Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/299/

Interviews

Nakamura,Ann K.

Sansei from Hawaii living in Japan. Teacher and businesswoman.

Image of Americans

Their image of an American was Caucasian or non-Asian. So to meet an Asian American, especially a Japanese American, for them was…where do you categorize? How do you fit this person in into their idea? So I probably have changed that idea for a lot of people who have met me. But it also made me aware of being both – that I’m neither one nor the other. I am both. And so for many Japanese, they go, “Oh, does that mean your mother is American?” I said, “No, my father is American, too.” That kind of throws them. “But you have a Japanese name.” I said, “Yes, because my father and my mother are ethnically Japanese, but their nationality is American. They were born and raised in America.” So that sort of opens a lot of conversation. It has also made me aware of, in some ways, how Western I am, as opposed to Japanese. But, at the same time, I guess growing up in Hawaii, being both was not unusual. You study Japanese, you practice certain Japanese customs – that was not unusual. But for a Japanese here, it’s unusual. It’s like, “How do you do both?” And it’s not doing both, it just naturally occurs. So at one time, it’s like the students or even the teachers would say, “So, which side of your family…does that make you half?” I said, “No, it doesn’t make me half. I’m 100 percent American because that’s my nationality. But I’m also 100 percent Japanese because all my grandparents originally came from Japan. So I’m not half as much as I’m maybe 200 percent.” And so for them, it’s like a whole different concept.


Finding Home (film) Hawaii identity United States

Date: November 8, 2003

Location: Tokushima, Japan

Interviewer: Art Nomura

Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

Interviewee Bio

Ann Nakamura, a Sansei in her mid-forties who grew up in Hawai`i, is a single woman whose career in education and a business partnership with a Japanese man represent a unique situation. She observes that more Japanese women are delaying marriage or remaining single, and in either case are becoming professionals. This development has led to greater acceptance of her status as a single female professional. In the past, a woman teacher could continue to work after marriage, but women in business who got married were expected to end their vocation. Ann says she is not looked upon as a “role model” necessarily, but she is seen as someone who legitimates non-traditional options in society.

When growing up in Hawaii, Ann experienced a “conflict” between Western and Asian values and behavior and has been able to reconcile this in Japan. She would like to return to Hawaii where her family is, but to also continue to maintain her business in Japan. She had not expected to stay as long as she has in Japan (approximately 15 years). There are now more foreigners in Japan than ever before and more acceptance of “gaijin.” Ann first obtained a Nikkei Visa and then transitioned into her current status of permanent residency. (November 8, 2003)

Kawakami,Barbara

Helping soldiers

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Hirabayashi,PJ

Feeling empowered by taiko

Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko

Hirabayashi,PJ

Sense of lineage between Sansei and Issei through Taiko

Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko

Okasaki,Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi

Japanese influence growing up

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

Hirabayashi,PJ

Diverse membership in San Jose Taiko

Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko

Okasaki,Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi

Looking at your country from the outside

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

Okasaki,Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi

Wife's family in Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

Takeshita,Yukio

Lack of notion of citizenship in Japan

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

Takeshita,Yukio

Impression of Japan upon arrival

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

Yamano,Jane Aiko

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.

Yamano,Jane Aiko

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.

Yamano,Jane Aiko

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.

Glaser,Byron

Supporting art because it's essential

Illustrator and designer

Yamano,Jane Aiko

New Year's food

(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.

Yokoyama,Wayne Shigeto

Being on the outside

(b.1948) Nikkei from Southern California living in Japan.