walkthefarm

Hamada Family nurseries: Blossom City, Garden City, Batavia Garden

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:01:11 GMT

At the turn of the 20th century Yasaburo Hamada came to America from Jigozen, Hiroshima, at the age of 15. A man of small statue and a quick temper, “Harry” Hamada was adept in judo and kendo and was not afraid to use his skills. One family story recounts a job he had in San Francisco in the basement of a building. He argued with his boss and walked off the job. The next day the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake happened and buildings everywhere collapsed killing thousands including the people in the basement of Yasaburo’s building.

At the age of 38, after more than twenty years in the U.S., Yasaburo returned to Hiroshima to find a wife. He was recommended to the beautiful youngest daughter of a prosperous farming family, Shiki Nagaoka. Shiki’s older sister had left several years earlier to marry a man in Hawai’i and she was also open to going to America. Shiki agreed to marry Yasaburo, 18 years her senior. She recalls the initial meeting he had with her father where she was expected to serve tea. Too afraid to even look at him, Shiki didn’t know what Yasaburo looked like until after she consented to marry him. They wed in Japan in 1920 and left for the U.S. soon after. Their son, Ben, was born in 1921 in Hollywood. Two more children followed, Namiye in 1923 and George in 1925.

Ben recalls living in various places in Southern California: San Fernando Valley, Hollywood, San Pedro. They family worked hard at various endeavors but gravitated to farming and the nursery busines. Yasaburo, a man of many talents, had a gift for growing, not just plants, but animals too. Namiye remembers moving a lot but said they always had nice houses.

The family spent the war years in internment camps, initially in Jerome, Arkansas, and later at Tule Lake, California, camp for the infamous “No-No Boys.” After the war, like everyone else coming out of camp, the Hamada’s worked hard to make a living. By then, Namiye was married to Manabu Okada who farmed with his brothers Taka and Shigeru. Yasaburo and Shiki had various jobs and 24-year-old Ben worked as a gardener, using trimmings to propagate new plants. Through their friends, the Gotos, who had a thriving flower shop in Montebello, the Hamada’s arranged to open a nursery next to the shop on Beverly Blvd, and called it Blossom City Nursery .

Meanwhile, Ben who also wanted to farm, leased land in Huntington Beach on Talbert Ave. and Beach Blvd, while still helping his parents with Blossom City. By then he was married to Masako and they eventually had four children: Ellen, Ron, Kent and Joanne. The family’s nursery business was joined by George and his wife, Hazel, in 1950 when they returned from Chicago, baby Karen in tow, soon to be followed by Gerry, Teri and Parry.

In 1953 the family purchased four acres in Garden Grove on Harbor Blvd and opened Garden City Nursery . The thriving business supported Ben and George’s families, Yasaburo and Shiki. They remained there until 1963 when the nursery was forced to move because of the construction of the Garden Grove Freeway. Garden City Nursery relocated to East Chapman Ave, Orange, in 1963.

In 1971 brothers Ben and George parted ways and took ownership of separate properties and nurseries. George and Hazel continued operating Garden City and Ben and Masako opened Batavia Garden Nursery next to their home in Orange. Garden City Nursery closed in 1987. Batavia Garden Nursery remained in business until 2019, operated initially by Ben and Masako and and their children, Ron, Kent and Joanne.

Yasaburo Hamada circa 1930

Blossom City Nursery, Montebello, CA 1950-1953

Garden City Nursery, Garden Grove, CA 1953-1963

Garden City moves to Orange, CA 1963-1987

George & Hazel Hamada 1964

Masako's first crop of propagated plants 1964

Ben & Masako Hamada 1971

Batavia Garden Nursery, Orange 1971-2019

Hamada and Okada Families, (row 1) Joyce O, Kathy O, Joanne H, Masako H, Parry H, Shiki H, Tommy O, Teri H, Hazel H, Kent H (row 2) Ronald H, Ellen H, Karen H, Yasaburo H, Gerald H, Namiye O (row 3) Ben H, Manabu O, George H, Ted O, Ken O

Sakuma Farm

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 08:16:56 GMT

In 1907 Takeo Sakuma left Kyushu, Japan to go to America. He moved to Bainbridge Island, west of Seattle and began farming; taking the ferry he sold produce at terminal markets and Pike’s Place Market. Returning to Japan, he married Nobu in 1914, immigrated in 1915 and they started a family.

Takeo became known for strawberries, challenging due to growing conditions on Bainbridge Island. The fertile Skagit Valley near Burlington was recommended as ideal for strawberries. Atsusa Sakuma moved to Burlington in 1935. Atsusa was the oldest Nisei, first born in the U.S., and first to grow berries in Skagit Valley. One by one, Atsusa’s brothers moved to Skagit after high school to help with harvesting.

In 1941 the brothers farming in Burlington supported the family remaining on Bainbridge Island. Then Pearl Harbor was attacked in December. The Sakuma family was imprisoned at Manzanar in March. In June the brothers from Burlington were ordered to Tule Lake (northern California), five hundred miles from the rest of the family.

While family was treated as the enemy, three of eight Sakuma boys joined the famed 442 nd Infantry Regiment. Three other sons served with the MIS.

After the war, the Sakuma family returned to Bainbridge, but their property was lost, so they moved to Burlington. During the war, their farm was maintained by the Oscar Mapes family—a never forgotten act of kindness.

With success, the brothers went into the certified plant business in 1948. They provided the start for strawberry farmers throughout the West Coast. Two brothers in Redding, northern California, ran the growing Norcal Nursery around 1970. Norcal acreage covered Oregon and California.

The Sansei generation started management from 1997 until 2000 when the last Nisei retired. Bryan, Glenn, and Richard managed Washington operations; Ron and John managed California operations.

The Sakumas entered fruit processing in 1990, and Sakuma Brothers Processing, Inc. began in 1997. Since 1997, plant propagation, research, commercial operations and sales, berry and fruit farming, harvesting and beginning a fruit stand. Sakuma berries sell throughout the U.S. and worldwide.

2004 brought the first female board member and first Yonsei to the business. The tradition of excellence continues today. The new generation is committed as the first to their corporate vision: “Honoring our past, growing our future.”

Sakumas picking strawberries on Bainbridge Island

Walking to train going to Manzanar- courtesy of Densho Digital Repository

Working at Tule Lake internment camp

Sakuma Market sign

Steve Sakuma farm leader

Board of directors and family members

Nawa Farm

Mon, 20 May 1985 09:40:28 GMT

In September 1903 at the age of 23 years, Juichi Nawa, the eldest son of nine siblings, left Gifu, Japan for America, arriving in San Francisco he worked for several years and by 1911 saved enough money to purchase ten acres of farmland in Norwalk, California.

At the age of 19, Sakaye Okawa, one of eight siblings left Wakayama, Japan for America to marry Juichi in a marriage arranged by family and friends.

On the Norwalk property they grew oranges, vegetables and raised chickens for eggs. They had four children, Jimmy, Mary, Stella and Jiro. Juichi and Sakaye were active in starting the Norwalk Gakuen, now the Southeast Japanese School Community Center in Norwalk.

Life changed suddenly in April 1942 when the U.S. Department of Justice identified Juichi as a dangerous enemy alien and was detained at the Tuna Canyon Detention Center, Tujunga, California. In May 1942, unknown to his family he was transferred to the DOJ Internment Camp in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In August Juichi was reunited with his family at the Santa Anita Assembly Center and in September the Nawa family was transported to the Rohwer Relocation Center in Arkansas.

Fortunately after the war ended the Nawa family was able to return to the Norwalk property. Starting over, they farmed and egg production became the primary family business again. Eventually, egg production gave way to a successful wholesale nursery business that lasted for many years. In 1977 the land was sold and within the residential area built on the property a street was named Nawa Lane.

1928

Orange Orchard 1939

1939

Chicken Farm 1939

Chicken Feeder 1955

Family Portrait 1925

Chicken Farm 1958

Nakagawa Family Farm

Mon, 20 May 1985 06:10:11 GMT

Our Jichan Hisataro Nakagawa immigrated from Nukushina, Hiroshima, Japan to Olaa, ( Big Island, Hawaii ), when he was fourteen years old. He worked at the Kaiwiki Sugar Cane Company and in 1886, moved to the mainland of Bowles, CA. He obtained twenty acres of wine grapes. Hisataro, his wife Sasayo, sons Johnny and Dyna would run the farm from the turn of the century to the 1960’s.

During WWII, The Nakagawa family entrusted their farm to neighbors and friends Jeppe and Alma Raven during their 'incarceration' at Jerome, Arkansas. After the war the Ravens picked up the Nakagawa’s from the train station and brought them back to their home and farm. Jeppe Raven gave our Jichan ( Grandfather ), Hisataro a cigar box. Inside was filled with the cash profits the farm made for four years! Not only did the Raven work the farm, they gave them back the profits too!

Baseball has been in the Nakagawa family for five generations and Uncle Johnny was the Shohei Ohtani of the 1920's and 1930's. We feel very blessed to come from 'Earth People,' Baseball Ambassadors and great family cooks. Aloha and Mahalo Nui Loa from the Nakagawa family!

Jichan Hisataro Nakagawa in buggy with toddlers Johnny and Dyna.
Cousins behind him on disk being pulled by a horse.

Lt. to Rt. Johnny, Dyna, Sasayo and Hisataro Nakagawa

Toyo Nakagawa funeral at Fresno Betsuin Buddhist Church in 1909.

John Nakagawa, Lou Gehrig and Nisei teammates beat Babe Ruth All-Stars 13-3.

Jeppe and Alma Raven. Took great care of the Nakagawa farm during WWII.

Jack and Kerry Yo Nakagawa. Jack's father and Kerry's Grandfather
both worked the wine grapes on the family farm.

Rose, Dyna and Janie Nakagawa at Block 41-40-A at Jerome Arkansas.

D.O.R. 2024 Fresno. Jeri and Kerry Yo, Janie Nakagawa Yuen and Cheryl Raven.

Top photo: Jeri, Kerry, Aash, Jenna and Jyot Gill.
Bottom photo: Kale, Jer, William, Katie, Osie and Kerry Yo Nakagawa

Hoshino Farm

Fri, 20 May 1983 10:09:09 GMT

Like so many new arrivals of Japanese immigrants to the West Coast of the United States in the early 1900’s, Tomejiro and Kino Hoshino were no exception. Japan had sapped most its wealth financing the Sino-Russian war of 1904-1905. The rural and farming community suffered the most. Therefore, the Japanese government encouraged “kuchi herashi” (reducing mouths) and assisted these folks to immigrate to North America, South America and Hawaii for better opportunities.

Tomejiro Hoshino, born 5/15/1887 in Sobue-cho, Aichi-Ken, left home and arrived with his older brother and his older brother’s friend in Mexico on 11/17/1906. When they came upon the Rio Grande River, the older two built a raft, enabling Tomejiro to cross into the United States as he could not swim. After struggling along the West Coast, Tomejiro found a job as a farmer in Elk Grove, California, and settled there. On 3/29/1915, he was able to send for his fiancee Kino Hattori to join him. The following year his first child Sakiko was born on 6/6/1916.

In 1926, Tomejiro and Kino were able to purchase 20 acres located at Route 2, Box 2408, Elk Grove, Sacramento County, California, for $12,800 under their first-born daughter’s name (American citizen). This property consisted of a house, a warehouse, 8 acres of fruit trees, 2 acres of grapes and 10 acres of working fields. In 1939, registered owner of the land was transferred to their eldest son Jack Hoshino. That same year Jack entered the U.S. Army, and his sister Michi was given power of attorney.

When war broke out in 1941, the entire family was sent to the concentration camp at Manzanar. The Hoshino property was left in the care of a neighboring farmer, but the annual property tax of $300 accumulated to $1,200 in 3 years. Unable to pay the tax, in 1943, the family had to let go of the farm for $4,100, one third of what they paid 17 years earlier in 1926. In 1951 upon his release from the Army, Jack sought compensation under a newly created law and received $2,500, a mere moral bandaid.

Seven of Tomejiro and Kino’s children settled in Southern California with Jack being the exception, who elected to remain in Sturgis, South Dakota, where his army career ended. They all fondly remember the farming days. Though the work was hard and the world was cold and left bitter memories, the experience and discipline learned on the farm became a good foundation upon which to build their own families. None in the Hoshino family went into the agriculture field after the war.

Elk Grove, where the Hoshino farm was located, has now become partially residential. That 20 acres purchased in 1926 for $12,800 is now valued around a million dollars. Yes, the prejudiced, unjust and uninformed did not help the Hoshinos during the Tomejiro-Kino era. All the descendants of the family feel very grateful for the sacrifices made by them and for the lives we enjoy today. Let us always remember! Now, it is our time to lend a helping hand to others toward creating a more just world.

Hoshino Family: Tomejiro and Ki no Hoshino, Alyce Sakiko Hoshino, Rose Michi Hoshino, Jack Takeshi Hoshino,
Mary Sadako Hoshino, Emi Hoshino, June Nobuko Hoshino, Ben Hoshino

Farms of Ichitaro and son Kaneo Makishima

Fri, 20 May 1983 09:55:16 GMT

Ichitaro Makishima sailed from Iwakuni, Yamaguchi-ken, Japan in 1896 at age 17 to work on a sugar cane plantation. But when he witnessed whippings, he ran away. Sixteen years later he was settled in Sacramento, California, and his mother sent him a bride. Twenty-year-old Yoneyo Makishima arrived in 1913. Ichitaro started a general store, and the family lived in a boarding house in town, but Yoneyo contracted tuberculosis so doctors told Ichitaro to move to the country. That is when they started farming, about 1925.

They grew strawberries, tomatoes and lettuce on 18 acres of leased land in the Florin area of Sacramento. The farm included a house and a dormitory for a seasonal crew of as many as 15 men. Yoneyo did all the cooking for her large family and the crew, and all nine children worked in the fields.

When the family was evacuated in May 1942, they locked their belongings in the chicken coop. They were at Tule Lake until 1945. After camp the current tenants refused to return their belongings. Most of the family then worked as sharecroppers in Woodland. Everyone pooled their money to buy 12 acres of farmland in Rio Linda, CA, but they were not able to live as a family again. Eldest son Kaneo ran the farm and mostly grew strawberries. Ichitaro left the farm in 1955, and Kaneo sold the farm in about 1973.

Makishima family in 1929 in Sacramento

1930's during The Depression

Prewar with 2 sons, about 1940

Prewar youngest son in front of house, 1940

Postwar farm in Rio Linda, about 1949

Mochitsuki on Rio Linda farm, about 1967

Uyeda and Kudo Farms

Thu, 20 May 1982 10:21:50 GMT

Story as told by Elayne Shiohama and extended family:

In 1917, Sanzo Uyeda sailed from Chikushino, Fukuoka-ken, Japan to San Francisco seeking a better future for him and his wife, Wasa, née Kawaguchi. He found work on a Caucasian family’s farm in Cutler, California.

Wasa and Sanzo had two girls and two boys, starting with Mitsue, my dad Nobuo (later named Jimmie by a neighbor who couldn’t pronounce Nobuo), born June 17, 1921, then Kimiye, and lastly, Joe. As a youngster, my dad accompanied his father in many trades, including truck farming and running a pool hall in Lindsay. They farmed the area until WWII, 1941. Sanzo was torn away from the family when the FBI sent him to a prison camp in Santa Fe, New Mexico due to his membership in a kendo club. The daughters, married with families of their own, were interned, but Dad took his mother and little brother to Brigham, Utah. He worked on a sugar beet farm, in a cannery, cut the leather jackets for the US Bomber pilots, and also learned the building trade. Auntie Kimiye married a flower rancher and resided in San Diego County.

Upon release of the internees, the Uyedas returned to California in 1946. Although faced with discrimination, Dad and Grandpa eventually found work in the building trade. Dad married my mom in 1947. She grew up on a tomato farm in Pomona.

When Sanzo retired, he and Wasa moved to Lucerne Valley where his sons built a home. Two hours away from family, the ever busy Sanzo, built a koi pond and Japanese garden and grew Asian pears (nashi), for the Los Angeles markets for 15 years. He built a small “reservoir” but told the grandkids it was their swimming pool. He added a packing shed, refrigeration and taught Wasa, who never learned to drive a car, to drive the tractor. Stricken with cancer, Sanzo returned with Wasa to LA, where he passed away in 1976. Wasa remained in LA until her death circa 1986.

Jimmie and Joe circa 1928

Wasa and Sanzo Uyeda circa 1965

Kimiye and George Kudo, Kudo Flower Ranch in Vista, CA

Annual mochitsuki in Vista

Grandpaʻs nashi orchard, Apple Valley/ Victorville circa 1971

Apple Pear - Nashi label

Kudoʻs flower ranch

Uyeda clan circa 1978

Kiyo "Kay" Ueda Hiatt Farms

Wed, 18 Jun 1980 21:47:44 GMT

Kiyo (Kay) Ueda Hiatt (1926-2020) was a pioneer in the Florida Citrus Industry. She was one of the first women executives in the fresh produce business and wielded tremendous influence during her career. As one of the top sales agents of Florida citrus, she played a leading role in the tremendous growth of exports to Japan in the 1970’s to the 1990’s.

Kay was a first-generation Japanese American citizen born in Fife, Washington. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Kay’s family was forced into an internment camp along with tens of thousands of other Japanese Americans. But she rose above the injustice and indignity of the long three years there to persevere and achieve success in the business world.

Against great odds, she was accepted to Bucknell University soon after being released from the internment camp. After marrying Roy Hiatt, they moved to Florida where she began working at a citrus packinghouse grading fruit. Because of her insatiable appetite for learning, she queried employees in other departments at the packinghouse and gained a deep understanding about the overall operation. Soon, her curiosity paid off and she was asked to run the shipping office. That experience led to an offer to join the sales desk. In a few short years, she was promoted to sales manager.

Kay was known for her keen intellect and love of language. She was a voracious reader and a talented writer. Kay was an iron-willed woman full of strength and stamina tempered by patience and self-sacrifice.

Kiyo Ueda - circa 1942

Working in the FL citrus industry, circa 1973

Flag folding ceremony for Roy C. Hiatt, circa 2018

S. Ueda Trucking business, WA, circa 1920

Sadaichi Ueda (driver's seat), Sadako Ueda held by Tomeno Ueda, Tom T. Ueda,
Ruth Haruko Ueda, Shigeachi Ueda

Ueda family, Fife, WA, Circa 1930 (L to R, back row) Ruth Haruko Ueda, Sadaichi Ueda, Tom T. Ueda, Shigeachi Ueda (L to R, front row) Sadie Sadako Ueda, Kiyo Ueda, Tomeno Ueda holding Herbert Tomatsu Ueda,
June Ueda

Cynthia Benedetto, daughter and Contributing Editor Produce Buzz

Higashi Farm

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Sun, 20 May 1979 10:50:59 GMT

“Mr. Higashi was a farmer. He saw the wide prairies filled with waving grasses dotted with wildflowers. He decided it was the perfect place for a harvest of happiness.”

So begins the story of the Higashi Family Farm in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Shiichi “Sam” Higashi immigrated from Hiroshima, Japan, to western South Dakota with his brother, Sanichi “Tom” Higashi, around 1916. They discovered the area after working during the sugar beet harvest. Sam returned to Japan to marry Kiwano, and after a short partnership with Tom and his family in Belle Fourche, SD, Sam and Kiwano moved to rented land in Spearfish, SD. Their children Clarence, Kenny, Mae, Jean, and Lily helped with planting and harvesting, providing the surrounding community with produce. Kiwano was widely known for her ability to raise strong, healthy greenhouse seedlings in the spring despite the frigid northern climate.

Unfortunately, Sam passed away in 1940, but Kiwano and the children kept the truck farm going, raising sugar beets, cabbages, potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, and other vegetables. During WWII, Kenny enlisted in the military so that the family would be permitted to remain on the farm rather than face internment. From 1942-1946, he served in the 100th/442nd RCT, the only American of Japanese Ancestry from South Dakota in that unit.

Clarence and Kenny eventually purchased the property, allowing Kiwano to remain in the family home until her death in 1978. Though the acreage is smaller, family members still reside there today. In total, the Higashi Farm operated for over 50 years.

(Quotes and illustrations used with permission from the children’s book, “A Place for Harvest: The Story of Kenny Higashi”, by Lauren R. Harris, illustrated by Felicia Hoshino, copyright South Dakota Historical Society Press, 2022. www.SDHSPress.com)

A Place for Harvest book cover

A Place for Harvest farm scene

Jean Moon, née Higashi 1983

Kiwano and Shiichi Higashi circa 1918

The cabbage field

Clarence Higashi with his sister

Aoki Farms

Mon, 21 Feb 1977 07:11:08 GMT

In 1921, Kamenosuke Aoki along with other farmers went to Hellman’s Ranch to grow chili peppers for a chili pepper company who owned the land. The farmers lived on the land and were called “Hellmanites” because of how they lived and worked the land. The farmers would have to transport their crops from the farm to the chili pepper kilns dry houses in Huntington Beach to dry. Kamenosuke set up one of his ware- houses for the farmers to practice Judo and Kendo. Kamenosuke called this the “Aoki Kendo Hall”. In 1934 most of the farmers had left Hellman Ranch. Aoki was the last to leave but continued farming in the same area.

Aoki was tired of growing chili peppers, so he decided to try farming in Oceanside CA. Kamenosuke and his son Iwao, decided to grow strawberries as their main crop. Growing strawberries flourished and was becoming successful until the war broke out.

Aoki was taken to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona until the war ended. Aoki had entrusted all his land and equipment to a company that would take control while he was gone. The company misappropriated all his assets and equipment, and Aoki lost everything.

After the war, Aoki returned to the Talbert area in Fountain Valley CA. where he farmed near Newhope and Warner Ave. His main crops were cauliflower, tomatoes, chili peppers and cabbage. He also farmed the property he owned and lived at on Beach Blvd and Ellis Ave in Huntington Beach until 1964.

Aoki Family Portrait: Iwao, Shiro, Chieko, Hitoshi, Yaeko, Kamenosuke, Iku

Hellman ranch farmers led by Kamenosuke who were called "Hellmanites"

Iwao Aoki grading his farm for strawberries in Oceanside, CA

Aoki's Chili pepper trucks at Chili dry houses in front of "Kendo Hall"

Peppers transported to Huntington Beach Chili kilns warehouses

Kamenosuke and Iwao cultivating the ground at Hellman's ranch

Iwao harvesting cauliflower on his farm in Fountain Valley, CA

Inspection of the first experimental use of liquid fertilizer in drip irrigation system

Abe-El Produce

Mon, 20 May 1974 02:59:04 GMT

In 1904, Kenji Abe, an ambitious 18-year-old from Kobe, Japan, embarked on a bold adventure to the United States enticed by the American Dream. His journey led him through the fertile landscapes, where he not only embraced the intricacies of farming but also found solace in Christianity after surviving a near death bout with pneumonia.

