Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/792/

A lucky man (Spanish)

(Spanish) When we were students in high school we went to Aichi Ken (prefecture), in the Nagoya province. From Nagoya some sixty kilometers away, before there was a marsh where you couldn’t do anything, there was a plane factory. We were working there, but the soil was very loose, and at the time there was an earthquake and only four of my classmates survived; the rest died. For that reason I was as sad as I was lucky. Afterwards, [I was] a survivor in many ways, I believe that I am very lucky, because they told me, “you have to go to Argentina.” It was in 1948, you know, that in Japan, I left from Yokohama and the following week I arrived in San Francisco, and there was an earthquake [in Japan] and many perished, including many relatives. The earthquake was centered in the Fukui province where I was; thus, I truly saved myself. I always think: I become nervous and many times I don’t say to anybody, but I analyze [my past experiences] and I say to myself: “shut up if you are a dead man, [but] you are still alive.” And many times I am relieved by [that thought].


earthquakes immigration

Date: September 18, 2006

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina

Interviewer: Takeshi Nishimura, Ricardo Hokama

Contributed by: Centro Nikkei Argentino

Interviewee Bio

Luis Yamada is a Nisei born in Buenos Aires in 1929. His parents were immigrants who came from the Fukui province. As a little boy he traveled to Japan where he lived during World War II; afterwards he returned to Argentina. He was able to see Japan before, during, and after the war. Today he is the director of the Instituto Argentino de Paisajismo (Argentine Institute of Landscape Painting), one of the most prestigious institutes of its kind in Argentina. (September 18, 2006)

Hashizume,Bill

Reason to come back to Canada in 1954

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

Iino,Masako

Impressions from interviews with Issei women (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

Iino,Masako

The differences between Japanese women who emigrated from Japan and those who did not (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

Iino,Masako

Interest in Japanese migration studies (Japanese)

Tsuda College President, researcher of Nikkei history

Kogiso,Mónica

History of her family's immigration (Spanish)

(b. 1969) Former president of Centro Nikkei Argentino.

Ota,Vince

Moving to and living in Japan

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

Ota,Vince

The reason to stay in Japan after his third year

Japanese American Creative designer living in Japan

Hirose,Roberto

From the "middle" Nikkei (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

Hirose,Roberto

The various realities of Nikkei in Latin America (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

Akama,Michie

Reasons for immigrating to Brazil (Japanese)

Issei, Pioneer of women's education in Brazil

Hattori,Paula Hoyos

The arrival of her grandpa (Spanish)

Sansei Argentinean

Hokama,Ryoko

Initial struggles with the language barrier (Japanese)

(b. 1917) Okinawan, Issei Argentinean

Takagi,Kazuomi

Decided to leave Japan to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

Takagi,Kazuomi

Tango makes him to stay in Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

Takagi,Kazuomi

Leaving to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist