Mie Gakure: Discovering Nikkei Gardeners and their Communities
Licensing |
The concept of "mie gakure"—or "hidden and seen"—is a central design principle in Japanese stroll gardens, where the path curves, and elements are arranged so that new, unexpected views are discovered at each turn.
Inspired by the personal stories of Japanese American gardeners that were "unearthed" for the Japanese American National Museum's exhibition, Landscaping America: Beyond the Japanese Garden, we invite people to share their own connections to Nikkei gardeners, Japanese-style gardens, related businesses such as lawnmower shops and nurseries, and the communities that emerged around them.
It is through these personal stories that we hope to reveal the true nature of these communities and the people who were a part of them. Particularly in the western United States, it is easy for most Japanese Americans to find at least one individual with a connection to gardening or landscaping somewhere in their family tree, or it may be the father or grandfather of a friend or acquaintance.
Honor these individuals by including them in this collection. Share their stories and anecdotes.
Instructions to participate
If you don't already have a Discover Nikkei user account, create one, then log in. Upload your photograph, video, or audio file (visit the Contribute page for guidelines). Once you've published your contribution, email editor@DiscoverNikkei.org with a link to your item and we'll include it in the collection.
We will continue to add new stories to this collection as they are contributed, so check back for more!
Slides in this album |
|
Hideo Wataguchi; gardener; Los AngelesHideo Wataguchi is a Kibei originally from Northern California, but resides in Los Angeles. The Southern California neighborhood that he lives in was developed by Japanese Americans in the post-war era. Although less than fifty percent of the homes are owned by Japanese Americans now, it's past history is still … |
Tak, Herb, Sam & Mako Omoto; gardeners; Los Angeles & SeattleTak, Herb, Sam, and Mako Omoto are four Kibei brothers, all who worked as full-time gardeners with their own routes. One is based in Seattle, Washington. The other three work/worked in the Los Angeles, California area. Their personal story is shared by their niece Vicky Murakami-Tsuda. View the original …
Omoto brothers |
Koichi Tsunoda; gardener; Los AngelesThis interview, and those that follow, was conducted as part of the Opening Day activities for the exhibition Landscaping America: Beyond the Japanese Garden. Here, Helen Sperber speaks about her father, Koichi Tsunoda, who was a Japanese American gardener in Los Angeles, California. Helen discusses fond memories of … |
George Nakaba; gardener; San Fernando Valley, CAKen Nakaba speaks about his father, George Nakaba, who was a Japanese American gardener. He discusses George's creativity and need to express himself through gardening. To read the transcripts, please view the original item. |
Mabel Jingu Enkoji; Japanese Tea Garden; San Antonio, TXMabel Jingu Enkoji was born at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio, Texas. She discusses her relationship to the garden, as well as the garden's name changes. To read the transcripts, please view the original item. |
Khan Komai - Part 1; nursery owner; Los AngelesChris Komai discusses how Khan Komai, his father, first learned about the art of Bonsai, a talent that would later enable him to establish the Komai Bonsai Nursery. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Chris Komai - Part 1 |
Khan Komai - Part 2; nursery owner; Los AngelesChris Komai shares how in order for his family business to succeed, he and his siblings had to help his father, Khan Komai, with the nursery business. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Chris Komai - Part 2 |
Dexter & Frank Nishiyama; gardeners; Pasadena & Orange CountyDexter Nishiyama thanks his father Frank for introducing him to gardening, a hobby and career that led him to become the Orange County Gardener's Association's youngest president. To read the transcripts, please view the original item. |
Masatoshi & Teizo Matsunaga - Part 1; gardeners; Los AngelesMasatoshi Matsunaga explains when his father first became a gardener. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Masatoshi Matsunaga - Part 1 |
Masatoshi & Teizo Matsunaga - Part 2; gardeners; Los AngelesMasatoshi discusses the benefits of being a gardener. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Masatoshi Matsunaga - Part 2 |
Sanezumi Nagano; gardener; Los AngelesJoe Nagano talks about his father Sanezumi. To read the transcripts, please view the original item. |