Five years later, Kenji returned to Japan, married Shigeko Yasuda and immersed himself in the family rice brokering business. However, the allure of California's agricultural opportunities compelled him to return to the United States. Shigeko joined him a year later but without their first born child, Fumiko. Kenji’s parents kept the baby in Japan hoping she would be insurance for their return.

In the midst of the Great Depression, the 1930s were a hard time for Kenji and Shigeko. They now had six American born children, Mary, Lily, Alice, Mollie, Franklin and Herbert, to raise. The family was blessed to be able to lease a small three room home with dirt floors. With no water or electricity, they cooked on a fire outside and used kerosene lamps to read at night. Kenji was able to work other farms and lease a few acres. He grew watermelons and tried sweet potatoes from plants given to him by a friend, Mr. Kishi. The depression made life tough for everyone, but with hard work, thrift, perseverance and a vision, the Abe family was able to save enough money to purchase a farm of their own. Consequently, discriminatory citizen requirements and the Alien Land Law, prevented them from becoming citizens and purchasing more property. As a result, they continued to save money and in 1939, when their daughter Mary turned 21 and was able to purchase land as a citizen, they purchased the 40 acre farmstead in Orosi, which is where Abe-EL Produce is still located today.

The 40 acres was originally a grape vineyard, which in that day could have provided a decent living for most families. However, Kenji knew the land had more potential so he pulled out the older vines and replanted a couple acres with short crops like vegetables, tomatoes and melons. They also raised a few cows, chickens, pigs and rabbits. Since Kenji was still employed on other farms, Shigeko and their six children worked the farm before and after school and on weekends. They made friends with their neighbors, the Reimers and Silvas.

Life for the Abes and other Japanese families changed dramatically on December 7, 1941, when they became the targets of severe prejudice and discrimination. They were all sent to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona. Before the family was relocated to Poston, Kenji asked a lawyer to draw up a formal legal agreement to lease their land to their neighbor, Tony Silva. Tony was an honest man and took good care of their property. However, when they returned from Poston they found that their home was leased to another family. They were forced to honor the lease and went to live elsewhere for six months. Being back home was not what they expected, life was filled with racial discrimination and resentment by the community.

Despite the challenges, the Abes continued in farming and in the 1950s, Frank and Herb started packing their produce under the partnership name of Abe and Abe. Unfortunately, the Abe brothers found it difficult to find a market for their agricultural products. With the help of their friend Adrian Marquez as an interpreter, Frank moved to Mexico to grow tomatoes for a two year agricultural adventure. Upon returning to California, the agricultural economy was booming and with their hard work, Frank and Herb began to reap the fruits of their labor.

In the 1960s, brothers Frank and Herb formed Abe-EL Produce. Along with Frank’s wife, Taye, and partner Clifford Rolland, they expanded the business as growers, packers and shippers. Frank inherited Kenji’s entrepreneurial vision and diversified the farming business to grow grapes, peaches, nectarines, tomatoes, melons, citrus, a variety of vegetables and even pistachios. All year round, there was always something to harvest. Frank’s mind was always thinking about how to increase production, trying other varieties, or another business venture. In the 1980s they expanded their business to the retail market and opened up Abe-El Ranch Market in Visalia. Through the years, Frank and Herb’s children, the Sansei generation, spent many hot summers working on the farm or in the packing house. In the 1990s, Herb’s son Duane Abe, Frank’s daughter, Kelly Abe-Hayashi and Frank’s son-in-law, Peter Mesias, joined the business and Abe-EL Wholesale became another facet of the company. Abe-El Wholesale provides fresh produce to local schools, government agencies and restaurants. At that time, it was common to see the Yonsei generation of Abes making boxes, palletizing, packing fruit, delivering produce or sitting at a farmer’s market or fruit stand selling farm fresh produce.

Despite many challenges over the years, the Abe family has thrived, The Abe-El label has continued to transform to the needs of its customers. In 2016, the family introduced its Valu-ABE-EL produce boxes and began offering fresh produce directly to consumers at a reasonable price. The delivery of Valu boxes filled with fresh produce directly to the doorsteps of its customers during the COVID 19 pandemic was a blessing to many. This innovation brought them closer to the community and bolstered their reputation as a reliable source of quality produce. In 2021, Abe-El was the honored recipient of a Family Owned Business Award by the Business Journal and as Business of the Year by the Cutler-Orosi Lions Club.

Though Kenji, Shigeko, and their children have all passed, the Abe family legacy lives on through its descendants who continue the family business with hard work, faith, and vision. Today, Abe-El is in operation under the capable hands of Kelly Abe-Hayashi. Taye, at 88 years old, still contributes her time and moral support by going to work daily. The Abe family legacy embodies resilience, gratitude and determination in the face of adversity, symbolizing the enduring spirit of the original American Dream.

Abe-El Produce - Orosi, CA can be found on Facebook and Instagram and Valu-ABE-EL produce orders can be placed through their ABE-EL.com website.

Abe-El label

Kenji & Shigeko with children Mary, Lily, Alice, Mollie & Franklin (before birth of Herbert)

Mollie (Abe) Osato on tractor working with her father, Kenji

Family portrait taken two weeks prior to being relocated to Poston, AZ

Yoshiko Horikiri (source unknown)

Frank and Herb in vegetable field

Frank showing brother in law, Muto Shinoda, plants growing in hot house

The Sansei Generation - Peter Mesias, Kelly Abe-Hayashi and Duane Abe

Frank checking vegetable plants with grandsons Andrew Mesias and Trenton Hayashi

The Abe Girls - Eileen Abe-Mesias, Taye Abe, Kelly Abe-Hayashi, Lori Abe-Morita

Kayano Farms Inc.

Sat, 21 Feb 1970 08:42:13 GMT

In the late 1950’s a small farm was started in the Westminster area of Orange County, CA. It was a farm consisting of three families. it was made up of the Nakatani family, Hashiba family and the Kayano family. It was known at the time as NHK Farms. As the families grew and got older they eventually split into three separate farms, Nakatani Farms, Hashiba Farms and around 1970 Kayano Farms was started by Hajime and Noriko Kayano.

Hajime’s family came from Okayama, Japan while Noriko Nakatani’s family were from Hiroshima, Japan. Coming to the United States by way of Seattle they eventually settled in Downey, CA. WWII came and they were interned in Rowher, Arkansas.

Kayano Farms was based in Westminster, CA but had plots of land that they worked in Garden Grove, Stanton, and Riverside. Growing primarily leaf lettuce the operation eventually downsized and opened a roadside stand at the Westminster location. The farm and roadside stand stood until 2011 before it was permanently shutdown .

Hajime and Noriko Kayano

Hajime and Noriko at their Westminster vegetable stand

Kayano Farms Riverside, CA location

Noriko patiently waiting for customers

Hajime cutting furrows

Noriko with her dog Candy

Terry, Alan, Noriko, Hajime, Cookie and Tommy

Hajime and Noriko in their strawberry patch

T. Ohara Farm

Sat, 11 May 1968 02:51:13 GMT

Toyoaki Ohara was born in Japan on December 7, 1903. He came to America at the age of 16 and worked as a gardener for Fox Studios. When he saved enough money, he married Teruko Kuboyama in 1934. In the 1930s they started to grow flowers in Inglewood, CA. When WWII started they were put in a concentration camp in Rohwer, AK. When the war was over, they returned to California and had to start over. They started growing flowers in Harbor City, CA on leased land. Here they grew stock, aster, and lochspur.

Toyoaki and Teruko Ohara had six children – Sachiko (Susie), Toshiaki (Tom), Yoko, Teruaki (Ted), Etsuko (Patsy), and Masaki (Roy). In 1950 the family bought some land in Orange County and started to grow chrysanthemums under cheesecloth, and later in plastic greenhouses.

In 1968 brothers, Tom and Ted, bought the flower business from their dad and leased his property while they looked for their own land. In 1979 Tom and Ted bought 10 acres of land in Anaheim, CA. Here they built 250,000 sq ft of steel greenhouses and a few saran ones and grew chrysanthemums, china, pom poms, and spiders all year round. They had a side crop of stephanotises, myrtle, and ivy.

Even though Tom and Ted owned the business, it was still very much a family affair. Grandma, Susie, and Barbara (Ted’s wife) worked on the farm. Grandpa and Grandma lived in a house on the property (Tom lived in a separate house on the other end). Ted took the flowers to the Southern California Flower Market three times a week. They farmed on this land until 2004 when they sold their property under imminent domain to the Orange County Water District and were forced into early retirement.

Toyoaki and Teruko on the farm in Harbor City, CA after the war with their six children

Aerial picture of the greenhouses in Anaheim, CA

Chrysanthemums growing in the green houses

Susie, Teruko, Tom, Barbara, and Ted harvesting the crop

Fukuda Dairy Farm

Fri, 20 May 1966 06:42:51 GMT

Matasuke Fukuda was born in 1875 in Hakushima, Hiroshima, Japan. His Father Senjiro Fukuda was a ’Sea Lord’ Naval Commander for Lord Asano. Matasuke married Toki Nakamura and moved to Auburn, Washington to begin his life as a Dairy farmer in 1914. They had eighty cows on one hundred and eighty acres of land, corn crops, smokehouse for fish and a home for their eleven kids.

The kids and family worked hard everyday milking and feeding the cows. Most of the sisters did not enjoy making cheese, milking cows early in the morning but they all enjoyed ice creme. In 1929 some racist neighbors cut their fertilizer and it killed the corn. The cows had no food so Matasuke was forced to give up the dairy farm, pack up all the kids, cars and migrated to California. Some of the kids settled in San Francisco, Fresno and Los Angeles. In 1933 Matasuke returned to Japan and built twenty-eight homes for families with children. While in Japan he experienced the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. He survived the blast as his house collapsed but left a small air pocket for him to survive. His love for family and compassion for people will be his lasting legacy.

Panoramic photo of the 1926 Fukuda Farm with family, equipment and cows.

Jimmy, Sam, Louie and Lester on the family milk truck

Fukuda family with their prized cows and farm.

After leaving Washington in 1929, Fukuda family in San Francisco.

Lt. to Rt. Fukuda family: Sam, Frank, George, Louie, Lester, Mary, Alyce, Rosie, Mae.
(Florence and Jimmy died at the family Dairy).

100 Year Reunion of the Neeley Mansion for the Fukuda family. Lester, Rosie, Sam, Alyce and Mae.
In 1991, Sam Fukuda became the oldest American to climb Mt. Fuji at 94!

100 Year reunion at Neeley Manison with Fukuda kids and cousins.

Matasuke Father Senjiro Fukuda. Senjiro was a Naval Commander for Lord Asano in Hiroshima.
He was a Samurai 'Sea Lord' protecting the waterways around Hiroshima.

Takahashi Farms

Wed, 22 Apr 1964 10:34:09 GMT

Henry Takahashi graduated from Garden Grove High School and began strawberry farming in Garden Grove in 1964. A son of a farming family who grew various vegetables in Cypress, he concurred with other farmers that the most profitable crop to grow in Garden Grove, because the soil and temperature were both right, was strawberries. Not having any background in strawberries, Henry turned to Paul Murata for guidance, and within a year, Henry was a successful strawberry farmer. Henry says farming has changed through the years. As a farmer, he was not just a grower, but also a mechanic, carpenter, truck driver, horticulturist, pesticide specialist, welder, truck driver, human resource manager, accountant, and more. Henry Takahashi retired from farming in 1972 and now resides in Fullerton. The family has many stories to tell, such as actor James Colburn's mother lived over the fence & regularly bought strawberries to give to her son. Their farming days were full of many wonderful memories.

Yasuko Nose and May Takahashi in 1954

Mr. Takahashi with Mr. Aihara - strawberry farming created lifelong friendships

Mitsuuchi Farms

Mon, 22 Apr 1963 04:35:03 GMT

Strawberry farming meant a steady income for Roy and Nancy Mitsuuchi, who began farming strawberries in Santa Ana in 1963. The Mitsuuchi found that the sandy soil was ideal for strawberry farming and eventually all their farming was switched to strawberry growing. Prior to strawberries, the Mitsuuchis farmed beans, celery, cauliflower, and tomatoes. The strawberries the Mitsuuchi harvested by the efforts of family and migrant workers were sold at their stand, to various restaurants and to the co-ops.

Roy and Nancy Mitsuuchi working the strawberry stand

Mitsuuchi end of the year disking plants

Sakamoto Farms

Sat, 22 Apr 1961 10:19:46 GMT

Haruki and Shizu Sakamoto began strawberry farming in Garden Grove in 1961, while continuing to work on the Fountain Valley farm of their relatives Paul and Hatsuye Nagamatsu. The Sakamoto farm in Garden Grove was small and was handled by the family and a couple of migrant workers. For over 30 years, Teruko Shimoda drove from Los Angeles every weekend to help the family stand (see photo below). In 1977, Haruki moved to Yorba Linda and continued farming until 1995.

Sakamoto vegetable stand in Yorba Linda, California

Haruki Sakamoto showing a box of strawberries

Sakamoto farm in Garden Grove before moving the farm to Yorba Linda

Kotake Farms

Fri, 22 Apr 1960 04:28:02 GMT

After World War II, Masajiro Kotake returned to strawberry farming in Norwalk. Over the years, Masajiro began accumulating land and expanded the strawberry farm. The height of the Kotake strawberry farming came in the early 1980s with their farms in Orange, Los Angeles, and Ventura. In 1960 the Kotake brothers joined Naturipe Berry Growers Association as charter members. Strawberries were a good source of cash income and held high retail prices at the stands. Strawberry farming provided a comfortable life for the family but farming required everyone to pitch in and help from preparing boxes with baskets to picking strawberries. Strawberries were a good “mix” as it was a “winter” month crop between the tomatoes and other crops.

William and Yasuko Kotake with Tomio Ito at the Naturipe Booth, 1995

William and Yasuko Kotake in the Strawberry Fields

Matsumoto Farm and Nursery

Fri, 08 May 1959 11:16:30 GMT

Nobu and Masako Matsumoto came to the U.S. in February, 1922. He was 18 years old and she was 17; both from Tottori, Japan. They were farmers in Fountain Valley and Garden Grove, California. During WWII, the Matsumoto family was incarcerated in the Santa Anita Assembly Center and the Poston Camp in Arizona. From 1922 to 1932 they had five sons; Key, Tak, Terry, Hiroshi, and Fred or “Freddy;” during the Korean War he served in the U.S. Army, 3rd Infantry Division, from 1952-54; he became squad leader of a mortar platoon and returned as a decorated sergeant.

Soon after, brothers Fred, Terry and Hiroshi began farming in Niland, California, near the Salton Sea. In 1959 they built a packing facility, North Shore Produce, Inc., with specialized equipment for handling cherry tomatoes. Fred, a talented inventor, developed and improved machinery to chill, wash, color-sort, dry, wax, and convey the fruit in baskets. A grower’s son who worked with the brothers recalled one of Fred’s inventions: “a planter with seed hoppers capable of planting four rows of tomato seeds from the back of a tractor plow attachment! ….Another ingenious idea was to use airplane propellers to blow away the frosty winter morning temperatures in the desert, thus helping the tomato plants survive the frigid cold.” The three brothers helped popularize the cherry tomato through growing and shipping their “Mr. Tomato” brand, until bad weather and a voracious pest ended their operations in 1965.

Fred returned to work with his parents and brothers Key and Hiroshi, running the Exotica plant nursery in Fountain Valley. Fred continued to create and refine machinery and devise equipment to remove large trees from the ground for transplanting. He became adept at the trimming technique need for cultivating black pines and Hollywood junipers, trees for which he was best known. He helped specialize in niwaki (garden trees). After his parents passed, the nursery became Fred’s. The family continued to gather there and enjoy his delicious persimmons, avocados, and sweet grapefruit. The nursery ran from the mid-60s until recently.

Condensed from Rafu Shimpo Newspaper and Eileen Aiko Matsumoto

1920s Nobu and Masako Matsumoto

1930s Fred, Hiroshi, Terry, Tak and Key

1953 Masako and Nobu in Fountain Valley

1987 Matsumoto family

2000 Thanksgiving get-together

Brothers produced and shipped Mr. Tomato

Fountain Valley home with black pines

Hiroshi and Fred with machine he developed

Oda Nursery

Sat, 31 May 1958 07:59:52 GMT

Oda Nursery started in Westminster, California by Issei Harunori (Harry) Oda and his Nisei wife Mitsuko (Mitsy) in 1958. Their first crop was field grown pansies on 2.5 acres of land at Bolsa Avenue and Bushard Street. Soon they added a flower stand, grew Junipers in containers and added more varieties of landscape plants to meet the demand of the Orange County home construction boom. The wholesale nursery concentrated on growing shrubs, trees, vines and groundcover for retail nurseries, landscapers and Kmarts.

The motto “Watch Us Grow” reflected the business. Harry Oda was a good planner and bought more land adjacent to his original site. He also sought out growing grounds and in 1962 was one of the first to lease land from Southern California Edison. By the late 1960’s there were 7 growing grounds in Anaheim and Huntington Beach under the power lines and 17 acres at the original Westminster location. After the nursery maxed out of space, Harry looked to lease 250 acres from Rancho Mission Viejo in San Juan Capistrano. In 1978 the entire operation consolidated down south along with all the homebuilders. The 1970’s and 1980’s were robust years and the demand for plants increased across the country. The mild weather allowed Oda Nursery to grow a broad assortment of plants for different regions of the country and sales to chain and warehouse stores kept Oda Nursery’s shipping docks full and busy.

After a heart attack in 1979, Harry passed the nursery to his son, Ken who had been working there most of his life. This transfer gladdened Harry since he felt his broken English hindered his ability to do business. Harry continued to pursue his real estate, horse racing and golf interests until he passed away in 2016 at the age of 91. Ken continued running the business until 1997 when Oda Nursery was sold to Color Spot Industries from San Diego. Oda Nursery employed 125 full time workers, produced 2,000 product combinations, shipped nationwide, had 20 acres of shade houses, 100,000 square feet of greenhouses on over 200 acres of land. Much of Oda Nursery’s success is attributed to the amazing timing Harry and Mitsy experienced during the entire 40 year span, having employees and customers who supported the business, and hard work to pursue their dreams.

Harunori (Harry) & Mitsuko (Mitsy) Oda

Oda Nursery on Bolsa Avenue in Westminster

Harry and Ken Oda

Harry Oda in San Juan Capistrano

Jack Gushiken

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Tue, 18 Jun 1957 22:32:06 GMT

Growing up on a sugar plantation shaped the life of Jack Gushiken. He was born in 1939 in Kilauea, Hawaii. Like his nisei parents Tokumatsu and Kikue Gushiken, Jack started working for the Kilauea Sugar Company (a C. Brewer subsidiary) in 1957 and became an irrigation specialist. That same year, he married Sharon Kawasaki and they had three children Lynne, Clyne, and Lee. After Kilauea Sugar closed in 1971, Jack worked for the Olokele Sugar Company in Kaumakani.

Later in the 1970’s, Jack received two international assignments from C. Brewer. His first assignment was to Al Amarah, Iraq, and second assignment was to Shush, Iran. While abroad, he oversaw the irrigation systems and training of local villagers to cultivate sugar cane, sugar beets, alfalfa, wheat, and cotton.

In 1978, Jack returned home to work for Kilauea Agronomics, another C. Brewer subsidiary. Initially, Jack oversaw the development of an aquaculture operation which raised freshwater prawns for local restaurants. When Kilauea Agronomics switched to guava production, Jack helped design and cultivate a 500-acre orchard known as Guava Kai which produced guavas year-round and provided purée to companies such as Ocean Spray, Tree Top, Minute Maid, and Motts. Guava Kai even had an on-site gift store featuring guava products and merchandise. In his free time, Jack also experimented with grafting, and after hundreds of seedlings he patented a new variety of guava, the Gushiken Sweet (HPSI 26).

After C. Brewer closed in 2006, Jack became an advisor to the Wai Koa Plantation, which featured greenhouses with hydroponics technology, and Common Ground, which demonstrates regenerative farming practices.

Even after his retirement in 2021, Jack continued to advocate for Hawaiian agriculture. He strongly believed in buying from local farmers so residents could benefit from the freshness and nutritional value of locally grown produce.

Kikue and Tokumatsu Gushiken with sons Jack, Alan, Ralph and Spencer

Sharon and Jack Gushiken with their children Lee, Lynne and Clyne

Jack Gushiken, retirement 2021

Commemorative plaque at Stone Dam, Kilauea, Hawaii

Jack and Sharon with Guava Family

Jack cruising with his dog Bella through the fields

Doc Buyers, CEO of C. Brewer with Jack

George and Michiko Kakuda

Mon, 22 Apr 1957 23:39:17 GMT

George Kakuda was born in Garden Grove, Ca. in 1910 and Michiko Nishikawa Kakuda was born in Harbor City, CA in 1918. They were married at the Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles, Ca. in 1938. They were children of successful 1st generation Japanese farmers. Before WWII George managed a chili dryer cooperative in Talbert (Huntington Beach, CA).

At the start of WWII the family was interned while living in Talbert with the other Japanese families in the area. Bused from Huntington Beach to the Colorado River Relocation Center in Poston. April 15, 1942 George, Michiko, Roy and Nancy arrive at Block 38, Camp 1, Poston with many Talbert families. The family with the addition of Terri was released in September 1945.

They were able to get housing at the Aoyama Chicken Farm at Bolsa Ave and Brookhurst St. George and Michiko worked as farm laborers until they could afford joining with other families to grow tomatoes at Mile Square Park.

Eventually they were able to own a truck farm that grew beans, tomatoes, lettuce, strawberry, chili, asparagus, etc. The family farmed at the Fairview Park (Lima Beans), Bixby Ranch (Chili), Harding Ranch (truck farm) and the Heil home (Asparagus). In 1957, the family was able to buy 30 acres (Heil home, Los Amigos, H.S.)

The family retired to San Clemente where they built a home in 1968. Michiko died at age 63 while George lived to be age 88.

O.C. Buddhist YBA 1936

Michiko back row, 2nd from left

Women of Poston Camp I, Block 38

Kakuda’s backyard now Los Amigos H.S., 30 acres of asparagus, Dick standing, Roy aiming gun circa 1957

Harding Ranch on Brookhurst above Mile Square Mrs. Sasaki, Michiko Kakuda and Nancy Kakuda Ota view strawberries and bellpeppers

George and Michiko Kakuda with son Roy

George Kakuda 1928

George Kakuda fishing circa 1930

Talbert judo club, George in middle row, 2nd from left

Yamano Brothers Farms

Sun, 08 Apr 1956 11:29:52 GMT

The Yamano Brothers Farms of Corona, California, evolved from the teachings of their father, Itaro Yamano, in the San Fernando Valley. Itaro, born in 1886 in a small village in Hiroshima, Japan and was expected to follow in his father’s farming footsteps. However, Itaro decided to head to America with his uncle, and was in San Francisco when The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake struck.

