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Tough life at boarding house (Japanese)

(Japanese) There was a boarding house. It was cheap. People like helpers of gardeners were staying there. And when I came home the place was seized by this group of people from this school and they told me to join them in phony gambling. Losers were told to sing, and if they refused, an ash tray would be thrown at them. I didn’t know there was a thing like that, something I experienced at the boarding house in America. I lived in a small room, which was about 1.5 tatami-mat size (about 2.5 square meters). I believe I was paying 100 dollars – maybe it was about 80 dollars, with breakfast and lunch bento included. I was there for about two months, but I couldn’t stand it and left.


agriculture gardeners gardening generations immigrants immigration Issei Japan migration postwar Shin-Issei United States World War II

Date: August 4, 2015

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Mitsue Watanabe

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

Interviewee Bio

In 1969, he arrived in America for the first time. He lived in Los Angeles for a year and a half, traveled to various places around the world for about six months and went back to Japan. As he was deeply inspired by the life in a foreign country, however, he decided to go back and moved to America with a tourist visa. He had a job as a helper for gardeners for about two years at first, and then started working on his own. With an official visa, he got a foot in the restaurant industry. He currently runs a Japanese-style drinking place and diner, Honda-Ya, a restaurant chain in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. (August 2018)

Lou Kitashima
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Kitashima,Lou

Designing a Japanese-style garden in England

Sansei Gardener

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Lou Kitashima
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Kitashima,Lou

Important features of Japanese gardens

Sansei Gardener

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Lou Kitashima
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Kitashima,Lou

Incorporating native plants into Japanese-style gardens

Sansei Gardener

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Lou Kitashima
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Kitashima,Lou

Japanese-style gardening to keep clients happy

Sansei Gardener

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Lou Kitashima
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Kitashima,Lou

Changing demography of gardeners in Southern California

Sansei Gardener

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Lou Kitashima
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Kitashima,Lou

Difficulties for gardeners in England

Sansei Gardener

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Paula Hoyos Hattori
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Hattori,Paula Hoyos

The arrival of her grandpa (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

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Ryoko Hokama
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Hokama,Ryoko

From Japan to Argentina (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Takagi,Kazuomi

Decided to leave Japan to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Takagi,Kazuomi

Tango makes him to stay in Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Takagi,Kazuomi

Leaving to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Shunji Nishimura
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Nishimura,Shunji

Going to Brazil to escape debt (Japanese)

(1911-2010) Founder of JACTO group

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Shunji Nishimura
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Nishimura,Shunji

Early life in Brazil (Japanese)

(1911-2010) Founder of JACTO group

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Emi Kasamatsu
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Kasamatsu,Emi

Treatment of Japanese Paraguayans during World War II (Spanish)

Nisei Paraguayan, Researcher

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Emi Kasamatsu
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Kasamatsu,Emi

Inclusiveness of the first Japanese colony in Paraguay (Spanish)

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