Ryusuke Kawai
@ryusukekawaiJournalist and non-fiction writer. Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Keio University, he worked as a reporter for the Mainichi Shimbun before going independent. His books include "Yamato Colony: The Men Who Left Japan in Florida" (Shunpousha). He translated the monumental work of Japanese American literature, "No-No Boy" (Shunpousha). The English version of "Yamato Colony," won the 2021 Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Award for the best book on ethnic groups or social issues from the Florida Historical Society.
(Updated November 2021)
Stories from This Author
Bonus: Toru Suwa, the photographer who photographed Morikami Sukeji — From garden work to international photojournalist — Part 1
Oct. 23, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Suwa Akira, a photographer for the Palm Beach Post at the time, photographed the late Morikami Sukeji (George Morikami), a Kyoto native who left the name "Morikami" behind to make the "Morikami Museum and Japanese Garden" in Florida. In the 1960s, Suwa was also one of those who traveled to America with dreams in mind. After arriving in America, he became a professional photographer and traveled around the US and the world. Let me introduce you to Suwa. * * …
Final Episode: Dreams, Solitude and Nostalgia - The Life of Morikami Sukeji
Sept. 25, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
It is not widely known that at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a Japanese settlement project in Florida, USA. A "Japanese village" called "Yamato Colony" was established, where pineapples and vegetables were grown. However, due to harsh natural conditions and soaring land prices, the colony was dismantled before the war, and most of the settlers left. Among them, Morikami Sukeji (George Morikami), who remained in the area until the end and left his name in the local …
No. 39: My Uncle Sukeji was an amazing man
Sept. 11, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji, who traveled to America as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and remained there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continued to send a huge number of letters to his sister-in-law, Okamoto Mitsue, who had lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother), and her family after the war. Up until now, we have been tracing Sukeji's life by introducing these letters, but these letters had been kept for many years …
#38: It's been 70 years since I came to America; it's been a long dream
Aug. 14, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji, who traveled to America as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and remained there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continues to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother) after the war. He is overcome with emotion as he marks 70 years since coming to America despite his various illnesses and poor health, and turns 90 by Japanese reckoning. He tearfully …
Episode 37: Saved from the Gates of Hell
July 24, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji came to America as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida, and remained there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded. After the war, he continued to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who had lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother). When an article about his land donation appeared in the newspaper, he received nearly a hundred letters from not only America but also Japan, but he was shocked …
Episode 36: I'm the last survivor
July 10, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji, who came to the United States as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and stayed there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continued to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who had lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother) after the war. In November 1973, at the age of 87, he complained of a lot of pain in his body and other ailments. He could barely walk a …
No. 35: Donating land to become a park in the future
June 26, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji, who traveled to the United States as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and stayed there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continued to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who had lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother) after the war. He was satisfied that various birds were gathering in the forest he owned. He was enthusiastic about planting trees in America, and planted 5,000 cypress seedlings, …
#34 Rapid development, want to move to the countryside
June 12, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji, who came to America as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and stayed there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded, continues to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother) after the war. His recollections go back further and further in time, as he recalls and relays stories told to him by his grandfather, who was a courier for the Miyazu Domain …
No. 33 Decide on your own grave
May 22, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji traveled to the United States as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida, and remained there alone until the end of his life after the colony was disbanded. After the war, Sukeji continued to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, whose husband (Sukeji's younger brother) had died. Although Sukeji increasingly complained of physical ailments and pain, he continued to work in the fields intermittently, ordering seeds from Japan and so on. At one point, …
No. 32: I never returned to Japan
May 8, 2020 • Ryusuke Kawai
Morikami Sukeji, who traveled to the United States as a member of the Yamato Colony in South Florida and stayed there alone until the end of his life after the colony was dissolved, continues to write letters to his sister-in-law and her family, who lost her husband (Sukeji's younger brother) after the war. He worries about her life as she works for Tenrikyo in Kyoto. He boasts about the wonderfulness of Florida grapefruit, which is sweet, sour, and bitter. He …