Itaro married Kazuyo Sakamoto and upon returning home from Heart Mountain, they farmed on various leased land, finally settling in the San Fernando Valley. Before Itaro passed away in 1952, he asked his third son, Masaharu (Jim) to continue farming with his three, younger brothers, Yoshiyuki (John), Teruo (Ted) and Isao (Bill), hence the beginning of the Yamano Brothers Farms.

In 1956, the Yamano brothers purchased 50 acres of land in Corona, California and made their permanent move from the San Fernando Valley a year later. They felt the year-round mild climate was conducive for the crops they planned to grow: green onions, romaine lettuce, green and red cabbage, red leaf lettuce, and celery.

The Yamano Brothers Farms prospered to six ranches becoming the largest green onion grower in Southern California. The eldest brother, Jim, was the senior business partner and CEO. John, the junior partner, was responsible for the planting the crops, along with maintaining the eight tractors and four trucks. Ted oversaw harvesting of the crops, mainly the 100 acres of green onion always in production, and Bill, the youngest, tended the irrigation of the crops along with weed control and assisted Ted in monitoring their 80 to 130 local employees during the harvesting of the various crops.

In 1965, a filming crew from Japan’s Hiroshima Telecasting Co., LTD, under the direction of Hiroshi Ogawa, program manager, filmed the activities of the Yamano Brothers Farms to be broadcasted in Hiroshima, Japan. This was a very special connection for Kazuyo who had only been back to her native Japan twice.

The viewers in Japan were able to see the operation of the farm’s main crop, green onions, transported from the growing fields on flat-bed trucks to the enormous packing house. Here the green onion bunches were trimmed and washed as they moved along a conveyor belt designed by John Yamano. The green onions were then packed in waxed, cardboard containers topped with ice and stored in a huge, refrigerated room until shipment.

The Yamano Brothers shipped their crops to the Pacific Northwest, various areas in California and even transported wet-lock shipping cartons of green onion in an ice-pack Santa Fe train carload to Toronto, Canada. The green onions arrived in Toronto in less than a week in excellent condition!

The Yamano Brothers were actively involved in local organizations such as the Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce, Navy League, Rotary Club and were well respected and admired citizens of the community.

In 1976, the brothers and their wives, Jim and Sachiye (Izuhara), John and June (Uota), Ted and Nancy (Izuhara), Bill and Susie (Hirata) made the difficult choice to dissolve their farming interests and ventured into the world of retirement. The love and support of the families, united together, made the Yamano Brothers Farms, an integral part of the history of Corona, California.

The Yamano Family at Heart Mountain, Wyoming

Japanese Filming Crew with John, Bill, Jim and Ted

Kazuyo Yamano, mother of the Yamano brothers

Green onions in the field being harvested.

Green onion bunches on conveyor being washed.

Boxed green onions ready for shipping.

Boxes of green onions stored in huge refrigerator.

Jim Yamano, CEO, busy taking more orders of his produce.

Shintani Farms

Thu, 05 Jan 1956 18:34:46 GMT

Shintani Farms Inc was founded in 1956 in Cutler, California by Akira and Osami Shintani. They bought the farmland from Akira’s uncle, Ken Shintani. With no previous farming experience, the couple struggled to learn the basics of farming but through fellow Japanese American farmers and some self-teaching, the farm began to thrive. Growing a variety of fruits such as oranges, peaches, plums, and nectarines. The farm grew to be 98 acres after Akira purchased the surrounding land from other farmers.

But before their agricultural success, the couple faced the hardships of WWII. Akira was born and raised in the U.S. and during WWII he was relocated to the internment camp in Gila River, Arizona. Osami at this time was still in her hometown of Taiji, Wakayamaken, Japan and therefore was not relocated. But post-WWII Osami immigrated to the U.S. on February 15th, 1964 and the couple resided in Los Angeles, California with other relatives. They spent 6 years going back and forth between LA and Cutler before permanently moving to Cutler in 1970.

They spent 28 years calling the farm home with their two daughters Janice (Sato) and Ellen (Kinoshita). But after 42 years of active farming, the land was sold in 1998.

The Shintani Farms packing label

Daughter Janice sitting on top of freshly picked oranges

Akira and his daughter Ellen together at the farm

Harvested oranges

Osami preparing for the day's work

Akira and the family dog on the farm

Akira and Osami preparing to ship fruit

Akira and Osami's wedding photo

Doi-Taniwa Farm

Wed, 06 Apr 1955 23:50:30 GMT

The Doi-Taniwa farm was located in Central Calif in the town of Sanger. It was initially owned and operated by Kitaro and Takano Doi.

On the twenty acre farm, grapes were grown and dried to make raisins.

In 1955 Hiromo and Bessie Taniwa (daughter of Kitaro and Takano) took over the operations of the farm. The couple moved into the ranch house on the property with their children and worked the farm.

There were long days of tending to the grape vines. Each season brought on different tasks that needed to be done in tending to the vines. The weather was the primary factor, each step of the way.

Harvest time in late summer and early fall was the busiest and most challenging time. The hot weather, having enough workers to get the crop picked, dried, boxed and to the buyer was the biggest concern.

In 1990, Hiromo and Bessie retired and sold the farm. They moved out of the farm but continued to stay in the town of Sanger.

Kitaro and Takano Doi with daughters, Bessie and Jean . Photo taken in 1945

Grape vines on the farm

Grapes drying to become raisins. Eileen Tanaka, Glenn Tanaka, Linda Taniwa checking the grapes

Taking a stroll on the farm-Lisa Ryujin, Tammy & Laura Nakauchi, Gail Ryujin and Brian Ryujin

Equipment needed to box the raisins

Equipment used on the farm

Grapes vines in the winter, bare and tied

Bessie and Hiromo Taniwa

Kinoshita Farms

Wed, 12 Jan 1955 02:10:06 GMT

My great great great grandparents, Fuenatsu and Kinu Hazemoto, were born in Japan but were farmers in Hawaii. My great great grandparents, Suyematsu and Sami Hazemoto, were born in Japan but later on moved to Hawaii and then finally traveled to Los Angeles aboard the ship USS China. My great grandfather Sanji Kinoshita was born in Hawaii and my great grandmother Sho Kinoshita was born in Japan. They got married in 1926 and raised 6 children during the depression. Sanji Kinoshita helped start Kinoshita Farms after the war. My grandfather Bobby Kinoshita was born in California and my grandmother Hiroko Kinoshita was born in Japan. My grandfather and his brother then took over Kinoshita Farms and raised my father and his three brothers.

My great great grandparents immigrated to Hawaii in 1902. My great grandmother immigrated when she was 16 in 1921. My grandmother immigrated in 1957.

The Kinoshita family farmed in San Juan Capistrano and farmed from 1955-1995. After the war the Kinoshita’s decided to start a new life and became farmers.

In the winter Kinoshita Farms grew lettuce and cauliflower. Towards the summer time they grew cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and squash. When my father and his brothers grew mature enough, they held a roadside stand to make money for themselves and sold strawberries and white corn which later on became very popular within the city.

Life on the farm was not always easy and they faced multiple challenges. They became cost prohibited and the prices of water, fertilizer, and labor became more expensive as the city was beginning to grow. The smell of agriculture and farm life became a problem for the people of the community and the community started to pressure the farm into selling. The community was starting to move into more of a city-like place and in the end the city bought the farm from the Kinoshita’s.

In 1941 when WWII began my great grandparents and the younger children were sent to Heart Mountain Wyoming relocation center. The older children were not allowed to return until the war was over. In 1947, after 8 years the family was finally reunited and decided to restart there lives as farmers in San Juan Capistrano.

After WWII the Kinoshitas started a new life in San Juan Capistrano.

After the war there goal was to start a new life and they decided to go into farming. They started Kinoshita Farms and farmed for a wonderful 40 years where my father and his two brothers were raised.

Sanji and Shig Kinoshita working on produce to get to market. (father and son)

Sanji Kinoshita

Working on Kinoshita Farms

Father and son working on packaging produce for the market

Takahama & Kubota Farm

Sun, 07 Jun 1953 09:00:23 GMT

My uncle, Harry Takahama and my parents, Henry & Ida Kubota had a strawberry farm in Anaheim, Takahama & Kubota Farm. They moved to Anaheim in 1953 which was still very rural. They bought the property on Orange Ave. from a German family. It was an egg ranch and citrus grove. They thought the soil was perfect for growing strawberries!

It was my mother’s father, Juntaro Takahama, who had started the strawberry farm in Hood River, Oregon. He moved his family to Long Beach in the 30’s because of the better climate!

After coming back from the internment camp, my father worked as a machinist, and another uncle worked as a produce clerk to supplement the farming. Once, there was enough for a down payment, the families found property in Anaheim!

There was still discrimination from World War II, but my uncle, being an American citizen was able to purchase the land. My parents later bought a strip of land adjacent to the farm on the east. When the neighbors on the westside of the farm moved, my uncle bought their property. After we moved to Anaheim, my father joined in the strawberry farming. In the succeeding years, they leased more land to grow strawberries. One property is now part of Disneyland’s back lot and the other is the Disneyland Hotel’s parking lot.

It was the strawberry farm in Anaheim where many happy memories were made!

It was in the fifties, those Happy Days!

The farm in Hood River, Oregon.

Juntaro and Misao Takahama with daughters in 1930.

Henry and Ida Kubota working at the truck.

Henry Kubota on the truck, Ida Kubota and Harry Takahama sitting with two helpers.

Henry, Ida, and Larry Kubota with Lady the poodle.

Henry on tractor, Harry and Ida standing by the tractor.

Henry in the truck ready to deliver the strawberries.

Working on the Takahama and Kubota Farm.

Sasaki, Kaneichi Henry and Yae Muraoka

Mon, 24 Nov 1952 04:01:27 GMT

Kaneichi (Henry) Sasaki was born in 1902 in Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii to Nakaji and Toyo Sasaki.

Henry opened the “T and S” Gas Station in Hanalei with partner Takahashi in the 1930s. He married Yae Muraoka from Koloa in 1938 and had 5 children: Chieno (died after childbirth), Clyne, James Jiro, Jane, and Roy. WWII started, the government confiscated his equipment, and though not arrested, he lost his business.

From 1942 to 1968 he drove a truck for the County of Kauai and was a gardener for the pioneer Faye family’s summer home in Hanalei.

Henry first started farming taro (for making poi) in 1952 at 50 when the Takenakas, Hanalei taro farmers, loaned him a few patches to start planting his own taro crop. In 1960, he leased property closer to home. He was working at three jobs simultaneously and it took months converting property to wet land taro farming. Henry’s sons and daughter all helped him “pull” (harvest) taro and raise dry land potatoes. Eventually, his entire farm was converted to wet land taro farming.

Henry started pulling 5 to 10 bags of taro a week. In those days one burlap bag, filled with four-5 gallon containers of taro, weighed about 100 – 110 lbs. each. In recent years the bags were smaller, filled with three 5 gallon containers, and weighed 75 – 80 lbs. each. Bags were sewn shut before transporting; it’s a hot, muddy, sweaty, back-breaking, labor intensive job.

Henry continued taro farming alone after his children moved to Oahu and the mainland. Occasionally Yae helped him load the bags of taro onto his jeep into her late 70s, between working at the Ching Young Store. Amazingly, Henry was still farming in his 80s. He became ill; after 33 years he stopped farming in 1985. He passed away after 48 years of marriage to Yae in 1986.

Henry and Yae's Wedding Photo 1938

Back Row: Roy, James Jiro, Clyne Front Row: Yae, Henry, Jane 1964

Roy and Henry pulling taro 1978

Sasaki Jeep and Bags of Taro 1978

Henry pulling taro in weed filled taro patch 1978

Jane. Henry pulling taro about 1960s

Back: Tammy, Hugh, Clyne, Henry, Roy, & James Jiro Sasaki; Jane & Peter Itokazu. Front: Dotty, Yae Sasaki holding Stephanie Itokazu (Yonsei), Lillian Sasaki holding Lianne (Yonsei) & Nancy Sasaki

Hugh, Kristen (Gosei), Tammy, Clyne, and Pam Sasaki 2002

Hiraoka Farm

Wed, 23 Apr 1952 01:09:21 GMT

George, wife Chiyeko , and children Jim, Sally and Barbara were farming in Culver City right after the end of WWII until an opportunity presented itself to begin farming in Huntington Beach. The Hiraokas moved to the Huntington Beach area in the 1950s and farmed there until retirement in 1963.

The 7.9 acre home farm was located on Wintersburg Avenue (a few blocks west of Highway 39 [Huntington Beach Blvd.]—better known today as Beach Blvd). Today Wintersburg Avenue is known as Warner Avenue. The Hiraoka farm was located next door to the historic area of the Furuta home and Wintersburg Presbyterian Church on the corner of Wintersburg Avenue and Nichols Street.

The family also leased 20 acres on the corner of Brookhurst and Wintersburg for many years growing summer squash, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, green cabbage, and eggplant, but primarily celery, cucumbers, and green beans.

The Hiraokas, George, Sally, Barbara in front, Chiyeko, baby Lily Yamaoka and JIm

Jim on Tractor, Chiyeko Far Right

George with Mule, After the War

Chiyeko and George with Cauliflower Harvest

Chiyeko and George (holding celery seedling), Culver City, 1948

Celery Being Taken to Los Angeles Market

George and Brother with Celery Cutter, Huntington Beach

Bonnet Designed by Chieko, Paper Used to Line Crates

Murakami Farms

Tue, 22 Apr 1952 04:42:19 GMT

Yukito Murakami graduated from Tustin High School and his family was farming in Rattlesnake Canyon in Irvine which is now the Rattlesnake Dam and Reservoir. Yukito was already in the Army when the order for relocation camp came and even he was sent with his family to Poston. Yukito reenlisted in the Army when the Japanese American 442nd RCT was formed, and during the war in Italy, he received two purple hearts. Yukito met Hatsuye Shozi in Poston and were married in 1945. In 1952, Yukito began growing strawberries in Watsonville and after one season, moved to Anaheim to grow strawberries in Orange County.

Hatsuye’s family, the Shozi brothers had been strawberry farming in Buena Park for several years and willingly let Yukito to farm next to them. Strawberry farming expanded in the late 1980’s to 30 acres in Irvine and 6 acres in Anaheim and a roadside stand in Anaheim. In 1993 the Murakami retired from farming and the Shozi Brothers had their last berry season this year and they decided to retire and sold the last 19 acres of strawberry ground on Lincoln in Buena Park. The very best strawberries are grown in Orange County because the best climate for strawberry growing is right here.

Murakami strawberry fields

Yukito and Hatsuye Murakami family portrait

Okada Farms

Mon, 08 May 1950 10:31:32 GMT

On November 1, 1945 Manabu Okada married Namiye Hamada while interned at Tule Lake relocation camp and after the family was released, he returned to Orange County and focused on strawberry farming. The issei parents, Jitsuo and Sami Okada could not hold title to the land in their name, so the Okada Brothers bought over 30 acres on Katella Avenue in Stanton around 1950. Initially, Manabu Okada and his brothers, Yutaka and Shag, began strawberry farming in Stanton.

In 1955, they expanded their farming operations and leased over 100 acres to grow strawberries in Irvine which made the Okada brothers one of the largest strawberry farms at that time. The Okada brothers continued to farm on the Stanton land until the beginning of 1964, where they raised strawberries, cucumbers, red leaf lettuce, tomatoes and dry onions.

Manabu and Namiye have five children: Kathy, Teddy, Kenny, Joyce, and Tommy. The whole family had to help on the farm, whether it was Jitsuo Jiichan preparing meals or everyone else planting and harvesting the crops. Farming was a 24-hour a day job requiring a lot of physical labor. The Okada family would exchange their crops with other families to get a variety of produce in bulk, which often meant having the same vegetable cooked in a variety of ways. Okazu with a lot of vegetables and very little meat was the main dish at most meals.

Until his passing in 2007 at the age of 88, Jiichan, as he came to be known by his great grandchildren, continued to raise strawberries for his four generation family. He and Bachan enjoyed harvesting their crops and making deliveries to all of their family. He was especially known for having the sweetest white corn and strawberries. Although he no longer had a commercial farming operation, Jiichan maintained his garden to continue to provide fresh produce for his family.

Manabu and Namie Okada wedding photo November 1, 1945

Jitsuo & Sami Okada with Yutaka, Alice, Manabu & Shag

Manabu and Namie

Family photo 1961

Manabu & Namiye’s 60th Wedding Anniversary, 2005

Ozawa Farms

Sat, 22 Apr 1950 10:13:35 GMT

James Ozawa grew strawberries in La Palma in 1950. He had a better sense of how to control the sale of strawberries and strawberry farming provided a good living for his family. With the wartime evacuation, the Ozawas were forced to sell all their farming equipment at a huge discount.

Upon their postwar return to Orange County, the Ozawas decided on pursuing strawberry farming. Growing strawberries was hard work but it kept the family together as it required everyone to help. His son, Steve Ozawa is currently farming strawberries in Orange County, California.

Itos, Tanaka and Steve Ozawa (kneeling) in the strawberry fields

Jim and Rose Ozawa, 1955

Tsuma Ozawa, 1964

Ito Farms (previously known as G. Ito and Sons)

Thu, 21 Apr 1949 06:37:22 GMT

Strawberry farming and family values are the legacy of Gonsaku and Mine Ito.

Ito Farms Inc. is a large, close knit extended family enterprise that had its beginnings in 1918, when Gonsaku Ito and his two brothers started truck farming in central Los Angeles. They came to the United States from Yokkaichi, Japan. After moving west to the Venice area of Los Angeles, Gonsaku began farming on his own, with his wife Mine (Hirose) and their four children, Kensaku, Tomio, Yonejiro and Tomiko, growing celery as their main crop. In 1937, the family moved their operation to Gardena and just before the start of World War II, the family moved back to Japan.

Returning to the U.S. in 1949, the family resettled in Orange County where they grew mainly celery, cauliflower, and strawberries. After selling property in Garden Grove, the Itos moved to Westminster and joined the co-op Naturipe in 1958. Consequently, in 1962, the two brothers Kensaku and Yonejiro moved to Ventura County to expand the strawberry farming operations. During the 60s and 70s, Ito Farms was also growing tomatoes and cucumbers but the farming land in Orange County was slowly giving way to housing and buildings which led to the decision in 1979 to concentrate on one crop: strawberries. Strawberries allowed the Itos to expand and buy more land in Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura.

The “Sansei” third generation of Ito's took over the farming in the late 70’s and early 80’s with Tomio’s two sons Bill and Ed Ito running B & E Farms in Orange County and Yonejiro’s two sons George and Henry Ito running Ito Brothers in Ventura. The family businesses grew to become one of the largest strawberry growers in Southern California. Today, Ito Brothers is still farming with Steve and Dylan, the fourth generation of Itos working alongside their fathers.

Although Gonsaku and Mine Ito could not own land (alien land lawn), they persevered to make a good and an enjoyable life, which the sons have followed. George Ito attributes the successful family business to the hard work of the “parents and grandparents who built it”. Bill Ito, who still serves as chairman of the board of Naturipe Berry Growers pays tribute to his family legacy “To watch my grandparents and parents work so hard from early mornings to late nights was such an inspiration; I learned so much from the sacrifices they made for us.”

Gonsaku Ito ( Issei farmer) sitting with vegetable crates

Gonsaku & Mine Ito working the fields with Family

Mine Ito with grandkids, Bill, Kenichi & Michiko

Chizuko Ito with son Bill on tractor

Yonejiro & Tsuyako Ito with sons & grandsons at strawberry field work the farm

Tomio Ito with son Ed in strawberry field

Gonsaku & Mine Ito - old family photo

Ito, Tanaka and Ozawa strawberry farmers

Current extended family photo (Tomio's granddaughter's wedding 2011)

Matsumoto Brothers Farms (MB Farms)

Wed, 12 May 1948 10:19:57 GMT

Kitaro Matsumoto and Sumi Inada immigrated to the US from Bunsei-mura, Kumamoto Prefecture in 1899 with their visa purpose stating agriculture. They married in San Francisco in 1911 and had eight children (in order of age, eldest to youngest): Mae Shizuye, Kiichi “John”, Matsuye, Alice Kikuye, Yoichi “Jimmy”, George Seiichi, Robert “Bob” Masaichi, and Margarit Mabel.

During World War II, the family was first incarcerated at Lodi Assembly Center and Walerga Assembly Center until the loyalty questionnaire came around. Wanting to keep the family together they answered “no no” to the loyalty questions and the family was then incarcerated at Tule Lake concentration camp until 1945.

After their time in camp, the Matsumoto family returned to Thornton, California and farmed leased land until Bob and John Matsumoto started the Matsumoto Brothers F arms (MB Farms) in 1948. The MB Farms grew to consist of 1,000 acres in the River Delta area including Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. Together, the brothers grew tomatoes, wheat, alfalfa, and corn. Bob and John farmed on the land until Bob retired from farming in 1989.

Bob Matsumoto (left) and John Matsumoto (right) with their John Deere combine

John Matsumoto (bottom left) and Bob Matsumoto (bottom right) in front of their tomato harvester

John Matsumoto at age 26 in Tule Lake concentration camp

Bob Matsumoto married Yukiko "Jane" Adachi in 1949. Jane handled timekeeping and accounting for MB Farms

Bob Matsumoto driving farmall

Bob Matsumoto (left) and John Matsumoto (right) in 1976

Bob Matsumoto with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in 2016. (John Matsumoto passed away in 1979. Jane Adachi passed away in 1997. Bob Matsumoto passed away in 2016.)

Murai Farm

Thu, 22 Apr 1948 23:46:52 GMT

Motoi Murai was born in Hilo, Hawaii in 1906. His family returned to Japan but in 1928 Motoi, returned to Hawaii and worked different jobs. In 1930, he decided to come and return to the mainland, as many young men did, and worked Imperial Valley and Venice California at different agricultural jobs. He married in 1934 to Kazuko Shigeoka [ a picture bride from Japan], and began his own 23-acre farm in Arlington, Riverside. He worked diligently and eventually was successful enough to build his first home on their farm.

As, WWII broke out, he and Kazuko lost their farm and all their personal belongings. They were forced to relocate to Poston Arizona relocation camp, for the interim of the war. After leaving Poston they relocated their family to Natalia, Texas. His family now consisted of one daughter and three sons. Although, he did well there he decided to move his family to Orange County in 1948. There he temporarily worked for the Bunya family until he purchased his own 23 acres on a ‘lease purchase’ agreement. The ground was full of alkali. But with his ingenuity he dug large pits to drain the field of the alkali and turned the ground into productive farm ground. The owner then wanted the ground back but Motoi prevailed under the lease purchase agreement.

