Japanese Canadian Oral History Collection

The collection is comprised of interviews conducted by the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre with Japanese Canadians on topics ranging from early immigration; their participation in pre-World War II industries including fishing, farming, and the lumber industries; and their internment during World War II. The collection is a rich source for the study of ethnic history, BC history, Japanese Canadian history, immigration history, and oral history at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The majority of audio files are in English, but some are in Japanese.

The collection is comprised of interviews conducted by the National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre with Japanese Canadians on topics ranging from early immigration; their participation in pre-World War II industries including fishing, farming, and the lumber industries; and their internment during World War II. The collection is a rich source for the study of ethnic history, BC history, Japanese Canadian history, immigration history, and oral history at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The majority of audio files are in English, but some are in Japanese.

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Acknowledgements

Contributed by National Nikkei Museum & Heritage Centre in partnership with Simon Fraser University.

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Displaying 211 - 225 of 260

Interview with Shigetaka (Steve) Sasaki

Name(s): Sasaki, Shigetaka (Steve)

Interview with Shirley Kakutani

Date: 1991-01-28
Name(s): Kakutani, Shirley
Description: Powell Street Festival and questions of 'authenticity' of the festiva. Japanese culture and 'mixed' marriages, changing attitudes. Interviewee describes Powell Street in the present as 'ghost-town,' 'unpleasant,' and 'hurtful.'

Interview with Shirley Kakutani

Date: 1983-07-07
Name(s): Kakutani, Shirley, Sokugawa, Erik, Wood, Joanne

Interview with Shizue Hashimoto

Date: 1990-07-05
Name(s): Hashimoto, Shizue

Interview with Shoichi Matsushita

Name(s): Matsushita, Shoichi, Shozawa, Katherine Megumi
Description: Interview occurs while walking around looking at photography display, which is why the duration is short. Briefly discussed Hastings Park, Steveston Fishing Boat Confiscation and Immigration Building.

Interview with Shunji Tanabe

Date: 1983-10-20
Name(s): Tanabe, Shunji

Interview with Sister Antoinette McDonough

Date: 1983-06-20
Name(s): McDonough, Antoinette, Sister

Interview with Sister Jerome Kelleher, Sister Mary Pius Demeres

Name(s): Demeres, Mary Pius, Sister, Kelleher, Jerome, Sister, McAllister, Kirsten Emiko
Description: The interview suffers from poor audio quality.

Interview with Sumie Tanaka (nee Sasaki)

Date: 2012
Name(s): Tanaka, Sumie (nee Sasaki)
Description: The interview discusses Sumie's parents immigrating from Wakayama ken and setting up and selling various businesses on Powell Street, Vancouver, BC. Sumie, the oldest of three girls, at the age of two was taken back to Japan for fourteen years to live with her grandparents. At the age of sixteen, she returned to Powell Street in 1934 where she worked in different businesses run by her father. The businesses include the New World Hotel, Blackman Market, Matsunoya., Fuji Chop Suey and Momotaro…

Interview with Tad and Aki Wakabayashi

Date: 1990-12-14
Name(s): Wakabayashi, Aki, Wakabayashi, Tadao
Description: The sound quality suffers throughout. Conversation is centered on contrasting pre-war and post-war Powell Street.

Interview with Tad Wakabayashi

Date: 1990-06-19
Name(s): Wakabayashi, Tadao
Description: This conversation consists of a tour through Vancouver's "Japantown" neighborhood. Mr. Wakabayashi recounts the history of where businesses were and what the buildings used to house in the neighborhood, illustrating a picture of how the neighborhood was changed by the events surrounding World War 2.

Interview with Tadao Wakabayashi

Date: 1983-07-22
Name(s): Sokugawa, Erik, Wakabayashi, Tadao, Wood, Joanne
Description: The immigration history of mr. Wakabayashi's family, wartime experiences of interviewee.

Interview with Tadashi Mori

Date: 1994-11-04
Name(s): Mori, Tadashi, Shozawa, Katherine Megumi
Description: Tadashi Mori discusses his life story, and discusses the Powell Street community, baseball, and internment. Tadashi switches between English and Japanese, saying some phrases and sentences in both languages.

Interview with Takeo Yamashiro

Name(s): Yamashiro, Takeo

Interview with Takeo Yamashiro

Date: 1988-11-16
Name(s): McNeil, Lucie, Yamashiro, Takeo
Description: This interview is a short radio segment on the Early Edition, CBC Radio, part of it is Mr. Yamashiro playing the shakuhachi, a classical Japanese instrument