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From Japan to Argentina (Japanese)

(Japanese) My uncle was already living over here, in Rosario. All of my people from Hirara felt that [if we were to migrate] it would be Argentina, because my uncle had been successful over here. He became successful, came back home [to Okinawa], and bought four houses in Naha City—he bought four houses in the center of Naha, and lived quite a wealthy life. It was 1934—we left the port of Naha for Kobe, and I believe we stayed there for one night. We took the “Rio de Janeiro-maru” (name of the boat), and when it made a stop in Brazil, they loaded up a whole bunch of bananas. There were four… no, eleven people, including my aunt, who came on board from Santos. We all took the same boat from Santos, passed by Montevideo, and arrived in Buenos Aires. Everybody came like that. We got off in Argentina. Some who went before us got off in Brazil, and later moved over [to Argentina], too. It took 45 days. We all came, just like that.


Argentina migration

Date: November 28, 2006

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Interviewer: Takeshi Nishimura, Ricardo Hokama

Contributed by: Centro Nikkei Argentino

Interviewee Bio

Ryoko Hokama was born in November 30th, 1917 in Heira of Ōsato Village, Okinawa. He studied at the former Dai-Ichi (First) Junior High School. Ran a laundry service in Rosario City, Santa Fe, and a flower nursery in Moreno City of the Pacheco district in Buenos Aires. Currently he lives in Caseros with his son’s family, who owns a flower shop. (November 28, 2006)

Kazuo Funai
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Kazuo Funai

First work in America (Japanese)

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

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Kazuo Funai
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Kazuo Funai

Company in Tokyo burned down (Japanese)

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

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James Hirabayashi
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James Hirabayashi

Family interrelations between mother and father

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

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Steve Kaji
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Steve Kaji

FOB's

Hawaii born Nikkei living in Japan. English Teacher at YMCA.

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Barbara Kawakami
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Barbara Kawakami

Going back to Hawaii

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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Barbara Kawakami
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Barbara Kawakami

Picture brides and karifufu

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki
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Robert (Bob) Kiyoshi Okasaki

Grandmother's influence on decision to go to Japan

(b.1942) Japanese American ceramist, who has lived in Japan for over 30 years.

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Yukio Takeshita
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Yukio Takeshita

Impression of Japan upon arrival

(b.1935) American born Japanese. Retired businessman.

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Roy H. Matsumoto
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Roy H. Matsumoto

Kibei schoolchildren in Hiroshima, Japan

(b.1913) Kibei from California who served in the MIS with Merrill’s Marauders during WWII.

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Etsuo Hongo
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Etsuo Hongo

The reason he came to the United States (Japanese)

(1949 - 2019) Taiko player. Founded five taiko groups in Southern California

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Roger Shimomura
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Roger Shimomura

Grandfather's arrival in the U.S., experiencing discrimination

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

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Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto
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Marion Tsutakawa Kanemoto

Mother's immigration to U.S. as a treaty merchant

(b. 1927) Japanese American Nisei. Family voluntarily returned to Japan during WWII.

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Rose Kutsukake
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Rose Kutsukake

Why her parents came to Canada

(1918-2004) Interned in Slocan during World War II. Active member of the Japanese Canadian community.

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Fred Sasaki
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Fred Sasaki

Family background of Fredrick Yoshihide Sasaki

(b. 1918) Issei businessman in Canada

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Mitsuo Ito
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Mitsuo Ito

Chose to go back to Japan

(b.1924) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Interpreter for British Army in Japan after WWII. Active in Japanese Canadian community

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