Interviews

1. The Origin of my Name (Japanese)

2. Attending Kindergarten in Panama (Japanese)

3. My father who returned by prisoner of war exchange ship (Japanese)

4. Meeting Harry for the first time (Japanese)

5. On international marriages (Japanese)

6. Masao-san (Japanese)

7. Conflicted about immigrating to America (Japanese)

8. You can’t be loyal to two countries (Japanese)

9. Respecting the will of a five-year-old daughter (Japanese)

10. Why I’m glad I immigrated to America (Japanese)

Jean Hamako Schneider

(1925-2024) War bride

The Origin of my Name (Japanese)

(Japanese) My name is Amano Hamako. Amano is my maiden name. I was born on August 30th, 1925. For anyone from Yokohama called Hamako, the name means “beach child”. However, my father picked up a hard Chinese character for my name. He chose the “ha” from “hari”, as in “kin gin hari” (gold, silver, and crystal). The “ma” is from the character for “mitsuru” (fullness). So, if you translate that into English, it would be the presumptuous name of “Jewel Child”. It’s Hamako written with the king radical, rather than the water radical. But the origin of my name, Hamako, is that I was born in Yokohama.

identity Japan Kanagawa Prefecture names Yokohama

Date: January 26, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Jean Hamako Schneider (former name: Amano) was born in 1925 in Yokohama. In 1933, she went with her father, who was to run a business in Latin America, to Panama where she stayed for two years. Her father remained in Panama after her, but came back to Japan in 1942 on a prisoner of war exchange ship. While working at a radio station after the war, Hamako met Harry Schneider, who was stationed in Japan with the U.S. Military Intelligence Service (MIS). In 1948, the two married in Japan, and, in 1950, Hamako left for America as a war bride. After that, she gave birth to a daughter and quickly acquired American citizenship. Currently, she lives in Encinitas, California. She passed away in December 2024 at age 99. (December 2024)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Mónica Kogiso

Nihongo gakko - Preserving Japanese culture (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Peter Mizuki

Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

Sansei Japanese American living in Japan and Kendo practioner

Frank Yamasaki

Have compassion for all of humanity

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

Mónica Kogiso

Identity crisis (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

Never sang Enka outside the family

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Fujima Kansuma

Both Japanese and American identities though Japanese dance

(1918-2023) Nisei Japanese kabuki dancer

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

Coming to Japan

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Aiko Yoshinaga Herzig

Results of being more American than Japanese

(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

Trying to convey the meaning of the songs

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Kenny Endo

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

Vince Ota

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

Seiichi Tanaka

Differences between American and Japanese taiko

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

Jero (Jerome Charles White Jr.)

Nikkei Sansei

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

Enson Inoue

Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

Enson Inoue

Ring name: "Yamato Damashi"

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

Discover Nikkei Updates

SAVE THE DATE

Discover Nikkei Fest is on February 8! Join us for a community fair, workshops, a panel discussion, and much more. Sign up now for virtual or in-person tickets.

NIKKEI NAMES 2

The Editorial Committee and Nima-kai Community Favorites have been announced! Find out which stories are this year’s favorites 🏆

PROJECT UPDATES

New Site Design
See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!

Interviews

Watch more clips

Jean Hamako Schneider

The Origin of my Name (Japanese)

Explore More Videos

Discover Nikkei Updates