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Working at the family flower shop, meeting Greta Garbo

In the early days, my mother used to go to the flower market. She used to have a designer cause my mother wasn’t a very good designer. We did a big arrangement showing of flowers and that was up in Wilshire Blvd. Anyway, that was a big thing we did.

And then another thing was, she was a singer, a well known singer, a blonde girl, she’s signing at the Greek Theater and after that they had a big party for her at this one place in Hollywood again. And we also did the whole thing, the arrangement for them.

We even had Greta Garbo. In those days, that was in the late twenties, early twenties, rather. She used to come in the big limousine. Where the chauffer sat was open. She sat in the back. She used to come in and buy a big armful of sweet peas. She was a really nice and beautiful person though.


California florists Greta Garbo Los Angeles United States

Date: May 24, 2011

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

Sumiko Kozawa was born in 1916 in Los Angeles. The oldest of five children, Sumi spent three years in Japan before World War II, learning koto, flower arranging, and tea ceremony. Her family’s flower shop, Tokio Florist in Silver Lake, was popular with the Hollywood community because of its fresh flowers and reasonable prices. Sumi not only helped out, but also had the opportunity to meet many people, including famous silent movie star, Greta Garbo. When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Sumi and her family were sent to Manzanar. There she helped care for the family, taking care of her grandfather and younger sister. She passed away on December 2016, at age 100. (December 2016)

Sakaye Shigekawa
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Sakaye Shigekawa

Differences in discrimination

(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California

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Edward Toru Horikiri
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Edward Toru Horikiri

Birthplace

(b. 1929) Kibei Nisei

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Edward Toru Horikiri
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Edward Toru Horikiri

My father’s venture into the hotel business (Japanese)

(b. 1929) Kibei Nisei

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Edward Toru Horikiri
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Edward Toru Horikiri

Working in America

(b. 1929) Kibei Nisei

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Edward Toru Horikiri
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Edward Toru Horikiri

Struggles with English (Japanese)

(b. 1929) Kibei Nisei

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Hachiro Ohtomo
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Hachiro Ohtomo

My daughter couldn’t fit in Japan, so I decided to go back to America (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

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Hachiro Ohtomo
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Hachiro Ohtomo

Facing discrimination in America (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura

Move to Los Angeles

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

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Toshiaki Toyoshima
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Toshiaki Toyoshima

Going to America after completing a three-year contract twice (Japanese)

(b. 1949) Sushi chef. Owner of Sushi Gen restaurant in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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Toshiaki Toyoshima
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Toshiaki Toyoshima

Becoming a member of nikkei community (Japanese)

(b. 1949) Sushi chef. Owner of Sushi Gen restaurant in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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Akira Takashio
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Akira Takashio

First impression of America (Japanese)

Shin Issei – owner of izakaya (Japanese-style tavern) and kappo (small Japanese diner) restaurant, Honda-Ya

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Akira Takashio
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Akira Takashio

Longing for a life abroad and getting a chef’s license (Japanese)

Shin Issei – owner of izakaya (Japanese-style tavern) and kappo (small Japanese diner) restaurant, Honda-Ya

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Akira Takashio
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Akira Takashio

Support from Nikkei (Japanese)

Shin Issei – owner of izakaya (Japanese-style tavern) and kappo (small Japanese diner) restaurant, Honda-Ya

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Iwao Takamoto
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Iwao Takamoto

Return to Los Angeles

Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)

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