Interviews

1. Deciding to come to America

2. Voyage to San Pedro

3. Getting started in America

4. Early impression of America

5. Learning the nursery business

6. Gardening to nursery

7. Expanding business

8. Next phase

9. Life Philosophy

Oda,Harunori

(1927-2016) Shin-Issei businessman

Expanding business

Then, every time, I get any extra income, I increased the more buy the seed or material, plant material, gradually little by little increase, or seed or plant protection and stuff. Then within the few year, gradually more looked like a nursery. Also, I continue to grow pansy for next 3 years, then 4th year comes I...no more surrounding property to do it, so I leased the Edison Company, the property in Anaheim near the Dale Avenue, near the Bukkyokai, Japanese Buddhist Temple, the area then finally, I leased the property from the Edison Company to start growing pansy.

Then after that, every year, every other year, gradually expanded more, more, and more property increased. Then before I move in San Juan Capistrano, I had eight location total about 88 acres growing ground. Nursery was that much expansion every year.

business economics generations horticulture immigrants immigration Issei Japan management migration nurseries (horticulture) postwar Shin-Issei United States World War II

Date: February 2, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Chris Komai, John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

Harunori Oda was born and raised in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, but moved to the U.S. after meeting and marrying a Nisei woman who was visiting Japan in the post WWII period. Though he hated the U.S., his wife, Mitsy, convinced him that he would have greater opportunities for success in the U.S., so he decided to take the chance. Though his English skills were limited, he worked his way up through the nursery business—an enterprise he determined would offer the most opportunity for a person with his abilities. Eventually, he started his own nursery, expanded, and later achieved great success as a developer of real estate in Orange County. He passed away on December 14, 2016, at age 91. (December 2016)