“Heartache” by One OK Rock
Type the above into the YouTube search box to find a catchy movie theme that has garnered 4.5 million hits. What is striking about it is the way it seamlessly blends smooth English with Japanese lyrics, rhyming across the languages:
“So this is heartache,
Ano hi no kimi no eiga wa
Omoide ni kawaru,
I miss you….”
“Heartache” is on One Ok Rock’s “35xxxv” album (2015). Notably the song’s tender words belie the band’s edgy appearance.
The source film is “Rurouni Kenshin; The Legend Ends” (2014). This is the third of a trilogy of films, which tell the fictional tale of—what else—a wandering samurai. The series, however, is set in the swirling times of the early Meiji Era, when the influx of western ideas and technology were sweeping away Old Japan.
“Daisuki” by Annekei
Also an “oldie but goody” is singer Annekei’s Japan-influenced “Daisuki.” which is on her A-Side album (2012). Its upbeat lyrics:
“Haven’t you noticed how I blush when I stand beside you,
Watashi wa anata wo daisuki…”
Through such pop songs, we see the old firm cultural line between East and West softening through artistic recognition of the universality of human life experiences.
A-SIDE by Annekei
Japan’s Naked Island Hermit
Type the above phrase into the search box to find an intriguing half-hour English-subtitled 2014 Vice documentary on a man who chose to live on a desert island. His name is Masafumi Nagasaki and his home was Sotobanari Island, which lies between Taiwan and Okinawa. Mr. Nagasaki’s cogent, down-to-earth thoughts and healthy appearance make one pause and think about what matters in life.
The intelligent interviewer is excellent as well. She asks pointed questions, and contemplates the truth of Nagasaki-san’s answers.
“Bujintou ni hitori de kurasu, muzukashii-souna jinbitsu souzou watashi… Naze shakou-teki na dansei ga tatta hitori de kurasu to kimeta no ka,” she asks herself. I imagined a quiet, difficult person… Why would a social man choose to live so alone?
In closing, Nagasaki’s story continues to develop, as he was recently forced to return to Japanese society at age 82, after 29 years living nearly like Robinson Crusoe. Until June he had only monthly contact with a friend/supplier on an adjacent island. Nagasaki’s story more closely recalls that of Hiroo Onoda, the holdout soldier who hid in the jungle for 29 years after the end of World War II in the Philippines.
Unbeknownst to many people are the cultural differences between Japanese and Chinese both here and abroad. On the one hand, most Asian Americans have a lot in common and generally tend to hang out in various groups of folks from predominantly similar ancestries. On occasion, I have to admit to being guilty of this type of social activity as most of my golf and tennis pals are AA’s. I have always enjoyed the comradery of fellowship after our weekly tennis matches and hanging out with the guys for a beer and fries was the bomb. It was really good to get the laughs, stories, and perspectives in while having fun. It was also an education of sorts and the cultural values of the various players were always present.
One of my friends named Hiroko who is from Japan but has lived in the USA for several decades told me that upon visiting New York City with her girlfriend, they had a somewhat unfortunate experience trying to purchase a battery. Her friend who was also Nihonjin and not familiar with American culture needed a replacement battery for her camera. They found a camera shop that carried her brand and it was listed at $19.95. When she went to the counter to pay for the new equipment the cashier told her it will be $35.00 plus tax. My friend pointed out the actual price but the clerk insisted on the inflated amount. The store clerk knew that most Japanese will not argue over the price of an item. Hiroko made a big deal about it but her Japanese friend paid the over-inflated price anyway.
There are many Chinese that think it is unwise to pay full price and will tell you so at the drop of a hat. There are also many Japanese who do not like, to discuss money matters especially in public. By and large it is generally good to be polite and nice; however, I always say ‘fair is fair’ and will not hesitate to get a good deal.
Deems Tsutakawa is a local Sansei musician. He can be reached at deemst@deemsmusic.com.
Garlic chives (or nira in Japanese) is a common ingredient in Asian recipes for stir fry, soup and other dishes. Yellow chives (kinira) are of a variety that’s soft with a sweet aroma. They are a family favorite. Kinira is more delicate than the garlic chives and responds best to cooking swiftly in high heat; the key to drawing out their flavor is not to overcook them. Also, pork can be replaced with squid, prawns or other types of seafood. I think Shio-chan will say, “It also tastes great with chicken.” Both garlic chives and yellow chives can be found at Uwajimaya, Maruta Shoten and other Asian grocery stores.
Ingredients (Makes 4 cups)
1/2 pound sliced pork
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
3 tbsp canola oil
1 bundle garlic chives
1 bundle yellow chives
1 chili pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
❶ Marinate pork in ginger, rice wine, 1 Tbsp of the canola oil, salt and pepper for 10 minutes.
❷ Heat 2 Tbsp of canola oil in a fry pan, add chili pepper and stir fry the pork.
❸ Slice the garlic and yellow chives to desired length. When the pork gets cooked through, add the chives. When the chives are about half cooked, add the yellow chives.
❹ After lightly stir frying the yellow chives, add salt and pepper to taste, drizzle the sesame oil and turn off the heat.
Shio-Chan is a cat, who became popular in Japan with her “talking” videos. She can say words in Japanese such as “Okaeri (welcome home)” and “Ohayo (good morning).” Her YouTube videos have hit over 50 million views. Shin-Koro is an immunology scientist living in New York. His hobbybased side businesses include hip-hop dance instructor and recipe writer. His blog and videos of talking Shio-Chan are available at http://www.okyn.jp.
Yoshi Yokoyama ーBorn in Sendai in 1946 as the third son of a doctor, Yokoyama grew up in Fuchu City, Tokyo, from the time he was in middle school. After graduating from Nihon University’s College of Science and Technology, he found work with a leading oil company, then lived in Los Angeles from 1973-76. Yokoyama used his overseas experience and launched a company in 1976 in Tokyo that provides support for exchange students and information about the U.S. (known today as EDICM Corp). In 1981, he moved to Seattle with his wife Keiko, and in November of the same year, opened Shogun House Restaurant, then five years later, I Love Sushi. In 1989, he partnered with a company that sells Eastern medical equipment, Nikken Inc., to build a global sales network out of Irvine, California. He purchased renowned restaurant Shiro’s Sushi in 2007 and opened sushi Kaiseki restaurant Kusakabe in San Francisco’s financial district in 2014.
Interview by Misa Murohashi, Translated by Bruce Rutledge
Be a “Transition Person”
Sushi comes to Bellevue
A long-established restaurant, I Love Sushi attracts both Japanese and American patrons. It originally opened in 1986 as Bellevue’s first sushi restaurant on NE 8th Street, and eventually moved to the current location and changed the name to I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue. “The moment I crossed Lake Washington and entered beautiful Bellevue, I just knew that this was the place for me. I thought, ‘I’m going to make it here.’ It was such a powerful instinct that it sent shivers down my spine,” said restaurant owner and president Yoshi Yokoyama.
Sitting down to a conversation with Yokoyama, I was struck by his down-to-earth demeanor and charismatic personality.
“At the time, I visited the office of the Bellevue mayor, Cary Bozeman, without an appointment. He agreed to meet with me on the condition that the meeting be limited to 15 minutes. I said to him, ‘I love your city. What can I do for this city?’ He responded, ‘Why don’t you open a Japanese restaurant? We do not have one yet.’ So I said, ‘Yes, sir. I will do it,’ and went to the bank to negotiate and procure a loan.”
It was 1981 and Yokoyama was only 35 years old. He had no money, no restaurant experiences, no local acquaintances, no credits; he had nothing to open a restaurant. Even so, the Seattle branch of Tokyo Bank on 3rd Street gave him a $100,000 loan.
