Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/313/

Interviews

Yamano,Jane Aiko

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

Having patience in Japan, being both

I try to pick up the good points from the American side and the good values and cultural things from the Japanese side. I think I mentioned a little bit is the patience issue. Normally, in Japan, they've got all these rules and regulations that they really adhere to. You know, there is no exceptions on some things. In the tea ceremony, you know, you've got to put it here. You may not put it here. It's got to be here. There are certain rules and regulations that are hard to understand. And sometimes there might be a reason, but it just doesn't seem logical. So instead of getting all mad about it, you just throw up your hands and go, Oh, it's Japanese; we're in Japan. And then I kind of deal with it.

In that way, I see...I see the service industry here in Japan as very nice. Whereas the Americans can kind of be abrupt and almost rude in some ways, when you get used to being here in Japan, you know, the service is so ultimately...they always make you feel special. 90 percent of the time, depending on where you go. So in a way, just feeling-wise, I think...I don't know, my husband would probably know the best. I am American in a way, but also very Japanese in another way.


Finding Home (film) identity Japan racially mixed people

Date: September 3, 2003

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Interviewer: Art Nomura

Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

Interviewee Bio

Jane Aiko Yamano, 38-year-old Nisei-Yonsei, was born in Los Angeles and moved to Japan at age 12 with her Japanese father and Sansei mother. At the time that her family moved to Japan, Jane’s Japanese was minimal, even though she attended Saturday Japanese school in Los Angeles. She was enrolled in the American School in Tokyo, which was largely English-speaking. She then graduated from Sophia University and went to beauty college, after which she went into business.

Ms. Yamano is now fluent in speaking, but limited in reading and writing Japanese. She recognizes the restrictions placed upon women in Japan, but her position as head of a beauty college gives her more authority than usual for a woman. She is a Japanese citizen, having been registered by her father, and is also a U.S. citizen, holding passports from both countries. She has now lived in Japan for over 25 years. (September 3, 2003)

Peter Mizuki
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Mizuki,Peter

Japan vs. Tulsa Oklahoma

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

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Fujima Kansuma
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Kansuma,Fujima

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

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Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Coming to Japan

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Vince Ota
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Ota,Vince

The reason to stay in Japan after his third year

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig
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Herzig,Aiko Yoshinaga

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

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Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Kenny Endo
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Endo,Kenny

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

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Vince Ota
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Ota,Vince

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Vince Ota
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Ota,Vince

Never being Japanese

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Vince Ota
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Ota,Vince

A stereotype of Japanese Americans

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Tanaka,Seiichi

Differences between American and Japanese taiko

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

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Sogi,Francis Y.

Meeting Japanese Americans from the mainland in MIS

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

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Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Nikkei Sansei

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Enson Inoue
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Inoue,Enson

Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

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Enson Inoue
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Inoue,Enson

Tracing my family crest

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

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