Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/394/

Starting over after the war: denial of all things Japanese

One of the notable things was after the war, many Japanese, I think Issei and Nisei both, there was a period of denial. They refrained from starting up activities that were culturally Japanese. They even refrained from talking about eating Japanese food. I was very angry about that. Again, it was almost as if it was a shame to be Japanese, of Japanese heritage. But at the same time, the climate was such that there was no alternative. To be Americanism was the fad. And there was only one way you were supposed to be Americans and that is to salute the flag and recite the preamble and that constitutes being good Americans.


culture identity patriotism postwar World War II

Date: August 18, 1997

Location: Washington, US

Interviewer: Lori Hoshino, Stephen Fugita

Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Nisei male. Born 1923 in Seattle, Washington. Spent prewar childhood in South Park and Belltown areas of Seattle. Incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka incarceration camp, Idaho. Refused to participate in draft, imprisoned at McNeil Island Penitentiary, Washington, for resisting the draft. Resettled in Seattle.

*The full interview is available Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Kenny Endo
en
ja
es
pt
Endo,Kenny

Internship on a Native American reservation in Arizona

(b.1952) Master drummer, artistic director of the Taiko Center of the Pacific

en
ja
es
pt
Vince Ota
en
ja
es
pt
Ota,Vince

Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Seiichi Tanaka
en
ja
es
pt
Tanaka,Seiichi

Differences between American and Japanese taiko

(b.1943) Shin-issei grand master of taiko; founded San Francisco Taiko Dojo in 1968.

en
ja
es
pt
Francis Y. Sogi
en
ja
es
pt
Sogi,Francis Y.

Meeting Japanese Americans from the mainland in MIS

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

en
ja
es
pt
Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
en
ja
es
pt
(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Nikkei Sansei

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

en
ja
es
pt
Enson Inoue
en
ja
es
pt
Inoue,Enson

Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

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

en
ja
es
pt
Enson Inoue
en
ja
es
pt
Inoue,Enson

Ring name: "Yamato Damashi"

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

en
ja
es
pt
Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
en
ja
es
pt
(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Getting on Kohaku (Japanese)

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

en
ja
es
pt
Enson Inoue
en
ja
es
pt
Inoue,Enson

Citizenship and identity

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

en
ja
es
pt
Kip Fulbeck
en
ja
es
pt
Fulbeck,Kip

Early consciousness of identity

(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist

en
ja
es
pt
William Hohri
en
ja
es
pt
Hohri,William

Importance of self-representation in legislation

(1927-2010) Political Activist

en
ja
es
pt
Kip Fulbeck
en
ja
es
pt
Fulbeck,Kip

Finding parallels through art

(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist

en
ja
es
pt
Kip Fulbeck
en
ja
es
pt
Fulbeck,Kip

The Hapa Project

(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist

en
ja
es
pt
Francis Y. Sogi
en
ja
es
pt
Sogi,Francis Y.

Defining the term Nikkei

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

en
ja
es
pt
Kip Fulbeck
en
ja
es
pt
Fulbeck,Kip

Perceptions of uniqueness

(b. 1965) filmmaker and artist

en
ja
es
pt