The farm grew in 1950 and Motoi acquired the Miles Square Lease in 1960. Their tomato production increased now. Motoi expanded his business to include strawberries. And, from there expanded into Irvine and San Diego county. He built the business to include cooling, packing, and shipping of the strawberries.

The Murai family is forever thankful and grateful for the hard work and tenacity shown by Motoi and Kazuko Murai. They endured many hardships in their lives but they prevailed through it all. The family will be forever grateful to them for making our lives better.

Chicken coop converted to tomato packing shed 1960

Motoi punching time cards for tomato harvesting

Open ditch irrigation with syphoning pipes 1957

Murai Family in Natalia, Texas, 1947

Namekata Brothers

Thu, 08 Apr 1948 10:47:44 GMT

The Namekata Brothers, Shigeo and Kenichi, gained their farming roots from their father, Benzo Namekata. Benzo, born in Japan in 1882, was the son of a farmer and was expected to carry on the family tradition. Benzo, however, after having served in the Japanese military during the Russo-Japanese Wars, was said to have traveled to California to pursue his dream.

Benzo and Kayo Neriki (1894) married and had five children, Shigeo, Kenichi, Chiyeko Nancy, Kazuko, and Minoru. During World War II, the Namekatas’ neighbors, the Dominic Cagliero family of Covina, offered to care for the family farm while they were interned at Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Later, the family was transferred to Tule Lake Segregation Center in 1943 and it was there that Shigeo married Fujiye Moriuchi and Nancy married Sam Yamamoto in 1944. Kayo, unfortunately, passed away at Tule Lake Segregation Center in 1945. At the conclusion of the war, the remaining family members moved to West Covina and worked together on their leased land growing cauliflower and cabbage. Benzo passed away in 1948, and when the housing market began to develop, Shigeo and Kenichi moved their families to the West Riverside area. They leased some land and grew vegetables until they bought their own 56 acres of land on Mission Blvd in West Riverside. Here they grew cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins, Spanish onions, endive, red leaf, romaine, and the mouthwatering strawberries they were most known for. Most of the produce were shipped by Nomura Trucking to the Los Angeles Produce Market.

Shigeo and his wife, Fujiye and Kenichi and his wife, Chiyoko, along with the children all pitched in with their farming duties when the children were not attending school. The sons, Akira, Larry and George, helped take care of the produce as they were growing in the fields, and assisted Fujiye, Chiyoko and the hired braceros, with the harvesting. The daughters, Kimiko, Shirley, Janet, and Annette supervised the vegetable stand, “Kimi’s Stand”, which opened for business in 1963.

After much thought and with the children either married or off to college, Shigeo and Kenichi with their wives, decided to retire their farming business around 1976, allowing them to relax, travel, and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

The NAMEKATA family crest

Label from cantaloupe box

Shigeo and Fujiye Namekata

Chiyoko and Kenichi Namekata

"Kimi's Stand" where the daughters supervised the sale of produce.

Chiyoko and Fujiye Namekata enjoying each others company

Shigeo with first grandson, Jim Namekata, relaxing with the pumpkin harvest.

Hara Farms

Mon, 19 May 1947 08:15:10 GMT

Shoji was born in 1913 and Toshio was born in 1916 to Buichi (who came to California in 1899) and Nakano Hara. In 1922, Buichi took his sons, Shoji and Toshio, to Okayama, Japan.

Shoji and Toshio came back to California, in 1932, and worked on a farm in Santa Fe Springs. In 1938, Shoji married Wasano Kinoshita. Shoji, with his brother, Toshio, started their own farm in Burbank on North Hollywood Way, that same year.

Because of WWII, the Hara's volunteered to move to Honeyville, Utah, in 1942. They moved on the property of the Fujisawas. They picked peaches and worked at a poultry processing factory.

When the war ended, they started farming in the Sawtelle area. In 1947, they moved to Costa Mesa on Gisler Ave. Their farming neighbors were Hidekichi Hiroshima and the Uyemoris.

Shoji and Wasano had five children Margaret, Keisuke (Kay), Barbara, Carolyn and Richard. Toshio got married in 1955, but didn't have children.

In 1953, the Haras moved to Talbert, which became Fountain Valley in 1957. They grew tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, red leaf lettuce, butter lettuce, cucumber, summer squash and bush beans. Kay Hara helped with the farming and later grew strawberries on his own, at another location.

The farm was sold in 1989. It was a sad day for Shoji and Wasano when a bulldozer crushed their home, barn, and sheds.

The farms label

Back row: Masaye, Toshio, Kay, Margaret Front row: Barbara, Shoji, Richard, Wasano, Carolyn

Shoji Wasano and Margaret nephew Shigeru Kinoshita

Tomato conveyor belt machine

Shoji and Wasano sorting tomatoes by size and ripeness Diane and Margaret packing tomatoes in boxes

In front of the day’s packed tomatoes. Later, Yukihiro’s trucking will truck the boxes to the Los Angeles produce market

Behind the staked tomato plants and across Brookhurst Street is the Safeco Insurance building. It is now the Ayres Hotel

August 25, 1985

Kinoshita Farm

Wed, 23 Apr 1947 11:36:53 GMT

Yaichiro Kinoshita, the second son of five children, came to the United States from Japan on the immigration quota, through the port of San Francisco in 1900 when he was 18 years old. He worked mainly in the agricultural fields of Central California. In 1921, he returned to Japan to marry Toki Hieida and they had four children, Minoru, Masato, Yasuko and Teruko.

The Kinoshita family settled in the community of Madera, CA. Yaichiro, befriended by a kind man, Mr. Humphreys, was introduced to the process of growing Thompson seedless grapes. The grapes were dried in the warm summer climate of the valley to make raisins. Because Japanese people were not allowed to purchase property during this time, the Kinoshita’s were fortunate to acquire their own farm through an agreement with another party.

During World War II, the Kinoshita family was interned in Gila, Arizona from 1942 to 1946. After the war, they went through legal action to re-establish their former home and farm in Madera and continued to harvest Thompson seedless grapes. The ranch was eventually sold, however the new owners still continue to grow grapes. In 2015, the ranch was filmed in a commercial for CLIF Bar.

Yaichiro Kinoshita

Toki (Hieida) Kinoshita

Yasuko Kinoshita Befu, Teruko Kinoshita Takahashi, Louise Nakamura Manabe, Joyce O & Minoru Kinoshita

Kinoshita siblings - Minoru, Masato, Teruko and Yasuko

Mikey Kinoshita at the farm 2015

Rows of grape vines at the farm

Tabata Farms

Tue, 22 Apr 1947 10:25:27 GMT

Shigeo Tabata started strawberry farming in Westminster in 1947. The Tabata brothers selected strawberries because it was a high-production crop. But, strawberry farming involves lots of hard work. After World War II had begun and the mandatory evacuation forced people of Japanese ancestry into camps, the Tabatas lost their farm. Although strawberry farming was taxing work, the Tabatas maintain that strawberry farming provided them with a good life.

Jack Tabata on the strawberry farm

Tabata brothers, 2002

Tabata strawberry farms

Fujii Farms

Sat, 19 May 1945 05:37:17 GMT

Bukichi Fujii cleared and farmed land in the Boring, Gresham and Troutdale areas in Oregon. A tough pioneer leader among local farmers, Bukichi’s trademark cigar butt always protruded from his mouth. When Bukichi returned to reclaim his Troutdale farm in 1945, he encountered legal problems with the county over the land. With patience running thin, he instructed his sons to start the tractors and work the land. Amazingly, that seemed to settle the dispute with the county!

Courtesy of Edward Fujii

Bukichi and his trademark cigar

Mihara Farm

Sun, 18 Jun 1944 06:52:40 GMT

Toshio Mihara was born on April 6, 1921 in Hilo, Hawaii. His parents were Kumezo Mihara (born in Fukuoka, Japan) and Haroiyo Nakahara (born in Hilo, Hawaii).

During WWII, Toshio joined the 442 nd Regimental Combat Team. When he was injured, he was sent back to a hospital in Chicago, where he met Helen Tomono, who was a candy striper. They were married on August 19, 1945 at Cook County, Illinois.

They later relocated to Hilo, Hawaii and eventually were able to purchase 6-1/2 acres of forest land. They cleared the land with little help. Toshio, a carpenter by trade, and his family built a house on one portion of the property and planted macadamia nut trees on the bigger portion, along with lichee trees and avocado trees. Toshio and Helen farmed the macadamia nut trees alone and created a device which made husking the nuts easier.

When the heavy rains hit Hilo, a portion of their property would flood which made passing from one portion of the property to the other difficult. Because the property was surrounded by mostly forest land, the wild pigs would often enter and devour the fallen nuts.

Along with aging and health issues, Toshio and Helen found it too difficult to farm so the macadamia nut trees were left unattended. A dear family friend helped clear some of the property and created a deep trench to control the flooding which was always an issue. The Miharas sold the property and the new owner absolutely loves the farm!

Isaburo Tomono was born 1891 in Fukuoka, Japan and married Chiyo Hashisaki, born in 1899 in Olao Puna, Hawaii. They farmed strawberries in Sacramento, California. Isaburo served in the U.S. Army from 1918 to 1919 in the 2 nd Hawaiian Infantry during WWI.

Their daughter Helen was born on July 31, 1927, in Sacramento, the oldest of 12 children. The Tomono farm was seized during WWII and the family was sent to an Assembly Center in Fresno, then to the relocation camp in Jerome, Arkansas. Isaburo passed away in 1959, and Chiyo in 1975.

Submitted by Gary (Helen’s son) and wife Patricia Mihara

This is a small portion of the farm where the mac nut trees are in the distance.

The heavy rains in Hilo often flooded the farm.

Hide Farm and Nursery

Sun, 30 Apr 1944 09:44:41 GMT

Mantaro and Kiyo Hide lived just north of the community of Wapato, Washington, in the early nineteen twenties, farming until they moved to Toppenish in the early nineteen thirties and leased 60 acres. They raised five children: Makio (Mike), Terumi (Tom), Yoshiko, Norio (Ned) and Sumako. The Hide family grew onions, potatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelons, and tomatoes, as well as hay for their horses.

War came, and a little over a thousand Japanese were forced to leave the Yakima Valley even though they were originally living outside the evacuation zone. The family was sent to Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Tom Hide wrote, “It seems no matter how far away you’ve relocated or how long you’ve been away—one always refers to the ‘Valley’ as home.”

After the war, the Hides leased a farm in Gardena. Their next move was leasing a larger farm in Dominguez Hills. The Hide family had to move again, since a college was going to be built on the land they were farming. After blood, sweat, and tears, the Hides purchased a farm in Santa Ana and from there Tom Hide was able to buy a retail nursery and 12 acres in the city of Garden Grove in partnership with his brother-in-law Goro Nishi, who ran the retail nursery after selling his farm in Yakima. In 1970, the nursery and land was sold. Tom Hide then worked in sales for a national plant propagator until his retirement.

At just 27 years old, Tom Hide became President of the Southern California Flower Association (Market) on October 10, 1955 in Los Angeles. Tom also served two terms on the Board of Directors. Ten years later, he became President of the American Farm Bureau of Los Angeles County from 1965-1966.

Hide Family, Heart Mountain, Dec. '44

Hide Home

Mochitsuki

Tom Hide on the Farm

Tom Hide

Higuchi Farm

Thu, 18 Jun 1942 06:44:11 GMT

Hisazo Higuchi, my mother's father, emigrated from Okayama prefecture in 1915. We are not sure if he farmed in Japan. He married his wife Shigeyo Nakayama, a picture bride, in 1919. They started their family in 1920 with the birth of their oldest son Minoru, followed by Hatsuye (our mother), Chisato and Masa.

In 1942, their first farm was near Beach and Garden Grove Boulevards in Stanton, California. Hisazo faced many challenges. He did not speak English so he did business with companies whose employees spoke Japanese. For farm supplies, he bought from Yamada Company, and to haul his produce to market, he used Kuida Brothers.

During the war, the family was relocated to Poston Internment Camp in Arizona. Immediately after WWII, Hisazo and his oldest son Minoru leased 80 acres on Dominguez Hills where they farmed until 1957. Minoru and Sumi Higuchi had 7 children: Trudy, Naomi, Cathy, Carolyn, Meri, Helen and Dale. Tom and Hatsuye Murakami had 4 children: Ron, Larry, Susan and Doreen.

From 1948, my parents (Tom and Hatsuye) and I lived on the Dominguez Hills farm until we moved to Gardena in 1950. From 1950 to 1957 our whole family spent weekends at the farm to work when needed and to play with my cousins.

When I was 8 or 9 years old, my uncle taught me how to drive tractors and when I was 10 or 11, I knew how to plow and disc fields and pull trailers loaded with green beans, strawberries, cabbage, lettuce and celery to their packing shed. The city evicted them to build facilities for the World's Fair that never happened. The property eventually became the Cal State Dominguez Hills campus. I think the property was owned by Union Oil because it was covered with oil wells, pipelines and storage tanks.

From Dominguez Hills, Grandpa Hisazo and Minoru moved their farm to Cypress on Ball Road, then to a smaller farm on Crescent in Cypress. Hisazo farmed until 1968 when his younger son died.

History by Ron Murakami and Trudy Teshima, née Higuchi.

Grandpa Hisazo Higuchi 1960

Grandpa Hisazo and Grandma Shigeo HIguchi 1965 in Japan

Mochitsuki at the Cypress Farm 1962

Sumi, Hiroko and Grandma Shigeo 1962

Kiyan Brothers Farm

Sun, 18 May 1941 21:11:54 GMT

Hide Kiyan (1914-1985) and Hiro Kiyan (1916-1987) were born in Covina, California. Their parents immigrated to America from Okinawa, Japan in the early 1900s. In 1941 the brothers formed a partnership, Kiyan Brothers, and bought 19 acres in West Covina to farm vegetables.

On December 8, 1941 the United States declared war on Japan. In 1942 Hide and Hiro were among the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were forced into concentration camps because of their Japanese heritage. The Kiyan Brothers signed a lease agreement before they were sent to Heart Mountain Wyoming internment camp and this fortuitous legal action played a major role in the reclaiming of their West Covina farm when they returned in 1945.

Strawberries became their main crop in the 1960s. Farming and weather were the two subjects the brothers enjoyed talking about. If asked, they could tell you what temperature was on a certain date and how many berries were picked.

May 21, 1967 - Smoggy Hot 90 degrees. Everything looks dry. The berry is still large. Price $20.00. San Dimas looks bad like coyote with tongue out. (Hiro Kiyan's journal)

There is no doubt that farming was an everyday challenge for the brothers, but at the end of the day as they looked out over their field they must have felt a sense of accomplishment. They were proud farmers who anticipated each crop season with new thoughts of how to improve their strawberries.

Hiro Kiyan would often say, "Strawberries are the only thing I like to do."

Kiyan Brothers Farm

Hide Kiyan

Hiro Kiyan

West Covina Strawberry Farm

Strawberry Stand on Sunset Ave. West Covina

Cal Fruit Shipping Trays

Eat Fresh Strawberries!

Hiro Kiyan in Storage Shed

Aoyama Egg Farm

Wed, 17 Apr 1940 22:14:52 GMT

Minoru Aoyama, age 17, came to the United States from Ehime, Japan in a silk kimono with the dream of becoming a successful businessman. Minoru arrived in San Francisco in 1920 and began traveling south settling in Garden Grove. By 1924 Minoru was able to lease land on Bushard Street in Westminster where he built a house and started his business, Aoyama Egg Farm.

In 1930 Minoru returned to Japan to marry Asako Ruth Kakuda. They returned to the United States where they raised five children: Kazuko, Taiichi, Hiroko, Sachiko, and Youko. In 1940 they purchased 10 acres of land and transported their house, chickens and family to Bolsa Avenue in Santa Ana.

When WWII began Minoru was taken from his family and sent to Missoula, Montana, then to internment camps in Oklahoma and Louisiana. Weeks later Asako and the five kids were sent to a camp in Poston, Arizona. Fortunately, Asako was able to lease their farm and business before being interned. Unlike many families upon being released from the camps, the family was able to reclaim their property and return home. At its peak, the farm would house over 20,000 chickens, producing enough product to serve the community and local businesses with Farm Fresh Eggs.

In 1965 Minoru and Asako retired to travel the world, leaving the farm with their son Taiichi. The farm was sold by the family in 1977. Minoru and Asako lived in Los Angeles until their passing in 2000; Minoru 97 and Asako 90.

Minoru and Asako Wedding Photo

House and Farm Built by Minoru - Westminster

1930 Minoru on Farm - Westminster

Aoyama Egg Farm - Santa Ana

Barn and Feed Mill - Santa Ana

Taiichi Feeding Chickens

Egg Washer and Sorting Machine

Egg Store Front Sign

Mizusawa Brothers Farm and Mizu Company

Wed, 24 May 1939 11:13:05 GMT

Early years

The farms of the Arikawa, Mizusawa and Takahashi families were run much like a coop with t he core being the Kitasaki sisters (Chieko, Tomoko and Tomiko), spouses of Seigo Arikawa, Fred Minoru Mizusawa and Ko Takahashi. The Farms were located in Santa Ana near Newhope and First Street, Garden Grove near Westminster and Harbor Blvd and Fountain Valley near Newhope a nd Warner Ave.

Frank Mizusawa was founder of Mizu Company which was located at 11905 E. Westminster in Garden Grove on essentially the same property as the Mizusawa Farm at 11911 E. Westminster Blvd.

First products were made for the Mizusawa Brothers’ farm and nursery. The Mizusawa farm was purchased in late 1940’s after the brothers returned from i ncarceration at detention camps for U.S. citizens of Japanese ancestry. Fred and Tomoko Mizusawa were married in camp in 1943 and went to Denver before the camps c losed down.

Early crops on the farm included Cauliflower, Celery, Bell Peppers. The main c rop grown during the summer was tomatoes. The Arikawas grew flowers on the farm in later years and the Takahashis grew Strawberries and Olallieberries.

Two homes, a packing shed and the Mizu Company factory were built on the property by Frank and Fred Mizusawa with help - most likely the other close relatives and friends. It also i ncluded a large glass green house taken care of by Mie (Moe) Mizusawa and the three Kitasaki s isters, which was used to grow seedlings of tomatoes for transplanting to farms i n the area.

One of the first products of Mizu company was a mechanized tomato s orter which sized the tomatoes before packing. This sorter used a series o f belts with holes of different sizes which the tomatoes traveled along. The smallest tomatoes fell into the first bin as that belt had the smallest h oles. When packed in wooden lug boxes the tomatoes had varying sizes f rom 7x8 up to 4x4. 7 by 8 tomatoes were about 1 and ½ to 2 inches in size. 4 by 4 tomatoes were about 5 or 6 inches in diameter. One of the kids’ duties when we were elementary and junior high school age was to put labels (Mizusawa Brothers) on the wooden boxes before they were packed with tomatoes. We were paid one cent per label and was one of our first sources of spending money. After the boxes were packed, we nailed slats on the top of the boxes which prevented s tacked boxes from falling into boxes below. These boxes were picked up eve ry evening and taken to the vegetable markets in Los Angeles. One of the problems with the first tomato sorter was that once in awh ile a tomato would get stuck in the hole in the belt and get crushed. When the belt reached a roller which the belt traveled around. When that h appened the machine had to be stopped and a clean up was done to k eep other tomatoes from getting tomato juice all over them.

A new sorter was developed by Frank which used a rotating series of s lats that got further apart as they progresses along the length of t he sorter. This stopped the occasional crushed tomato.

Early on small farm items were developed which helped with harvesting v arious crops. Special knives were created for harvesting cauliflower and c elery. Special carts were created so tomato pickers could push several boxes for p utting tomatoes in. The kids had fun turning these into toys like attaching s ails to them when the Santa Ana winds blew. We had little land sailing c arts. I think those carts were popular with other farmers as I can remember. We made quite a few of them, many more then we needed for our farm.

One non-farm invention that my Uncle made for us was a gas powered go-kart. To me ( 80 pound weakling in those days) it weighed a “ton” and it didn’t go all that fast but it was still fun.

Our farm also had a couple of buildings to house our migrant farm workers. The same workers seemed to come back every year to help with the harvesting o f crops. We came to know them and I loved eating their home made tortillas.

We had other workers who helped with tomato picking and packing who h ad permanently relocated to our area from Mexico. They of course made t he best tamales every Christmas.

Work at the Mizu company

Many of the nephews of Uncle Frank and Auntie Moe got their social security numbers and first paychecks due to the Mizu Company. My Social Security report shows my first “reportable” earnings in 1965 when I would have been 15 years old. This would have been when I started working at Mizu Company.

By this time Mizu Company was making a range of products. All of the nephews went through the apprenticeship process. I didn’t work on the many products as I was the clean up crew. I cleaned all the machines after they had been used. Slowly over time I was taught how to use all these machines and hand tools as well. Over time my main machines were the lathe, band saw, drill presses, and hydraulic punch presses. I did less work with the sheet metal bender.

The work crew (varied over time)

Frank and Mie Mizusawa (owners and head engineer and painter)

Clifford and Harry Matsukane (head welder and craftsman)

Steven Mizusawa (Clean up crew and machinist/craftsman)

Ron Mizusawa (Clean up, machinist and painter)

Robert Mizusawa (Clean up, machinist)

Walter Takeda (Machinist and craftsman)

Rik Takeda (Clean up crew and machinist)

Bernardo (Paint preparation and craftsman)

Ko Takahashi (Occasional help, machinist and welder)

Don Takahashi/John Nakamine (Occasional help)

What did Mizu Co. make?

Most of the products were for tomato crop farming as I’ve already mentioned. As small scale farming of tomatoes became more difficult, the main crop in and around Orange County became strawberries. Strawberries also became a popular crop in Central and Northern California.

Most of the tools we made were to make harvesting and planting strawberries easier. Fumigation of the ground in preparation for planting strawberries became popular at the time. A special fumigant was marketed by Great Lakes Chemical and it was called Methyl Bromide. This was injected into the soil and quickly covered with plastic sheets to keep the fumigant in the soil for a few days.

