Interviews
Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories
They talked about Japan sometimes, you know they talked about all the things that they enjoyed to do in Japan. You know, my mother, she enjoyed going to watch samurai movies, and she still does watch samurai movies to this day. You know, it’s very reminiscent of her childhood and things of that sort—but they never spoke actual Japanese to me so…you know, because I had an interest in Japan and I had more of an interest in Japanese—in speaking Japanese—I studied on my own when I was in elementary school and I entered a class formally in high school.
Date: March 30, 2010
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Interview by Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum. Courtesy of Japanese American Cultural & Community Center
Explore More Videos
Postwar school-life
(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.
On Challenging Institutions
(1938-2020) Japanese American attorney and civil rights activist
Pop and Balls
(1938-2020) Japanese American attorney and civil rights activist
Re-examining Identity
(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist
Conflicted about immigrating to America (Japanese)
(b. 1925) War bride
Defining "Nikkei"
(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist
Unique Identity from Having Multiple Backgrounds
(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.
Growing up Japanese in Hawaii
(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii
Parents identification as Peruvian Okinawan
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.
Okinawan cultural appreciation
Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.