Material contribuído por ryusukekawai
On Nikkei
Vol. 10 Maizuru, Cherry Blossoms, and Japanese American Soldiers
Ryusuke Kawai
Sometime last year, I was in the non-fiction section of a bookstore when I came across a book called "Sakura Falling in Maizuru" (by Hosokawa Goko, Asuka Shinsha, published in 2020) that caught my eye because the subtitle read "The Secrets of the Occupation Army and Japanese American Intelligence Soldiers." …
On Nikkei
Part 9: Vladivostok, the Japanese Footprints
Ryusuke Kawai
The closest European country to Japan In the previous article (No. 8) , we mentioned the Japanese settlement that was formed in Vladivostok, a port city in Russia's Far East, from the Meiji period through to the early Showa period. Apart from this historical fact, in recent years Vladivostok has …
On Nikkei
Part 8: Vladivostok, the footsteps of Japanese
Ryusuke Kawai
The relationship between Japan and Russia has worsened since Russia invaded Ukraine in February this year, and the places and people associated with the history of Japan and Russia must be feeling complicated. This occurred to me while on a reporting trip along the coastline of the Hokuriku region recently. …
On Nikkei
No. 7: Yokohama Overseas Migration Museum, Renewal
Ryusuke Kawai
A clue to understanding immigration and Nikkei The JICA Yokohama Overseas Migration Museum, known as a unique institution that exhibits materials related to migration and immigration, has recently reopened after renovation. The basic exhibits remain the same as before, introducing the history of immigrants who moved to North and South …
On Nikkei
Part 6: Searching for Roots - Texas and Fukuyama Edition -
Ryusuke Kawai
Before the war, Japanese immigrants to America were generally employed as laborers in states on the West Coast. However, looking across the country, there were also rare cases of Japanese immigrants who were self-employed, such as in the form of settlement businesses. One of these was the Yamato Colony, established …
On Nikkei
Part 5: Searching for Roots - Florida and Hyogo
Ryusuke Kawai
When I interview Japanese Americans, I always want to ask them questions like, "Do you know where your roots are in Japan?" or, "Which part of Japan are your roots?" This is because I think that if I were born in America as a Japanese American, at some point I …
On Nikkei
Part 4: "Japanese-Americans" and Music Culture
Ryusuke Kawai
What is Nikkei? There are many themes that can make you think about this, such as politics, economics, sports, and food culture, but what will become clear if you focus on music? The answer to such an intriguing question emerges from the book "Music Culture of American Nikkei Society: A …
On Nikkei
Vol. 3: Jack Shirai and the Volunteer Soldier
Ryusuke Kawai
Volunteering for the Foreign Legion An event bigger than the COVID-19 news that is reported almost every day on the front pages has occurred: Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some media outlets have described it as a "war," but this is a one-sided invasion and a genocide against the local people. …
On Nikkei
Part 2: What is Nikkei?
Ryusuke Kawai
The purpose of this column is to write about various things related to "Nikkei," or in other words, to touch on various things with "Nikkei" as a keyword. To be honest, I thought it would be easier to write if I kept the topic range as broad as possible, but …
On Nikkei
Part 1: Me and "Japanese"
Ryusuke Kawai
What is Nikkei? I was born and raised in Kanagawa Prefecture, and when I think back, I first became aware of the term "Nikkei" when I was a student. The exchange student from the United States who taught me English was of Japanese descent. At the time, I first recognized …