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https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/596/

Easier to be a foreigner in Japan (Spanish)

(Spanish) In my case, when I was younger, I felt like…I felt…in Japan I felt very much a foreigner. Or I tried to feel very much a foreigner so that Japanese people wouldn’t…if Japanese people…let’s see, how can I explain this…if Japanese people see me as Japanese, in a way it’s like they treat me badly because I don’t…there are certain things that I don’t understand, which they feel I ought to understand. So then it’s much easier for me to try and be foreign than Japanese. But in the long run, over time, it’s like I’ve learned to understand them too and by understanding them I think it’s much easier, and now in Japan sometimes I don’t feel like a foreigner, though nor do I feel…you know, maybe I don’t feel that discrimination.


culture Japan

Date: October 7, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Ann Kaneko

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Monica Kogiso is a Nikkei Nisei Argentinian, born in Buenos Aires in the city of Escobar where the Japanese community thrives on floristry. She is licensed in tourism, currently working as a resource, tourism and event coordinator for Japan, serving as bridge between both Argentina and Japan. She is the former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino, a Nikkei organization located in Buenos Aires and is a representative for the Panamerican Nikkei Association. (January 23, 2007)

Seiichi Tanaka
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Seiichi Tanaka

Understanding Sansei taiko (Japanese)

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

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Nosuke Akiyama
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Nosuke Akiyama

Rediscovery of Japanese culture through taiko (Japanese)

Shishimai (Lion dance) and Taiko player with San Francisco Taiko Dojo.

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Roger Shimomura
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Roger Shimomura

Japanese American community life

(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor

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Frank Yamasaki
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Frank Yamasaki

Starting over after the war: denial of all things Japanese

(b. 1923) Nisei from Washington. Resisted draft during WWII.

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Shizuko Kadoguchi
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Shizuko Kadoguchi

Strict school policy of separating boys and girls in Japan

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

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Enson Inoue
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Enson Inoue

The reason for coming to Japan

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

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Masako Iino
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Masako Iino

The Japanese society reacts to Nikkei living in Japan (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

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Vince Ota
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Vince Ota

Japan as my home

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Francis Y. Sogi

Investigating labor movements in Japan

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

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Francis Y. Sogi

Feeling closer to Japan as a Japanese American

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

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Roberto Hirose
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Roberto Hirose

The various realities of Nikkei in Latin America (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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Paula Hoyos Hattori
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Paula Hoyos Hattori

Her interests in Japanese culture (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

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Margaret Oda
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Margaret Oda

Growing up with Japanese language and values

(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i

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Roberto Hirose
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Roberto Hirose

The political effects on Nikkei during the war (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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Roberto Hirose
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Roberto Hirose

To be more Japanese than you really are (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

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