Ikuo Shinmasu
@IkuoShinmasuIkuo Shinmasu is from Kaminoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. In 1974, he started working at Teikoku Sanso Ltd (currently AIR LIQUIDE Japan GK) in Kobe and retired in 2015. Later, he studied history at Nihon University Distance Learning Division and researched his grandfather who migrated to Seattle. He shared a part of his thesis about his grandfather through the series, “Yoemon Shinmasu – My Grandfather’s Life in Seattle,” in the North American Post and Discover Nikkei in both English and Japanese. He presently lives in the city of Zushi, Kanagawa, with his wife and eldest son.
Updated August 2021
Stories from This Author
Chapter 22—Participation in Potlatch Festival
July 31, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
In the last chapter, I introduced articles highlighting contributions from Japanese associations to the community chest in Seattle. This chapter will delve into articles1 from the North American Times covering the Potlatch Festival, an annual seven-day event held in July in Seattle. Participation in Potlatch Festival The Potlatch Festival is a cultural celebration of Northwest Coast Native American tribes, attracting many American visitors annually as a beloved event in Seattle. The Japanese community contributed by showcasing Japan’s history and promoting …
Chapter 21—Contribution to the Community Chest Fund in Seattle
July 24, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
In the last chapter, I wrote about the Nihonjin-kai which supported the Japanese community and this chapter, I will write about the contributions of the Japanese community to the Community Chest fundraising organized by the City of Seattle. What is the Community Chest? As I wrote in the last chapter, as a new way to secure financial resources after the Consulate ended the allocation of certification guarantee fees in 1918, the North American Nihonjin-kai participated in a charity program the …
Chapter 20 (Part 2)—The Japanese Association, a Support for Japanese American Community
May 21, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
Read Part 1 >> Abolition of the distribution of the certification guarantee fee The funding source of the Japanese Association (Nihonjinkai) consisted of membership fees and the distribution of the fee of certification guarantee from the consulate. The North American Japanese Association (Hokubei Nihonjinkai) was established inside the Seattle consulate in 1913 to oversee the distribution of funds to each individual Japanese association. However, the system disbanded in 1918, and the Communication Committee of North American Japanese (Hokubei Renraku Nikkai, …
Chapter 20 (Part 1)—The Japanese Association, a Support for Japanese American Community
May 20, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
In the last chapter, I covered the topic of prefectural associations (Kenjinkai). The focus of this chapter is the Japanese Association (Nihonjinkai) that supported the Japanese American community. The significance and deep connection of the Japanese Association to the Nikkei community in Seattle is evidenced by the almost daily mentions of Nihonjinkai in The North American Times. I will share some excerpts from those articles here.1 The History of the Japanese Association Genji Mihara, the chair of the Nihonjinkai (Nissho …
Chapter 19 (Part 2)—The Solidarity of the Japanese Brought by Kenjinkai
March 20, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
Read Chapter 19 (Part 1) >> Notable Activities and Obituaries of People from Yamaguchi Prefecture 1. Seiichi Okamura from the Agenosho village in the Oshima disctrict “Department Chief of Nissho, Japanese Business Association, Seiichi Okamura Passes Away” (June 28, 1939 issue1) The president of Grand Union Laundry Corporation, Seiichi Okamura, had recovered from a cerebral hemorrhage after having taken some rest and had been working full-time. He, however, fell ill again around March. He had been under treatment at home, …
Chapter 19 (Part 1) — The Solidarity of the Japanese Brought by Kenjinkai
March 19, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
The last chapter shared stories about the prosperity of the Nisei males’ judo. In this chapter, I would like to write about the prefectural associations (Kenjinkai) that played a big role in bringing Japanese residents in Seattle together. To enhance the unity of those from the same prefecture in the Seattle Nikkei community, Hiroshima Kenjinkai was first established in 1901, followed by Tokushima Kenjinkai in 1902, Yamaguchi Kenjinkai in 1903, Ehime Kenjinkai in 1904, Kanagawa Kenjinkai in 1905, and many …
Chapter 18 (Part 2) — The Rise of Judo among Nisei
Jan. 24, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
Read Chapter 18 (Part 1) >> Jim Yoshida’s Judo The book, The Two Worlds of Jim Yoshida, discusses how Jim Yoshida practiced hard at judo training. In the book, Jim was into football first. He practiced judo reluctantly at first with the strong encouragement of his father, Ryunosuke. Later he found it interesting. The article on February 7, 1938 seems to be written around that time. The article said his father, Ryunosuke Yoshida, served a councilor of Tentokukai. In February …
Chapter 18 (Part 1) — The Rise of Judo among Nisei
Jan. 23, 2024 • Ikuo Shinmasu
In my previous chapter, I reported on the Nisei women's tour of Japan. In this chapter, I would like to talk about the prosperity of judo around 1938 and 1939, when many Nisei men were engaged in this sport in Seattle. Establishment of Judo Dojo According to some literature, the Seattle Dojo was established in February 1908 in the city of Seattle for the training of youth in judo. At the time of its establishment, there were only about 20 …
Chapter 17 (Part 2) — The Nisei Girls’ Japan Delegation Tours
Dec. 14, 2023 • Ikuo Shinmasu
Read Chapter 17 (Part 1) >> Touring in Kobe on November 7, 1939 “A Day in Kobe, Taiyo Delegation” by Akira Maeda” (February 5, 1940 issue1) We visited several locations in Kobe city, touring well-known historical sites by bus that were specifically arranged for us. I was surprised to find that Kobe had so many historical sites. At night, we enjoyed a Japanese feast at Enmeitei, which is a restaurant that many would call top-tier in Kobe. After dinner we …
Chapter 17 (Part 1) — The Nisei Girls’ Japan Delegation Tours
Dec. 13, 2023 • Ikuo Shinmasu
In the last chapter, I wrote about the activities of the Kibei Japanese American Citizens League. This chapter will report on the Nisei Girls’ Japan Delegation Tours. These Nisei girls who were born in the United States learned the Japanese language, culture, and customs at Japanese schools and from their parents, but they did not understand Japan very well. To help them experience what Japan was actually like, multiple tour groups were formed around 1939 and 1940. These groups stayed …
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