Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1180/

About her father

Oh my father was a typical Issei I would say. Number 1: he was super strict. And yet - that’s only one facet of his personality. But he did care for us, he was a very hard worker and I would say to the end of his life, he was super ethical. And so he had strength of character and he had a very good sense of humor. I used to go, I mean, he was in…was it Taul Building on First and San Pedro? Well, he had an office on a corner on the third floor and a lot of times I would ask him if he wanted me to clean his office, so I would go and clean his office and then children would come and he would be laughing and gushing over them and all this and that and he was really friendly, etc. and he would give them something later on and I would come home and say, “gee momma, how come papa is so nice to kids and he’s always telling us that hmph!” You know, and his favorite word to me was “baka!


families generations immigrants immigration Issei Japan migration

Date: February 3, 2010

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Eiko Masuyama, Carole Fujita, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Margaret Kuroiwa is the third daughter of Dr. Daishiro Kuroiwa from Saga-ken, Japan and Agnes Haruyo Ogawa Kuroiwa. Her father was a prominent Issei physician who worked at the Turner Street Southern California Japanese Hospital, and was one of the five doctors, along with Dr. Tashiro, to file the lawsuit against the State of California. His practice was in Boyle Heights and in the Taul Building in Little Tokyo. He also treated tuberculosis patients at the Monrovia Sanitarium. She and her 4 sisters were born at the new Japanese Hospital on First and Fickett. (April 11, 2010)

Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Yonamine,Wally Kaname

His parents' experience with Japanese resistance toward intermarriage with Okinawans

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

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Wally Kaname Yonamine
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Yonamine,Wally Kaname

Working in cane fields as teenager to supplement family income

(b.1925) Nisei of Okinawan descent. Had a 38-year career in Japan as a baseball player, coach, scout, and manager.

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Pat Adachi
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Adachi,Pat

Relationship with my father

(b. 1920) Incarcerated during World War II. Active member of the Japanese Canadian community

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Kimi Wakabayashi
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Wakabayashi,Kimi

Arranged marriage

(b.1912) Japanese Canadian Issei. Immigrated with husband to Canada in 1931

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Shizuko Kadoguchi
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Kadoguchi,Shizuko

Marrying Bob against family’s wishes

(b.1920) Japanese Canadian Nisei. Established the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Toronto

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Paul Terasaki
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Terasaki,Paul

Finding a way to keep donor kidneys longer in order to ship to matched patients

(b.1929) Pioneer medical researcher in tissue transfer and organ transplantation.

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Paul Terasaki
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Terasaki,Paul

Creating a registry to study the outcome of transplants

(b.1929) Pioneer medical researcher in tissue transfer and organ transplantation.

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Paul Terasaki
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Terasaki,Paul

Using tissue typing and blood tests to determine paternity

(b.1929) Pioneer medical researcher in tissue transfer and organ transplantation.

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Paul Terasaki
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Terasaki,Paul

The HLA and transplantation history books

(b.1929) Pioneer medical researcher in tissue transfer and organ transplantation.

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Paul Terasaki
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Terasaki,Paul

Developing the micro test was the most important accomplishment

(b.1929) Pioneer medical researcher in tissue transfer and organ transplantation.

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Paul Terasaki
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Terasaki,Paul

Continuing to work to improve transplanting success

(b.1929) Pioneer medical researcher in tissue transfer and organ transplantation.

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Enson Inoue
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Inoue,Enson

Growing up in a Japanese American family

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

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Enson Inoue
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Inoue,Enson

Tracing my family crest

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

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Toshio Inahara
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Inahara,Toshio

Family background

(b. 1921) Vascular surgeon

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Toshio Inahara
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Inahara,Toshio

Driving 1930 Ford at age 12

(b. 1921) Vascular surgeon

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