Interviews

1. General reasons why people left Japan for Peru

2. Great grandfather Asato was a sumo wrestler

3. Grandfather loved to tell her stories of her great-grandfather Arakaki

4. Prosecution of Japanese Peruvians during the war

5. Where parents went to school in Peru

6. Parents leaving Peru to move to California

7. Reflections on childhood

8. Okinawan cultural appreciation

9. Prejudice against Okinawans from mainland folks

10. Okinawan Americans

11. Parents identification as Peruvian Okinawan

12. On Nikkei identity

13. Japanese values that she aligns with

14. American values she aligns with

15. Working together in Okinawa using three languages

Michelle Yamashiro

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

Great grandfather Asato was a sumo wrestler

He came to Peru because there was…there was competition, great competition between sumo wrestlers in different – three different prominent areas in Okinawa, Kumejima being one of them. And so in Peru when they were just starting developing that Lima…or that area, they invited my grandpa over because there was folks from, I believe it was…I believe it was the Kumejima people, they were consistently winning and… Funny story, my great-grandparents in…or my great-grand relatives on my dad’s side, the Yamashiro family were also sumo wrestlers. So supposedly there were two brothers in the Yamashiro family that were holding the titles or something to that extent of sumo wrestling and so the folks in Peru wanted to invite my grandpa over from Okinawa – who at that time in Okinawa was a title holder. And they promised him like, “oh you would have…you’re going to have a great life, a great family,” like it’s all going to be provided for you here in Peru, and so that’s what really brought him to Peru, so that’s great-grandpa Asato.

communities migration Okinawans Peru sports sumo wrestling

Date: August 30, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Sharon Yamato

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

Interviewee Bio

Grew up in Gardena, California. Her parents moved to the United States from Lima, Peru where they grew up in the Japanese and Okinawan Peruvian community. Because of this diverse background, she was exposed to a mixing of different cultural traditions. She is involved with the Okinawa Association of America and has visited Okinawa and Peru.

She received her teaching credentials but with an opportunity at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI), she turned to non-profit work and is a volunteer at GVJCI and the Okinawa Association of America. (August 2018)