Nikkei Chronicles #10
Nikkei Generations: Connecting Families & Communities

English:

• Oh, Bachan, How Your Garden Grows
  By Kyra Karatsu

  Comment from Christine Piper
  Kyra Karatsu’s story “Oh, Bachan, How Your Garden Grows” is my pick of the English-language submissions this year. Karatsu takes the simple ritual of a family gathering as a starting point to explore notions such as the meaning of family, legacy, and customs—so important in immigrant communities. It ties to the “generations” theme well while also alluding to larger ideas. When does tradition trump modernity? What are the values we hold most dear? The evocative descriptions of setting and other literary qualities (e.g. use of metaphor) help to ground the narrative and create a pocket of stillness, so the act of reading it becomes an antidote to the ever-changing “fast” culture that surrounds us, and to which the author refers. Admirable for its depth and restraint, “Bachan” is a beautiful and uplifting story.
  
  

Japanese:

• Happy To Be of Help—My Japanese-learning Classes
  By Kazue Ishii

  Comment from Shigeru Kojima
  Since each of the two submissions had such an intriguing hook, I finished reading them in one go. One was about a story of a Japanese-Brazilian Nisei who devoted her life to serving the local community. The other was about the story of the first Nisei.

  The former explains how the author got herself into teaching Japanese-learning classes as a volunteer, an anecdote she heard about mishearing the word soshiki as soushiki, because of the similarity in the way the two words sound. She says that the secret to running the classes of students from all different backgrounds was her genuine commitment and the class atmosphere that was always full of laughter. The latter story begins with a call that was thought to be a word about a funeral but turned out to be from a ship’s crew; the author talks about his encounter with the first Nisei daughter and shares the experience with readers.

  Reading those stories was such a pleasant and heartwarming experience, which made it all difficult for me to pick one. Though it was hard to make the decision, I chose the former, Kazue Ishii’s “Happy to Be of Help—My Japanese-learning Classes,” which I believe is highly relatable, as my favorite.

Spanish:

• An Unfortunate Break
  By José Yoshida Sherikawa

  Comment from Sebastian Kakazu
  Through the story of “An Unfortunate Break,” the author Jose Yoshida Sherikawa narrates in a very clear way the issues of a friendship, forged by migration, work, and sacrifice, that unfortunately has come to an end due to having different visions of Japan’s position regarding World War II. This story represents perhaps, many untold stories of unfortunate ruptures generated by the war. If the war hadn’t happened, would those friendships have continued? It is a question to which there is no answer. But I’d like to think that they could have continued. This story invites us to think on how we can lose valuable friendships due to temporary events that are out of our hands. A topic that is very current given the world scenario and that made me wonder if, after so many years, we have really learned something.
  
  

Portuguese:

• Ojiichans
  By Ana Shitara

  Comment from Claudio H. Kurita
  It’s been a great pleasure and honor to take part in this jury. This year’s theme, Nikkei Generations: Connecting Families & Communities, has attracted a number of beautiful stories in which the authors convey their personal experiences with great intensity. The text that I’m highlighting was written by author Ana Shitara; titled “Ojichans,” it features various elements that are both touching and moving.

  Her text allows readers to transport themselves to its many settings and thus recall their own ojichans (grandfathers) and obachans (grandmothers), and the time during which they lived in our country. Throughout the text, the author emphasizes an array of feelings—love, affection, guilt, and regret, among others—that bring it all closer to home, as these emotions are common in all families: a great clash of sensations.

  At one point, she mentions how education was important to her grandfather. This offers a portrait of the beliefs of a large segment of the first and second generations: Hard work would provide the necessary means and support for their children to improve, through their studies, their living conditions and thus enjoy a better future.

  Today we can see that the sacrifice was worth it, as many descendants belonging to the new generations have indeed managed to improve their social and financial conditions, while we also see many Nikkei playing key roles in various professional fields.

  I must be grateful to my Ojichans and Obachans who did the same, and I congratulate Ana Shitara, who for a few minutes allowed me to fondly remember my grandfathers—Maruo-san and Akikazu-san—while thanking them in prayer for their dedication.

  Thank you, Discover Nikkei, for the invitation, and keep up this wonderful and important work that helps with the integration and dissemination of Nikkei culture.