Frank designed and built a modified a plow type attachment for tractors so that is would channel Methyl Bromide from tanks mounted on the plow and into the ground. Also attached t o the rear of the plow was a wide spool of plastic sheeting which was laid down as the p low was pulled down the field. Discs dug trenches at the edges of the plastic and buried o ne side of the plastic into the ground. On the second pass another sheet of plastic w as laid down adjacent to the first. This time the 2nd sheet was glued to the first. The p low was fitted with a glue dispenser to accomplish this task. This ended up being a fairly c omplicated piece of equipment since it had so many functions to do. You may have s een large plots of land covered with plastic many years ago, and maybe still today in s ome places. At one point I remember working on a metering pump that would put a m easured amount of the Methyl Bromide in the ground. I got my fair dose of Methyl Bromide working on that pump. Hope I don’t get cancer from that!

After a few days the Methyl Bromide had done its work and the plastic needed to be r emoved from the field. For this Mizu Co. devised another product to pull the plastic u p. This looked like a rectangular box which attached to the tractor. It had two w heels one of which drove a chain drive mechanism up on the top of the box which p ulled the plastic up and into the box. After the box was full it could be emptied from t he bottom and the used plastic was shipped off to the dump.

Another use of plastic with Strawberry crops was the use of the plastic to cover the t ops of the rows where the berries were planted. This kept the berries up off the g round and prevented spoilage and kept them cleaner since they would sit on the p lastic instead of on the ground. We made the machines that would shape the Strawberry row (bed) and put the plastic on top of it and bury the sides so a nice p lastic covered soil bed was made for the strawberries. We also made some handh eld burners to burn holes in the plastic so the plants could be planted in the s oil beneath the plastic. The burners were propane tanks with a brass attachment which w as heated so that a hole was melted in the plastic quickly when touched to the plastic.

I remember building several of these Strawberry machines for customers down in South America. After we build the equipment we built a wooden shipping crate around t he equipment so it could be loaded on a ship and taken down to maybe Brazil.

We also built some very large plow type equipment. They were so wide that we h ad to make them “foldable” so each end could be folded in so they could be driven o n the street.

During my years with Mizu Company we had a couple of Japanese Engineers from Kubota Tractor working in our shop. They had hired Uncle Frank to help them develop f arm equipment for their compact sized Kubota Tractors. These days I see those Kubota Tractors all over the farms and landscaping businesses here in the U.S. One of the projects I remember working on was a rotary mower. This worked like the rotary lawn mowers you can b uy today. The units were larger as they were attached to the rear of the compact Tractors.

Another project I remember working on were large tanks on wheels which were probably u sed for spraying crops with pesticides. These tanks were made of stainless steel and welded i nside the tank. We had to go inside and paint the seams of the welds so they wouldn’t rust. I remember getting a little high on those paint fumes.

One of our self improvement projects was required when the OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) department came out to look at Uncle’s shop. The shop had multiple rooms that were cobbled together with no real planning. Some of the passage ways were not up to code so we had to put warning signs up to tell people there was a low doorway.

So, that is some of the history of the Mizu Company. Sorry no photos of the things that w ere made. I remember we took Polaroid photos of everything that was made but who k nows where those are today. Uncle Frank and Auntie Moe have been gone for a while n ow. There were drawings of most things we made as I often was the drafting person f or those. Thanks to the Mizu Company for giving all of the Sansei relatives education and experience In so many areas.

By Steve and Ron Mizusawa, former employees of Mizu Company

Fred Mizusawa on his tractor in front of the home in Garden Grove

Celery harvesting on the Mizusawa brothers farm

Packing celery in the fields

Washing bell peppers before packing

Packing bell peppers

Hamano Farm

Sat, 18 Jun 1938 08:03:55 GMT

Soichiro Hamano was born in Japan on February 27, 1910 and came to the US when he was a young schoolboy. He and Hiroko Hamano were married in 1932 and together they owned a Chinese restaurant. In the late 1930s they shifted careers and became flower growers when his father, Sotaro, had to quickly return to Japan because his wife passed away. He left them the land he had purchased in the early 1930s in Whittier (now La Mirada) to farm on.

When WWII started they were put in a concentration camp in Heart Mountain, WY. When the war was over they returned to their land and resumed growing flowers, but had to start over. They grew Kramer chrysanthemums, Killian daisies and sweet peas outside. In the 1950s they started building plastic greenhouses and growing chrysanthemum varieties and snapdragons inside.

Soichiro and Hiroko had six children – Akiko, Muneo, Hideko, Masao, Mitsuye, and Hideo. When Soichiro retired in the 1970s Muneo and Masao took over running the farm and continued until they retired from growing flowers in the early 1980s.

Hiroko and Soichiro in front of the snapdragons they grew

Soichiro and Hiroko with their six kids

Kramer chrysanthemums growing outside

Muneo driving the tractor

Chrysanthemums growing inside the greenhouse

Sasaki Chili Pepper Farm

Sun, 17 Apr 1938 22:54:58 GMT

Masami Sasaki was born in Hiroshima, Japan on May 10, 1888. He immigrated to United States in August 1907. In 1925, he moved to Huntington Beach, California. There he farmed chili peppers on 1,000 acres.

In 1929, on Beach Blvd., he operated on the William T. Newland farm, a chili pepper dehydrating and processing cooperative. “The largest pepper drying plant in the world” according to the Santa Ana Register.

On October 14, 1938, in a lease with Bixby Land Company, he leased Tract No. 32-35, 55, 57, 59, & 60 in County of Los Angeles, Calif. Then in November 1939, he added the westerly portion of lot 35.

Circa 1930’s Masami Sasaki hosted civic groups, such as martial arts, Aoki kendo at his Huntington Beach warehouses.

December 7, 1941, Masami Sasaki was taken into custody by the FBI for questioning and transferred to Ft Missoula, Montana for a FBI hearing. He was one of the first arrested by the FBI. He was known as Masami Sasaki, “chili pepper king”

He was later transferred to Santa Fe, New Mexico and then joined his wife Shigeko Sasaki at Amache camp, Granada, Colorado, then to Tule Lake, Calif. He was released in 1945.

In 1942, the Santa Ana Register noted a large drop in chili pepper production due to the absence of the Japanese American farmers.

After the war, he invested in real estate. He owned and operated the New Olympic Hotel and later the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. He served as chairman of the Evergreen Cemetery Preservation committee and helped r aise funds for a monument to commemorate the Nisei Servicemen who were killed in action.

He served as one of founding members and chairman of various organizations such as Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

1963-1969, he was chairman of a million dollar drive committee to build the New Hompa Hongwangi Buddhist temple at 815 E 1st St. Los Angeles.

Mr. Sasaki worked to help improve the Little Tokyo community of greater Los Angeles until his passing on September 10, 1984.

Masami Sasaki

Masami and Shigeko Sasaki in 1971

Tractor on the farm, 1939

Truck loaded with chili peppers, 1937

Mr. and Mrs. Masami Sasaki at the new Hompa Hongwangi Buddist Temple, 1971

Okuda Bros. Egg Ranch

Sat, 27 Apr 1935 09:23:26 GMT

Kikusaburo Okuda of Wakayama Prefecture worked the mines of Mexico, returned to Japan, married Akino Nishikubo, and then left for California. He worked as the groundskeeper for and lived in a small house at the Bolsa Chica Gun Club. Akino joined him soon after, leaving their first-born son with relatives in Japan. While at Bolsa Chica, Kikusaburo and Akino had three children (Bill, Jim and Erma).

When Bill and Jim were teenagers, their father injured his back and was fired from his job. In 1935 with insurance money, savings and a government loan, two acres were purchased in Garden Grove on Wright St (now Brookhurst) in Bill’s name. Because of the Alien Land Law of 1913, the family was unable to make the purchase without Bill’s scoutmaster becoming his legal guardian.

The egg ranch was started with a flock of 1,000 chickens. Akino had tended a few chickens at the Gun Club, but the family experienced a big learning curve before turning a profit. To make ends meet, Bill and Jim worked at the Akiyama’s Pacific Goldfish Farm as well on the ranch. Mr. Matsunaga sold the Okudas chicken feed on credit, the Akiyamas gave them used lumber to build chicken coops, and a family friend sold the family’s eggs at his market (Standard Market in Huntington Beach).

Fortunately, when the Okuda family was relocated to Poston AZ during WWII, they leased their business to a friend, Francis Blender, who helped them keep their property.

In 1949 the brothers purchased additional land on Hazard Avenue and worked both locations for ten years. In 1959 the original Wright St property was taken by eminent domain for construction of the 22 Freeway. In 1969 the brothers closed their ranch, having grown their operation to 60,000 chickens.

Akino, Jim, Bill, Erma and Kikusaburo Okuda

Original Wright St ranch (buildings in lower left quadrant)

Elsa (Bill's wife) tending chickens at Wright St ranch

Hazard Ave ranch in early 1950s

Jim checking egg incubator in 1950s

Brooders used to raise baby chicks into "pullets"

Bill gathering eggs in mid 1950s

Bill and Elsa with daughters Helen, Faye and Sue in egg processing room 1959

Kazuo Harvey Murakami

Wed, 17 Apr 1935 23:24:51 GMT

Kazuo Harvey Murakami was born October 1902 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Yomiko (Inouye) Murakami was born June 1910 in Los Angeles.

Grandparent’s Murakami immigrated to Hawaii from Hiroshima in 1898 and moved to Florin, California in 1905 where they were they had a grape farm.

Kazuo farmed in Long Beach and Lakewood, California growing Anaheim chili and tomatoes from 1935/36 to 1942. Kazuo owned a dry house in Huntington Beach. Dry house to dry chili.

Kazuo and Yomiko had four sons and two daughters. In February 1941 their first and third son went to Hiroshima, Japan with Murakami grandparents.

After WWII started, the family (five) moved to Florin in February 1942. Family lived in a church hall with several other families. Stretching a rope from wall to wall and hanging a blanket or other material on the rope separated “Rooms” in the hall. The family was incarcerated in Tule Lake, California, transferred to Jerome, Arkansas (Son Daniel born in Jerome) then transferred to Heart Mountain, Wyoming.

The family returned to Florin in September 1945 where they lived in the same church hall. February 1946, family returned to home in Lakewood. June 1946, moved to Los Angeles where they lived for 31 years.

Kazuo decided not to continue farming because he did not want his sons to be farmers. First worked as a gardener then operated a small grocery store until retirement in 1970. Kazuo passed away in 1972 at age 69 and Yomiko in 2016 at age 106.

Home of Kazuo & Yomiko Murakami Family. Three families lived in the two houses, Kazuo's family, his parents and brother and wife.

Sons of Kazuo and Yomiko with cousin in back of truck loaded with gunny sacks filled will Anaheim chile grown on Murakami farm.

Kazuo & Yomiko Murakami family in Heart Mountain, Wyoming 1945

"7-UP" softball team in Heart Mountain. Kazuo, his brother Bob, and George Yasui played on softball teams in Tule Lake and Heart Mountain. They played for Florin team when younger.

Dick Hiroshima and Sons Farm

Sun, 11 Jun 1933 11:57:31 GMT

Hidekichi (Dick) Hiroshima was born in Kochi, Japan in 1900. He came to California in 1911 at the age of 10 with his mother Ushi and younger brother Yasuki (William), to be with his father Harukichi. Harukichi had left his pregnant wife and son behind in Japan in 1905 to work on a farm with an older brother Etsusuke, who was already here.

Dick attended Sierra District School in 1912, when it opened. His children would also attend the same school in Perkins, Sacramento. In 1920, He went to Japan to bring back his wife Shizuo. They had four children, Yoshiko (Agnes), Shizuko (Joyce), Iwao (Kenneth), and Akio (Larry).

Sometime in the 1920s, Dick invented a plow. After obtaining a patent, he manufactured it.

The Hiroshima family farmed in Perkins. In 1933, they moved to Culver City to farm. Dick’s children attended Venice Japanese Language School, and he was the treasurer of the school in 1941. Shortly after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the FBI took Dick from his family. He was sent to Tuna Canyon Detention Center and later, he was taken to Santa Fe Internment Camp. Eventually, he joined his family in Manzanar Concentration Camp.

In 1943, the Hiroshimas went to Riverside, Utah. The men were contract laborers on a farm and the women worked at a poultry processing factory. They moved back to Culver City at the end of the war.

Dick also found land in Costa Mesa. He was commuting from Culver City (without freeways). In the late 1940’s his family moved to the property on Gisler Avenue in Costa Mesa. His farming neighbors were Shoji Hara and the Uyemoris.

Around 1950, the Hiroshimas moved to Buena Park to farm off of Artesia Blvd. In the mid-1950s, they farmed in Huntington Beach on Smeltzer Avenue (Edinger Avenue) and Graham Street.

Finally in 1960, Dick and his sons Kenneth and Larry moved to their farming property in Camarillo. They grew canning tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, celery and other vegetables. Other former Orange County farmers were their neighbors.

Currently Kenneth’s son and Larry’s son are still working in the Camarillo farming community.

Munemitsu Farms

Sun, 17 Apr 1932 23:09:47 GMT

Seima Munemitsu was born in Kochi-ken, Shikoku, Japan (1899-1977) and followed his father Fusakichi to the U.S. in 1916. They worked on the Carson Ranch in Torrance, CA. Seima returned in 1921 to Kochi to marry Masako Morioka. They settled in Torrance where their first son was born, Seiko Lincoln “Tad” Munemitsu (1923-1997). In the early 1930s, they moved to Orange County where they bought a 40 acre Westminster farm under Tad’s name as a child landowner with the help of a trustee because Seima was not allowed to own land under the Alien Land Laws. Farming is challenging enough, but they also faced the unjust internment during World War II. In addition, Tad was a victim of polio as a young boy which left him with a club foot for the rest of his life. During WWII, Seima was sent to the Dept. of Justice Lordsburg New Mexico detention facility; separated from the family for 2.5 years. Tad, Masako, son Saylo and Daughters Aki & Kazi were in the Poston AZ internment camp. Post World War II, they farmed asparagus, tomatoes, strawberries, green beans, and squash in Garden Grove and Westminster. Tad, his wife, Yone, and daughter Janice continued farming in Orange County until 1974 when Munemitsu Farms focussed on citrus (oranges & lemons packed under the Sunkist brand) and avocados in No. San Diego and Fresno Counties.

Newlyweds Seima and Masako Munemitsu, 1921

It's Strawberry Season! Tad & Seima Munemitsu

Tad & Yone, Rakumi Sasaki (Farm Bookkeeper), Masako & Seima

Mochi Tsuki at Munemitsu Farms

Seima Munemitsu Seeding the Field

Strawberry Season: Tad and Daughter Janice

Seima plowing the Westminster Farm

Farm Crew with Yone, Tad, and Janice Munemitsu

Tomono, Isaburo and Chiyo Hashizaki

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Wed, 18 Jun 1930 21:54:10 GMT

Isaburo Tomono, born in 1891 in Fukuoka, Kyushu, left Kobe, Japan on the French WWI era ship L’Amiral Fourichon on December 24, 1907, and arrived in Honolulu on January 12, 1908.

Big Island native Chiyo Hashizaki’s parents arrived In Hawaii in 1890. She was born in the Ola`a-Puna district in 1899. She married Isaburo on January 23, 1918. On July 8, 1918 he enlisted in the Army serving in Co D, 2 nd Hawaiian Infantry. He was discharged on February 8, 1919 (WWI ended in November, 1918).

They had 8 children: Helen Hatsuye Mihara, Alice Okimura, Akio (Aki), Mitsuye (Mits) Barbara Yamasaki, Yoshiye Lois, Tsugio, Mitsuo, and Katsumi Clarry.

Isaburo and Chiyo left Honolulu on the SS President Lincoln on August 29, 1929, arriving in San Francisco on September 4, 1929. Their final destination was Sacramento and in 1930, they worked on a rented farm.

The Tomonos were still in Sacramento in 1940, and they were living with 7 of their 8 children in their own home and farming in Brighton, a city in Sacramento County. Helen was 18, and youngest son at the time, Mitsuo, was 1.

After the hysteria of WWII started, the ten Tomonos were sent to a Fresno Assembly Center prior to internment at the Jerome Concentration Camp in Arkansas. Government records state Isaburo was a fruit farmer (they grew strawberries). Leaving Jerome, Helen and Alice went to Kansas City, Missouri, and the rest of the family went to Rohwer, Arkansas.

In 1950, The Tomonos were in Brighton again, still farming with 5 children at home. It’s not known whether they kept their own home after the war. Isaburo passed at the age of 68, and Chiyo at 76. Tomonos continue living in the Sacramento area today. The Tomonos’ grandson Gary Mihara lives in Honolulu, as well as their great-grandchildren Marissa

Isaburo Tomono & Chiyo Hashizaki (year unknown)

Isaburo Tomono (year unknown) (Buddhist accessories, and World War 1 Victory Medal

Chiyo Hashizaki Tomono with oldest child (Helen, October 1921)

Helen (Tomono) Mihara (oldest child, circa 1923)

Helen (Tomono) Mihara with oldest child, Gary Mihara 1946

Isaburo and Chiyo Tomono with oldest child Helen (1922)

Tomono children (Helen in the front with sweater)

Helen Mihara with husband Toshio, son Gary, and grandson Jonathan (1990)

Tomooka Brothers Farm

Mon, 19 May 1930 06:31:24 GMT

The Tomooka family immigrated from the farming village of Kumamoto in Japan. Toyokichi came to America in 1903 and Toyokuma Tomooka in 1906. Toyokichi moved to the Santa Maria Valley by 1907 and Toyokuma followed. They both worked in the sugar beet fields for Union Sugar in Guadalupe making $10.00 per week and saved enough money to eventually lease 300 acres in Oso Flaco. They both saved enough money to request picture brides from Japan as well.

Toyokichi married Yone Matsuoka and together they had 8 children – Tsuyako, Masataka, A yako, Chikayoshi, James, Ruth, Lillie, Fred. Toyokuma married Kane Akizuki and had 7 children - Masayoshi, Yoshito, Kikuye, Isamu, Suyeo, Tom, and Takashi.

There the two brothers raised sugar beets and potatoes at Osos Flaco until about 1924. During that time, tragedy struck the Tomookas. 17 of Toyokuma’s personally trained horses were caught in a hay fire in the stable. Toyokuma wept as he buried all 17 by hand. It was thought that the fire was set intentionally and was racially motivated. The Tomookas were also under a lot a pressure to buy tractors but refused to because of the excellent horse training by Toyokuma.

Around 1924, due to the Alien Land Law of 1913 and a revision in 1920, immigrants were not allowed to lease land anymore. So Toyokuma’s family moved to Avila where they helped grow bush peas in Shell Beach. It is unclear where Toyokichi’s family moved to due to the Alien Land Law.

In 1930, Toyokichi and Toyokuma decided to form a new produce company, Santa Maria Produce with Mr. Karasuda and Mr. Fujimoto. Mr. Ted Akahoshi was the Sales and General Manager who then hired Ken Kitasako, a Stanford Graduate and an Issei, a second generation Japanese American. Because of the Alien Law act of 1920, Mr Akahoshi put the farm leases under Ken’s name so the Tomookas could lease the land for farming. They leased land that is below the Nipomo bluff on Riverside Road from the Donovan and Souza families. There they grew cauliflower, lettuce, celery. Toyokuma later moved his farming to a 140 acre parcel next to Oso Flaco Lake owned by the Enos family. It was overgrown and wild with willow, weeds and junk but Toyokuma made that prime farming land. Toyokuma bought his first tractor in 1937, a McCormack model 35. The Tomookas farmed their leased land until 1941.

It was during this period that GM Akahoshi brought some seeds from Chicago. Italian Sprouting Brocolli. It was called that because they were going to market it to the Italian community in Chicago. Toyokichi started growing about 4 or 5 acres as a trial basis. No one in any of the farming communities in California had heard of or grown broccoli yet. Mr. Akahoshi claimed “It is going to be the ‘next big thing’. We have a market in Chicago if we cant sell it in California”. Everybody in the Valley came around to see this odd crop that no one had ever seen grown. When it came time for harvest, The Tomookas sent 10 crates to the Los Angeles market to see if anyone was interested in buying broccoli. A telegram came back stating that they would pay $5 for it. Toyokichi, who was known to have quite a temper, said forget it. Disc it all up! Well later, Toyokichi was informed that they would give $5/crate which was quite a lot of money back then.” OOPS. Needless to say, The Tomookas started growing broccoli as their main winter crop. That’s how broccoli started in California.

During the 1930’s, Depression or not, the vegetables were being grown, harvested, packed, and loaded onto railroad cars to cross the country. The produce going to Los Angeles was by truck. During the late 1930’s, the Tomookas sometimes didn’t have the money to pay the rent. Most of the time, landlords were understanding because they knew that farmers were doing their best and it was not their fault that the market was off. During this time, Santa Maria Produce had gone into heavy debt, similar to what other companies were going through. SMP owed money to places like the ice company who kept advancing them ice. They also owed money to a shook company in San Francisco. Shook was board used for making crates. The method of packing vegetables was also beginning to change over to packing them into ready made crates.

Around 1938, just when things were looking especially grim, things took a turn for the better for the farming community. By the end of 1940 sales started to pick up and SMP was able to get out from under some of their debts.

Ironically enough, the good fortune coincided with the beginning of WWII. But as history would tell it, life was going to deal another blow. The bombing of Pearl Harbor on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, sent the Japanese-American community into turmoil and upheaval. Around 11:00/midnight of that day, the FBI arrived at the Tomookas house in Oso Flaco. They emptied Toyokuma’s desk and put all of the papers into a duffel bag and took Toyokuma from his home and family. The two youngest children, Tom who was 9 and Takashi who was 5, and Kiku were living in the house with their parents, but the older boys were living in another house on that same property. The FBI went into that house as well and searched the premises with flashlights. One of Toyokuma’s sons, Suyeo, who was 15 years old, and cousin Mitsuki were sleeping when they got woken up first by the FBI and wanted to know where Grandfather was. Details get cloudy after this, but Toyokuma was taken from his home and family, and for about a week, no one knew where her was. Somehow they learned that he was in the Santa Barbara County Jail with about a dozen other Issei. So Kane and Massey drove down to SB and were led to the jail. Very shortly after they met with Toyokuma, he and Toyokichi were sent to Missoula, MT and interned there for 6 - 7 months. Toyokuma and his family were able to exchange letters, however all mail received was opened and censored. Toyokichi was sent to Louisiana after Missoula while Toyokuma was sent to Gila.

So while Toyokuma was in Missoula, MT, Masataka, Toyokichi’s oldest son, who was about 24 or 25 at the time, and Toyokuma’s eldest son, Massey, 21 years old, took over the farming operations of their respective ranches. They had workers to help them out. Their other siblings were still going to school during the week and would work on the ranch during the weekends. Everyone pitched in to help. Masataka oversaw the harvesting and shipping to the packing shed.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Issei could not live near the ocean within so many miles. And since Grandma Kane was Issei and living in Oso Flaco, she had to move inland to Guadalupe and stay with her relatives, the Oishi family. She took Takashi with her. The rest stayed in Oso Flaco. Kikuye cooked for them all. Toyokichi’s wife, Yone, and their youngest son, Fred, also went to live with the Oishi family.

