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The difference between Nikkei community in Oizumi and Brazil (Japanese)

(Japanese) This might be because of the environment, but there aren’t many opportunities to meet people in the community in Japan. In São Paulo, where I was born and raised, we met almost every week. We got together and went to kaikan (hall). And we did karaoke, had karaoke practice, and sometimes had churrasco or Japanese dishes. Usually Sunday was our day off. Of course, in the morning, we had work at the fish shop, I mean my father did, so he didn’t have a whole day off, but we often spent weekends with friends and other family members. So we went out as a family or with friends and talked a lot together. But in Japan, we don’t do that very often. This is true within my family, too, and I think that the big difference is we don’t have many chances to get together.


Brazil communities Gunma Prefecture Japan Nikkei in Japan Oizumi

Date: October 18, 2016

Location: Gunma, Japan

Interviewer: Shigeru Kojima

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

Interviewee Bio

Paulo Issamu Hirano was born in São Paulo in January, 1979. As a Sansei whose grandparents are from Kumamoto Prefecture, he grew up in the Monte Kemel region near Liberdade. In 1989, he moved to Japan as his father, who had come as a dekasegi, called on him. Ever since, he has lived in Oizumi-machi in Gunma Prefecture. At first he was having a hard time with the language, but he made more friends as he learned Japanese. Currently he supports the Brazilian community as a graphic designer with his Japanese skills. In 2009, he started his own business and runs a design studio now. He publishes free magazines that introduce Oizumi-machi. He dedicates his life to making Oizumi-machi a Brazil town. (August, 2017)

Antonio Shinkiti Shikota
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Antonio Shinkiti Shikota

Japanese Brazilians living in Oizumi (Portuguese)

(b. 1962) Japanese Brazilian owner of a Brazilian products store in Japan.

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura

Unique Identity from Having Multiple Backgrounds

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

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Michelle Yamashiro

Okinawan Americans

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Tom Yuki
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Tom Yuki

Mochitsuki tradition

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Michelle Yamashiro

General reasons why people left Japan for Peru

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Juan Alberto Matsumoto
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Juan Alberto Matsumoto

Changes in the Nikkei Community in Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Nisei Japanese Argentinian, currently residing in Japan

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Monica Teisher
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Monica Teisher

Keirokai, the biggest celebration in the Cali Nikkei community

(b.1974) Japanese Colombian who currently resides in the United States

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Mia Yamamoto
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Mia Yamamoto

Cofounding the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

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Mia Yamamoto
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Mia Yamamoto

Understanding anti black racism in high school

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

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Mia Yamamoto
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Mia Yamamoto

Standing up for social justice

(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney

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Masato Ninomiya
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Masato Ninomiya

Foreign language education was severely restricted during the war

Professor of Law, University of Sao Paulo, Lawyer, Translator (b. 1948)

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Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Wally Kaname Yonamine

The privations of living in post-war Japan, 1952

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

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Reiko T. Sakata
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Reiko T. Sakata

Parent’s Marriage

(b. 1939) a businesswoman whose family volunterily moved to Salt Lake City in Utah during the war.

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