My name is Jhonny Zenjy Kobayashi. Within me, there is a mix that reflects the cultures that shaped me – the Japanese tradition of my grandparents and the Brazilian experience where I grew up. I am Sansei, with roots in Shizuoka and Kumamoto, where my grandparents came from in the 1920s and 1930s. Brazil was the destination they chose to build a new life, and this journey ended up defining, in a unique way, my identity and that of my entire family.
My first name, Jhonny, was chosen by my father, a motorcycle enthusiast. He chose it in honor of Johnny Cecotto, a Venezuelan rider who made his mark on world motorcycling in the 1970s and 80s. Cecotto was one of the youngest champions in the sport and his victory in the Daytona 200 in 1976 consecrated him as an icon. This name is a direct reminder of the passion that united my parents – traveling together on two wheels in their youth – and which I also inherited. With a variation in the spelling, Jhonny was born, carrying not only the admiration for the rider, but also the spirit of freedom and adventure.
Zenjy came about in a curious way. When I was born, a young cousin offered to choose my Japanese name. She and some friends decided that it would be Zenjy. Although it is not a common name, it has become part of who I am. Later, as an adult, I searched for a kanji that resonated with me and found 善士, which translates to “virtuous man.” Although I have always been called Jhonny, and Zenjy is rarely used, there is something profound about this name. It represents an intention: to cultivate virtue and integrity, values that I follow in life.
The surname Kobayashi (小林) means “small forest” or “grove.” For me, this image has always had a symbolic beauty. A grove is a place where different trees grow side by side, coexisting and strengthening each other. Just like in a grove, I see my identity as a fusion of cultures: Japanese and Brazilian traditions intertwine and grow together within me, forming the basis of my story.
Having a name like Jhonny Zenjy Kobayashi arouses curiosity in people. The combination of a Western name with a Japanese surname has always generated questions and intrigued looks. “How did you get that name?” is one of the questions I hear most often. However, the biggest difficulty with my name has always been its spelling. Letters like “K” and “Y” are not common in Brazilian names, and I learned to spell it from an early age, repeatedly, in various contexts.
This mix of cultures inspired the creation of the Gohan com Feijão cultural movement. Just as Japanese rice and Brazilian beans meet on the table to form a perfect combination, my identity is also a fusion of the mixture of Brazil and Japan. Seemingly different traditions, but which coexist in harmony.
Today, at 44 years old, married and father of two daughters, I see my name as a bridge that connects past, present and future. Jhonny is the memory of the spirit of freedom and adventure that I inherited from my parents. Zenjy is the virtue that I chose to guide my actions and choices. And Kobayashi is the forest where these stories intertwine and grow.
I never considered changing my name because it carries everything that I am. Each part of it – Jhonny, Zenjy and Kobayashi – is a piece of my journey and the legacy I received. Just as a forest takes years to grow and become robust, my name reflects the growth and maturity that I have achieved throughout my life.
© 2024 Jhonny Kobayashi
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