Growing up in a Japanese American family

Growing up in a Japanese American family The reason for coming to Japan Sudden acceptance in Japanese society Tracing my family crest Disadvantages of looking Japanese Ring name: "Yamato Damashi" I’m American, but my home is Japan Citizenship and identity

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My family was, we’re all Japanese American. So basically, my mother and father raised us in a Japanese belief. In other words, we were raised as Japanese. We take off our shoes when we go into the house. We don’t put our feet on the pillow. We don’t clip our nails at night—those kinds of superstitions and beliefs [were] kind of strongly kept while we were living in Hawaii. Of course, as the generations go, the beliefs slowly start to fade. But I think being fourth generation, I think I still have a lot still left in me. So adjustment to Japan wasn’t that bad.

Date: October 14, 2003
Location: Saitama, Japan
Interviewer: Art Nomura
Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

family FindingHome identity superstitions

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