Interviews

1. Growing up in a Japanese American family

2. The reason for coming to Japan

3. Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

4. Tracing my family crest

5. Disadvantages of looking Japanese

6. Ring name: "Yamato Damashi"

7. I’m American, but my home is Japan

8. Citizenship and identity

Enson Inoue

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

Growing up in a Japanese American family

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.

families Finding Home (film) folklore identity superstition

Date: October 14, 2003

Location: Saitama, Japan

Interviewer: Art Nomura

Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

Interviewee Bio

Enson Inoue was born and raised in Hawai`i and attended college there for 3 years studying psychology. At age 23, he went to Japan to play racquetball in a two-week tournament without any intention of living there. He won the tournament and then stayed for 3 months to give racquetball seminars. Thereafter, he continued to live in Japan, intending to return to Hawai`i in a year. Enson, however, decided to stay for still another year, teaching English and running his brother’s racquetball company in Japan. He then became a boxer and gave up racquetball. At the time of the interview in Fall 2003, Enson had lived in Japan for thirteen and a half years and had not been back to Hawai`i for six years. Now he is a professional fighter with the ring name “Yamato Damashii (Japanese Spirit or Samurai Spirit).” As for his identity, he feels that although he is an American, his home is Japan. (October 14, 2003)

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