Discover Nikkei

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)

Paula Hoyos Hattori
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Hattori,Paula Hoyos

The importance of learning cultural diversity (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

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Akira Watanabe
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Watanabe,Akira

Origins of the Matsuri Daiko Group in Peru (Spanish)

(b. 1974) Director of Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko in Peru

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Akira Watanabe
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Watanabe,Akira

Yes, Nikkei culture exists (Spanish)

(b. 1974) Director of Ryukyu Matsuri Daiko in Peru

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George Yoshida
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Yoshida,George

Ways of Fitting In

(b. 1922) Musician

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Jero  (Jerome Charles White Jr.)
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Terry Janzen
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Janzen,Terry

Growing Up in Japan

(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.

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Tamio Wakayama
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Wakayama,Tamio

Re-examining Identity

(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist

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Francesca Yukari Biller
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Biller,Francesca Yukari

Culture is an important part of one's identity

Jewish Japanese American journalist

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Harunori Oda
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Oda,Harunori

Deciding to come to America

(1927-2016) Shin-Issei businessman

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Toshiaki Toyoshima
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Toyoshima,Toshiaki

Difficulty of spreading authentic sushi (Japanese)

(b. 1949) Sushi chef. Owner of Sushi Gen restaurant in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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Toshiaki Toyoshima
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Toyoshima,Toshiaki

Teaching how to eat sushi (Japanese)

(b. 1949) Sushi chef. Owner of Sushi Gen restaurant in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo.

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Yamashiro,Michelle

Parents identification as Peruvian Okinawan

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Yamashiro,Michelle

Okinawan cultural appreciation

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Yamashiro,Michelle

Working together in Okinawa using three languages

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Howard Kakita
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Kakita,Howard

Reuniting with parents in America

(b. 1938) Japanese American. Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

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