Interviews

1. Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories

2. Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

3. Embraces his Japanese heritage

4. Never sang Enka outside the family

5. Coming to Japan

6. Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer

7. His clothes are part of his identity

8. Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage

9. Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

10. Nikkei Sansei

11. Considers Pittsburg his home, but always wanted to live in Japan

12. Singing the way I sing (Japanese)

13. "Harebutai" (Japanese)

14. Getting on Kohaku (Japanese)

15. The first concert in the United States (Japanese)

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

Not, you know, formally “this is how you do things”—you know, she would never actually pushed any Japanese culture on me—neither did my grandmother and, you know, it was just watching how, you know, my grandmother lived everyday life and the way my mother did things, you know, those are things that, you know, I…you know received from them or things I learned through them. You know, taking your shoes off at the door…you know, eating with chopsticks, and you know, things like that.

culture identity Japanese culture

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

Interviewee Bio

Jero (Jerome Charles White, Jr.) was born on September 4, 1981, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His African American grandfather met his Japanese grandmother as a U.S. serviceman during World War II. They married and had a daughter, Harumi, and eventually moved to his grandfather’s hometown of Pittsburgh. Jero’s parents divorced when he was young so he was raised with a strong sense of Japanese culture. He was introduced to enka by his grandmother and started to sing enka under her encouragment. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, he moved to Japan and worked as an English teacher and as a computer engineer, but started to pursue singing professionally after promising his grandmother that one day he would perform at the Kohaku Uta Gassen, the New Year’s Eve musical special that she enjoyed.

Jero’s mix of traditional enka with a youthful, hip hop style has revitalized a singing style that has been slowly dying out by attracting people from all age groups. He won over many hearts after hearing about his promise to his grandmother and was a highlight of the night when he did appear on the Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2008. He won the Best New Artist award in the Japan Record Awards that year. He has gained popularity among Nikkei and performed for sold-out audiences in the U.S. in 2010.

(March 2010)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Having patience in Japan, being both

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

Acculturation

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

Preserving traditional Japanese culture

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

Japanese are more accustomed to foreigners

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

Her experience as a Japanese-American schoolchild in Oceanside, California, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(1924-2018) Artist and playwright.

Food growing up

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

Being on the outside

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

Returning to Maui during baseball off-seasons to remind himself of the hard work required to succeed

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

Working in cane fields as teenager, and how it helped in his athletic training (Japanese)

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

Nickname

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

Feelings of loyalty to America while in Japan

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

Mixed emotions after declaration of war on Japan

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

Identifies as Japanese, but home is San Francisco

Shishimai (Lion dance) and Taiko player with San Francisco Taiko Dojo.

Growing up in Waikiki

(b. 1924) Political scientist, educator, and administrator from Hawai`i

Discover Nikkei Updates

NIKKEI CHRONICLES #14

Nikkei Family 2: Remembering Roots, Leaving Legacies
Baachan, grandpa, tía, irmão… what does Nikkei family mean to you? Submit your story!

SUPPORT THE PROJECT

Discover Nikkei’s 20 for 20 campaign celebrates our first 20 years and jumpstarts our next 20. Learn more and donate!

SHARE YOUR MEMORIES

We are collecting our community’s reflections on the first 20 years of Discover Nikkei. Check out this month’s prompt and send us your response!

Interviews

Watch more clips

Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother

Explore More Videos

Discover Nikkei Updates