“I’m the type of person who can’t wait once I’ve decided to do something. Miraculously, I was able to raise money, so I am very grateful to the people at the bank who decided to extend me the loan.”
In November of that year, Yokoyama opened Bellevue’s first Japanese restaurant, Shogun House. On the other side of Lake Washington in Seattle, Japanese restaurants like Bush Garden, Nikko and Mikado Restaurant were thriving.
“A lot of people told me, people in Bellevue aren’t the type who would go to a Japanese restaurant, but I was so happy when I was able to open the restaurant, I had no time to worry,” Yokoyama said, recalling those early days. He summoned his chef friends from Los Angeles, and they battled their way through trials and errors.
Three and a half years after opening Shogun House, Yokoyama was faced with another opportunity. A 23-year-old Japanese sushi chef joined Shogun House. His sushi became an instant hit. We are referring to the owner chef of Kiku Sushi, Tadashi Sato. This would soon lead to the opening of Bellevue’s first restaurant dedicated to sushi. Sato loved sushi first and foremost, which was how I Love Sushi came to be. “Most Japanese thought the name was weird, but the Americans liked it,” said Yokoyama. “It sounded so much like the iconic American TV show ‘I Love Lucy’ that most Americans laughed.” He sold Shogun House to open I Love Sushi, and got the nod from the new owners of Shogun House to open a sushi restaurant in the city as long as it didn’t serve sukiyaki or tempura. “I don’t think they believed a sushi-only establishment would succeed at the time, but I knew for certain then that the age of sushi was definitely upon us.”
Kaiseki cuisine, which shows off a chef’s handiwork, is right behind sushi in popularity at I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue. Photo by I love Sushi
“The moment I crossed Lake Washington and entered beautiful Bellevue, I just knew that this was the place for me. ‘I’m going to make it here.’ It was such an intuitive moment that it sent shivers down my spine.”
Transforming intentions into reality
Currently, Yokoyama oversees I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue, Seattle’s famous Shiro’s Sushi and San Francisco’s high-end sushi kaiseki restaurant Kusakabe. Yokoyama has also achieved success in areas outside of the restaurant business, such as education and medical equipment. Where does Yokoyama’s energy come from? Growing up in a family of doctors, Yokoyama said he studied really hard as a young student so that he too could become a doctor. “But then, my grades started to fall pretty rapidly in high school,” he said. “It was so stressful. I studied every day under the pressure that I must pass the exam to enter the local top medical school. Because of stress-related colitis, I lost my appetite and was always going to the doctor. One day, I got so sick of all the medication I had to take for my condition that I tossed them all out into the river near Koganei Hospital. I was roaming around town, when I was saved by a monk.”
Completely emaciated and exhausted, Yokoyama walked past a temple in Kokubunji when a head monk of the temple approached him and asked, “What happened?” As Yokoyama bared his soul, he noticed that he began to feel better. He was invited in to the temple and joined other monks-in-training to clean the temple grounds and tend the fields. “I was served a vegetarian meal of soup and three simple plates – Ichijyu Sansai (一汁三菜), and worked really hard in the afternoon. Then the second morning after I arrived at the temple, I awoke to a tremendous amount of energy rising from within me. It was a kind of energy I had never experienced before.” Yokoyama told the monk that he was ready to go home, and so he left. He confronted his parents and declared, “I am not becoming a doctor. I will forge my own career.”
From that point on, Yokoyama’s life would be guided by this new fountain of energy, driven by his interest in people and those with whom he wanted to connect. He was so moved by a book by Hidemasa Kimura, a professor who was the center in the creation of the YS-11, Japan’s first domestic commercial aircraft after World War II. Yokoyama entered Nihon University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering to specialize in the study of aeronautics just so he could be in the presence of Professor Kimura. In 1968, as the student movement flared up and he could no longer attend classes, he read and was greatly moved by a book by John Paul Getty, who amassed tremendous wealth in the oil business. Thinking that joining Mitsubishi Oil Company, which had a business partnership with the Getty Oil Company, would get him closer to Getty himself, Yokoyama made his move. “I thought that if I worked at Mitsubishi, I would be able to meet Getty. That said, the hires were all from elite universities. I kept going to the headquarters in Toranomon, and finally on the fourth day, I was noticed by the manager of the lubricating oil division. After I feverishly communicated my passion to him, I was hired on the spot.”
He enjoyed and worked very hard in his first position as a sales engineer. But after five years, Yokoyama would quit the job and move to the U.S. While working for Mitsubishi Oil, he spent a lot of time in the lounge of Kobe’s Rokkosan Hotel. The throwaway words of a Greek ship captain he met at the lounge would change the direction of Yokoyama’s life. The captain told him, “You should go overseas.” His colleagues, bosses, clients and the many business owners outside of his business circle came together and contributed a whopping figure at the time of 2.5 million yen. Yokoyama took that money and traveled to Los Angeles. It was 1973, and Yokoyama was 27 years old.
In LA, Yokoyama went to an English conversation school, where more drama occurred. “The tuition was $120 a month at the time. It was really expensive. But the teacher had the students read the newspaper while he took a nap. I woke him up.” The teacher’s response to the complaining Yokoyama seemed to come out of left field. “He pulled a check for $100 out of his pocket and said, ‘This is all I’ve received in two weeks. I have to work three jobs, so I’m tired.’ I ran up against his complaint!” The teacher was a Jewish-American man three years older than Yokoyama. After class, they went to a nearby bar. There, the two of them, both broke, hit it off and decided to form their own school.
Yokoyama opened an ESL (English as a second language) school inside the Sawyer School on Westwood Boulevard near UCLA. Unlike other ESL schools, Yokoyama’s school could issue visas since it was inside of the business school. The school became popular and enrolled a lot of students from Japan. Three years later, he returned to Japan to establish his new company which is now called EDICM Corp. When he went to borrow money to open the new school, he managed to meet some heavyweights of the Japanese business world. One of them was the founder of Panasonic, Konosuke Matsushita. “Konosuke was different from the others. He listened intently as I explained my passion and business plans. At the end, he said, ‘I love listening to young people. I always learn from them. Thank you very much.’ He was very polite. It was like he sucked up my soul and I couldn’t ask for the loan!”
From the many episodes of Yokoyama’s early life, a pattern emerges of him deciding on a goal and hustling to execute it no matter the odds. “You can materialize your thoughts. But first, you have to think them,” Yokoyama says with a voice of authority. “We must make use of the wonderful gift of imagination and will unique only to human beings!”
The I Love Souzai line started last year features bentos and side dishes available for takeout that all have a refined taste.Photo by Nelson Lau
“You can materialize your thoughts. But first, you have to think them. We must make use of the wonderful gift of imagination and will unique only to human beings!”
Explaining the essence of being Japanese to the young generation
“Raising young Japanese people to be curious about the world, strong-willed and honest-hearted so that they can live in a carefree fashion.” That is the mission statement of the predecessor of the Japan information support center, EDICM Corp. This is something that Yokoyama always keeps close to his heart.
Yokoyama met Dr. Covey in 1989 and has respected Dr. Covey as his mentor since then. Here are quotes from his famous book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
“As someone once observed, “There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children – one is roots, the other wings. Among other things, I believe that giving “wings to our children and others means empowering them with the freedom to rise above negative scripting that had been passed down to us. I believe it means becoming what my friend and associate, Dr. Terry Warner, calls a “transition” person. Instead of transferring those scripts to the next generation, we can change them. And we can do it in a way that will build relationships in the process.”
