Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1180/

About her father

Oh my father was a typical Issei I would say. Number 1: he was super strict. And yet - that’s only one facet of his personality. But he did care for us, he was a very hard worker and I would say to the end of his life, he was super ethical. And so he had strength of character and he had a very good sense of humor. I used to go, I mean, he was in…was it Taul Building on First and San Pedro? Well, he had an office on a corner on the third floor and a lot of times I would ask him if he wanted me to clean his office, so I would go and clean his office and then children would come and he would be laughing and gushing over them and all this and that and he was really friendly, etc. and he would give them something later on and I would come home and say, “gee momma, how come papa is so nice to kids and he’s always telling us that hmph!” You know, and his favorite word to me was “baka!


Date: February 3, 2010

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Eiko Masuyama, Carole Fujita, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Margaret Kuroiwa is the third daughter of Dr. Daishiro Kuroiwa from Saga-ken, Japan and Agnes Haruyo Ogawa Kuroiwa. Her father was a prominent Issei physician who worked at the Turner Street Southern California Japanese Hospital, and was one of the five doctors, along with Dr. Tashiro, to file the lawsuit against the State of California. His practice was in Boyle Heights and in the Taul Building in Little Tokyo. He also treated tuberculosis patients at the Monrovia Sanitarium. She and her 4 sisters were born at the new Japanese Hospital on First and Fickett. (April 11, 2010)

Ariyoshi,George

Spending time with children

(b.1926) Democratic politician and three-term Governor of Hawai'i

Ariyoshi,Jean Hayashi

Getting married

Former First Lady of Hawai'i

Ariyoshi,Jean Hayashi

Possibility of being adopted by aunt

Former First Lady of Hawai'i

Funai,Kazuo

First work in America (Japanese)

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

Hirabayashi,James

Little interaction with parents

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

Hirabayashi,James

Gordon's parents' experience in prison

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

Kawakami,Barbara

Going back to Hawaii

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Kawakami,Barbara

Clothes of plantation workers

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Kawakami,Barbara

Surviving after father's death

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Kawakami,Barbara

Washing for Filipino bachelors

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Kawakami,Barbara

Brother leaves for war, survival

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Kawakami,Barbara

Doing chores

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Okasaki,Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi

Wife's family in Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

Yamano,Jane Aiko

New Year's food

(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.

Yokoyama,Wayne Shigeto

Food growing up

(b.1948) Nikkei from Southern California living in Japan.