Interviews

1. Strict school policy of separating boys and girls in Japan

2. Marrying Bob against family’s wishes

3. Social activities in Tashme

4. Choice to move east or go to Japan

5. Universal appeal of ikebana

Shizuko Kadoguchi

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

Universal appeal of ikebana

He goes out to speak for the young group to why, why it's better to learn ikebana, why? This is that kind of subject, speech. When you're going out from Japan, where you go, you're North America or south to Asia, if you know how to entertain with flower arrangement, nobody will say, I don't like flower, so, and the guest or something, you could speak and I could arrange the flower. Some place, you go to Europe, if you know the ikebana... they think Japanese knows ikebana, but lots of people doesn't these days. So it's better to learn how to arrange the flower.

flower arrangement ikebana

Date: February 14, 2005

Location: Toronto, Canada

Interviewer: Peter Wakayama

Contributed by: Sedai, the Japanese Canadian Legacy Project, Japanese Canadian Cultural Center

Interviewee Bio

Nisei female. Born September 29, 1920, in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. Went with parents to Japan in 1930, and attended school there. Returned to Canada in 1940 and married before being removed to Hastings Park and then Tashme, in Canada's interior. After leaving Tashme, moved to Toronto, where husband worked for the consul-general's office. Adopted two children. Became involved in the Ikenobo Society, and went to Japan to study ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging. Involved along with husband in the establishment of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto in the 1950s. (February 15, 2005)

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