Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1758/

Immersed in Japanese culture and language

My older brothers and sister, they also liked the culture. They would buy magazines, records, they would enjoy listening, and at the same time, I would look at the magazine and enjoy listening to music. They were showing Japanese movie two different places in San Francisco, and I'd go every Friday and Saturday. One Friday I'll go this theater, Saturday I'm going to go to the other theater. It was very much Japanese-y, more than being American. Because my father and mother at home would speak Japanese. My father said, "You have a Japanese face? You learn to speak Japanese." Still up here in my mind.

 


culture languages movies

Date: September 20, 2019

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Tom Ikeda and Yoko Nishimura

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum and Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Jimmy Naganuma was born in Callao, Peru to his Issei parents in 1936. He was eight years old when his family were forced to board a ship, to be incarcerated at Crystal City, Texas, during World War II. They remained there even after the war had ended, without a place to go. They were able to leave via a sponsorship by a reverend in San Francisco, California, where they were able to find jobs and housing.  (June 2020)

Takayo Fischer
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Fischer,Takayo

Takayo Fischer on Her First Time Expressing Outward Affection to Her Parents

(b. 1932) Nisei American stage, film, and TV actress

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Howard Kakita
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Kakita,Howard

Adjustment to American life

(b. 1938) Japanese American. Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

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Monica Teisher
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Teisher,Monica

Identification as Colombian, feeling closer to JA than Japanese

(b.1974) Japanese Colombian who currently resides in the United States

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George Kazuharu Naganuma
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Naganuma,George Kazuharu

Kids activities in Crystal City

(b. 1938) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City

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Mia Yamamoto
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Yamamoto,Mia

Influence of Mexican culture after returning from camp

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

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Jane Aiko Yamano
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Yamano,Jane Aiko

Acculturation

(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.

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Mas Kodani
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Kodani,Mas

The performing arts not for Nisei

Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.

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Jane Aiko Yamano
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Yamano,Jane Aiko

Japanese are more accustomed to foreigners

(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.

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Wayne Shigeto Yokoyama
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Yokoyama,Wayne Shigeto

Food growing up

(b.1948) Nikkei from Southern California living in Japan.

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Tanaka,Seiichi

Understanding Sansei taiko (Japanese)

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

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Nosuke Akiyama
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Akiyama,Nosuke

Rediscovery of Japanese culture through taiko (Japanese)

Shishimai (Lion dance) and Taiko player with San Francisco Taiko Dojo.

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Richard Kosaki
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Kosaki,Richard

Teaching at the military language school during World War II

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

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Art Shibayama
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Shibayama,Art

Learning English upon discovering that family could not return to Peru

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

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Roger Shimomura
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Shimomura,Roger

Japanese American community life

(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor

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Frank Yamasaki
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Yamasaki,Frank

Starting over after the war: denial of all things Japanese

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

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