Partial Transcript: Masato Eddy Kurushima is born on December 6, 1924, in Brawley, CA. Eddy explains how he gets an English name. His older sister is named Masako, and at high school, the teachers would get confused with the Japanese names. Therefore Eddy asks his parents for an English name and they give him the name Edward. Eddy's father, Daisuke Kurushima, is from Hiroshima-Ken, Japan. He immigrated to Mexico for farming. Later, he returns to Japan to get married. Eddy's father has three wives. Eddy's mother is his third wife.

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Keywords: farming; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Eddy's father and his siblings lived on a farm in Japan. Therefore, they immigrate to the United States for a better opportunity. Later, he returns to Japan and gets married to his mother. Eddy has two older sisters. However, one passes away. Eddy was born when his father was in his forties. Eddy and his father have a good relationship because they communicate well. Growing up, Eddy's father wanted him to learn martial arts, judo, and kendo. However, he obliges his father's request even though he is not interested. Eddy describes his father as a quiet, gentle, kind, and hard-working man. His mother refers to him as a quiet Buddha. Moreover, Eddy's father can speak Spanish more than English.

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Keywords: childhood activities; family; farming; Hawaii; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; siblings; sports

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Partial Transcript: After growing up on a farm, Eddy's father comes to the United States for a better opportunity. When Eddy and his older siblings were born, he wanted his children to study hard in school. Eddy and his siblings speak Japanese at home. His father wants them to speak English outside the house to assimilate with their peers. At home, Eddy recalls some Japanese influences in the decor. Eddy's parents try to instill the Japanese culture and traditions in him and his sister. Besides Japanese decorations, Eddy and his family mainly eat Japanese food.

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Keywords: education; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; living conditions; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Eddy recalls his father being ill and going to see a Japanese doctor in Los Angeles for treatment. Eddy says his father would not go to a white doctor for his health condition because of the language barrier. Therefore, in 1933, Eddy and his family traveled to Japan to get treatment for his father. Eddy describes a drawing he drew of his father trying to lease the land. Eddy's father's English is limited, and Eddy helps translate for him with the white landlord. Eddy and his father's relationship is close because he understands his father.

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Keywords: Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; travel

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Partial Transcript: Eddy discusses his fears and thoughts of interpreting for his father at a young age.

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Keywords: farming; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: From a young age, Eddy helps his father with interpreting deals and documents. He learns not to look down on people, especially children. Eddy describes another drawing he drew about his family and farming. The philosophy of Eddy's family is when there is a great man, there is a greater woman behind that great man.

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Keywords: family; farming; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Eddy's mother has two older sisters. When her two sisters got married and left home, she took care of the household duties. Before going to the United States, Eddy's mother helps her older sister by caring for her baby. Eddy describes his mother's life as a Cinderella story. Eddy recalls his mother supported his interest in drawing when he was a child. Eddy says his life is similar to Ferdinand the Bull.

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Keywords: childhood activities; family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese identity and values; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Eddy describes the drawing of his father plowing in the fields. There is a process to growing cantaloupes. In the drawing, there are white caps, and the caps are to protect the cantaloupes. Since there are so many processes on the farm, they hire helpers with the harvesting. In the next drawing, Eddy explains he drives the mule wagon to pick up the crates with the cantaloupes inside.

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Keywords: farm; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: After picking up the crates of cantaloupes, Eddy brings them back to the shed.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activities; farm; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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