Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/757/

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)

Calloway,Terumi Hisamatsu

Regret (Japanese)

(b. 1937) A war bride from Yokohama

Ohtomo,Hachiro

My daughter couldn’t fit in Japan, so I decided to go back to America (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

Takashio,Akira

Tough life at boarding house (Japanese)

Shin Issei – owner of izakaya (Japanese-style tavern) and kappo (small Japanese diner) restaurant, Honda-Ya

Yuki,Tom

His family's migration to Salinas, California

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

Bashi,Kishi

His Shin-Issei parents

(b. 1975) Musician, composer, and songwriter

Yamashiro,Michelle

General reasons why people left Japan for Peru

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

Yamada,Mitsuye

Her mother came to the U.S. with a group of picture brides

(b. 1923) Japanese American poet, activist

Yamada,Mitsuye

Her father bought her mother American clothes after she arrived from Japan

(b. 1923) Japanese American poet, activist