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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1150/

Making Sushi and Enjoying Life (Japanese)

(Japanese) My grandfather was an oil painting artist in Japan. As I make sushi, I wonder if I might have inherited his artistic sense of color. When I’m making sushi it’s interesting, but also really thrilling. I enjoy making sushi, anticipating how the end result will look.


food Japanese food sushi United States

Date: September 10, 2009

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Izumi Tanaka

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

Interviewee Bio

Born 1962 in Tokyo. Moved to America in 1981. Initially worked in a San Diego restaurant making sushi and helping in the kitchen. Moved to the East Coast in 1987 after receiving notice of a job opening in New York. He then moved to Connecticut in 1990 to support a friend opening a new restaurant. He became opened his own restaurant in 1997, and as his business grew, it became the top-rated restaurant in the New England area by ZAGAT. In 2006, he decided to return to Los Angeles for his wife in child, and started a sushi catering business while also working as a sushi chef for other restaurants. He has also taken the grand prize at several sushi competitions. In 2008 he opened “Toshi Sushi” in Little Tokyo. (December 2009)

Jane Aiko Yamano
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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.

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Wayne Shigeto Yokoyama
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Food growing up

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

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Peggie Nishimura Bain
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Learning American cooking

(b.1909) Nisei from Washington. Incarcerated at Tule Lake and Minidoka during WWII. Resettled in Chicago after WWII

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Rose Kutsukake
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Life after internment in Slocan

(1918-2004) Interned in Slocan during World War II. Active member of the Japanese Canadian community.

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Vince Ota
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Little contact with Asians growing up on the east coast

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Margaret Oda
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Memories of family dinners

(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i

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Margaret Oda
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Symbolic New Year’s foods prepared from scratch

(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i

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Luis Yamada
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Suffering in World War II (Spanish)

(b. 1929) Nisei Argentinean

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Peter Mizuki
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Appreciation of Japanese food

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

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William Marutani
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Childhood shame for being Nikkei in Enumclaw, Washington

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Toshiro Konishi
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What Makes Japanese Cooking In Peru Interesting (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Toshiro Konishi
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Peru Representative vs. Japan Representative (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Toshiro Konishi
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What’s Next as a Chef (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Toshiro Konishi
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Japanese-Peruvian Cuisine (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Toshiro Konishi
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World-Renowned Peruvian Cuisine (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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