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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1346/

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)

Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Family nursery business

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

After being discharged and returning to the nursery business

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Hachiro Ohtomo
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Ohtomo,Hachiro

Business in Missouri (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

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Hachiro Ohtomo
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Ohtomo,Hachiro

My daughter couldn’t fit in Japan, so I decided to go back to America (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

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Antonio Shinkiti Shikota
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Shikota,Antonio Shinkiti

Transition from a factory worker to starting his own business (Portuguese)

(b. 1962) Japanese Brazilian owner of a Brazilian products store in Japan.

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Akira Takashio
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Takashio,Akira

Tough life at boarding house (Japanese)

Shin Issei – owner of izakaya (Japanese-style tavern) and kappo (small Japanese diner) restaurant, Honda-Ya

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Tom Yuki
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Yuki,Tom

His family's migration to Salinas, California

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

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Tom Yuki
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Yuki,Tom

Father's business partner operated their farming business during WWII

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

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Kishi Bashi
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Bashi,Kishi

His Shin-Issei parents

(b. 1975) Musician, composer, and songwriter

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Yamashiro,Michelle

General reasons why people left Japan for Peru

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Mitsuye Yamada
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Yamada,Mitsuye

Her mother came to the U.S. with a group of picture brides

(b. 1923) Japanese American poet, activist

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Mitsuye Yamada
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Yamada,Mitsuye

Her father bought her mother American clothes after she arrived from Japan

(b. 1923) Japanese American poet, activist

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