Roosevelt’s proclamation 9066 to evacuate all Japanese from the coasts to the interior was announced. This included Issei and Nisei, Japanese immigrants and their American born children who were citizens of the United States.

Some provisions needed to made for Santa Maria Produce, since all of the principals were Issei and Nisei. Leo McMahon proposed that Puritan Ice Co. would act as trustees for Guadalupe Produce under the Aratanis, the Minami’s and Santa Maria Produce and operate all three operations for the the duration of the war. GP had about 4500 acres, the Minamis about 5000 acres, and SMP had about 1500 acres, totaling around 10,000 acres.

Without the trust, they would have been assured of losing it all, crops, equipment, everything. With this trust, at least they might have a chance. So by day they shipped vegetables; by night the principals from the Minamis, GP, and SMP worked until 2:00 a.m. to work out this deal with Puritan Ice and the attorneys to form a trust called California Vegetable or Cal Veg.

April 29, 1942, all of the Japanese on the Central Coast were sent to the Tulare County Fairgrounds in the San Joaquin Valley. From there, the Tomookas and others tried to communicate with the packing shed. They obviously were prohibited from leaving the Assembly Center. They were not allowed to use the telephone and there was no way to communicate. Cal Veg’s secretary/bookkeeper did her best to keep in touch, but she had her own work to do for Cal Veg as well.

The operations kept going as it was until a time when Leo McMahon, the attorney, said that Puritan Ice wanted to buy all three companies out. The principals of GP, Minamis, and SMP had their ideas of what a fair and equitable buy out would be, but of course, Cal Veg’s ideas were a lot lower. They felt that the way things were going, the best they could do was to grab what they could then and do the best they can. And so Santa Maria Produce, the Minamis operation, and Guadalupe Produce was sold.

The plan after that was to then later go to Uncle Sam to get compensation for the farms because after all, the government put them in camp. A very prominent Los Angeles law firm specializing in civil rights later took on the case for SMP. Masataka had worked out the details of case with this LA law firm. In the end, SMP was compensated, though not sure of how much or any of the details.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the order that all Japanese had to evacuate the coastal areas, Masataka and Massey were advised they could go out to Blythe to farm instead of going into the concentration camps. The Blythe area was beyond the No Japanese boundary. Several Japanese relocated to different parts of the country such as Utah and Colorado. And remember, most all of the Issei were already interned elsewhere, so their families were on their own. So Masataka and Massey planned to move their families and a few other families to Blythe to farm. They picked up materials at the junkyard to make trailers into which they could put their belongings on their trip out to Blythe. They worked on those trailers until late at night for many nights. Then about a week before the evacuation date, they felt that it would not be fair for only them to leave, leaving the other SMP families behind, so they ultimately decided to forget about going to Blythe and instead they were evacuated to Tulare Assembly Center together as a group.

As with every other Japanese family in California who were evacuated, they left all of their belongings behind taking only that which they could carry. They had been informed that they should burn old photographs of relatives and friends in Japan and anything that was connected to Japan.

April 29, 1942 the Japanese were put on Greyhound buses to Tulare County Fairgrounds. That was the first time that Massey and his siblings had ever been on a Greyhound bus. This was the assembly center to which all of the Japanese on the Central Coast was sent. The Tulare Assembly Center was fenced in by barbed wire and guard towers. The Japanese lived in barracks, some were forced to stay in the horse stables, but as Massey, recalled, “We were lucky. We had barracks.”

In the fall, they were sent by train with curtains drawn, to the Gila River concentration camp in Arizona. When they arrived, the camp was not yet finished. Sewer lines and pipe lines were still open. It was dusty, windy, and hot. No photos during this time - cameras weren’t allowed until later. At Gila, Toyokuma was reunited with his family.

While Toyokichi was still interned in Louisiana, his wife, Yone, became gravely ill in camp. After getting all of the necessary permits to leave Gila, Masataka took a train to Louisiana to bring his father back. Masataka had to have guards accompany him on his journey, and he was required to render their pay as well as pay for their train fares. Yone passed away at the age of 48 only one day before Toyokichi arrived at Gila River. Sometime later, Toyokuma and his family relocated to the Tule Lake concentration camp in Northern California.

After the Toyokuma Tomookas were released from Tule Lake in Jan 1946 with only about $150.00 that the government gave them, they boarded a train to the Glendale area in Arizona where Toyokichi was already farming having been released from Gila River concentration camp quite a bit earlier.

The Toyokuma Tomookas ended up living in what was little more than a shack. When it rained, the roof leaked so badly that the ceiling fell down. It rained hard and thundered a great deal in Glendale. Eventually, they were able to purchase 40 acres under Massey’s name as Massey was old enough to do so. They grew lettuce and canteloupe. They worked day and night to buy one tractor.

After 5 years, the Arizona heat grew to be rather unbearable for the Toyokuma Tomooka family, and with Massey’s insistence, the family returned to Santa Maria in 1952 while the Toyokichi Tomooka Family stayed in Arizona. This was the first time that the Issei brothers had parted company. Toyokichi lived in Arizona for the rest of his life and died at 71 years of age in 1962, but Santa Maria became his final resting place.

When the Toyokuma Tomooka family returned to Santa Maria, they were touched and overwhelmed to be given a welcome home party by their Santa Maria Valley and Arroyo Grande friends who had already returned to the area.

Toyokuma and Massey got their start again in farming in this area through the generosity and assistance of Mr. H.Y. Minami. Mr. Guerrera, a landlord, had some land to farm and asked Mr. Minami to farm 90 acres on Riverside Rd. in Nipomo. Instead, Mr. Minami let Toyokuma and Massey start farming those 90 acres which were then leased under Massey’s name.

In the meantime, Toyokuma’s wife Kane’s American Dream came to fruition. From having moved from rented home to rented home ever since her arrival in the U.S. she was able to finally call a house on the eastside of Santa Maria, her home in 1953. Toyokuma was 65 years old and Kane was 53 at the time. After Toyokuma lived in the US for 49 years and Kane for 35 years, they earned their citizenship at the swearing in ceremony in Santa Barbara on Dec. 15, 1954.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Toyokuma and Massey were beginning to expand their farming operations in Nipomo to 450 acres, internally known as ranches 1 - 6. These leased properties comprised of the Guerra ranch, which is now owned by the family, the Amoral ranch, the Souza ranch, the Canada ranch, and Joe Souza ranch. The ranches were numbered to help distinguish the different plots that needed to be fertilized or inspected. Prior to numbering the ranches, the pest control operators made mistakes and sprayed the wrong field.

Two of Toyokuma’s sons, #2 Yoshito and #4 Isamu, joined the farm as acreage increased. Yoshito was mainly in charge of the tractor work and irrigation. Isamu’s primary responsibilities were cultivation and planting. Massey did the general managing of the farm, pesticides, and the harvest. Toyokuma was the father, and was generally overlooking the whole operation. As Massey, Yoshito, and Isamu’s sons and their cousins grew up, they, too, helped on the farm on weekends and during the summer.

The farm operations expanded to about 1000 acres being farmed which included 100 acres on division road which was bought from Bud Gracia, 160 acres leased from Sutti, 200 acres across from the Guadalupe cemetary bought from Mrs. Donovan, and 300 acres leased from Ralph Mareti, near the Guadalupe beach area.

Toyokuma taught Massey all he needed to know about growing lettuce and broccoli. Massey also learned a few of Grandfather’s superstitions along the way one of which are - Never start the first harvest of the year on a Friday. Never conduct major business on a Friday.

Tomooka Bros. grew lettuce and broccoli which remained as their two crops throughout their farming years. Lettuce was planted during the spring and harvested during the summer. H arvesting was usually between April through the end of November.

In 1970 two unions, the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee headed by Caesar Chavez and the Teamsters Union were attempting to organize the farm workers in this area. The fields at the Tomooka Bros. ranches, identified as a major grower along with others in the area, were targeted and picketed by the UFWOC, Chavez group. The fact that Tomooka Brothers were Japanese Americans--started by immigrants--was ironically ignored. Their operation was subject to demonstrations, vehicle vandalism--sugar in the gas tanks--, and their fields were flooded at night by irrigation equipment being turned on. As a response to protect their business assets, from July - November 1970 two security guards were hired to patrol their office and fields round the clock. UFW became the fieldworkers choice.

Toyokuma worked on the ranch until he suffered a stroke at the age of 78 at which time he was confined to a wheelchair. He passed away in 1972 at the age of 82. Kane passed away in 1994 at the age of 94.

The Buddhist Church played a large part in Toyokuma’s and Kane’s lives. They gave generously to the church. Toyokuma was also one of the Issei who participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the then new Buddhist Church on Obispo St. in Guadalupe. Likewise, Kane was very involved in the Fujinkai, the women’s auxiliary group of the Buddhist Church.

Toyokuma also was a strong contributor to Marian Hospital, now Marian Medical Center, in Santa Maria. Tomooka Farms supported many local non-profit organizations. Loving baseball as they did they naturally supported local baseball teams, from semi-pro to the small youth leagues. Toyokuma received two honors from the Japanese government for his contributions to agriculture.

Yoshito and Isamu retired in 1991. Massey bought them out and farmed independently until 1993. At this time, he became partners with Betteravia Farms. Massey grew the lettuce and broccoli, but Betteravia Farms did the harvesting and shipping. In 1995, he sold his business to Betteravia Farms and retired. In 1997, Massey was honored as Farmer of the Year at the Santa Barbara County Fair.

Toyokichi married Yone Matsuoka and together they had 8 children – Tsuyako, Masataka, , Ayako, Chikayoshi, James, Ruth, Lillie, Fred

Toyokuma married Kane Akizuki and had 7 children - Masayoshi, Yoshito, Kikuye, Isamu, Suyeo, Tom, and Takashi

Yoshimura Family Farm

Sun, 27 Apr 1930 09:59:58 GMT

Yoshio and Shizue Yoshimura were nisei kibeis, second-generation Americans who were raised and educated in Japan and returned to the US to make their fortune in agriculture. In the mid- 1930’s, after meeting working on neighboring Southern California farms, they began their farming and family life, eventually having five daughters: Mariko, Yoshie, Michiko, Ruby and Jane.

Before World War II, they leased farming property in the San Gabriel Valley, raising a variety of berries. They lost most of their possessions and farming equipment when interned at Heart Mountain, Wyoming and Tule Lake, California. After World War II, attempting a new start, they farmed in San Diego, and tried their luck in the harsh desert of Borrego Springs.

In the early 1950’s they settled in Riverside, California where they had a successful family owned-farm for over 40 years. Riverside was home to a strong Japanese-American farming community at that time including the Namekadas, Inabas, and Mayedas. At first they sold their well-noted strawberries, tomatoes and other produce to the Los Angeles Market, and local Riverside produce markets. Mr. Yoshimura realized that it would only be possible to continue the family farm if they sold directly to consumers and started to sell all of their produce from a small farm stand. In the end, their cash crop of farm fresh strawberries was so popular they were sold directly from the field to customers if they were lucky enough to purchase a flat!

Like most Japanese farmers, they “gamaned” or persevered through many life struggles to earn a living in order to educate their daughters who all became successful in their careers.

Yoshio (Henry) Yoshimura on his tractor

Yoshio (Henry) Yoshimura with his grandson, Clayton Henley picking strawberries

Yoshio (Henry) & Shizue Yoshimura with grandson in front of farm stand

Shizue Yoshimura and her granddaughter Erin Butler sorting tomatoes

Yoshimura farm stand and home in Riverside, California

Yoshio (Henry) Yoshimura with his farm delivery truck

Shizue Yoshimura with her farm workers

Ken Doi Farm

Fri, 14 Jun 1929 10:55:53 GMT

Ken George Doi was born on December 6, 1922 in Garden Grove, CA and was a graduate of Anaheim High School. His family briefly moved to Japan in the mid-1920’s. They returned to Orange County, CA in 1929 where they lived and farmed twenty acres east of Knott Ave., until the start of WWII.

After being evacuated to the internment camp in Poston, AZ during the war, Ken joined a Japanese labor camp where he picked cherries in Layton, Utah. In 1946 Ken enlisted in the Army where he was an interrogator at Sugamo Prison, then a member of the 166th and 355th Language Detachments.

After the war, Ken returned to Southern California and held numerous jobs, one working on a chicken-fryer farm plucking feathers. He also briefly studied real estate but had to stand outside due to crowded classrooms and discrimination, so he quit.

From that time on, Ken was involved with farming in the Stanton/Anaheim area. He farmed in Anaheim near the corner of Beach Blvd. and Lincoln Ave., before developing the land for commercial use. His pride and joy was his two-acre strawberry farm on Bever Place in Stanton. There, he also harvested small crops of oranges, grapefruit, boysenberries, zucchini, cucumbers, daikon, and eggplant to share with family and friends. Some of Ken’s favorite memories were hosting class field trips or Girl/Boy Scout troops at the farm, allowing the kids to pick strawberries and teaching them first hand about farming.

Ken loved being a farmer because it allowed him to be his own boss and make his own hours. This gave him more family time with his wife Joan, daughter Vicky (Feeko) and son Steven.

Ken Doi passed away in 1997. He was very proud to be a Japanese American farmer in Orange County and left behind a legacy of hard work, perseverance, determination and dedication.

1974 Ken Doi Farm

1974 Ken Doi speaking to 3rd Grade Class (Field Trip)

Ken's beloved old farm truck

1991 Ken & Joan Doi

Matsuda Farms

Sun, 21 Apr 1929 08:45:58 GMT

Japanese immigrants Heisuke and Mitsuno Matsuda purchased a 10-acre parcel on Vashon-Maury Island in Washington with hard-earned savings in 1929, just before the October stock market crash. Due to anti-Japanese laws that prevented Japanese immigrants from land ownership, the Matsudas purchased the land in the name of an American-born Japanese friend until their son Yoneichi came of age. Their daughter Mary was born in 1926; their farmhouse was built in 1931. The Matsudas raised a variety of berries and currants with the help of hired workers and families, taking their crops to the Shawnee and Vashon Heights docks to ship to Tacoma and Seattle.

During WWII the family was removed to concentration camps in Tule Lake, California and Minidoka, Idaho. Yoneichi volunteered for the all-Japanese American 442 nd Battalion, serving honorably in Europe and was awarded a Bronze Star. Trusted Filipino caretaker Mack Garcia stayed in the farmhouse during the war and kept the farm going. After legally battling the deputy sheriff who leased the land but mismanaged finances, the Matsudas retained ownership, returned to the farm after the war, and became one of the few returning Japanese American families.

The farm was expanded into 52-acres; it became the third largest strawberry farm on the island. Together with second wife Miyoko, four daughters, and hired workers, Yoneichi worked the farm for several decades. He earned the Conservationist Farmer of the Year in 1957 for his sustainable land management practices.

Approaching retirement age and facing lowering strawberry prices. The family worked the last commercial strawberry harvest on the island. That same year Yoneichi passed away, suffering a heart attack while on a tractor cultivating strawberries.

In 2015, the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust purchased 12 acres of the Matsuda farm in keeping with the family’s hopes of maintaining it as farmland. Goals are to restore the farmhouse, establish a farm-to-school program, and connecting the estate with a walking public trail system.

Matsuda Family 1935

Conservation Award 1957

Heisuke and Yoneichi Matsuda

Mary (Mama-san) Matsuda

Matsuda Farm

Matsuda Farm 2015

Tanita Farms

Thu, 07 Jun 1928 10:51:15 GMT

The history of Tanita Farms, Inc. of Glendale, Arizona had its roots in Fukushima, Japan. Naomasa Tanita, the patriarch of the farming family, was born there on December 15, 1880. He married Tomo Abe and had one daughter, Taka. After his first wife passed away, he moved to the United States with Taka and second wife, Sui. After farming in Monterey Park, California for a few years, Naomasa decided to follow other Japanese farmers, the Nakatsu’s and Matsumoto’s, and seek fortune in Arizona in 1928. By then, ten of the thirteen children had been born.

Initially the family farmed in Glendale at 83rd Avenue and Camelback, but moved to different areas throughout its existence. During World War II, the Tanita family escaped internment at Poston because the farm was north of the railroad tracks. Over the years, the farm relocated throughout West Phoenix and Glendale.

After Naomasa Tanita passed away, the 12 sons and 1 daughter (Shigeru, Satoshi, Makoto, Akiko, Tadashi, Minoru, Wataru, Tamotsu, Kiyoshi, Susumu, Tsutomu, Toru, and Mitsugu) ran the family farm. The eldest son, Shig, died tragically in 1969, but left the strong legacy of Tanita Farms behind him. He had led Tanita Farms to be the largest grower and shipper of mixed vegetables in the entire state of Arizona. The family was farming over 2,000 acres of land. Their crops included broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, green onions, radishes, squash, and melons to name a few.

Almost all of the 12 sons worked on the farm with their respective areas of expertise. Shig was the president and worked in the front office. Mack was the general manager and vice president. Toru was in charge of sales. John Kimura, who married Aki, the only daughter, was in charge of planting and harvesting cabbage and leaf lettuce. Watty supervised the growing of green onions and other bunched vegetables. Sus grew cauliflower and broccoli and helped Tad with maintenance, who was the shop foreman. Mits grew and harvested radishes. Kiyo managed the growth of mixed vegetables and Tom oversaw the production of lettuce.

Tanita Farms was unique because they not only grew the crops, but packed and shipped them as well. Theirs was truly “A Family Farm.”

Tanita Farms - Dec '72

Tanita Farms, Inc. - Dec '72

Tractor on farm - Sep '72

Green onions crop - Nov '72

Radishes crop - Nov '72

Uncle Watty and green onions - circa 1954-55

Tanita Farms label

Tanita Family 1945

Tanita Family Reunion - June 2016

Tanita Family 1939

Yamamoto Farms

Thu, 31 May 1928 09:20:35 GMT

Suyeto and Tomi Yamamoto, were from Kumamoto prefecture in Japan. Suyeto came to the United States in 1920 and settled in California. Tomi came to the US a couple of years later. Suyeto worked on a farm in Gardena until his brother convinced him to come to Arizona in 1928 where he eventually started his own farm. Their son, Masatsuki "Mutt" Yamamoto, was born in Arizona.

During World War II, the area around Phoenix was divided in a way such that those living on north side of the boundary line were sent to internment camps and those south of the boundary line were not. The Yamamoto farm was south of the line, so the family was not interned. Mutt enlisted and served in the United States Army for two years during and after WWII (1944-1946). He served as part of the Allied Occupation of Japan as a member of the US Counterintelligence Corps and earned the rank of Staff Sergeant. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Arizona to help his parents on the family farm.

Mutt said in an interview that, “With the aid of a G.I. loan in 1948, I put a down payment on a rather desolate, sagebrush and tumbleweed infested piece of land that took me almost four months of daily struggle with only one tractor to clear, level and otherwise prepare for cultivation before I could plant and irrigate my first crops.” From his farm in Glendale, Arizona, Mutt would sell his produce to the local markets in downtown Phoenix and also opened a produce stand on the farm along Glendale Avenue which drew many loyal customers from Luke Air Force Base and the Sun City Retirement Community not too far away.

His wife of 61 years, Yasuko ("Yasu") helped on the farm by managing the stand and handling most of the farm business paperwork. The family’s stand was a popular local seasonal landmark, and the whole family was involved in its operation, including their three daughters, Christine, Iris and Lori and one son, Stan. Yamamoto Farms produced over 20 different crops, from a variety of greens to delicious melons and strawberries with which Mutt won numerous agricultural awards. Towards the end of strawberry season, Mutt would open the fields to happy customers who could go in and pick their own strawberries.

Throughout the years, in addition to his year-round truck farming activities, Mutt grew Christmas trees, raised hogs, had chickens, horse stables, and even a couple of peacocks on the property. For a period of time, he took his mother's "tsukemono" recipe and made it commercially from the daikon radishes raised on the farm. He designed and built a small assembly line where the bottles of tsukemono were processed, labeled, and prepared for shipment to California.

Outside of working on the farm, Mutt was also heavily involved with the Japanese community. He served as president of the Arizona Japanese-American Citizens League and served on the board and was an officer for the Arizona Buddhist Temple for several years.

Mutt and Yasu farmed that 140 acres of land until they retired in 1985.

Suyeto, Tomi and Mutt in California around 1928

Yasu and Mutt around 1960

Aerial view of the Yamamoto farm with produce stand on the far right around 1960's

The produce stand after it was closed down around 1970's

Picture of strawberry crop

Picture of lettuce crop with Yamamoto family home and produce stand in the background around 1960's

Newspaper articles of zuchini and strawberries grown on Yamamoto farms. Lori is pictured with the strawberries 1967

Pictures of Stan, Christine and Iris on the farm as children late 1950's

Left: Iris, Yasu, Lori, Suyeto, Right: Stan , Christine, Tomi, Mutt for New Year's shogatsu around 1964

Miyada Farm

Sun, 29 Apr 1928 09:03:26 GMT

Reigu and Masu Miyada farmed in Crystal Cove California from 1928 to 1942. The Miyadas started growing flowers, but later changed to a variety of crops, including beans, peas, lima beans, cucumbers, and all kinds of squash. Don, his two brothers and sister were involved with some of the farming duties including hauling and picking tomatoes and beans, weeding the vegetables, and stringing up the peas and beans.

They farmed two separate plots of land; ten irrigated acres on the inland side of PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), and 80 acres of dry farming on land where UC Irvine is now located. They sold their produce at a farm stand and also to local grocery stores. They had some of their produce trucked to the Ninth Street Market in Los Angeles by a Mr. Kobayashi.

The Japanese families farmed and made their homes on the leased land from the James Irvine Ranch. In 1935 a new building housed perhaps the first farm cooperative, where the farmers formed a seed-buying cooperative known as the Laguna Beach Growers Association.

In 1942, some families were removed and sent first to an assembly center and then to internment camps, but the Miyada family was taken directly to Poston, Arizona, (and finally to block 37) on buses from Huntington Beach as were other families in the area. After the war, none of the Japanese families returned to Crystal Cove. By then, other families had taken over the property.

Besides serving in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Don went on the receive his doctorate and is professor emeritus at University of California, Irvine. His brother George joined the MIS and Charles also in the 442 RTC. Sister Ruth was an office worker when she first came back from Poston, But as time passed she became an flight attendant and then on to her last position as airline sales representative with British Airways.

