Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1632/

On his songfilm Omoiyari

Omoiyari means empathy. It’s kind of like acting on empathy. It’s in between consideration, sympathy, empathy, it’s like…people use it for guests. You think about your guest and what they would like. And you prepare for them, and that’s one use of omoiyari.

It follows me in my understanding about myself – my own identity and then also kind of question what it is to be an American citizen – what it means, what rights I have, what this country has done to the world, and how we can improve it and how we can improve equality.

I guess backtracking to why I’m making this film, after the election a lot of my fans were just really distraught, I could really tell. It was really bugging them. And I understand that and I think a lot of people look to my music to be kind of euphoric and to help them get through things so I think for me to do this is something that is important for…I do this for my listeners, to kind of help them cope or just to have a better understanding.


emotions empathy equality identity music musicians Omoiyari (song) sympathy United States

Date: August 21, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Sharon Yamato

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

Interviewee Bio

Kaoru Ishibashi, who performs as Kishi Bashi, is a Shin-Nisei musician, composer, and songwriter, born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He attended Berklee College of Music and became a renowned violinist.

His film project, Omoiyari (Empathy), led him to places such as Manzanar, Tule Lake, the Japanese American National Museum, and Japan to learn about Japanese American and Japanese World War II history. Omoiyari explores how empathy and the lack of it has played key roles in our modern quest for social equality. (March 2019)

Suto,Henry
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Suto,Henry

Identity (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Konishi,Toshiro
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Konishi,Toshiro

Integrating As First-Generation Japanese-Peruvian (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Konishi,Toshiro
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Konishi,Toshiro

Peru Representative vs. Japan Representative (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Konishi,Toshiro
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Konishi,Toshiro

Thoughts on Japan (Japanese)

(b. 1962) Japanese restaurant owner and chef in Peru

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Taoka,Isao
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Taoka,Isao

Views on Japanese Youth (Japanese)

(b. 1943) Paraguayan Ambassador to Japan

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Ashimine Oshiro,Masakatsu Jaime
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Ashimine Oshiro,Masakatsu Jaime

Being Nikkei: A Double Responsibility (Spanish)

(1958-2014) Former Bolivian Ambassador to Japan

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Ashimine Oshiro,Masakatsu Jaime
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Ashimine Oshiro,Masakatsu Jaime

The Impact of Technology in Japan (Spanish)

(1958-2014) Former Bolivian Ambassador to Japan

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

"Harebutai" (Japanese)

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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Inose,Yoshiko
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Inose,Yoshiko

The Secret to Youth (Japanese)

(b.1908) Daugther of the first publisher of the Rafu Shimpo

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Kuroiwa,Margaret
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Kuroiwa,Margaret

Beach & America

Daughter of an Issei doctor.

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Embraces his Japanese heritage

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

His clothes are part of his identity

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero
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(Jerome Charles White Jr.),Jero

Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage

(b. 1981) Enka Singer

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