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Mie Gakure: Discovering Nikkei Gardeners and their Communities

Takashige & Kimiko Kikuchi - Part 1; nursery owners; Culver City, CA (Landscaping America Opening: Steven Kikuchi - Part 1)


Published: Sept. 18, 2007 Modified: Feb. 11, 2025

Steven Kikuchi discusses how his father purchased the property to start TK Garden Supply.

To read the transcripts, please view the original item.
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Interviewee: Steven Kikuchi

Relationship to Nikkei gardeners: His parents, Takashige and Kimiko Kikuchi, owned a retail nursery called TK Garden Supply. His father also was a full-time gardener.

Date: July 17, 2007

Location: Japanese American National Museum

Brief Description: Steven discusses how his father purchased the property to start TK Garden Supply.

Transcription
My name is Steven Kikuchi. And, I’m the son of Tom. His nickname was Tom, his Japanese name is Takashige Kikuchi. And, my father and my mother, Kimiko Kikuchi, co-owned a nursery, a retail nursery, called TK Garden Supply in Culver City. And, at the same time my father was a full time gardener for most of his life. The opportunity came up for him to buy a piece of property and start a nursery. I remember that being a very exciting part of his life.

See part 2, part 3 and part 4 of this interview.

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


California Culver City gardeners gardening horticulture interviews Japanese American National Museum Japanese American National Museum (organization) kikuchi, takashige Landscaping America (exhibition) nurseries (horticulture) Steven Kikuchi TK Garden Supply

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Mie Gakure: Discovering Nikkei Gardeners and their Communities
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