Interviews

1. Growing up in a Japanese American family

2. The reason for coming to Japan

3. Sudden acceptance in Japanese society

4. Tracing my family crest

5. Disadvantages of looking Japanese

6. Ring name: "Yamato Damashi"

7. I’m American, but my home is Japan

8. Citizenship and identity

Enson Inoue

(b. 1967) Hawai`i-born professional fighter in Japan

The reason for coming to Japan

The reason why I came to Japan was because I had an offer to play racquetball, which was my former sport at the time. I was a racquetball player—me and my brother. They wanted my brother to come, but because he was one of the top players, pro racquetball players in the pro tour, he was busy. So they kind of went down to the younger brother. “Oh, what about Enson?” And I was here. I had no idea what Japan was about. I couldn’t even imagine what the country was like. I really thought it was—I understood it was my roots, but I actually thought it was some weird place where people don’t speak the language. All Nikkei, all Japanese people there—I felt kind of weird. But I thought if you experience the culture, it would be a good trip. So, actually, the reason why I came out here was for a two-week racquetball tournament.

Finding Home (film) immigration Japan migration racquetball sports

Date: October 14, 2003

Location: Saitama, Japan

Interviewer: Art Nomura

Contributed by: Art Nomura, Finding Home.

Interviewee Bio

Enson Inoue was born and raised in Hawai`i and attended college there for 3 years studying psychology. At age 23, he went to Japan to play racquetball in a two-week tournament without any intention of living there. He won the tournament and then stayed for 3 months to give racquetball seminars. Thereafter, he continued to live in Japan, intending to return to Hawai`i in a year. Enson, however, decided to stay for still another year, teaching English and running his brother’s racquetball company in Japan. He then became a boxer and gave up racquetball. At the time of the interview in Fall 2003, Enson had lived in Japan for thirteen and a half years and had not been back to Hawai`i for six years. Now he is a professional fighter with the ring name “Yamato Damashii (Japanese Spirit or Samurai Spirit).” As for his identity, he feels that although he is an American, his home is Japan. (October 14, 2003)