Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1343/

Early impression of America

When I got a first time job in the Flamingo Company is no speak English. When I jumped in this company, I just walked in but they interview me. Then ask a lot of question but not able to answer, but I'm lucky one, there is a Nisei was there. So he kinda semi-interview, but he not too good with Japanese either, so kind of broken interview. But get by with it and then hired me, the superintendent hired me.

Then I going home, I thought, may be America is some different country. Different than what I've been thinking was because they don't know me - nothing. First time they saw me, then I don't speak English. They don't know how I'm good worker or not. But they hired me. This is something to think of it.

That's why I said in the beginning, first time I thought, may be this is a good country, different type the way the thinking was. So I started to think of it, that was the kind of feeling, first time deeply my heart to think of it about this country.


generations immigrants immigration Issei Japan migration postwar Shin-Issei United States World War II

Date: February 2, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Chris Komai, John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

Harunori Oda was born and raised in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, but moved to the U.S. after meeting and marrying a Nisei woman who was visiting Japan in the post WWII period. Though he hated the U.S., his wife, Mitsy, convinced him that he would have greater opportunities for success in the U.S., so he decided to take the chance. Though his English skills were limited, he worked his way up through the nursery business—an enterprise he determined would offer the most opportunity for a person with his abilities. Eventually, he started his own nursery, expanded, and later achieved great success as a developer of real estate in Orange County. He passed away on December 14, 2016, at age 91. (December 2016)

Takagi,Kazuomi

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(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

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Leaving to Argentina (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

Nishimura,Shunji

Going to Brazil to escape debt (Japanese)

(1911-2010) Founder of JACTO group

Nishimura,Shunji

Early life in Brazil (Japanese)

(1911-2010) Founder of JACTO group

Kasamatsu,Emi

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Nisei Paraguayan, Researcher

Kasamatsu,Emi

Inclusiveness of the first Japanese colony in Paraguay (Spanish)

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Kasamatsu,Emi

Nikkei contributions to Paraguayan agriculture (Spanish)

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Matsubara,Yumi

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Shin-Issei from Gifu. Recently received U.S. citizenship

Shimizu,Henry

Grandmother convinced his mother to return to Canada

(b. 1928) Doctor. Former Chair of the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation.

Shimizu,Henry

Government urged Japanese Canadians to go to Japan

(b. 1928) Doctor. Former Chair of the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation.

Shinki,Venancio

We go to America (Spanish)

(b. 1932-2016) Peruvian painter

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Not wanting to stand out as a foreigner

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Kodama,Ryoichi

Moving to Brazil wanting to see the world (Japanese)

Kasato-maru immigrants

Kodama,Ryoichi

In the boat on the way to Brazil (Japanese)

Kasato-maru immigrants

Kodama,Ryoichi

Experiences in the farmlands (Japanese)

Kasato-maru immigrants