“I want young people all over the world to become “Transition Persons,” says Yokoyama. This May, I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue added a new vice president Hiroyuki Kawasaki from Japan. Kawasaki operates seven pharmacies in Hyogo Prefecture and two Japanese restaurants in Sapporo. He is 24 years younger than Yokoyama, which makes them both born in the Year of the Dog. For Yokoyama, who doesn’t have children, the 48-year-old Kawasaki is the successor. The soft-spoken Kawasaki speaks in an elegant Kansai dialect. “He is the opposite of me when it comes to the type of energy and the way he expends it,” Yokoyama says. “But we share our values. Those values include the importance of finding synergy with people. Whether it’s with a spouse, friend, or business partner, working to find that synergy is one of my life themes. When I talked with Kawasaki, I saw that we were similar that way.”
Kawasaki is inheriting excellent ground for sinking in roots at I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue. But the wings will be tougher as he must have the courage to change things. Courage can turn into self-satisfaction over time. I hope he can rise to the occasion,” Yokoyama says.
“I am a person with strong thoughts. Those thoughts forge my path. But it must make things difficult for those who are around me. I’ve been tough on people,” he says. Throughout his conversation, Yokoyama brings up the names of people he has worked with, saying “I really am indebted to them,” or “That chef was truly amazing.” In fact, many Japanese owners, chefs and head chefs in Seattle’s restaurant scene have gone through the original I Love Sushi at some point. “It’s been said that Japan doesn’t have any natural resources, but the world wants its Japanese food and Japanese chefs. That’s one of Japan’s natural resources. And that’s the essence of the Japanese. The source of happiness is eating wonderful food. I want to make a platform for lots of Japanese to show the world Japan’s wonderful food culture. To do that, Kawasaki and I will always be looking for people who, with passion and integrity, want to spread the Japanese food culture to the world. These challengers, come and knock on our door!” says Yokoyama.
Kawasaki (left) and Yokoyama (right) first met in a vacation rental member’s lounge in Hawaii. Yokoyama recalls listening to Kawasaki talk to his 9-year-old daughter and being moved by the love and trust that the two have for each other. “I want to bring in new things and have I Love Sushi group be a company that continues for another 100 years,” says Kawasaki.
I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue (www.ilovesushi.com)
23 Lake Bellevue Dr., Bellevue, WA 98005
Tel 425-455-9090
Hour Lunch: Mon-Sun 11:30-2:00
Dinner: Sun-Thu 5:00-9:30, Fri-Sat 5:00-10:00
July 5th, 2018 marked the start of the annual Minidoka Pilgrimage. Activities occurred from morning to night and ranged from educational sessions and historical site tours to a social hour with obon dances and karaoke.
Foundation of the fireplace at the entrance of Minidoka National Historic Site
The Pilgrimage is a multigenerational, educational and commemorative event sharing the legacy of the Minidoka “camp” today known as the Minidoka National Historic Site. At this remote location in south central Idaho, over 9.000 Japanese Americans from areas in Oregon, Washington and Alaska were incarcerated without due process from 1942 to 1945. The Pilgrimage is a rare opportunity for people of all backgrounds, ages and knowledge of incarceration to come and learn about the history, often directly from survivors of the camps themselves. The Pilgrimage is fortunate to host dozens of incarceration survivors this year and others, many of whom still have vivid memories of their experience to share.
As a Pilgrimage Planning Committee member, I typically take the bus chartered by the Pilgrimage but opted to drive in a carpool this year. Our group made additional stops in Ontario, Oregon to learn about the lesser-known story of Japanese American farm laborers of the region. In the wake of Executive Order 9066, the farm labor shortage of World War II was partially alleviated as hundreds of Japanese Americans from the Northwest “volunteered” to live in labor camps managed by the Farm Security Authority. Entire families including young children in this program worked on sugar beet farms during and after World War II. During our visit to the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario, we heard from Japanese Americans who have ties to farming communities in familiar areas such as the White River Valley and Portland, Oregon.
The Pilgrimage itself was a time to meet new people, reunite with old friends, and be inspired by a variety of talented presenters. Tani Ikeda, Emmy-awarded filmmaker and social justice leader, gave the keynote speech which set the theme of tying past atrocities to current threats on human rights. Other educational topics included discussions on causes of the incarceration, the use of former incarceration barracks in Wyoming, letters written by Japanese mothers protesting the military draft, psychological effects of the incarceration, the true history behind bestselling novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, and diving into a new work focusing on the life of John Okada, author of No No Boy. The Pilgrimage even became transnational this year with Canadian photographer and curator Kayla Isomura’s presentation on The Suitcase Project, which interviewed 4th and 5th generation Japanese Americans in both Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle to find out what they would take with them if Japanese incarceration happened today.
As a 4th generation Japanese American and member of the community, I was grateful for both the stories shared by our elders and the chance to bond with other youth learning the same history. The event reminded us of the importance of resistance, community, family, oral history, and justice. It was also a time of reflection on how previous generations have sacrificed to provide the privilege and comfort the younger generation enjoys today.
In the words of Coretta Scott King, “Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.” We as a community have a responsibility to learn our history and speak out against injustice so that future generations may prosper.
Kobe jazz vocalist Ami Latte, who will play Dimitrou’s Jazz Alley this September, has a message for us:
“Seventeen years ago, a Japanese man arrived in Seattle from Kobe, Japan. His name is Ichiro. Many people said that he would not succeed in the major leagues, but he never gave up and worked hard … I want to keep challenging myself like he did … That is my life goal.”
Ami plays Jazz Alley on September 20. Keiko Matsui plays there August 23-26. And this past week, Seattle native Jeff Kashiwa, formerly of The Rippingtons, played there on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Perhaps no country has embraced the original American music of jazz like Japan has. This steady lineup of Nikkei and Japanese entertainers at Jazz Alley reminds us of the importance of exposing ourselves to other cultures.
Music crosses borders like no other medium. In the coming weeks, Jazz Alley will host Belgrade-born guitarist Ana Popovic, the Pancho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band, and a pioneer of funk, saxophonist Maceo Parker, who played with James Brown and the Funkadelics back in the day.
That sort of lineup recalls the old Central and International districts, when a stroll down Jackson Street would include all sorts of music flowing out of the jazz clubs. Dave Holden remembers hearing his Dad jamming with Louis Armstrong in his living room. Quincy Jones used to play at Washington Hall. While the venues have changed, Seattle still pulses with jazz. Let’s make sure that pulse stays strong.
by Stan Shikuma, retrieved from Seattle JACL press release
On July 21, 2018, at their National Convention in Philadelphia, PA, the National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) proudly named Diane Narasaki as Japanese American of the Biennium in the field of Business/Industry/Technology.
The Japanese American of the Biennium Award is the highest public award of the National JACL. Since 1950, the National JACL has recognized and honored those Americans of Japanese ancestry whose outstanding achievements in different fields of endeavor have received regional and national recognition and whose contributions have added to the sum of human knowledge and/or enhanced the quality of life in our society.
In nominating Diane Narasaki for this award, the Seattle Chapter JACL wrote:
“In October 2018, Diane Narasaki retires after 24 years as Executive Director for the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, one of the nation’s largest multi-cultural social, vocational, educational, and civic engagement agencies in the country. Diane’s story is one of years of advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities, separated from mainstream American society by race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, language, economic class, and education.
Diane’s ability to coalesce diverse groups of smaller communities into larger coalitions deepens theri impact. She believes that groups have more in common than differences, and there is strength in numbers. As the Director of the Northwest Employment and Labor Office over forty years ago Diane employed this strategy to bring together Filipino fish cannery workers, Latino farmers, and Black construction workers. She continues this strategy today with the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, a statewide coalition of Asian Pacific American agencies and non-profit organizations.
Diane Narasaki is a nationally recognized leader in mental health, social services, community relations, and many other areas, appointed to commissions by City, State, and Federal leaders, including President Obama.”
The Seattle Chapter JACL was proud to nominate Diane and help host her at the Convention in Philadelphia. Congratulations on an honor well-deserved!
