging off their hands and whatnot. I’ve never done that. When we walked through the streets of Tokyo, we walked apart, so that others wouldn’t find us out.
I didn’t want people to think that I was with him because I wanted things. But apparently, when I was working at the broadcasting station, my co-workers had a vague sense that I was together with a foreigner. At that time, we only met a tiny little bit, but everyone asked me, “What do you think about international marriages?” So, I told them. I said, “Personally, I am completely against it.” “Oh, really?” they asked back. Then, I said, “International marriages are for the most part dangerous, and now isn’t the time for it. I’m personally completely against it.” That’s what I told them then. Marriage might have been on my mind more and more at the time, though… The one thing I didn’t say to my co-workers was this: “But my case is different.” I wanted to tell them that, but I didn’t.
Date: January 26, 2012
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Looking at your country from the outside
(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.
Wife's family in Japan
(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.
Lack of notion of citizenship in Japan
(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.
Lack of language skills
(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.
Preserving traditional Japanese culture
(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.
Having patience in Japan, being both
(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.
Being on the outside
(b.1948) Nikkei from Southern California living in Japan.
His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans
(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.
Working in cane fields as teenager, and how it helped in his athletic training (Japanese)
(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.
Nickname
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Mixed emotions after declaration of war on Japan
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Growing up in Waikiki
(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i
The philosophy of playing Taiko
(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.
Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother
(b. 1981) Enka Singer