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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1548/

Oizumi-machi is my hometown (Japanese)

(Japanese) Oizumi-machi might be the one place that I feel most strongly as my hometown. At least now. I did live in Brazil until age ten, but it was too, uh, my memory is, like, the time I spent there was too short. Since Oizumi-machi is where I lived from age ten to nearly age 20, until I entered college, many of my friends live in this area. And now most of my relatives, too, they have moved here, so Oizumi-machi is the place where I feel like "that's my hometown."


Brazilians Gunma Prefecture identity 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)

Jane Aiko Yamano
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Having patience in Japan, being both

(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.

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Jane Aiko Yamano
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Preserving traditional Japanese culture

(b.1964) California-born business woman in Japan. A successor of her late grandmother, who started a beauty business in Japan.

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Wayne Shigeto Yokoyama
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Working at the magazine

(b.1948) Nikkei from Southern California living in Japan.

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Wally Kaname Yonamine
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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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Luis Yamada
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Proud to be a Japanese desecendant (Spanish)

(b. 1929) Nisei Argentinean

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Henry Suto
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School life in Japan (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Henry Suto
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Identity (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Miyoko Amano
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Yoshitaro Amano’s Business in Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1929) President of Amano Museum

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Hiroshi Sakane
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A strong Japanese identity (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

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Hiroshi Sakane
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On being thought of as a Japanese person (Japanese)

(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum

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Isao Taoka
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Views on Japanese Youth (Japanese)

(b. 1943) Paraguayan Ambassador to Japan

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Masakatsu Jaime Ashimine Oshiro
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The Image of Japan: Expectations versus Reality (Spanish)

(1958-2014) Former Bolivian Ambassador to Japan

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Toshiko Elena Onchi
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How I became a volunteer at the International Association of Yamato (Spanish)

Japanese Peruvian in Japan

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Toshiko Elena Onchi
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The importance of knowing the Japanese language (Spanish)

Japanese Peruvian in Japan

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Toshiko Elena Onchi
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Several ways to participate and integrate into Japanese society (Spanish)

Japanese Peruvian in Japan

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