Read Part 1 of the 13th issue: Japanese Americans in Washington State >>
Postwar Seattle and Japanese Americans
Although it is only three pages long, "Centennial History" is powerful in its description of the activities of Japanese people in Washington State after the war. In particular, it shows how Japanese and Japanese people in Seattle recovered from the ashes, reviving prewar businesses such as the hotel industry and launching new businesses. To summarize:
The corner of Main and South 6th Streets was once a commercial district for Japanese Americans, but during the war it was a place where black people gathered. After the war, it was bought up by Japanese Americans and once again became Japanese territory, which then expanded to the surrounding areas.
By the end of 1947, the number of Japanese Americans returning to the United States was 4,700, but by the end of the following year, 1948, this number had increased to approximately 5,500, nearly returning to prewar numbers.
New trends were seen in terms of employment, such as the shift from the first generation to the second generation and the fact that women began to work. The occupations of Japanese Americans are wide-ranging, but among them, jobs that were not seen before the war were porters and janitors for the first generation and office work for the second generation.
Expanding into the hotel and apartment industry
As an example of the business development of Japanese people in Seattle, the book describes how they acquired buildings such as hotels and started businesses.
"The strong development of Seattle's Japanese in business, which is unparalleled in other states, will be the foundation for the development of future generations of Japanese. First of all, after returning home, the first generation of immigrants competed with each other to purchase stately buildings such as hotels, apartments, and trading houses, investing tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, and taking a step further than the conventional business management based on leases.
By the end of 1947, the number of Japanese residents in apartments, hotels, rooming houses, etc. had exceeded 200, a huge leap forward. Since they were all accelerating their move from leasing to ownership, it seems likely that within the next few years the number of building owners will reach a groundbreaking figure.
Among the celebrities featured are many who have launched businesses such as hotels.
One such person is Kodama Namiji, who runs the Morrison Hotel. Born in Kake-cho, Yamagata-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture, Kodama was called to the United States by his father, who had come earlier, and arrived in Portland in 1906. After working on the railroad, he moved to Seattle and quickly began managing a hotel. He also worked as a broker in the agricultural market for a time, before moving into the apartment business in 1937.
During the war, he was imprisoned at the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho, and after the war he returned to Seattle and began running a hotel, and in 1960 he was running the Morrison Hotel.
"Located in the center of the city, with 250 rooms, 125 of which have internal telephones and bathrooms, the latest elevators and a large glass window, it is the city's first-class hotel in both name and reality, and is popular with people traveling to and from Japan and the United States."
Alaska's Greats
Sotaro Kawabe, a successful trader, is described as a "great figure in Alaska" for his various business ventures in Alaska.
A native of Maibara Town in Shiga Prefecture, Kawabe came to Seattle at the age of 16 to study. Later, seeing the potential of Alaska, he went there and ran a bathhouse and bathhouse for white people. Later, he bought a steam laundry and opened it in anticipation of the railroad boom. He was written about in newspapers during the anti-Japanese movement, but this created a publicity effect and he was successful.
During the war, he was interned as an enemy alien and sent to the US mainland. He settled in Seattle, started an apartment business, and founded HS Kawabe Shokai in 1948. He became successful by importing and selling Japanese artworks. He was also recognized for his significant contributions to the Japanese community, such as supporting the abolition of foreign land in Washington State in 1960.
Born in Yawatahama City, Ehime Prefecture, Henry Takemitsu Kubota first achieved success in the hotel business. After the war, he expanded into other fields as a businessman, and in 1956 he became president of the Japanese-language newspaper North America Hochisha, which he used to revitalize the newspaper company and contribute to the world of journalism.
John Okada's father's name
Yoshito Okada, who runs the Pacific Hotel, was born in Kabe-cho, Asa-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture in 1894. He was invited to America by his father, who had come earlier in 1908. He worked as a railroad worker in Montana and a second-hand goods store clerk in Seattle before starting his hotel business in 1920.
When the war between Japan and the United States began, he was sent to the Mizola Internment Camp in Montana, and then to the Minedoka Internment Camp. He returned to Seattle in 1945 and ran the Pacific Hotel. In 1950, his wife Takayo died of illness. They have four sons and two daughters.
By the way, the introduction of Mr. Okada in the Centennial History lists his family members by their Japanese names. For example, his second son is Kozo. Although the History does not mention it, Kozo's American name is John, and John Okada is the author of the novel "No-No Boy," which is still read in America today and deals with issues such as the identity of Japanese Americans immediately after the war.
(Note: I have used the original text as much as possible, but have made some edits. In addition, I have based the names of places on the way they are written in the "Centenary History.")
* Next time we will cover " Japanese Americans in Wyoming ."
© 2015 Ryusuke Kawai
