Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/313/

Interviews

Yamano,Jane Aiko

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

Having patience in Japan, being both

I try to pick up the good points from the American side and the good values and cultural things from the Japanese side. I think I mentioned a little bit is the patience issue. Normally, in Japan, they've got all these rules and regulations that they really adhere to. You know, there is no exceptions on some things. In the tea ceremony, you know, you've got to put it here. You may not put it here. It's got to be here. There are certain rules and regulations that are hard to understand. And sometimes there might be a reason, but it just doesn't seem logical. So instead of getting all mad about it, you just throw up your hands and go, Oh, it's Japanese; we're in Japan. And then I kind of deal with it.

In that way, I see...I see the service industry here in Japan as very nice. Whereas the Americans can kind of be abrupt and almost rude in some ways, when you get used to being here in Japan, you know, the service is so ultimately...they always make you feel special. 90 percent of the time, depending on where you go. So in a way, just feeling-wise, I think...I don't know, my husband would probably know the best. I am American in a way, but also very Japanese in another way.


Finding Home (film) identity Japan racially mixed people

Date: September 3, 2003

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Interviewer: Art Nomura

Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

Interviewee Bio

Jane Aiko Yamano, 38-year-old Nisei-Yonsei, was born in Los Angeles and moved to Japan at age 12 with her Japanese father and Sansei mother. At the time that her family moved to Japan, Jane’s Japanese was minimal, even though she attended Saturday Japanese school in Los Angeles. She was enrolled in the American School in Tokyo, which was largely English-speaking. She then graduated from Sophia University and went to beauty college, after which she went into business.

Ms. Yamano is now fluent in speaking, but limited in reading and writing Japanese. She recognizes the restrictions placed upon women in Japan, but her position as head of a beauty college gives her more authority than usual for a woman. She is a Japanese citizen, having been registered by her father, and is also a U.S. citizen, holding passports from both countries. She has now lived in Japan for over 25 years. (September 3, 2003)

Tamio Wakayama
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Wakayama,Tamio

Re-examining Identity

(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist

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Margaret Narumi
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Narumi,Margaret

Nomo's Risk

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

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Margaret Narumi
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Narumi,Margaret

The Nomo Tornado in 1995 (Japanese)

Producer at NHK Cosmomedia America, Inc.

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Jean Hamako Schneider
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Schneider,Jean Hamako

On international marriages (Japanese)

(b. 1925) War bride

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Jean Hamako Schneider
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Schneider,Jean Hamako

Masao-san (Japanese)

(b. 1925) War bride

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Jean Hamako Schneider
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Schneider,Jean Hamako

Conflicted about immigrating to America (Japanese)

(b. 1925) War bride

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Jean Hamako Schneider
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Schneider,Jean Hamako

Why I’m glad I immigrated to America (Japanese)

(b. 1925) War bride

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Tamio Wakayama
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Wakayama,Tamio

Defining "Nikkei"

(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist

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Takeo Uesugi
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Uesugi,Takeo

Returning to Japan after studying in New York

(1940-2016) Issei Landscape Architect

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Paulo Issamu Hirano
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Hirano,Paulo Issamu

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

(b. 1979) Sansei Nikkei Brazilian who lives in Oizumi-machi in Gunma prefecture. He runs his own design studio.

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Antonio Shinkiti Shikota
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Shikota,Antonio Shinkiti

Advantages of living in Japan (Portuguese)

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

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Antonio Shinkiti Shikota
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Shikota,Antonio Shinkiti

More government supports in the city of Oizumi for Japanese Brazilians (Portuguese)

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

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Antonio Shinkiti Shikota
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Shikota,Antonio Shinkiti

Future of the Japanese Brazilian community in Japan (Portuguese)

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

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Unique Identity from Having Multiple Backgrounds

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

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Robert T. Fujioka
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Fujioka,Robert T.

Growing up Japanese in Hawaii

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

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