Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1556/

Oizumi, the Brazilian town in Japan (Portuguese)

(Portuguese)

Here in Oizumi, you ... I think ... You can find everything here, see? People feel like they’re in Brazil here, see? Though there’re, like, other states [sic] where ... you don’t have that many Brazilians. So in those states that don’t have many Brazilians there may be some difficulty among Brazilians [looking for Brazilian products], know what I mean? But ... it’s not like in Oizumi or Hamamatsu, where they’ve become so used to having Brazilians around, ya know?

The city of Oizumi, it's ... We have, thank God, a city that ... It's ... It's worth coming here, to the city of Oizumi, to visit, because nowadays we’ve got stores with Brazilian products. Hairdressers. We even have dentists. Everything, ya know? So, it's worth visiting the city because you’re gonna feel like you’re in Brazil. I mean, here it's ... So, everyone who comes here, is gonna feel – is gonna notice a difference. That, really, you’re gonna be in a Brazilian city here. [laughs] Yeah, you’re gonna feel like you're in Brazil. [laughs]


Gunma Prefecture Japan Japanese Brazilians Japanese Brazilians in Japan Oizumi

Date: October 19, 2016

Location: Gunma, Japan

Interviewer: Shigeru Kojima

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

Interviewee Bio

Antonio Shinkiti Shikota was born on September 12, 1962, in the city of Campinas, São Paulo state, Brazil. His parents were born in Japan. Wanting to start his own business, he followed a friend’s advice and went to Japan. Initially, he worked as a factory worker and ended up liking it so he stayed in the country. Today, he lives in the city of Oizumi and he is the owner of an itinerant Brazilian products store in Japan. The itinerant store is a truck that offers a variety of Brazilian products directed mainly at the Nikkei public. Antonio is very fond of living in Japan and the city of Oizumi. (February 2018) 

Narumi,Margaret

Japanese Fans

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

Narumi,Margaret

Nomo's Risk

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

Narumi,Margaret

Baseball Hall of Fame

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

Narumi,Margaret

The Nomo Tornado in 1995 (Japanese)

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

Narumi,Margaret

How the Dodgers internationalized MLB (Japanese)

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

Kohrogi,Acey

Walter O’Malley’s philosophy

Former Director of Asian Operations for Los Angeles Dodgers

Schneider,Jean Hamako

Why I’m glad I immigrated to America (Japanese)

(b. 1925) War bride

Uesugi,Takeo

Returning to Japan after studying in New York

(1940-2016) Issei Landscape Architect

Uesugi,Takeo

Decision to remain in the US and become an American citizen

(1940-2016) Issei Landscape Architect

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

Moved to Japan as my dekasegi father called on me (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

The difference between Nikkei community in Oizumi and Brazil (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

Change in community after the collapse of Lehman Brothers (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

From being a dekasegi to a long-term resident (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

Challenges of Brazilian community in Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

Hirano,Paulo Issamu

Change of identity (Japanese)

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.