Interviews

1. Birthplace

2. My image of America as a child (Japanese)

3. Longing to be an imperial soldier as a youth (Japanese)

4. Boarding house life and the Issei (Japanese)

5. My father’s venture into the hotel business (Japanese)

6. (Japanese) My children’s education

7. Luckiest Issei

8. The situation after the war (Japanese)

9. “Junior Issei” (Japanese)

10. Working in America

11. Struggles with English (Japanese)

Horikiri,Edward Toru

(b. 1929) Kibei Nisei

Birthplace

Edward Toru Horikiri. I was born in 1929, November 2nd, in Little Tokyo, at 305 East Second street. That used to be Ex-Tokyo Bank, now it's Union Bank. Used to be over the New York Hotel, and my father was running the New York Hotel, so I was born there. At 18 months old, my parents decided to go back to Japan, so I went with them.

California generations Japanese Americans Kibei Little Tokyo Los Angeles New York Hotel (Los Angeles) Nisei United States

Date: January 31, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Edward Toru Horikiri (b. 1929), Kibei Nisei, was born in Little Tokyo, but moved with his family back to Japan when he was 18 months old. He was raised and educated in Japan during World War II, but decided to return to the U.S. in 1952 in order to re-establish the family business that was disrupted by the War. However, lacking sufficient English language skills, he did a variety of jobs including gardener, houseboy, truck driver, and grocery and supermarket employee. He continued to be involved in cultural activities through Japanese language community organizations and friendships with artists such as Taro Yashima. (June 2014)