Entrevistas

1. First impression of America (Japanese)

2. Permanent residency for 10,000 dollars (Japanese)

3. Longing for a life abroad and getting a chef’s license (Japanese)

4. Life upon arrival (Japanese)

5. Support from Nikkei (Japanese)

6. Tough life at boarding house (Japanese)

7. Business for gays (Japanese)

8. Immigration ship Brazil-maru (Japanese)

Takashio,Akira

Shin-issei, proprietário do Isakaya e Honda Ya, restaurante de comida japonesa

First impression of America (Japanese)

(Japanese) I came to America in mid-May, 1969. It was a period when we were so eager to see the world, you know, the time of hippies, and I myself left Japan for two years when I was in the third year of college. I lived in Los Angeles for a year and a half and traveled to the South Pacific and stayed in Australia for about half a year and went back to Japan, after two years of living abroad. But at that time, I was already captivated by cultures so different from Japan’s, so I soon started saving money again and came back to Los Angeles, America.

In those days, a dollar was worth 360 yen, and I was just amazed by everything I saw. For instance, when I went to supermarkets like Ralphs, just the smell of it excited me, making me go, Wow, this is amazing, and it was just an eye-opening experience for me. I came here with a tourist visa, and back then things around visas were not that complicated, and so I really wanted to come back. I went back to Japan once, saved up and came back here on a ship called Brazil-maru.

Califórnia gerações imigrantes imigração Issei Japão Los Angeles migração pós-guerra Shin-Issei Estados Unidos da América Segunda Guerra Mundial

Data: August 4, 2015

Localização Geográfica: California, US

Entrevistado: Mitsue Watanabe

País: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Entrevistados

Esteve pela primeira vez nos Estados Unidos em 1969. Depois de viver um ano e meio em Los Angeles, passou meio ano percorrendo o mundo e retornou ao Japão, mas a vida no exterior impressionou-o tanto que decidiu voltar aos Estados Unidos, onde entrou com visto de turista. Começou trabalhando como ajudante de jardineiro e 2 anos depois tornou-se independente, conseguiu visto regular e entrou no negócio de comida e bebida. Atualmente, administra o Isakaya e Honda Ya no condado de Orange, estado da Califórnia e em Los Angeles. (Agosto de 2018)