Farm Stand on Pacific Coast Hwy 1930s

San Joaquin School 1936

Miyada family 1938

Reigu Miyada

Japanese farms in Crystal Cove before evacuation

Ruth, George, Don, Charles with parents 1944

Kiosk displaying Miyada farm stand

Suyematsu Farm

Sat, 21 Apr 1928 08:17:37 GMT

Suyematsu Farm is the oldest, most continuously farmed land on Bainbridge Island. It is now the largest production farm in Kitsap County, except for the period during WWII, when the Suyematsus were interned in the Manzanar and Minidoka internment camps. Like most of Bainbridge Island, Japanese immigrants raised berries and during 1930-1940 put the island on the map as the strawberry capital of the Pacific Northwest, growing the Marshall variety, known at the time as the finest tasting strawberry in the U.S.

Yasuji and Mitsuo Suyematsu, Japanese immigrants, purchased the 40 acres in 1928, after farming on rented land. The Asian Exclusion Act prevented anyone not born in the U.S. from owning land. The parents registered the land in the name of their eldest son Akio, who was 8 years old at the time. The children eventually numbered seven, although their youngest son died young.

By hand and horse, it took the Suyematsus to transition the land from forest into one of the original berry farms that made Bainbridge Island famous. Forced to leave in 1942, it was just before one of the largest bumper crops they had ever seen. Unable to afford a manager, the land was abandoned for the duration of WWII. Upon returning from 1945-1947 (Akio and brother Ish had been drafted by the U.S. Army while in camp), the Suyematsus were among a quarter of the original strawberry farmers to reclaim their land.

Eldest son Akio passed away in 2012 at 91; he had farmed since childhood and guided the farm into the 21st century. He was the last of the original berry farmers on the Island who put Bainbridge on the map. In 1958 he was named Kitsap Farmer of the Year. In the 1980’s, the farm began a formal composting operation and the first farm to turn organic.

In the 1970’s the Bentryn family purchased half of the farm to create vineyards and a winery. Akio and the Bentryns mentored the next generation of master farmers to help farm their land and their own land. In 2000, 15 acres of Suyematsu Farm and 10 acres of Bentryn Farm (2004) were purchased by the City of Bainbridge Island to be kept in perpetuity as agricultural landscape.

Early 1930's Suyematsu Homestead

1930's Akio, Ish and Tosh

1930's, Yasuji and Four Sons

1950's Suyematsus and Marshall Strawberries

1950's Akio Tilling His Farm

1980 Akio Suyematsu

4 Generations of Suyematsus and Bentryns

Masuda Brothers Farm

Sat, 30 Apr 1927 11:42:09 GMT

The Masuda family in America started when Gensuke Masuda arrived in Oregon from Wakayama, Japan in 1898. Gensuke and Tamae first moved to Westminster in Orange County in 1907 where they had 10 children and 8 survived into adulthood. Among those were two brothers Mitsuo, born in 1916, and Masao, born in 1917. These two brothers would farm in Orange County for some 50 years. In 1927 the family moved to Fountain Valley, then known as Talbert. This is where they started truck farming string beans, celery, tomatoes and lettuce. The family was able to survive the depression, a flood, an earthquake and the internment camp and still keep the farm going into the 70’s.

One brother Kazuo was already in the army when World War II broke out. He served in the distinguished 442nd Regimental Combat Team and lost his life in Italy fighting the Nazis in 1944. He was later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism.

One piece of the farm was near Ward and Ellis Streets and another piece of land was on Warner Avenue west of Brookhurst Street. In the later years of farming they turned to raising strawberries and corn while operating a produce stand on Warner Avenue. In the late 1970’s the properties were sold to developers, ending 60 years of the Masuda Family farming in Orange County.

Family portrait April 1942 Selma CA just before being sent to Jerome Relocation Camp - 8405

Hideko Kay Masuda wife of Mitsuo working the strawberries in the 1970’s - 8406

Masao on tractor after returning from MIS occupation in Japan

Mitsuo working on the Warner property and produce stand

Kazuo Masuda

Yamashita Farm

Wed, 05 Jan 1927 01:35:53 GMT

Yamashita's forty-acre Laguna Beach farm, established in 1927, was known for the quality of their K.Y. Produce labeled celery, cucumber, squash, stake tomato, and green beans. After Pearl Harbor, due to executive order 9066. In 1942, they abandoned their farm and moved first to Utah, then settled on a Colorado farm for the war duration. After the war's conclusion, the family returned to Southern California and discovered their former farm was unavailable. The Yamashita’s searched and purchased a property in Santa Ana, where they grew strawberries. In 1963, they sold their strawberry farm and retired in Los Angeles.

Keichi arrived in California in 1907 at the age of 14 from Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, and labored several years on a Riverside farm where he learned to communicate with a few English words before starting his vegetable farm near San Diego. With his farm earnings, Keichi returned to his birthplace in Japan in 1917, married Sona, and returned with his bride to his San Diego area farm, where he raised four children. Keichi discovered undeveloped fertile property north of Laguna Beach near Crystal Cove and successfully negotiated a long term lease agreement for the property with its owner, Mr. Irvine.

Keichi made capital improvements, removed brush and boulders, cultivated the property into a thriving vegetable farm. The Yamashitas five children attended Laguna Beach schools. Custom homes and Crystal Cove Promenade now reside on the former farm property.

Family:
Keichi and Sono Yamashita children
Matsuyo (Yamashita) Katagiri
Hiroshi Harry Yamashita
Isamu Sam Yamashita
Tak Yamashita
Irene Yamashita

The Yamashita Farm

Preparing celery field

Tractor Drawn Equipment

Celery Harvest

Planting Vegetable Seed

Roadside Market

Yamashita Boys - Kendo Uniforms

Produce for Los Angeles Market

Family Home Complex

Sadakane Farms

Wed, 10 Jun 1925 09:56:35 GMT

Masaichi and Hisayo Sadakane started farming in Gardena or Dominguez Hills.

Farm operations were not too good so they moved to Garden Grove to work at his friends Kodoko’s farm, but it was not an easy place to work so they moved back to Dominguez Hills and started growing strawberries and vegetables.

In 1925 they moved back to Garden Grove when the Kodoko family decided to quit farming and took over their farm.

In the fall of 1928, the Sadakane family moved to a big farm in Huntington Beach, which is now Beach and Adams. There were four families on the farm, Paul Nagamatsu and his parents, Okuda and Tsuji. It was hard work during the depression period, they grew chili peppers and tomatoes.

The horse was used on the farm in Westminster growing chili peppers, tomatoes and strawberries. Masuo and Mamo Sadakane helped on the farm after graduating high school and with the added help, tractors were purchased.

There were various locations where they farmed, even 10 acres where the Sadakane house sits in Santa Ana (unfortunately that land was sold in the late 60’s), Garden Grove, Westminster, La Palma, Anaheim, Mile Square Park, Santa Ana and Irvine.

Sadakane Farm operations were shut down in 1992.

Ford or Chevy tilt cabs were the popular truck to haul the produce

Beans in Santa Ana on Ritchie Street

Mamoru and the farm horse around 1936

Mamo, Alan and Gary discussing farm operations

Strawberries in Santa Ana on Main and Ritchie

Masuo fertilizing the strawberries in Anaheim

Strawberry stand on the farm in La Palma on the Delco Battery property

S.N. Kimura and Sons

Sun, 22 Jun 1924 04:06:29 GMT

Nobuichi Kimura (Hi-Jiichan) first came to America from Wakayama Prefecture, around 1918 and worked on farms in the Central Valley. He returned to Japan around 1924 and married Tsune Suhara from Ena in Wakayama and brought her to America. They eventually bought a farm in Madera in the name of their son and lived there until the war. By then the two oldest children, Masanobu and Shizuo, were in Japan staying with relatives for their education. The youngest child, Masumi, was about 10 at the start of the war when the family was relocated to Bear River Valley, Utah where they worked on a farm.

After the war, they returned to the Central Valley and had a farm in Parlier where they grew cotton and then, eventually, tree fruit like plums, peaches and nectarines. Nobuichi saved enough money to buy another farm in nearby Kingsburg where he grew grapes. When the brothers returned to America after the war, they lived and worked on the Parlier farm. Nobuichi passed away in 1975 and then when Tsune died in 1999, the family sold the Kingsburg farm.

Picture taken by a crop duster of the Kingsburg Farm

Tsune Kimura standing in her garden on her farm.

Nobuichi Kimura and granddaughter with sparklers behind the barn.

Kiyo Nagatomi sorting nectarines in the family packing house in Parlier.

Nobuichi and Tsune's grandchildren standing in front of the barn.

Nobuichi and Tsune standing with family and visiting family from Japan after the war on the farm.

Nizaemon and Hana Ito Family

Sat, 19 May 1923 06:22:36 GMT

Nizaemon Ito emigrated to Mexico in 1907 from Mieken, Japan. He came to the United States in 1910 working in Nevada in 1911 and California in 1913. He returned to Mieken, Japan in 1916 to marry Hana Ito. She came to the United States on September 7, 1918. Nizaemon came to Utah and worked in Bluffdale and Riverton. The family moved to Ogden in 1923 where he did truck farming. They moved to Pleasant View in 1934 then to Wilson then Roy and Plain City. They then moved to West Warren on the Maw Farm for two years. Then they moved to North Plain City. They raised tomatoes, onions, potatoes and sugar beets. They raised nine children: Joe Nichi, Grace Sayeko, Miyeko, Natsuko, Akiko, Toyoko, Frank, Dean and Sam Isamu. The family were members of the Japanese Christian Church.

They farmed until 1954 when they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Nizaemon had an unusual tractor that he used for farming. He used a Caterpillar track tractor to do the cultivating and harvesting crops.

Nizaemon and Hana Ito Family

T. and H. Sadakane

Fri, 18 May 1923 22:07:46 GMT

FIVE sons! Torasuke Sadakane thought that Taikichi Kato was lucky to have five sons and two daughters to work their farm. Torasuke and Hatsuyo’s family consisted of four daughters, but t hey helped on the farm in all ways. They planted and harvested CHILIES, TOMATOES, ONIONS, AND PICKLING CUCUMBERS.

Torasuke Sadakane was born in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1878, and at age 19 arrived in Vancouver, Canada. He then went to Montana to work on railroad construction with many other Japanese immigrants. After 16 years in America, he returned to Japan and an arranged marriage to Hatsuyo Tsunemoto.

Their daughters were Satsue, Eiko (who married Tetsuo, the third of the Kato brothers), Shizumi and Shigeko. In 1923, the family moved from Garden Grove to Talbert (now Fountain Valley), to farm on land near Bushard and what is now Yorktown Street which was just a dirt path at the time.

In 1927 the family moved to Wright Street (now Brookhurst Street) and Yorktown, then again in 1930 when they moved to Midway City, off Beach Boulevard on Sugar Street (now McFadden Avenue) where they picked their tomatoes to be sorted in the packing shed that Torasuke had built.

October was chili pepper season… The family hired other families to pick the chilies by piecework, but the daughters picked too. The chilies were then hauled to their dehydrator, which they called the Dry House, located on Beach Boulevard and Utica Street.

When the family obtained more acreage in Stanton, Torasuke rented a Caterpillar crawler tractor. Eiko disked on that crawler while her father used their other tractor.

Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and all the Japanese citizens were ordered to leave California by May 1942. Torasuke was able to sell some farm equipment, but cars, trucks, the house, and all the furnishings were left behind.

The Sadakane and Kato families had barracks next to each other in the Poston, Arizona, internment camp. After the war, the Sadakane family worked for the Katos on their farm in Fountain Valley.

Eiko Sadakane

Eiko, Shizumi, Torasuke, Hatsuyo, Shigeko, Satsue

Masuo, Eiko, Mamo, Satsue, and Yosh Sadakane

Satsue, Shigeko, Eiko, Shizumi and mother Hatsuyo

Torasuke and Hatsuyo Sadakane

Torasuke on tractor

Kanno Farm

Fri, 18 May 1923 21:47:59 GMT

Shuji Kanno initially came to the United States in 1905 as a teenager from Fukushima. He went back to Japan in 1923 to get married and bring his wife Maki to California where he had settled. They raised two sons, George and Jim on a farm in an area then known as Talbert (now Fountain Valley) until they were all incarcerated in Poston during WWII.

After the War, they returned to their farm in what was to become Fountain Valley. (During the war, their neighbor farmed the land and returned it to them when they came back). They raised asparagus, lettuce, cabbage, green beans, and bell peppers and other kinds of produce.

Jim Kanno was elected the first mayor of Fountain Valley and at the time, believed to be the first Japanese American mayor elected in the United States. Some of their story is published in a book about Fountain Valley by Daniel Aaron Gibb and available from Arcadia Publishing.

During the early 60’s a popular TV show of the time, Route 66 filmed an episode on the farm. The producers opted to shoot the episode in Fountain Valley although the script called for El Centro. Much of the farm, including the workers bunkhouse is shown in that episode, “A Road for a Warrior,” accessible online.

Maki Kanno posing with Asparagus tractor and family dog

Shuji Kanno on International tractor

Jim Kanno plowing

Tomatoes destined to be Hunt's Ketchup

Kanno family - Maki, Shuji, George, Jim

Shuji working the farm in an International Harvester

San Gabriel Nursery & Florist

Sat, 21 Apr 1923 06:01:27 GMT

One of the oldest and largest nurseries and florists in Southern California, San Gabriel Nursery & Florist has served gardening needs for over 80 years. The company was founded by Fred and Mitoko Yoshimura in 1923 as Mission Nursery and in 1955 incorporated under its present name, San Gabriel Nursery & Florist, where it continues to be a family operated business.

Fred Waichi Yoshimura was born in Yamaguchi, Japan on April 2, 1895. At 21 years old, he came to the US with the dream of becoming a successful businessman to help support his family in Japan. In 1922, Fred came to San Gabriel where he stayed at a boarding house and learned how to garden. He also became one of the pioneers of sprinkler system installation. After saving some money from his gardening jobs, he was able to lease a small parcel of land and start his own nursery.

While gardening at a home in South Pasadena, he met Mitoko Naito who was a maid there. Mitoko was born on April 10, 1899 in Hiroshima, Japan and traveled by boat to the US when she was 15. Fred and Mitoko married and had four children; Hayao, Raymond, Florence and Margie. They all contributed to the nursery’s expansion.

The nursery was sold to E. Manchester Boddy, publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News before the family was sent to Gila River relocation camp in 1942. After the war ended in 1945, the Yoshimuras returned to San Gabriel to start over.

Our first location on San Gabriel Boulevard taken in 1938

The Founders Fred Waichi and Mitoko Yoshimura

The Yoshimura Family Fred, Mitoko, Hayao, Raymond, Florence and Margie

Employees had to dig up the planted pansies as customers would point out the ones they wanted to purchase

The "Mission Bell" azalea was named after its characteristic bell-shaped flower and its origin in San Gabriel, "The City with a Mission"

Over the past 50 years, San Gabriel Nursery has developed one of the largest selections of Japanese Bonsai

Saburo Ishihara, recipient of the 2015 Japanese Society for Horticultural Science Award for his role in facilitating relations between Japan and the US through agriculture

Fred was an ambitious man who was driven by a strong sense of obligation to his family and helping others

Kaichi and Sei Morishima

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Sun, 18 Jun 1922 22:17:55 GMT

Kaichi Morishima was born in 1881 on a farm in Aobane village on the Izu peninsula (Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan). His eldest brother took over the family farm as was custom back then. With no property and limited economic prospects in Japan, he decided to travel to the U.S. when he heard stories of successful immigrants who were working in the States. He was young, single, and independent; so, against the wishes of his mother (as her last child) and despite the numerous uncertainties and risks, he left for Mexico in around 1900, due to anti-Japanese immigration laws that barred him from entering directly to the U.S. From there he traveled by foot to the border, a dangerous and treacherous trip where he, unfortunately, witnessed fellow travelers die along the route. Having to overcome many hardships he entered the U.S. and found work at a Japanese couple’s farm in Los Angeles County.

He worked the farm for several years before returning to Japan in 1907. He tried to open a business in Japan which proved to be unsuccessful, thus prompting a need to return to the U.S. Fortunately, prior to leaving the U.S. he petitioned to “regain” his legal immigration status after the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, where many government documents, including legal citizenship and visa papers, were lost in the resulting fire.

Sei Ushikubo was born in 1892 in Ajiro, a fishing village also on the Izu peninsula. In 1917, Kaichi and Sei were married. Sei bore their first child, Tatsuko, in 1918, who tragically died at the young age of two from whooping cough. Kaichi had already returned to the U.S. and Sei joined him in 1921. Together they worked on the same Japanese couple’s farm for about a year before moving to Wilmington (LA county) for their first farming experience on their own. 1922 proved to be a memorable year for Kaichi and Sei. Their first crop was cantaloupe, which ended in disaster due to unpredictable weather conditions. Farming was a gamble, and against the advice of Sei and their neighbors, Kaichi chanced the odds and reworked and replanted the field. Thankfully the replanting successfully resulted in a bumper crop. In 1923 they moved to Montebello where they grew different vegetables. Once harvested, they would drive down to a marketplace in Los Angeles and sell the vegetables off their truck.

Beginning in Montebello they started to grow their family and had five more children: Akira (1922), Kiyoshi (1925), Yoshiko (1927), Sueko (1930), and Hiroshi (1933). In around 1925, the young family moved to Hills Ranch in Garden Grove, sharing the ranch with another Japanese family. They grew tomatoes, pimento chilies, and other vegetables that they would harvest, pack, and sell on a large flatbed truck to the wholesale market. Further into the season, tomatoes left on the vine were processed into ketchup or canned tomatoes. Later moving to Woods Ranch in Fountain Valley, the family grew chili. Seeing fellow Japanese farmers in the area successfully dehydrate their crops, Kaichi and Sei eventually built their own dehydrating facility, a tireless project.

In around 1926, they moved to Rogers Ranch, in 1932, to Betchart Ranch, and again in 1934, they moved to Corrales Ranch, all in the Fountain Valley area. They continued chili farming there and built a second dehydrator. Around 1935, tractors appeared and replaced horses and reduced manual labor and time. As the children got older, especially the two eldest sons Akira and Kiyoshi, they helped out on the farm with furrowing, cultivating, and fertilizing, which eliminated some of their parents’ backbreaking work. The family moved once again to Steigmeir Ranch in 1938, a 40-acre plot of land in Fountain Valley that the two sons helped clear and plant seeds.

In 1941, Sei and all the children went to Japan to visit Sei’s sick uncle. When WWII broke out, they were unable to return. At the same time, Kaichi was incarcerated at the camps in Poston, Arizona. After returning from camp, he found that he’d lost the farm and everything that he owned — the tractors, truck, and car. Since he lacked U.S. citizenship he could neither lease nor rent land. Post-war, Kaichi worked as a farm worker at the Kato farm in Fountain Valley. The entire family was not reunited until 1949, a long eight years later. In 1949 the Morishima family left Orange County for Watsonville where they started sharecropping for Driscoll before moving to the Springfield area to grow three acres of strawberries. The family continued to farm strawberries in Watsonville, and later, Santa Maria until the family gave up farming altogether at the end of 1967. Kaichi passed away in 1959 and Sei passed away in 1988. Thanks to the tireless effort of both Kaichi and Sei, the children were able to lead prosperous and fulfilling lives, which they have passed on for generations to come.

Sei and Kaichi Morishima Wedding Picture (1917)

Kaichi Morishima shortly after arriving to the U.S. (around 1905)

Kaichi and Sei Morishima Working on the Farm (1950s)

Akira (eldest son), Sei, Kaichi and Hiroshi (youngest son) Morishima (1950s)

Sei, Kaichi, Sueko (youngest daughter), and Yoshiko (2nd daughter) Morishima (around 1949)

Akira, Sei, Kaichi, and Kiyoshi (2nd son) Morishima (1950s)

Morishima Mochitsuki with Neighbors (1950s)

Kaichi and Sei Morishima visit to Japan (early 1950s)

Morishima Family Portrait (1934)

From left to right:

Yoshiko - 4th born

Sei - mother

Akira (top) - 2nd born

Hiroshi (bottom) - 6th born

Kaichi - father

Kiyoshi (top) - 3rd born

Sueko (bottom) - 5th born

Mikawa & Ota Greenhouse/Farm

Mon, 17 Apr 1922 23:37:30 GMT

Tomohei Mikawa was born in Hiroshima, Japan in 1882. In 1903 Tomohei left Japan for Hawaii to work in the plantations and eventually came to California to work on farms in Roland, CA. He married Sami Imada who arrived in Seattle, WA and on June 23, 1910 in Roland, CA where they raised 5 children.

In 1922 Tomohei purchased 20 acres in Venice, CA under his son George (a citizen by birth). The family all worked on the farm. Tomohei purchased 20 acres in Huntington Beach, CA. The Mikawa family worked both farms. He was known as the “Celery King”.

In 1942 the Mikawa family were incarcerated and sent to Poston , AZ after Japan attacked Hawaii. Fortunately neighboring farmers protected the farm, equipment and green house.

George “Jimmy” Ota was born in French Camp, Ca in 1918. As a child he was sent to Japan to live with his aunt and uncle and returned to the States to work the farm of his father in French Camp. He left the farm for Los Angeles and found employment at the Embun grocery store. He married Hisa Mary Mikawa and owned a small grocery store in Los Angeles. Jimmy and Hisa were incarcerated in Poston, AZ. Everything was lost due to the incarceration.

Jimmy, Mary and family moved to Huntington Beach to farm and grow plants in the greenhouse for their farm and other farmers. They farmed until Jimmy died of cancer at age 53.

Tomohei Mikawa Family

Mikawa Family Harvesting Celery

George Jimmy Ota Family

George J and Mother

1953 Kunihei Ota

George J and Sister in Japan Living with Aunt

George J and Sister in Japan

George J with Father and Brother Harry on the Farm

Takemoto Farm

Thu, 12 May 1921 06:40:30 GMT

From Issei to Today: The Takemoto Family and Farm by Bill Takemoto and his daughter Susan.

My father Saichi Takemoto was born in 1885 on Oshima Island in Yamaguchi Prefecture. The island is about the size of Bainbridge and is the same island from which other families such as the Omotos and Nakatas immigrated.

As a young man, Saichi and his two older brothers left Japan to seek work in America. They initially pursued farm work in Hawai’i. While the oldest brother stayed and put down roots in Hawai‘i, Saichi and the 2nd oldest brother came to Seattle. At some point his older brother died in Seattle. After working various jobs, such as a dishwasher, houseboy and movie theater employee, Saichi acquired land on Bainbridge Island to start a strawberry farm. Eventually he wanted to settle down and take on a wife. Through a matchmaker from his village in Japan, he m et and married Satsu Koyama, then brought her back to Bainbridge Island.

