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

Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother Embraces his Japanese heritage Never sang Enka outside the family Coming to Japan Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer His clothes are part of his identity Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage Trying to convey the meaning of the songs Nikkei Sansei Considers Pittsburg his home, but always wanted to live in Japan Singing the way I sing (Japanese) "Harebutai" (Japanese) Getting on Kohaku (Japanese) The first concert in the United States (Japanese)

Transcripts available in the following languages:

My home, my home is Pittsburg…my home is, you know, my hometown is Pittsburg, but, you know, my…my life is in Japan. I definitely feel that way. Because in the…in the U.S., you know, I really wasn’t able to find my niche, as far as what I wanted to do, especially when I got out of college, but they only thing that I can think about whenever I was in college and when I was studying, you know, and thinking about what I wanted to do—it was always connected to Japan—it always…you know whenever…I decided to come to Japan, and I said that I was gonna come here, I was gonna try to become an enka singer, but if I wasn’t able to become an enka singer, I would definitely use my studies from college and use them somewhere in Japan. So I always wanted to be in Japan and improve my Japanese and live in Japan.

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

hapa identity