Hoshiko & Richard Yamaguchi - Part 1; Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery; Sanger, CARichard speaks of how his mother, Hoshiko Yamaguchi, began planting the seeds that would eventually become the Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Richard Yamaguchi - Part 1 |
Hoshiko & Richard Yamaguchi - Part 2; Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery; Sanger, CARichard describes the trees of the Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Richard Yamaguchi - Part 2 |
Hoshiko & Richard Yamaguchi - Part 3; Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery; Sanger, CARichard explains the beauty of a tree from the Yamaguchi Bonsai Nursery. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Richard Yamaguchi - Part 3 |
George & Hankichi Wakiji - Part 1; gardener; Alta Dena, CAGeorge explains how gardening has changed over the years. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: George Wakiji - Part 1 |
George & Hankichi Wakiji - Part 2; gardeners; Alta Dena, CAGeorge explains why we he believes we should be thankful to the gardeners who came before us. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: George Wakiji - Part 2 |
Ray & Tom Yutani - Part 1; gardener; Los AngelesRay discusses his father's (Tom Yutani) beginnings as a gardener, and admits that helping his father garden was fun. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Ray Yutani - Part 1 |
Ray & Tom Yutani - Part 2; gardener; Los AngelesRay explains how he is both a physician and a Japanese gardener. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Ray Yutani - Part 2 |
Takashige & Kimiko Kikuchi - Part 1; nursery owners; Culver City, CASteven Kikuchi discusses how his father purchased the property to start TK Garden Supply. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Steven Kikuchi - Part 1 |
Takashige & Kimiko Kikuchi - Part 2; nursery owners; Culver City, CASteven Kikuchi remembers the heat and hard work involved in gardening with his father. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Steven Kikuchi - Part 2 |
Takashige & Kimiko Kikuchi - Part 3; nursery owners; Culver City, CASteven Kikuchi explains how he is still involved in the gardening sphere. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Steven Kikuchi - Part 3 |
Takashige & Kimiko Kikuchi - Part 4; nursery owners; Culver City, CASteven Kikuchi explains how his mother was just as hard of a worker in the family gardening business as his father was. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Steven Kikuchi - Part 4 |
John Kabashima - Part 1; horticultural advisor; Los Angeles, CAJohn explains how his father broke into the gardening industry and started his retail nursery, Sunnyview Nursery. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: John Kabashima - Part 1 |
John Kabashima - Part 2; horticultural advisor; Los Angeles, CAJohn discusses the real community feel of the Japanese American community in the United States. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: John Kabashima - Part 2 |
John Kabashima - Part 3; horticultural advisor; Los Angeles, CAJohn discusses the work ethic of the Japanese American gardener. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: John Kabashima - Part 3 |
Harry & Frank Yonemura - Part 1; ABC Nursery; Gardena, CAHarry Yonemura shares how his family nursery, ABC Nursery, was started in 1934 by his father Frank. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Harry Yonemura - Part 1 |
Harry Yonemura - Part 2; ABC Nursery; Gardena, CAHarry Yonemura speaks of his hopes to eventually retire now that his son has become involved in the nursery business. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Harry Yonemura - Part 2 |
Harry & Frank Yonemura - Part 3; ABC Nursery; Gardena, CAHarry Yonemura remembers when he used to help his father with the nursery in their greenhouse. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Harry Yonemura - Part 3 |
Tom Yutani - Part 1; weed expert; CaliforniaTom explains the meaning of his name. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Tom Yutani - Part 1 |
Tom Yutani - Part 2; weed expert; CaliforniaTom explains how he came to grow roses in San Francisco. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Tom Yutani - Part 2 |
Tom Yutani - Part 4; weed expert; CaliforniaTom talks about collecting weeds for his research. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Tom Yutani - Part 4 |
Tom Yutani - Part 3; weed expert; CaliforniaTom explains how he dealt with a persistent problem impacting his roses. To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
Landscaping America Opening: Tom Yutani - Part 3 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License
Album Type
community historyeditor — Atualizado em Jun 28 2021 1:49 a.m.