Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/596/

Easier to be a foreigner in Japan (Spanish)

(Spanish) In my case, when I was younger, I felt like…I felt…in Japan I felt very much a foreigner. Or I tried to feel very much a foreigner so that Japanese people wouldn’t…if Japanese people…let’s see, how can I explain this…if Japanese people see me as Japanese, in a way it’s like they treat me badly because I don’t…there are certain things that I don’t understand, which they feel I ought to understand. So then it’s much easier for me to try and be foreign than Japanese. But in the long run, over time, it’s like I’ve learned to understand them too and by understanding them I think it’s much easier, and now in Japan sometimes I don’t feel like a foreigner, though nor do I feel…you know, maybe I don’t feel that discrimination.


culture Japan

Date: October 7, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Monica Kogiso is a Nikkei Nisei Argentinian, born in Buenos Aires in the city of Escobar where the Japanese community thrives on floristry. She is licensed in tourism, currently working as a resource, tourism and event coordinator for Japan, serving as bridge between both Argentina and Japan. She is the former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino, a Nikkei organization located in Buenos Aires and is a representative for the Panamerican Nikkei Association. (January 23, 2007)

BJ Kobayashi
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Kobayashi,BJ

Growing up in two cultures

Hawaiian businessman, developer.

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Toshiaki Toyoshima
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Toyoshima,Toshiaki

Wanting to serve authentic nigiri sushi in America (Japanese)

(b. 1949) Sushi chef. Owner of Sushi Gen restaurant in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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Toshiaki Toyoshima
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Toyoshima,Toshiaki

Presenting nebuta from hometown Aomori at Nisei Week (Japanese)

(b. 1949) Sushi chef. Owner of Sushi Gen restaurant in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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George Kazuharu Naganuma
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Naganuma,George Kazuharu

Trip to Japan as a Boy Scout

(b. 1938) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City

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Robert T. Fujioka
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Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandfather's interrogations during World War II

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

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Miko Kaihara
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Kaihara,Miko

Learning Japanese to speak to relatives in Japan

(b. 1924) Hairdresser. Incarcerated at Poston, Arizona.

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Takayo Fischer
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Fischer,Takayo

Takayo Fischer on Her First Time Expressing Outward Affection to Her Parents

(b. 1932) Nisei American stage, film, and TV actress

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Howard Kakita
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Kakita,Howard

His family Traveled to Japan in 1940

(b. 1938) Japanese American. Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

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Monica Teisher
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Teisher,Monica

Identification as Colombian, feeling closer to JA than Japanese

(b.1974) Japanese Colombian who currently resides in the United States

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Jimmy Naganuma
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Naganuma,Jimmy

Immersed in Japanese culture and language

(b. 1936) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City

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Mia Yamamoto
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Yamamoto,Mia

Influence of Mexican culture after returning from camp

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

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Vince Ota
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Ota,Vince

Moving to and living in Japan

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Richard Kosaki
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Kosaki,Richard

Devastation in Tokyo after World War II

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Mas Kodani
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Kodani,Mas

The performing arts not for Nisei

Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.

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Wayne Shigeto Yokoyama
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Yokoyama,Wayne Shigeto

Food growing up

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

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