Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/228/

Interviews

1. Coming to America (Japanese)

2. First work in America (Japanese)

3. Bad business deal (Japanese)

4. Japan vs. the United States (Japanese)

5. Company in Tokyo burned down (Japanese)

6. Match-making (Japanese)

7. Two race horses (Japanese)

8. Buying violin (Japanese)

Funai,Kazuo

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

Coming to America (Japanese)

(Japanese) I got on the American ship and thought I would go to America. I waited to go. Then my older sister in America sent me identification, and I came to America when I was 19 years old. My sister was a picture bride. She was in Winters.

Date: October 14 & 17, 2004

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Eriko Yamamoto

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

Interviewee Bio

Kazuo Funai, 104-year-old pioneer Issei from Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, owned and operated a market on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. In 1941, prior to the outbreak of World War II, Mr. Funai had made arrangements to move to Tokyo to set up a business enterprise. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he was unable to travel to Japan and was financially ruined. In addition, he and his family were incarcerated in an American concentration camp. He survived these obstacles to later start several successful businesses.

Mr. Funai passed away on Thursday, March 3, 2005 at the age of 105. (August 16, 2005)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Barbara Kawakami

Kawakami,Barbara

Picture brides and karifufu

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

Roy H. Matsumoto

Matsumoto,Roy H.

Kibei schoolchildren in Hiroshima, Japan

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Kanemoto,Marion Tsutakawa

Mother's immigration to U.S. as a treaty merchant

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

Kimi Wakabayashi

Wakabayashi,Kimi

Arranged marriage

(b.1912) Japanese Canadian Issei. Immigrated with husband to Canada in 1931

Kimi Wakabayashi

Wakabayashi,Kimi

Her early life in Canada

(b.1912) Japanese Canadian Issei. Immigrated with husband to Canada in 1931

Seiichi Tanaka

Coming to America

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

Enson Inoue

The reason for coming to Japan

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

Emi Kasamatsu

Treatment of Japanese Paraguayans during World War II (Spanish)

Nisei Paraguayan, Researcher

Bill Hashizume

Yobiyose system in Canada

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

Bill Hashizume

Reason to come back to Canada in 1954

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

Masako Iino

Impressions from interviews with Issei women (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

Roberto Hirose

The various realities of Nikkei in Latin America (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

Kazuomi Takagi

Tango makes him to stay in Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

Kazuomi Takagi

Leaving to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

Ryoko Hokama

Initial struggles with the language barrier (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

3