When I was in my twenties, I asked my grandmother about the Japanese things she could not keep. She strongly told me in her broken English that “we here now” (in America), that we should not worry about Japan or what was lost. Like most Isseis, she was not a citizen of the United States during the War, as Issei were not eligible to become citizens until 1955; but again like many Isseis, she was resigned to what life handed her.
What is an American? Grandma was not a citizen of the United States until December 6, 1955; but until her death, she held her head high and her back straight. She was an American in spirit and in her heart, and that is what she taught her grandchildren.
About the contributor: Gail Hoshiyama Nanbu was born in Chicago, IL in 1944, where her parents, Willie and Fumiko Hoshiyama, were married after an early exit from Topaz. The family returned to San Francisco in 1949, but Gail has lived in Walnut Creek, CA for many years. She and her husband, Gerry Nanbu, love to travel, especially to Japan. Gail enjoys Ikebana and making Kimekomi dolls while still helping clients with their tax issues as an enrolled agent.
Copyright 2019 Gail Hoshiyama Nanbu. All rights reserved.
Thank you, Gail, for sharing your family story. It is bittersweet and filled with love.
Satsuki
Thank you, Satsuki, for your kind words. Gail
Gail,
You have a wonderful history. I had no idea. Your grandmother had such strength and integrity. So Japanese, so noble, and yet able to endure and accept the hardship of life with her husband and children. To me, she is the epitome of a person with immense Japanese pride and strong sense of moral principles. Wow! You were very fortunate to know her so intimately.
Gail ,
Thank you for sharing your Grandmother Yaki’s story . Her being “ostracized from the mess hall because her son volunteered “ hit me like a ton of bricks . My father wrote that Grandma “had been given a hard time by the hardheads”. I hadn’t really considered what that might have meant until I read your story.
Joe Yoshino