Interviews
Growing up in two cultures
Oh, you know, both sides. I mean I went to Japanese school when I was little, you know, I still speak a little bit of Japanese. I can understand it when I’m walking by people that speak Japanese, for the most part if they’re speaking slowly enough. And I got…and growing up in Hawaii, I was always around my grandmother. Sometimes my grandfather, although he was really busy. So you know, I got a lot of that culture in Obon dance and pounding mochi. That’s part of my life also.
Every summer and every winter I was back east with my family. With my mom’s family. With my cousins – clambakes, the museum in Boston, Red Sox games. I mean you name it, I think I got…I think all of us – myself, my brother Patrick, and my sister Alana – all enjoyed sort of the best of those two worlds. Because my parents were so generous and able to provide that to us. Those trips back east were important.
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
Interest in Japanese migration studies (Japanese)
Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history
The Japanese society reacts to Nikkei living in Japan (Japanese)
Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history
Learning from Nikkei (Japanese)
Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history
A wrong ethnic assumption
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
The performing arts not for Nisei
Senshin Buddhist Temple minister and co-founder of Kinnara Taiko.
Feeling empowered by taiko
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko
Diverse membership in San Jose Taiko
Co-founder and creative director of San Jose Taiko