Spending summers in Los Angeles

Little contact with Asians growing up on the east coast Spending summers in Los Angeles Japanese Americans brought up to deny their roots Being multicultural before it was “in” Moving to and living in Japan The reason to stay in Japan after his third year Being a Japanese American in Japan Never being Japanese Japan as my home Different tension between East Coast and Los Angeles A stereotype of Japanese Americans Main differences between Japanese and Japanese Americans

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When I was kid, having roots or contacts in LA, being on the east coast, was a cool thing. It was just cool. It was a chance for me to get away just during the summers. I wouldn’t spend a long time out there—well, I guess, maybe a month or a month and a half at the longest. But, usually, it was only for a few weeks. Mostly, I think my mom wanted me to have contact with my grandparents and my relatives more because we were so isolated from everyone else. Back then—it’s gotten to be such a small world now—but back then a long distance phone call was a big deal, right? It was good. I enjoyed my time out there. I’d come back with all the newest, coolest, hippest clothes. It was good.

Date: September 12, 2003
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Interviewer: Art Nomura
Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

east coast FindingHome identity Los Angeles