History of Seattle Nikkei Immigrants from ‘The North American Times’
This series explores the history of the pre-war Japanese community in Seattle, by reviewing articles in “The North American Times,” which have been digitally archived by the University of Washington and Hokubei Hochi Foundation (hokubeihochi.org/digital-archive). Publication of this series is a joint project with discovernikkei.org.
By Ikuo Shinmasu
Translation by Mina Otsuka
For The North American Post
‘The North American Times’ was first printed on September 1, 1902, by publisher Kiyoshi Kumamoto from Kagoshima, Kyushu. At its peak, it had a daily circulation of about 9,000 copies, with correspondents in Spokane, Vancouver BC, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. When World War II started, Sumio Arima, the publisher at the time, was arrested by the FBI. The paper was discontinued on March 14, 1942, when the incarceration of Japanese American families began. After the war, the paper was revived as “The North American Post.”
Chapter 11 — Part 2 Nisei and Their College Educations
CONNECTION BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND JAPANESE COMMUNITY
“Female Students from UW Go Sightseeing in Japantown”
(August 17, 1938 issue)
Thirty-five female students taking summer classes at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle, Washington, went sightseeing in Japantown, just south of downtown. It was an event arranged by the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) at UW. Though we call them university students, some were high school students taking summer classes and others were elementary school teachers; there were even some elderly ladies with grey hair.
The group visited the Japanese (language) school, enjoyed Mr. Kubota’s Japanese garden, repeatedly calling out the word “wonderful,” had their sense of curiosity stimulated at the (Seattle) Nichiren (Buddhist) church, and stopped by the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (The Anglican Episcopal Church of Japan). They then visited our (newspaper) headquarters, walked around the factory asking a series of tricky questions, got a chance to see the rotary press in operation, bought one copy of The North American Times and left the office.
After that, they tried some Japanese sweets at Sagami-ya on Main Street, flipped through some Japanese magazines next door at Sanrindo, looked inside Toyo-uoten (fishmonger), enjoyed a Japanese meal at Maneki-tei and left feeling completely satisfied.
“Wardrobe from the Heian Era at the UW Museum”
(November 12, 1938, issue)
Mr. Miyatake has treasured the attire worn by the presiding officer at the coronation ceremony of the present emperor. He has decided to donate it as a token of appreciation to UW which educates a great number of Japanese students. UW was deeply touched by Mr. Miyatake’s benevolence and has decided to display it in the tokonoma alcove in its grand museum which was given by the International Culture Promotional Association.
To be continued
References:
▪️Jyushiro Kato, History of Development of Japanese in the United States, Hakubun-sha, 1908.
▪️Hokubei Nenkan, Hokubei jijisha, 1928.
▪️Kojiro Takeuchi, History of Japanese Immigrants in the Northwestern United States, Taihoku Nippo-sha, 1929.
*The English version of this series is a collaboration between Discover Nikkei and The North American Post, Seattle’s bilingual community newspaper. This article was originally published in Japanese on June 1, 2022, in The North American Post.
Ikuo Shinmasu retired in 2015 from Air Liquide Japan Ltd. then researched his grandfather who migrated to Seattle, Washington. He shared his findings through the series, “Yoemon Shinmasu – My Grandfather’s Life in Seattle,” in The North American Post and in “Discover Nikkei” in Japanese and English during 2019-2020. He lives in Zushi, Kanagawa, Japan with his wife and son.
Mina Otsuka is a Japanese translator and writer.