Other awardees this year were Lynne Nishijima Ward in the field of Political/Public Affairs/Law and Harriet Miyasato Beleal in the field of Education/Humanities. Past award recipients from Seattle since 1990 include: Tomio Moriguchi, George Tsutakawa, Aki Kurose, Gordon Hirabayashi, Tom Ikeda, Tetsuden Kashima, Frank Fujii, and the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee/NVC Foundation.
by Yoko Nishimura, Retrieved from Discover Nikkei press release
Discover Nikkei, a web-based project of the Japanese American National Museum, has launched the seventh edition of its Nikkei Chronicles, an annual theme-driven online journal with an open call for writings. This year’s theme is Nikkei Roots: Digging into Our Cultural Heritage.
Nikkei (emigrants of Japanese descent) can be found all over the world, living diverse lives and adapting to a variety of environments. The one thing that binds Nikkei together is their common heritage as people of Japanese ancestry. Previous editions of Nikkei Chronicles have explored the ways Nikkei express their culture, whether through food, language, or tradition. This year, the focus goes deeper—all the way down to the roots.
Through its rich multimedia website, Discover Nikkei strives to promote a more profound understanding of the complex histories and insights of multicultural, multiracial, and multinational people of Japanese descent around the world. This edition of Nikkei Chronicles will publish a wide range of texts exploring the many questions and issues related to the theme of Nikkei Roots. What does being Nikkei mean to you? How does your Nikkei identity reveal itself in your day-to-day life? What activities do you engage in to maintain traditions from Japan? Most importantly, how do you stay connected to your roots, whether individually or collectively? When or how do you really feel like a Nikkei?
Subjects that may provide inspiration include genealogy, family trees, food, rituals/traditions, festivals, music, sports, religion, and travel. Writers may submit personal stories, essays, memoirs, academic papers, book reviews, or other prose works until September 30, 2018, at 6 p.m. PDT. Multiple entries are welcome. All submissions that meet the project guidelines and criteria will be published in the Discover Nikkei Journal on a rolling basis as part of Nikkei Chronicles 7: Nikkei Roots: Digging into Our Cultural Heritage.
For more information and to read already published Nikkei Roots stories, visit 5dn.org/roots.
U.S. immigration policy is a nightmare. And, Homeland Security, as a deterrent has established “zero tolerance” for many who are crossing the border. The immigrants may request asylum, but are arbitrarily being charged as “illegal.” And, jailed. Many find this objectionable. But, more abhorrent is the seizure of immigrant children, putting them in foster care or elsewhere.
There may be an alternative to avoid brutalizing children from being ripped away from their parents. The president might authorize an Executive Order like President Franklin D. Roosevelt did for Japanese “enemy” aliens during WWII. He forced the incarceration of these immigrants without separating their U.S. born children. Our current president might do the same thing. Incarcerate “illegal immigrants” together with their children into concentration camps, but call them Relocation Camps as was done in WWII. It may cost billions. But, if Mexico can be forced to pay for a border wall, they and other native countries that these migrants left should also be forced to share the cost.
If the United Nations human-rights office, the American Civil Liberties Union, or whoever might file a suit up to the U.S. Supreme Court to oppose this U.S. action, merely plead “for National Security.” It worked before! It also should not be difficult to gain national support. During WWII, through fake news that ethnic Japanese 5th column was the cause of Pearl Harbor disaster, got 80% of Americans to approve of ethnic Japanese incarceration. President Trump was elected by 46% of the popular vote. With the speed of social media, the President’s twitter may compel 80% of Americans to approve his handling of the immigrants.
Yukio Tazuma was born in Seattle and lived in the Puget Sound region almost all of his life, except for the three years he was confined in the Minidoka concentration camp in Idaho with other Japanese Americans during World War II. Before his retirement, he worked as a graphic artist at The Boeing Co. He can be reached at ydentsuma@gmail.com
Where have all these lines been crossed?
By rights removed…
By justice unserved…
By freedoms denied…
Of those too young to stand up for themselves,
Of those too old to fight back for themselves,
Of those unable to speak up for themselves,
Of those not allowed to think for themselves.
Crossing over boundless lines
To the most desolate and unpleasant of places
Long-standing lines…waiting in baited anticipation
The sacred arrival of lost emancipation.
Lines of history being drawn
In deserts, swamps and mountainsides.
Lines of heritage descending down
Collapsing under the weight of ancestral lines.
Lines of fate
Colliding with lines of hate,
Printed and posted with perceptions embraced,
Putting anger and fear above and beyond race.
Faces lined with worry,
Trails of tears and jeers left behind in a hurry.
Lives spinning out of control,
Searching for strength – most every soul.
Lines remembered of courage and grace
Helped to fill the empty space…
“Gaman”…..”Kodomo no tame ni”
Carried them thru desperate indignity.
Gaman in Japanese means “enduring the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity” [Wikipedia]
Kodomo no tami ni means “For the sake of the children”.
Carolee Okamoto is a talented sansei who began her writing and art creation work a year ago. Her Nisei parents, Patty and Keith Okamoto, were incarcerated at Rohwer WRA in Jerome, AR and Poston, AZ. Carolee’s late emergence into writing and art was spurred by need to tell her parents’ wartime story. She grew up in south Texas, the only Nikkei in a town of 10,000. She graduated from the University of Texas and holds an MBA from Houston Baptist University in healthcare management. In addition, she has a Residential Design diploma from the Seattle Art Institute. Carolee owns an interior design company and has taught at the UW. She retired in 2015. The poem “Crossing the Lines” is dedicated to her parents: “whose dignity, courage and grace continue to astound me and now sustain me.”
I have always been intrigued by and curious about the Japanese American internment history for years and have watched Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) programs religiously to learn about the wartime incarceration experience. Since there are many documentaries about Japanese Americans, and only a few films on the Japanese Canadian internment experiences on the local Knowledge Network, I know more about the Japanese American history.
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) history had a huge impact on me. I admire their courage and the sacrifices they made to earn the respect of fellow Americans. The soldiers of the 442nd RCT were awarded close to 9500 Purple Hearts, 21 Medals of Honor, and 7 Congressional Medals, which enabled them to be the most highly decorated regiment of its size. They were my heroes even though I’m Canadian. I watched the movie Go for Broke way back in 1951 and I will never forget the time actor Van Johnson hollered the word ‘bakatare,’ or ‘stupid’ in Japanese when he forgot a 442nd’s password. There was a roar of laughter from the packed theatre in Greenwood. In Waikiki, I went to Fort DeRussy Museum and bought so many 442nd RCT memorabilia that the shopkeeper added the 522nd pin and a book free of charge.
Another documentary that really affected me emotionally was the story of how Bainbridge Island, Washington newspaper publishers Walt and Millie Woodward supported the local Nikkei right from the start of WWII, even at the expense of many subscribers cancelling their paper. It was the first time that I had learned that some Caucasians sympathized and backed the Nikkei.
I watched the movie Farewell to Manzanar many years ago and more recently, saw the documentary film, The Manzanar Fishing Club, both focusing on the Japanese American concentration camp, Manzanar, which is located in California. Therefore, it took years before I realized that there were nine other Japanese American concentration camps. I knew very little about Gila River (Arizona), Poston (Arizona), Rowher (Arkansas), Jerome (Arkansas), Topaz (Utah), Amache (Colorado), Tule Lake (California), Minidoka (Idaho), and Heart Mountain (Wyoming).
It wasn’t until I started following the Discover Nikkei website, which is hosted by the JANM (Japanese American National Museum) that I began to learn more. I didn’t know that this website existed until Yoko Nishimura, editor of Discover Nikkei, contacted me regarding republishing my article “Greenwood: First Internment Site,” which was first printed in the JCCA (Japanese Canadian Citizens Association) Bulletin magazine. From then on, I started to take a passionate interest regarding Nikkei existence in other parts of the world. I had enough material to research all ten of the US camp sites. I found out that JAs generally use the term ‘concentration camp’ in written materials, whereas Japanese Canadians refer to a more euphemistic term ‘internment camp.’
