Shigeo Nakamura
Researcher at Rikkyo University Institute of Asian Studies. From 2005, he served as a curator at a historical museum in a town in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, as a youth volunteer dispatched by JICA for two years. This was his first encounter with the Japanese community, and since then, he has been deeply interested in the 100-year history of Japanese immigration to Brazil and the future of the Japanese community.
(Updated February 1, 2007)
Stories from This Author
Stories about Japanese Settlements (1) – Japanese people everywhere
June 21, 2007 • Shigeo Nakamura
"I saw a foreigner in town today!" TA, who was an elementary school student at the time, reported this to his mother one day as he came home from school out of breath. TA must be over 80 years old now, so it's not surprising that something like this happened. For me, who lived in a prefectural capital, it was also in the early years of elementary school that the occasional foreigner I saw was so unusual that I couldn't …
How much grassland does São Paulo have? Why?
May 4, 2007 • Shigeo Nakamura
I had lived in an area where I could easily get to the coastline if I wanted to, so I was curious to see what kind of effect living in a town about 600km from the sea, inland of São Paulo state, would have on me. For example, I would feel a longing for the sea and be unable to stay still. But in reality, it all seemed to work out just fine, and although I would occasionally say things …
On the "famous quotes" of Soichi Oya
March 29, 2007 • Shigeo Nakamura
There was a journalist named Soichi Oya. I think it's fair to say he was one of the most representative journalists of the Showa era. He was involved in a wide range of work, from politics to social customs, and left behind many famous quotes that accurately captured the essence of things, making many people who heard them say, "Oh, that's so well said." He was also known for being a sharp-tongued person. I think it was "If you want …
Kadeia and Japanese Immigrants
March 1, 2007 • Shigeo Nakamura
It is widely known that Japanese immigrants in North America were forced to live in internment camps during World War II. The same happened to Japanese immigrants in Brazil, where their home country and their new home country became enemies. Although there were no internment camps in Brazil, they were still treated as enemy aliens. During and after the war, it was not uncommon for people to be sent to cadeias (prisons) for minor offenses. At one point during the …
Straw, Pine and Bamboo: Celebrating the New Year in Brazil's Japanese Community
Feb. 1, 2007 • Shigeo Nakamura
In a small town 500km away from Sao Paulo, in December, the stores that usually close early at 7pm start staying open late. Small but elaborately designed Christmas trees, provided by the city hall despite its tight financial situation, are placed at every intersection in the town center. With multiple lines of flashing lights and decorative electric lights stretching across the streets, and local radio broadcasts blaring from huge speakers, the bustle of people strolling around - families, couples, and …
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