Interviewee: Masatoshi Matsunaga

Relationship to Nikkei gardeners: He and his father Teizo Matsunaga are/were both gardeners

Date: July 17, 2007

Location: Japanese American National Museum

Brief Summary: Masatoshi discusses the benefits of being a gardener

Transcription
I went into gardening because I just got out of the service and that's - that's in, I think I started in 1965. So, right after I got out of the army, so you know - I really didn't go into gardening just because I loved it. It was just a job that I had to do, I guess.

Helped put my kids through school. I guess I have a little bit of the old ni-issei tradition. Meaning to say I guess, a lot of my father - his goals was to send his children to school, and I think I've accomplished that, so I think it helped. Plus, my wife worked quite a bit. I could say it was a very good living. We didn't make a lot of money, but I had enough money to - we gave them an education anyway. So, that's one thing I'm happy about.

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This interview was conducted as part of the Opening Day activities for the exhibition Landscaping America: Beyond the Japanese Garden.