Nidoto Nai Yoni memorial located in Pritchard Park.
Reading stories on Discover Nikkei piqued my interest to compare the differences and similarities of both countries’ Nikkei wartime experiences. For many years, my brother Stephen was interested in Nikkei experiences. He asked me to make out an itinerary to take a trip to Manzanar. That was two years ago. For one reason or another, the trip was postponed. First, I was working on upgrading the Nikkei Legacy Park in Greenwood and then Stephen and his wife Dianne moved back to Vancouver and were busy settling in.
After a trip to China last October, the three of us checked our schedules and found out that we were all free in April 2018. By that time, Stephen and Dianne’s curling season would have ended. Then, our childhood friend Tony wanted to tag along, even though he was only mildly interested in the Japanese American internment history. Therefore, I set the date for April 24 so that we could attend the Manzanar Pilgrimage on the 28th.
We left Vancouver, B.C. when the weather was still iffy. Snow was falling at higher elevations and rain kept the temperature cool. Our first planned stop was at Silver Reef in Bellingham for breakfast. However, instead of eating in the cafeteria, we decided to order our breakfast ‘on the go’, eat inside the van, while driving to Seattle. It was sunny and warm. By luck, we were able to catch the 10:40 am ferry instead of the planned 11:20 am to Bainbridge Island. At this moment, I said to myself, “What luck!” I pointed upwards and thanked my parents. I knew they are watching over us.
Bainbridge Island (B.I.) wasn’t one of the U.S. internment camps, but the Nikkei who lived there were the first group of Japanese Americans to be forcibly removed from their homes on March 30, 1942. I had read about the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, ‘Nidoto Nai Yoni – Let It Not Happen Again’ and our primary reason was to visit the memorial; but first we made a stop at the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum because it’s a 15-minute drive to the park from the museum.
We found the B.I. Historical Museum quite easily as it is located near the ferry terminal. Before the four of us even opened the front door, we knew that this museum focused on local Nikkei islanders. We were greeted with friendly smiles, and I asked if Katy Curtis, the Museum’s Education Outreach Coordinator, was present. We had arranged with Katy to meet Frances Kitamoto-Ikegami, the last surviving internee on B.I. Katy informed us that Frances wouldn’t be coming in until 1:00 pm. That allowed us to leisurely view the wonderful main exhibition. This is a small community, so Katy phoned Kay Sakai-Nakao, another Nikkei local, to come to meet the Canadian Nikkei tourists.
Since we had arrived to the Island earlier than expected, and both Frances and Kay were expected at the Historical Museum later, we were able to drive to the memorial park on Eagle Harbor Drive. The memorial’s red cedar walls with curvy lines caught our attention immediately. The names of the families who were incarcerated were on the base of the walls. I have a similar project going on at the Nikkei Legacy Park in Greenwood with family plaques to be put on the wall. So far, I have about 65 families who have purchased plaques. The only difference is that B.I. plaques have the age of each Japanese American Islander (there are 227) at the time of the relocation in 1942.
The carved portraits show how they reacted to the Executive Order 9066.
The beauty of the wall is that there are artistic renderings of the lives of the eight Nikkei pioneers. The carved portraits show how they reacted to the Executive Order 9066. It was almost like haiku. A sentence or two gave profound emotional and heartfelt feelings of uncertainty by a farmer, baseball player, housewife, and student. The portrait about a baseball player, Paul Ohtaki, included his words: “Just a week before we were to leave, coach ‘Pop’ Miller put in all six Japanese Americans. Despite errors and not hitting, he let us play the whole game. We lost 15-2.” Through this profile, we learned that Paul also kept in touch with the Woodward family to update them on the daily going-ons at camp during the war. A visitor centre at the memorial is planned in the future. In all, 227 Nikkei were forcibly removed on March 30th, 1942.
Another carving had a mother and child, and it read, “We were really careful, we were prisoners and they had guns with spears.” – Fumiko Nishinaka Hayashida.
We headed back to the Historical Museum to meet the two local ladies. At first, we were planning to meet the last surviving internee Frances who was volunteering that day, but we received a bonus when 99-year old Kay showed up. She was shoveling dirt that morning! Thanks to Katy, we were able to meet and chat with the last two surviving internees living on the island. We heard their stories and I pointed out the differences of the two countries’ intent to remove the Nikkei off the west coast.
Front row: Kay (Sakai) Nakao in white blouse and Frances (Kitamoto) Ikegami. Back row: Canadian tourists are Chuck, Stephen, and Dianne Tasaka with friend Tony Imai.
Kay and Frances told us that they were sent to Manzanar, California initially, but later their families asked to be transferred to Minidoka, Idaho. Kay remembers the hot, dusty summer and very cold winter in Manzanar. Her family’s barracks was located near the administrative building where 11 men were shot when a riot between military soldiers and an angry crowd of Japanese American inmates broke out. Two died in that mayhem. It must have been a scary moment for a young lady of 22 to witness.
Frances explained that when they left the farm in Bainbridge Island to a Filipino friend, it was well-taken care of when they returned after the war. During their time in Minidoka, Frances’ mother wished that she had her washing machine. Guess what? Their Filipino friend drove all the way to the camp in Idaho to deliver it! Therefore, the Kitamoto family was one of the lucky ones. Frances later married and went with her husband to Florida where he was an engineer. In 1960, she returned to teach on Bainbridge Island.
At the memorial, there is another family featured on the wall that includes a quotation by Noburo Koura stated, “We put the farm under Mr. Raber’s name while we were gone. When we came back, he returned it to us.”
Kay also returned to Bainbridge Island after the war, where her family had a large plot of land. I later found out that there is a school named in honour of her father Sonoji called Sakai Intermediate School. When we took the wrong road after visiting the park, we saw a road sign with Sakai on it. I guess Kay was too modest to let us know.
Bainbridge Island reminded me of Mayne Island, B.C. (Gulf Islands) in a way. When the War Measures Act went into action in March 1942, all the islanders were sent to Hastings Park Exhibition holding grounds. In both communities, Caucasian friends and neighbours walked along the dock to bid a tearful farewell. The only difference is that there wasn’t a military guard with a rifle and bayonet on Mayne Island. Why would you need a rifle to escort a sweet 5-year old Frances to the docks? I also noticed how well-dressed everyone was while walking down to take the ferry. They all looked like they were going to church on a Sunday. Apparently, they wore their best clothes as human luggage so that they could take many more essentials in their suitcases.
Japanese Canadians lost everything when the government auctioned off all of their boats, houses, and treasured items such as Ohina doll set, piano, radio, and fine china. It wasn’t until 1949 that the Japanese Canadians were given the freedom to return to the west coast. In Bainbridge Island, many Japanese Americans had the support of Walt and Millie Woodward, and friends to take care of their properties and belongings. There was some initial opposition to their return to the Island, but eventually over several years, life was restored to pre-war days.
What a thrill it was to actually carry on a meaningful person-to-person conversation with Kay and Frances. It wasn’t just viewing the artifacts and displays in a museum. We received a personal guided tour. What wonderful volunteers and staff they have there.
To be continued…
Chuck Tasaka is the grandson of Isaburo and Yorie Tasaka. Chuck’s father was 4th in a family of 19. He was born in Midway, B.C., and grew up in Greenwood, B.C. until he graduated from high school. Chuck attended University of B.C. and graduated in 1968. After retirement in 2002, he became interested in Nikkei history. (This photo was taken by Andrew Tripp of the Boundary Creek Times in Greenwood.)
[Editor’s Note] This article was originally published in Discover Nikkei at <www.discovernikkei.org>, which is managed by the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
I love to go to neighborhood farmers markets this time of year. Strolling through the market is like re-creating my summers growing up in Japan. Colorful produce stands arrayed with fresh vegetables such as corn, cucumber, okra, and eggplant immediately bring those memories back to life.
Like the Northwest, Japan has four distinctive seasons, and they are deeply rooted in everyday life — including food and cooking. In fact, there is a Japanese word, “shun.” It describes the time at which a food is in prime season and at the peak of its flavor. Many Japanese believe that every food should be eaten only when it is in shun.
As a Japanese chef who loves to partake in shun traditions, I am delighted to live in the Northwest, surrounded by an abundance of fresh seasonal produce and seafood. And one of my favorite ways to use fresh local ingredients is to enjoy them in miso soup. Miso soup is often served at Japanese restaurants as a complimentary starter before the main meal. But it is actually much more than just a side dish.
Miso is a superfood
Miso is a fermented food made with soybeans, salt, and Koji mold. It is rich in protein with essential amino acids, vitamins (particularly B2 and E), and minerals. It also provides probiotics for intestinal health, aids digestion, detoxifies the liver, and the list goes on. Combining fresh vegetables with this amazing food equals a powerful antioxidant. The English saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” has its Japanese counterpart, with miso soup taking the place of the apple!
Miso soup is easy and versatile
Cooking miso soup is very simple. First, decide on the type of miso. If you are not sure which one to buy, start with either pure red or white soybean miso to keep it simple. Red miso has a strong, rather spicy taste, whereas white miso is milder in flavor. You can also blend red and white miso if you like. Next, make a broth from kombu (dried kelp). For a richer flavor, you can combine kombu with bonito flakes (dried, fermented and smoked tuna).
Miso soup is highly versatile and can accompany rice or a hearty main dish. You can use any ingredients you want, from vegetables to seafood or even meat. Think of those seasonal flavor profiles and color combinations that go well together. Here are some examples of Northwest ingredients that are great for miso soup: SPRING asparagus, spring onion, green cabbage, potatoes, edible ferns such as fiddleheads, bamboo shoots SUMMER corn, okra, peas, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes FALL mushrooms, turnip, satsuma yam (a very sweet Japanese sweet potato variety with a dense texture) kabocha pumpkin (It has a similar flavor profile to satsuma yam) WINTER daikon radish, napa cabbage, kabocha pumpkin ALL SEASONS onion, carrot, wakame (dried sea vegetable), tofu, spinach, burdock root, aburaage (fried bean curd)
Summer Miso Soup Recipe with Corn and Okra
I am in love with the incredibly sweet local corn in shun right now. I keep going back to the farmers markets in my neighborhood to buy more. Fresh local okra is also delicious. You can find it at Uwajimaya and some local Asian grocery stores. These two vegetables make a beautiful yellow and green contrast, and corn’s sweetness is a perfect marriage with the rich miso flavor.
Ingredients (serves 4-5 bowls)
A 3 x 3-inch square kombu (dried kelp) – available at Asian grocery stores
3 1/3 cups water
1 ear fresh corn, shucked and kernels removed from cob (reserve cob for broth)
4 okra, sliced diagonally – if not available, blanched green beans or sugar peas can be used instead
2 – 3 tbsp. miso paste of your choice
2 tbsp. chopped green onion for garnish
Instructions
❶ Put a sheet of kombu, the corn cob, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once mixture is boiling, remove the kombu. Cook another five minutes and remove the cob. Bonito flakes are not necessary in this recipe because the corncob makes a rich broth, but for extra flavor, you can add 1/4 cup of bonito flakes with the corncob and strain them out.
❷ Reduce heat to medium. Add the corn kernels and cook for about one minute more. Add okra and turn off the heat immediately. Add miso paste, stirring well until it is dissolved.
❸ Serve hot in individual bowls, garnished with green onion.
Recipe by Kanako Koizumi | www. kozmokitchen.com
Kanako, a native of Akita, Japan, is a chef, author and instructor focused on authentic Japanese homecooking. Chef Kanako also offers in-home private cooking classes for groups up to 12. You can reach her at info@kozmokitchen.com.
Editor’s Note: This article was origianly published on the “Balanced You (kcbalancedyou.com)” website in 2017.
One critic has called the works of film director Wes Anderson “Baroque Pop.” It’s a musical term that describes rock songs or recordings mixed in with classical elements, but it’s right on the money. This Wes Anderson film is a tale of a nerdy, paranoid protagonist and his friends who help him rescue some dogs; it is wrapped in peculiar humor, fantasy and romanticism. The film really does come off as a rock & roll song with a classical feel.
Photos: Fox Searchlight Pictures
This stop-motion animation film is set in Japan. It’s his second stop-motion film, following “Fantastic Mr. Fox” of 2009 and it is chock full of admiration for Japanese film and art. The film won the director’s award at the Berlin International Film Festival this year. In the film, we’re taken to an imaginary city 20 years in the future called Megasaki. Dog influenza is raging, and Mayor Kobayashi (voiced by Kunichi Nomura), sensing danger, exiles all the dogs to Trash Island. However, Kobayashi’s adopted child, Atari (Koyu Rankin), heads to the island in search of his beloved dog Spot (Liev Schreiber). Helping the youth is a group of alpha dogs: Chief (Bryan Cranston), Boss (Bill Murray), Duke (Jeff Goldblum) and Rex (Ed Norton). A great battle begins when the dogs find out they’re being chased by the city police.
Photos: Fox Searchlight Pictures
The dog muppets, made painstakingly with alpaca hair, have outstandingly expressive personalities, as if they were actually alive. Also, the side stories fleshing out the main tale — scenes of sumo, kabuki, panicking TV news anchors — are made with awe-inspiring precision. The obsession with details provide the film with its driving force and also make it a little strange. The love and enthusiasm cannot be ignored. This film is not about capturing a perfect sense of Japan; it’s about the image of Japan inside Anderson’s imagination.
Isle of Dogs Running time: 1:41 Showing at multiplexes and theaters around Seattle Photos: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Wes Anderson’s particular sense of humor comes across time and again, like when the cat-loving mayor uses cat heads to denote a group of hunting dogs. Fans of Anderson will love this film as will dog fanatics and anyone who loves muppets. Speaking as a fan of the film, I plan to get the DVD as soon as it is available. I plan to watch it over and over to admire the fastidiousness with which the dog’s expressions and set details were made and listen to the star-studded lineup of voice actors (Yoko Ono, Ken Watanabe, Mari Natsuki, Takayuki Yamada, Shota Matsuda, Ryuhei Matsuda, et al). This film is another Anderson original that will wow his fans.
Retrieved from Consulate-General of Japan in Seattle press release
On July 17, 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced the recipients of the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for 2018. The Japanese Language and Literature Program, Department of Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Washington, Seattle was among those selected for this honor.
Since its beginning, with a course on classical Japanese literature offered in 1910, the Japanese Language and Literature Program has served in a core role for the development and expansion of Japanese studies for many years as an educational and research institution located in the Pacific Northwest, an area where Japanese studies is thriving. In addition to offering courses on Japanese literature and language encompassing ancient to modern times, the program is actively connected with the local community through the sharing of information and events spreading Japanese culture, such as a celebration of the blossoming of the university’s cherry trees. The program and its events serve as a bridge between people in the Pacific Northwest and Japan. Furthermore, the program is linked with many Japanese universities and is actively working on exchanges for students and professors between Japan and the U.S.
The Foreign Minister’s Commendation is awarded to individuals and groups for outstanding achievements in international fields to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries. This year, the Commendation will be awarded to 205 individuals and 49 groups worldwide.
by Stan Shikuma, Retrieved from Seattle JACL press release
On July 21, 2018, at their National Convention in Philadelphia, PA, the National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) proudly named Diane Narasaki as Japanese American of the Biennium in the field of Business/Industry/Technology.
The Japanese American of the Biennium Award is the highest public award of the National JACL. Since 1950, the National JACL has recognized and honored those Americans of Japanese ancestry whose outstanding achievements in different fields of endeavor have received regional and national recognition and whose contributions have added to the sum of human knowledge and/or enhanced the quality of life in our society.
In nominating Diane Narasaki for this award, the Seattle Chapter JACL wrote:
“In October 2018, Diane Narasaki retires after 24 years as Executive Director for the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, one of the nation’s largest multi-cultural social, vocational, educational, and civic engagement agencies in the country. Diane’s story is one of years of advocacy on behalf of marginalized communities, separated from mainstream American society by race, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, language, economic class, and education.
Diane’s ability to coalesce diverse groups of smaller communities into larger coalitions deepens their impact. She believes that groups have more in common than differences, and there is strength in numbers. As the Director of the Northwest Employment and Labor Office over forty years ago, Diane employed this strategy to bring together Filipino fish cannery workers, Latino farmers, and Black construction workers. She continues this strategy today with the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition, a statewide coalition of Asian Pacific American agencies and non-profit organizations.
Diane Narasaki is a nationally recognized leader in mental health, social services, community relations, and many other areas, appointed to commissions by City, State, and Federal leaders, including President Obama.
The Seattle Chapter JACL was proud to nominate Diane and help host her at the Convention in Philadelphia. Congratulations, Diane on an honor well-deserved!
Other awardees this year were Lynne Nishijima Ward in the field of Political/Public Affairs/Law and Harriet Miyasato Beleal in the field of Education/Humanities. Past award recipients from Seattle since 1990 include: Tomio Moriguchi, George Tsutakawa, Aki Kurose, Gordon Hirabayashi, Tom Ikeda, Tetsuden Kashima, Frank Fujii, and the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee/NVC Foundation.
ENGLISH READERS of this paper know much about the experiences of Japanese-American families during World War II. Many can also trace the wartime journey of the famed JA 442nd infantry across Europe. Yet, our knowledge base drops quickly when we pull back the viewpoint to include the settings in which Nisei linguists served in the Pacific, translating captured documents and questioning Japanese prisoners of war.
There are several reasons for this. The translators were widely dispersed among many units. There was lingering wartime and postwar secrecy, intended in part to protect the Japan-based relatives of those who served. There is simply a lesser volume of writing on the Pacific War than on the “first front” in Europe.
And there is one more thing. The context was savage, for the Japanese soldiers, unlike the Germans, would not surrender.
To begin to fill this gap in my own understanding, I recently read “Helmet for My Pillow” [Robert Lecke, 1957, 305 pp.] and “With the Old Breed” [E.B. Sledge, 1981, 326 pp.]. The two are the most famous first-person American accounts of the Pacific War. Both were used to write the story for the ten-part HBO miniseries, “The Pacific” (2010). Indeed, many video scenes come straight from the memoirs.
Written from the perspectives of ordinary marines, the two books together follow the island-hopping campaign of American marine and army infantry from Guadalcanal—in the Solomon Islands near Australia (Lecke, Aug-Dec. 1942)—through Peleliu—a now-forgotten island near the Philippines (Sledge, Sept-Oct. 1944)—to Okinawa (Lecke and Sledge, Apr-June 1945).
HELMET has remained in print and widely available for six decades. Reading only a few pages reveals why: its word craft is superb. Moreover, the author’s concise descriptions of his outer journey (what, when, where) are accompanied by a parallel inner soliloquy reminiscent of “Moby Dick.”
A hilarious outer scene example is where Lecke describes the marines’ elation on finding the withdrawing Japanese army’s supply of sake and beer on Guadalcanal before firing a shot.
“Case upon case… was found in a log-and-thatch warehouse not far west of our beach positions… Soon the dirt road paralleling the shoreline became an Oriental thoroughfare, thronged with dusty, grinning marines pushing rickshaws piled high with balloon-like half-gallon bottles of sake and cases of beer….
“We sat squatting. Because the huge sake bottles were difficult to pour, we had to push them to one another, and we drank by turns, as the Indians smoke the peace pipe. But our method needed the skills of a contortionist. One would grasp the huge bottle between one’s thighs, and then, with one’s head bent forward so that one’s mouth embraced the bottleneck, one would roll backward, allowing the cool white wine to pour down the throat.
“Oh, it was good…”
An inner-journey passage conveys Lecke’s fear of the inky night in a foxhole on Guadalcanal.
“It was a darkness without time…. I could not see but I dared not close my eyes….
“I could hear the enemy everywhere about me, whispering to each other and calling my name… Everything and all the world became my enemy, and soon my very body betrayed me and became my foe. My leg became a creeping Japanese, and then the other leg. My arms, too, and then my head.
“My heart was alone. It was me. I was my heart….
“It lay quivering, I lay quivering, in that rotten hole while the darkness gathered and all creation conspired for my heart.
“I know now why men light fires.”
OLD BREED, by contrast, has a rather recent publication date for a WWII memoir. It reflects the book’s long gestation, as the author first completed a 30-year career as a biology professor before finishing it from his field notes hidden in a bible. His memoir is the better of the two, for it reflects Sledge’s lengthier postwar education and life experience.
The main value of “Old Breed” for me is how it offers the clearest explanation I have read to date on the US rationale for dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The battles were ferocious, especially late in the war, when Japanese commanders had abandoned wasteful banzai attacks for interlocking defensive positions in bunkers and former mines.
Some 128,000 Japanese soldiers, 42,000 Okinawa civilians, and 7,700 US marines died on Okinawa, the “last battle” before the slated invasion of the Japanese mainland.
Moreover, the fighting was commonly hand-to-hand—akin to that of medieval Europe—as Japanese soldiers armed with swords leaped into the foxholes of marines at night. Accordingly, the latter had to place knives and shovels where they could grab them before sleeping.
For JA readers, the somberness of both books departs when, here and there, it becomes obvious that the US troops have JA interpreters with them, helping them end the war, and saving many Japanese lives. A supplementary Google search on “Nisei linguists” reveals that Guadalcanal was the proving ground where they demonstrated their value.
Bottom line, both “Helmet” and “Old Breed” are worth reading. I recommend them together for the perspective they provide on US-Japan history, on JA history, and on the human condition. You’ll finish both in a week.
By Stephanie Chan, Japanese Cultural Community Center of Washington Seattle (JCCCW) Intern
Two-dozen campers spent a week laughing and learning during the JCCCW’s sixth annual Japanese Summer Camp. This year’s record number of participants were split into two groups, with both groups getting to experience Japanese culture and gaining a solid introduction to the Japanese language. Nihongo classes were held each morning where campers were taught basic vocabulary, including counting and greetings, as well as helpful grammar tips. In the afternoon, campers went on to participate in cultural activities, such as calligraphy, karate, tea ceremony, and much more!
As the summer intern in charge of taking pictures for the memory book this year, I was able to document many of the special moments of this year’s camp. Since memorization is key to learning the vocabulary in any language, campers were put to the test with games of karuta. Traditionally, karuta is a Japanese card game in which players slap the card being called to gain points.
Campers Arrie, Ella, Alex, Basho, Kenji, Maia, Sula, and Natalie showing off their finished creations with instructor, Lynn.
One of the cultural activities was a demonstration of the Japanese tea ceremony with detailed narration. In the tea ceremony, campers were shown how guests should enter a tea house and how the host would make and serve the tea. Campers Emily and Emi in particular had the opportunity to experience the tea ceremony first hand as guest participants in the demonstration and really loved the unique custom. And, of course, samples of tea sweets and green tea were served to all. A favorite activity among the campers was bento-making. Campers used creativity by making their own boxed lunches full of cute-shaped food to take home. Many campers recreated cartoon characters such as Pikachu or animals, like dogs, cats, and chickens. Finally, each group worked on a Chigiri-e piece throughout the camp as a community art project. Chigiri-e is made by using torn pieces of material to create a scene or image. The finished pieces were presented to their families during graduation on the last day and they turned out beautifully.
With so many different activities throughout the week, each camper was able to find something to his/her liking. In fact, it was hard for the kids to choose which one they enjoyed the most at the end. Most importantly, campers were able to make good friends with each other and will hopefully keep in contact for years to come.
Campers Ryan, Rhyse, and Keton show their enthusiasm for this high energy game.
Through my still growing passion for Japan, I personally am aspiring to become a translator in the future. Therefore, I am truly happy to see that so many of our campers were as enthusiastic to learn about Japanese language and culture as I was at their age and hope that they will continue their studies. Everyone at the JCCCW is thankful to all 24 campers and their families for joining us for the week and we hope to welcome them back again in the future.
by Josephine Hoyne, retrieved from The Japan-America Grassroots Summit press release
Over 135 Japanese people have now registered to visit Washington State for the 28th Japan-America Grassroots Summit, an international exchange program to be held September 18-24, 2018. The Summit alternates between the United States and Japan and will be in Seattle this year for the first time in its 28-year history. This year, it is hosted by the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington in association with the Consulate General of Japan in Seattle, city governments, sister-city associations, and Japanese community organizations and leaders. “I am pleased to express my enthusiastic support for the 28th Annual Japan-America Grassroots Summit and extend a warm hand of welcome to all of the Japanese guests visiting our great state,” said Governor Jay Inslee.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best of Washington to our visitors from Japan. The Society is working hard to provide all 150 guests with a rich array of experiences to create one-of-a-kind memories of their visit here,” said Grassroots Summit Committee Co-Chair, Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos. These guests will be hosted in 14 localities across the Washington State, including Seattle, Bellevue, Auburn, Ellensburg, Lakewood, Moses Lake, Olympia, Port Townsend, Renton, Sequim, Tacoma, and Vashon Island. “Though these ‘home stays’ are relatively brief, many of these experiences will grow into lasting life-long friendships. Woven together these experiences will create a fabric of a strong and mutually beneficial relationship between our two countries,” explained Grassroots Summit Committee Co-Chairs, Tay Yoshitani.
On September 23, visitors and their hosts will gather at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington for the Grassroots Summit Closing Ceremony, hosted by KING5 television anchor Lori Matsukawa, to celebrate their newfound friendships and insights.
The Japan-America Grassroots Summit was founded in 1991 by the John Manjiro-Whitfield Commemorative Center for International Exchange to honor the friendship between John Manjiro Nakahara of Japan and Captain William Whitfield of the United States. It was pivotal in opening Japan after isolation and developing the early United States-Japan relationship. In honor of Captain Whitfield opening his home to John Manjiro, the Summit offers a unique three-night homestay experience for guests.
In America, we have a very high standard of living especially when compared to large parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Granted, there some economically poor counties and neighborhoods in the USA but we for the most part have clean drinking water, food, and shelter. It should be noted that the plight of the homeless people is a worldwide problem with no easy solution. I have not been to Africa or South America but my friends tell me that in some regions the average person is living in conditions that are two full levels below the worst US poverty. Here, on the west coast one could have a modest job but if you live within your means you should be able to cover your rent, eat well, and even play a round of golf from time to time.
During the 70’s and 80’s as the US auto industry declined, many Americans blamed the Japanese car companies for the loss of manufacturing revenue and jobs. People were against imports and complained that the foreign companies like Toyota and Honda were to blame.
When I mentioned this notion to my former next door neighbor who was of Greek ancestry, he gave me a very thoughtful insight on the subject of imports and exports. My neighbor said to me “who allows all these Japanese cars to get into the USA in the first place”? He stated that if GM, Ford, and Chrysler didn’t want imports to come here there would be legislation against it. He wisely said that ‘Ford and Toyota behind closed doors are in bed together’. In other words, the American car companies are getting some profit from the sale of the Japanese cars or it would never happen.
I personally cannot fathom the amount of money that is generated in the manufacturing of cars, jets, weapons, software, or the oil industry. The other thing my neighbor said to me is that ‘if the large corporations just leave a few crumbs around for the rest of us normal people then we’ll be okay’. Millions of us Americans are actually living a pretty good life off of these crumbs.
Deems Tsutakawa is a local Sansei musician. He can be reached at deemst@deemsmusic.com.
Misa Murohashi, The North American Post (translated by Bruce Rutledge)
Hyogo Prefecture Governor Toshizo Ido led a friendship delegation on a visit to Washington state to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Hyogo and Washington’s sister-state relationship on July 27 at the Capitol Building in Olympia. In all, about 70 people from Japan took part in the celebration, including the 12-person friendly delegation from Hyogo led by Takahiro Matsumoto, chairman of the prefectural council; an economic-exchange delegation of 20 headed by Tadaaki Sunami, president of Sunami Business Solutions; and a citizens-exchange delegation of 26 led by Hisashi Higashine, president of the Prefectural Fisheries Promotion Fund. Representatives from Washington State included Governor Inslee, Lieutenant Governor Cyrus Habib, others in state government, academics including the assistant dean of Evergreen State College, representatives of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington, State Sen. Bob Hasegawa and State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos.
Karin Zaugg Black, president of the Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association and the next president of the Japan America Society of the State of Washington, presided over the bilingual ceremony. Consul-General of Japan in Seattle Yoichiro Yamada delivered a greeting, saying that both Hyogo and Washington developed trade around their ports through their history and also both have a vibrant brewing industry. He added that when he looks at the percentage of women in government and the activity of women in general, “Hyogo Prefecture has something to learn from Washington state.” At the same time, when it comes to measures to prepare for natural disasters, Washington can learn from Hyogo, he added. Yamada also said about the USA’s decision to drop out of the Transpacific Partnership, “I hope you will come back soon.”
Next up was Governor Inslee, who spoke about the importance of economic and international exchanges with Japan like the one that is developing with Mitsubishi Regional Jet in Washington. “We are the real Washington, not Washington DC,” Inslee said. He added that no matter what the government in Washington DC decides, Washington State is a place ready to engage with the world, and that will not change. He added that both regions intend to directly combat climate change and prepare their disaster-prone regions through mutual collaboration.
Finally, Governor Ido spoke. He thanked retired State Senator Karen Fraser for her work as chair of the 55th Anniversary Celebration Planning Committee. He said that Hyogo, which grew from the commerce around the Port of Kobe, is approaching its 150th year since establishment and now is home to people from 150 different nationalities and about 10,000 foreign-born residents, making it a multicultural society. “The biggest common point between us is our variety and the diversity of forward-thinking Washington state,” he said, emphasizing the importance of strong regional ties.
The final part of the ceremony had both governors signing a reaffirmation of the sister-state agreement, with Matsumoto and Habib adding their signatures as witnesses. Also, Evergreen State College and the University of Hyogo signed a certificate reaffirming their long-standing relationship, and the Port of Olympia and Shin Nishinomiya Yacht Harbor reaffirmed their sister-port arrangement.
Hyogo and Washington have been sister states since 1963; Kobe and Seattle began their sister-city relationship in 1957, and that is the first of 13 sister-city relationships between the states. Also, the Hyogo Prefecture International Exchange Committee established in 1990 the Hyogo Business and Cultural Center in Seattle, providing business support in the US for Hyogo-based companies and many kinds of international exchange operations.
