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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1427/

On international marriages (Japanese)

(Japanese) I used to work on the fifth floor of the broadcasting station, and his office was on the sixth. Even at that, we’d always arrange to meet somewhere else. We were barely able to meet, though—and only at places where nobody would see us. I didn’t want to be like everyone else. There were a lot of Japanese women walking together with foreigners at that time, hanging off their hands and whatnot. I’ve never done that. When we walked through the streets of Tokyo, we walked apart, so that others wouldn’t find us out.

I didn’t want people to think that I was with him because I wanted things. But apparently, when I was working at the broadcasting station, my co-workers had a vague sense that I was together with a foreigner. At that time, we only met a tiny little bit, but everyone asked me, “What do you think about international marriages?” So, I told them. I said, “Personally, I am completely against it.” “Oh, really?” they asked back. Then, I said, “International marriages are for the most part dangerous, and now isn’t the time for it. I’m personally completely against it.” That’s what I told them then. Marriage might have been on my mind more and more at the time, though… The one thing I didn’t say to my co-workers was this: “But my case is different.” I wanted to tell them that, but I didn’t.


identity postwar World War II

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)

Roger Shimomura
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Depicting issues of ethnic identity through childhood artwork

(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor

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Frank Yamasaki
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Starting over after the war: denial of all things Japanese

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

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Frank Yamasaki
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Have compassion for all of humanity

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

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Frank Yamasaki
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Thoughts on post-9/11 atmosphere: what it means to be American

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

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Sam Naito
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Growing up outside of Portland’s Japanese community

(b. 1921) Nisei businessman. Established "Made in Oregon" retail stores

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Kenny Endo
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Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

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

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Differences between American-born Japanese and Japanese from Japan

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

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Differences between American and Japanese taiko

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

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Enson Inoue
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Growing up in a Japanese American family

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

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Enson Inoue
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Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

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

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Enson Inoue
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Disadvantages of looking Japanese

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

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Enson Inoue
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Ring name: "Yamato Damashi"

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

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Enson Inoue
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Citizenship and identity

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

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Kip Fulbeck
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Early consciousness of identity

(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist

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Kip Fulbeck
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Finding parallels through art

(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist

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