Embraces his Japanese heritage

Interest in Japan stemmed from his mother and grandmother’s stories Learning Japanese traditions by observing his mother and grandmother Embraces his Japanese heritage Never sang Enka outside the family Coming to Japan Dreamed of becoming an Enka singer His clothes are part of his identity Hopes everyone pursues their dreams regardless of race or heritage Trying to convey the meaning of the songs Nikkei Sansei Considers Pittsburg his home, but always wanted to live in Japan Singing the way I sing (Japanese) "Harebutai" (Japanese) Getting on Kohaku (Japanese) The first concert in the United States (Japanese)

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I was actually proud of, you know, my Japanese heritage, I didn’t try to hide it from anyone. And, you know, if people would ask, you know, “Are you mixed” or do you have, you know, another, you know, nationality within you, you know, I would tell them, “Yes, you know, I am Japanese” and I was proud of it, I was proud that I was able to, you know, speak just a little bit of the language and, you know, willing to show others how to speak it. So…you know, that…you know—even though it was only a quarter of who I am— it’s still apart of who I am, so I was always…I always embraced it.

Date: March 30, 2010
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Interview by Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum. Courtesy of Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

hapa identity Japanese culture multiracial