Interviews
To be “100 % Japanese”
When my second son was 4 years old, my wife took him to Boston and they were standing in line to have ice cream and this elderly white lady was looking at him and she was kind of puzzled to see what nationality he was. She said, “Little boy, what are you?” He said, “Oh…” She said, “Little boy, what’s your name?” He said, “Patrick.” She said, “Oh that’s a Irish name.” He said, “Yes.” She said, “Are you…what race are you?” And he didn’t understand that. “What are you?” He said, “I’m a boy.” “No, what are you?” “I’m Japanese Irish because I’m 4, but when I’m older, I’ll be a 100 percent Japanese.”
Date: June 1, 2006
Location: Hawai`i, US
Interviewer: Akemi Kikumura Yano
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Nickname
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Mixed emotions after declaration of war on Japan
(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.
Growing up in Waikiki
(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i
The philosophy of playing Taiko
(b.1951) Co-founder and managing director of San Jose Taiko.
Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother
(b. 1981) Enka Singer
Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)
(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.
Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner
Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner
Have compassion for all of humanity
(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.
Identity crisis (Spanish)
(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.
Never sang Enka outside the family
(b. 1981) Enka Singer
Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance
(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer
Results of being more American than Japanese
(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist
Trying to convey the meaning of the songs
(b. 1981) Enka Singer
Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona
(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific