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Support from Nikkei (Japanese)

(Japanese) We the gardeners owe a lot to Nikkei, Nisei, or Issei who helped us with everything. When I saw an Asian person, I assumed he was Nikkei. It was like that. People like them told me a lot of things, like how they struggled in the past and I learned a lot from them. They helped me with all kindness and I’m truly grateful for them.


California generations immigrants immigration Issei Japan Los Angeles migration postwar Shin-Issei United States World War II

Date: August 4, 2015

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Mitsue Watanabe

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

Interviewee Bio

In 1969, he arrived in America for the first time. He lived in Los Angeles for a year and a half, traveled to various places around the world for about six months and went back to Japan. As he was deeply inspired by the life in a foreign country, however, he decided to go back and moved to America with a tourist visa. He had a job as a helper for gardeners for about two years at first, and then started working on his own. With an official visa, he got a foot in the restaurant industry. He currently runs a Japanese-style drinking place and diner, Honda-Ya, a restaurant chain in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. (August 2018)

Shizuko Kadoguchi
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Shizuko Kadoguchi

Choice to move east or go to Japan

(b.1920) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Established the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Toronto

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Seiichi Tanaka
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Seiichi Tanaka

Coming to America

(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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Enson Inoue

The reason for coming to Japan

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

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Bill Hashizume
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Bill Hashizume

Reason to come back to Canada in 1954

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

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Masako Iino
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Masako Iino

Interest in Japanese migration studies (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

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Mónica Kogiso
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Mónica Kogiso

History of her family's immigration (Spanish)

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

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Vince Ota
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Vince Ota

Moving to and living in Japan

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Vince Ota
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Vince Ota

The reason to stay in Japan after his third year

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Roberto Hirose
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Roberto Hirose

Growing up with some Japanese families (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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John Naka
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John Naka

Avoiding the Japanese military

(1914-2004) Nisei Bonsai master in the United States

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Paula Hoyos Hattori
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Paula Hoyos Hattori

The arrival of her grandpa (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

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Ryoko Hokama
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Ryoko Hokama

From Japan to Argentina (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Kazuomi Takagi

Decided to leave Japan to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Kazuomi Takagi

Tango makes him to stay in Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Kazuomi Takagi
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Kazuomi Takagi

Leaving to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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