Some time before 1920, Satsu died. Saichi consulted the same matchmaker to find him another wife. The matchmaker arranged for him to marry Satsu’s younger sister Yone, who was only 18 years old. In 1921 they returned to the island to begin a life of farming. From that union Victor was born in 1926, Bill in 1928, Roy in 1930, Fred in 1932, James in 1934 and Teruko, the only girl in 1938. We lived on 10 acres at the southwest corner of what is now Highway 305 and NE Lovegreen Road. The land was heavily forested, so we did without the help of modern equipment such as chainsaws. We relied on dynamite to blow up stumps, then used horses to pull up the roots.

After Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941 and President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, our family was among the 227 other Bainbridge Island families that were forcibly removed from our homes and sent to Manzanar internment camp located in California’s Owens Valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada. After about a year, we had the choice of going to Minidoka camp in Idaho where many Seattle area Japanese American residents were held, but decided to stay at Manzanar along with a few other Bainbridge Island families. My father worked in the fields there. After about three years at Manzanar, we were finally permitted to travel outside the camp and eventually leave. In April 1945, my father decided it was time to return to Bainbridge Island because it was strawberry planting season. Our family was the first family to return. We found our home completely ransacked, windows broken and anything of value gone. The fields were overgrown. With the help of friends and people we did not know, we were provided with some essentials and help to return the fields to farmable condition. My brothers and I worked on weekends and in the summer on the Moji farm run by Nick Buesit for extra income.

Saichi died on October 1972 at the age of 87. Yone died on January 2003 at the age of 100. She was probably the last of the original Issei from the island to pass away.

When Victor, the oldest sibling returned from Manzanar, he enrolled at the University of Washington. After he graduated in 1949, he worked in the medical service area for 49 years and retired in 1998. Vic and his wife Lily had 3 children, Vicky, Stanley and Jon. All live in the Seattle area. Victor passed away in late 2021 at the age of 95.

After my (Bill) graduation from high school, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in January 1948. During my tour of duty in Tokyo, I met Nobuko and we were married in 1963. After serving 20 years in the Air Force, I retired in 1968. I relocated to my current home in Kent, Washington. After retirement, I was hired by Boeing as an instructor in flight training. I worked for 24 years and retired in 1992. After our children finished high school Nobuko worked for United Airlines and retired in 1998. Our son Paul graduated from the University of Washington and is a homicide detective with the Seattle Police Department. He and his girl friend Kate, live in Seattle. Our daughter Susan graduated from Yale College and Georgetown Law Center. After working for twelve years as an attorney, she retired and she and her husband Dave, are raising three children.

Roy also enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating from high school. He met and wed Toshiko while stationed in Tokyo. After more than 25 years of service, he retired. Roy, along with his wife and two daughters, moved to Sun City, Arizona. Roy worked in civil service until he was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away in September, 1991 at the age of 61. Toshiko still lives in Sun City West. Kathy her oldest daughter, lives in San Jose with her husband Richard and their daughter Patty. Another daughter lives in Riverside and has a son.

Fred also served a short tour in the U.S. Air Force. After his discharge, he returned to Seattle to live and work. He worked part-time and managed his rental properties. He passed away in early 2021.

James, the youngest brother worked as a CPA with the government and for private firms. He also volunteered as a docent. Later he had a private practice out of his home. James and his wife, Carolyn, lived in the Tacoma area. Carolyn now lives in Redmond near her daughter Annette. Annette and her husband Jason have two sons and live in Woodinville. Teruko Sua, the youngest child, was employed for 54 years by American Marine Bank in Winslow. When she was appointed branch manager, she was the first woman to hold that position in the State of Washington. Tinei her husband of 40 years, died while they were living in Poulsbo in 2008. She retired in 2014 and is living in Kingston. James passed away in 2009 at the age of 74.

Passport photo of Saichi Takemoto

Passport photo of Yone Takemoto

Saichi working the field in Manzanar

Forced removal from Bainbridge Island. The first 7 people are the Takemoto family in 1942

Bill in Air Force uniform

1929 Saichi, Yone, baby Bill and Victor

Saichi, Yone and sister Teruko

Yone at 100. Bill and wife Nobuko, son Paul, daughter Susan and 1st grandchild

Sakioka Farms

Wed, 19 May 1920 06:45:51 GMT

Katsumasa “Roy” Sakioka immigrated to the U.S. from Kochi, Japan in 1916 at the age of 18. He was the youngest of 6 children in a small farming village. He came to America with an 8th grade education and no money. He planned to work hard and return to Japan with his fortune.

Katsumasa “Roy” married a childhood friend, Tomio, when she arrived in California in 1920. The Sakiokas were tenant farmers in Los Angeles and raised 6 children. Because he was an alien, Roy was unable to purchase land. He solved this issue by buying land in the names of his American born children. Slowly, he acquired 80 acres in the Sawtelle area of Los Angeles.

WWII began and the Sakioka family was interned in the Manzanar War Relocation Center. Roy learned that sugar beet farmers in Utah needed labor for harvesting. After 16 months in Manzanar, the Sakiokas were released and went to Utah to become contract laborers.

When the war ended, the family returned to Los Angeles. Besides his vegetable and celery raising skills, Roy educated himself regarding future development. He attended public hearings to learn where sewer service was extended and freeways given right of way. “He took a lot of what is now Costa Mesa, Santa Ana and Fountain Valley and developed it into spectacular use,” former Costa Mesa Mayor Joe Erickson stated. Eventually, Sakioka’s land holdings included 1,000 acres in Orange County alone.

Katsumasa “Roy” Sakioka was a generous benefactor. He often contributed to the Japanese American community and other charities without publicity. He was a frugal, intensely private man who lived in a modest farm house in Costa Mesa.

“Mr. Sakioka retained a boyish humility and passion for hard work. You wouldn’t confuse him for anybody but your next-door neighbor,” added Erickson. Katsumasa “Roy” Sakioka died in 1995 after 75 years of marriage and 96 amazing years.

--Source: J.R. Moehringer article, Los Angeles Times, November 1, 1995

Celery circa 1959

Sakioka Farms, Oxnard, Ventura County, Star, June 2020

Sakioka celery crate label

Katayama Farms

Tue, 18 May 1920 21:24:50 GMT

Isosaburo Katayama immigrated to Hawai‘i, then to Washington State. He married Tome in Seattle. Their families knew each other in Mine-shi, Yamaguchi-ken, Japan. Isosaburo started where Wing Point Golf Club is today with a greenhouse (1920s) and then a small orchard. The eldest child was born in Fletcher Bay, Island Center. Most of their children were born in Port Blakely. The youngest was born in Wing Point; they were Yukiko, Yoshi, May, Toshiko, Masaharu, Mitsuo and Shiro.

After moving to Winslow, the children went to Lincoln School and played on the farmland and open areas. The Katayamas grew strawberries, and one of the children’s jobs were to pull weeds on the farm after school and on holidays. Not a large farm, but Filipino workers were hired to help.

The Katayamas were packing rhubarb when the FBI came and took Isosaburo after they found dynamite, but he returned the next day. After the family was ordered to leave the island, they asked missionaries to watch over the house. Yuki’s brother asked the Filipino workers to work the farm. It was to be the first year of a good strawberry crop.

Yuki was 24 when the family was interned at Manzanar, California. After arriving, she became a teacher and learned tailoring. Later, the family was sent to Minidoka, Idaho. Yuki studied home economics and sewing. After the war, they found their farm and home in good condition, but the family never talked about Manzanar. They were welcomed back, and Yuki didn’t have any hard feelings.

On November 1947, she married Setsuo Omoto, a long time Bainbridge Islander. They were married for 56 years before Sets’ passing in July, 2004.

Sewing was Yuki’s passion; she became a professional seamstress for many manufacturing companies in the Seattle area. She commuted from Bainbridge to Seattle until retirement at 70. Besides sewing, Yuki loved doing Bunka (Japanese embroidery), and knitting. Another great passion was working in the garden raising vegetables and flowers for the family to enjoy. She had what is called a “green thumb.”

On November 6, 2020, Bainbridge Island lost its oldest remaining survivor. Yukiko Katayama Omoto passed in Seattle, Washington, at age 102.

Story adapted from BIJAC collection and Densho Digital Repository interview of Yukiko Katayama Omoto

Isosaburo in his greenhouse

Mass removal of Japanese- Densho Digital Repository

Katayama farm in Winslow 1916

Yukiko Katayama Omoto- Densho Digital Repository

Sasaki, Nakaji and Toyo Nakaoki

Tue, 11 May 1920 03:29:22 GMT

Nakaji or Chujiro (Chuji) Sasaki was born in 1873 in Mihara village, Hiroshima Japan, the oldest of two sons and four daughters. Nakaji married Toyo Nakaoki in 1896. After his father Arakichi died, he and Toyo left Japan for Hawaii in 1899.

Settling on Kauai, first son Masao (Masa) was born in Kilauea in 1899. In 1900, Nakaji was a laborer, and was a laborer on a rice plantation in 1920. Second son Kaneichi Henry was born in 1902, in Hanalei. Early Japanese immigrants were contract laborers and Nakaji may have been one; he was farming rice on a plantation. Since Masa was born in Kilauea, Nakaji may have worked at the Kilauea plantation.

Rice was important in Hanalei before taro farming. The Rice Mill was built in the 1800s and the Haraguchis purchased lease rights to the mill in 1924, ceasing operations in 1960. The mill was reconstructed after a 1982 Hurricane. The Hanalei Pier was built in 1892 to export rice from Hanalei; it was also rebuilt. Hanalei was one of Hawaii’s major rice growing areas.

The Sasakis divorced; Nakaji lived with Mr. Matsumoto near Waikoko, a village west of Hanalei. He boarded with Japanese and Chinese men; one was a rice plantation manager. It’s believed that Nakaji continued to farm rice following his divorce. Living in Hanalei until 1920 at the age of 47, he returned to Japan and lived to be 62. His son Masao never married, but Henry had 2 daughters and 3 sons.

Toyo married Kigoro Taketa in 1904. They had two daughters, Kawayo in 1905 and Helene Umeyo in 1910. Kawayo remained single, but Helene had two children. Toyo lived in Hanalei until her passing in 1952 at 83.

Haraguchi Rice Mill, Narional Record Historic Places, Library of Congress, Hanalei, Kauai built 1800s, reconstructed twice

Hanalei Pier built in 1892; later reconstructed. 2016 photo by L. Sasaki

Back: Helene Taketa, Masao and Kaneichi Sasaki; Kawayo Taketa Front: Toyo Sasaki Taketa, Usutaro Enoki (family friend/boarder). 1935

Helene Taketa Sugihara, JoAnn and William 1944

Left to Right: Masao Sasaki, Kawayo Taketa, Hanalei 1985

Back: Roy, James, Clyne. Front: Yae, Henry, Jane Sasaki. Family 1964

Masato and Helene Taketa Sugihara 50th Anniversary 1986

Koura Farm

Tue, 11 May 1920 01:29:57 GMT

Hatsuko Koura and Otohiko Kanazawa emigrated in 1907 to British Columbia, Canada from Hiroshima, Japan. (Emigration papers indicate they emigrated from Fukuoka).

Hatsuko and Otohiko were married in 1916 in British Columbia, Canada. Otohiko changed his name to Koura as per Japanese custom when a family had no sons to carry on the family name.

Together with Hatsuko’s father, they began farming strawberries in 1920 on Bainbridge Island. Since the Alien Land Law prevented Issei from owning property, they bought land in the name of their eldest son, Arthur.

While almost all of the 188 acres on Koura Farm was planted in strawberries, we tried everything. We grew Marionberries and currants. These were crops that were for sale. Being a farm family, we also grew asparagus, beans, tomatoes, peas, and pears for our own use. We also had chickens, so fresh eggs were never a problem. The farm was on Bainbridge Island so we fished, dug clams, and collected sea weed. We foraged in our woods for mushrooms and blackberries.

As far as challenges the family faced, the war, of course, disrupted everything. We were lucky that Mr. Raber watched the crops while the family was incarcerated. Other challenges were weather which could affect crops adversely. I remember we worried about hail which would affect the strawberry blossoms and result in “monkey faces” on the strawberries. Too much rain would rot the berries, too little rain and the plants would wither and die. Competition from strawberries grown in other states were another challenge.

Executive order 9066 forced the removal of all Japanese on the west coast. Bainbridge Island Japanese were the first to be removed and were sent to Manzanar. Koura Farm was left in the care of Mr. Raber from whom they purchased the land.

In February, 1943 the Koura family transferred from Manzanar to the Minidoka concentration camp where the families from Seattle were interned. Grandpa Koura was one of the first person to die in Minidoka. After the war they were able to return to their Bainbridge Island farm. Along with Otohiko, all six Koura children (Arthur, Noboru, Sumiko, Sachiko, Tony and Kenso continued to farm the land. By 1949, the family had grown to include spouses and grandchildren. By the 1960’s the 188 acre Koura Farm was the largest strawberry farm on Bainbridge.

Art and Nob continued to farm the land until 1964 when they could no longer compete with strawberries being shipped from California and their children went off to college and moved away, all except 40 acres were sold. By 2017 the remaining property was sold. Although there are no Kouras living on Koura Farm now, there is a Koura Farm Road, a Koura Lane and a large Koura Farm stone. Otohiko and Hatsuko Koura have left a huge family legacy.

Otohiko and Hatsuko Koura

Koura clan 1949

Nob Koura on strawberry farm

Otohiko (right) on strawberry farm 1925. Courtesy of Densho digital repository

Hoshi Farm

Wed, 21 Apr 1920 09:38:41 GMT

A 10-acre estate from the 1920s to early 2000s, the Hoshi Farm was most famous for its flowers.

Noboru Hoshi emigrated from Japan, arriving in Victoria, BC in 1906. In 1913 he married Sato Sato in Washington State. They had six children; Yuri, Dorothy, Henry, Margaret, Nora, and Sherman. They raised cattle, rabbits, potatoes, berries and flowers.

The Hoshi greenhouse business, Vashon Garden Company (Vashon Gardens), was known for its flowers: chrysanthemums, roses, calla lilies and zinnias. Family lore says some of the chrysanthemum heads grew as large as 8” – 10” across; these were in high demand in Seattle. Dorothy remembered installing a weekend flower stand at Pike Place Market. In 1932 Noboru expanded into Seattle, opening a shop specializing in Vashon flowers and produce on Jackson Street.

Sadly, Noboru committed suicide in 1934; Sato struggled to raise her children and manage the farm. She found companionship in Kuichi Tanaka, who traveled through 60 countries on his bicycle before settling in Vashon. By 1942 several of the Hoshi siblings left home; Sato and Kuichi registered with the remaining children as a family and were forcibly evicted to an Assembly Center in Pinedale, California and concentration camps in Tule Lake, California, and Minidoka, Idaho.

After WWII, several Hoshi children left camp, scattering to different states. The remaining Hoshis returned to a changed estate; every greenhouse pane was broken, the family’s prized plants were stolen or lost. They rarely spoke about their wartime experiences. The Hoshis survived through tragedies including a toddler grandson’s accidental death in 1953 and two house fires in 1952 and 1992. Eventually they rebuilt their flower and farm business, delivering plants to stores like Vashon Thriftway and Seattle’s Chubby and Tubby.

In the early 2000s, grandson Mark Hoshi divided the land into two roughly equal parcels and sold it in 2012. The southern part of the land where the greenhouse foundation still stands, is now Blue Moon Farm.

— Excerpts from Tamiko Nimura for the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

revisitwa.org/waypoint/hoshi-farm/

1936 Aerial View of Hoshi Farm

Current photo of Foundation of Greenhouse

Hoshi Farm

Vashon Island, Washington

Kawaguchi Farms

Tue, 08 Apr 1919 09:47:35 GMT

Kawaguchi Farms began with Hirokichi Kawaguchi, who immigrated from Wakayama Prefecture, Japan to Alta Dena, California in the late 1800s. Hirokichi settled down as a dairy farmer and married his wife, Yasu Mori, who came from his hometown in Japan in the early 1900s. Wakayama Prefecture in Japan is known for its rich agriculture, so it’s no wonder Hirokichi felt at home in Southern California with its similar sunny climate. Hirokichi and Yasu ended up selling their dairy farm and shifted their focus to farming crops. They moved throughout Southern California where land was available since at the time Issei were not allowed to become American citizens and therefore unable to own land. They continued to do business in a variety of cities such as Corona, Los Alamitos, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, and Fountain Valley, where Kawaguchi Farms eventually found a permanent home.

In 1919, Hirokichi and Yasu had their first child, George. The family grew to have three more children, Tsuruyo, Mitsuo, and Teruko. Unfortunately, Tsuruyo passed away in 1926 at the age of two from measles. Two years later in 1928, Hirokichi passed away from a heart attack at 47 years old. Yasu would eventually meet Satoshi Yoshizato, who would become a stepfather to her children. The family continued to farm, with George and Mitsuo growing up to help their parents with daily responsibilities. All three children attended Huntington Beach high school, where George played football and Mitsuo was on the swim team.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States entered World War II, disrupting the Kawaguchi family’s way of life. The sentiment in their surrounding community shifted, with a lot of the American public uncertain and suspicious of anyone of Japanese descent. A few months later, President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which called for the forceful incarceration of all Japanese Americans. Yasu, Satoshi, and their three children had just a few days to pack up what they could carry before they were incarcerated and sent to a U.S. concentration camp in the desert of Poston, Arizona. Yasu, Satoshi, and Teruko would remain in the concentration camp until the end of the war in 1945, while after some time in Poston, George and Mitsuo were granted permission to work in Chicago on a mushroom farm in order to earn a living for their family.

In 1943, George was drafted into the U.S. Army where he fought with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an Army unit comprised of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland United States. Two years later, Mitsuo was also drafted and sent over after Germany surrendered. He served as a military police officer for the U.S. Army and was assigned to guarding the supply trains in occupied Germany. The two returned home when their respective military services ended, rejoining their family in Fountain Valley.

The Kawaguchi family continued to farm after the war. They were more fortunate than many other interned Japanese American families because they were able to entrust their property and farm equipment to their local neighbors, the Courreges family, who protected it from attempted theft and vandalism fueled by anti-Japanese sentiment. In addition to the Courreges family’s help, the Kawaguchi family’s farm hand, Juan Miranda, stayed on during the war and tended to the land, keeping it in good condition until their return.

George and Mitsuo formed a partnership called Kawaguchi Bros. and specialized in farming asparagus alongside a variety of crops such as chili, tomatoes, string bean, cauliflower, lettuce, and cabbage throughout Los Alamitos, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, and Fountain Valley. During the 1960s through the late 80s, George and Mitsuo farmed 80 total acres in Fountain Valley.

George and Mitsuo would have continued to pursue farming as their livelihood, but eminent domain, the government power to take private property and convert it to public use, created complications for the two brothers’ farming business. Recognizing the obstacle this posed to their progress after two attempted acquisitions, George and Mitsuo initiated a controlled sell off of their land to home-builders. This process allowed them to phase out of farming and transition to other business ventures. In 1989, George and Mitsuo officially retired from farming, but continued to be business partners for the rest of their lives until George’s passing in 2010 at the age of 91.

Mitsuo is currently 96 years old and living in his original Fountain Valley farmhouse. He has three children, Gayle, Tom, and Gary, with his wife Jeanette whom he married in 1953, and is a grandfather to five grandchildren.

Yasu Kawaguchi harvesting celery

Aerial photo of Kawaguchi Farm's asparagus field in Fountain Valley, CA circa 1970s

Sgt. George Kawaguchi of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, E Company, U.S. Army

CPL Mitsuo Kawaguchi, Military Police, U.S. Army

George and Mitsuo working together on the farm post WWII

Left to right: Mitsuo, Tom (son of Mitsuo), and George Kawaguchi sorting asparagus

Members of the Kawaguchi family today

Mitsuo Kawaguchi, 96 years young

Horikiri Farm

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Tue, 18 Jun 1918 22:14:56 GMT

Tatsunosuke “Tom” Horikiri was born on July 7, 1880, in Wakayama-ken (prefecture) Japan; wife Yoshiko Unno was born in Shingu-shi (city) in 1893, in Wakayama-ken. Tatsunosuke immigrated to Mexico working in salt mines, arriving in the U.S. in 1900. Yoshiko, a picture bride, arrived in 1914.

They had nine children: Oldest sons Hideo and Takeo died in infancy and in childbirth. Then they had Michiye Jean Miyoshi, Takayuki (Tak), a daughter (unknown name; date of passing may have been in infancy), Masako (Maisie) Kato, Shigeko (Betty) Oka, Miyoko (Helen) Honjio, and Toshiko (Shirley).

The Horikiris settled in Fountain Valley, California in 1912, farming about 1915 to 1917; then to Bandini Boulevard in the City of Bell circa 1918; and to Hynes/Clearwater, now Paramount. They moved to La Puente/El Monte. They were “chop suey” farmers, growing parsnips, carrots, and mixed vegetables, shipping them to the L.A. Market. The nearby farm families helped in planting and harvesting.

During World War II, they were sent to the Santa Anita (Racetrack) Assembly Center. Families suffered for months in converted horse stalls without privacy and with the stench of horse excrement. In September, 1942, they arrived by train at Rohwer, Arkansas after four days. Told guns were there for protection, they were pointed inward toward the inmates. Rohwer was boggy and mosquito infested; half the site was flooded during spring. Tak was drafted by the army and entered the MIS in 1944.

After the war, the family farmed in Nevada then moved to La Puente. Yoshiko was the driving force behind farming as Tom was hindered physically with gout and other ailments. Tom passed away in 1948 due to lymphatic leukemia. Tak farmed for a while before gardening; Maisie worked for a noted Hollywood designer; Helen did housekeeping; Betty did housekeeping and was a seamstress; and Shirley did housekeeping and worked for the aircraft industry.

Yoshiko lived to be 105. In 2023, her Horikiri daughters Maisie Kato, 99, Helen Honjio, 94, and Shirley Horikiri, 91, are her surviving children.

(Back Row): Yoshiko holding baby Helen, Tatsunosuke (Front Row): Takayuki, Maisie, Betty, Jean

Pencil Drawing of Rohwer Camp by Rev. K. Harper Sakaue

Santa Anita Laundry Day Getty Images Library of Congress

Maisie in front of 1930 Plymouth (source unknown)

Yoshiko Horikiri (source unknown)

105th Birthday

Front Row: Yoshiko Horikiri - Second Row: Randy, Kim, Nicholas, Betty Oka, Jean Miyoshi, Helen Honjio, Tak, June Horikiri, Maisie Kato, June Honjio, Cheryl, Dean Kato

Back Row: Craig Oka, David, Teruko, Brandon, Mark Miyoshi, Tish, Glenn Honjio

Fujishige Farms

Fri, 31 May 1918 20:16:06 GMT

In 1906, Hisao Fujishige immigrated to the United States from Iwakuni in the Yamaguchi Prefecture, and in 1918 bought a 30-acre farm off Atlantic Eastern Avenue and Santa Fe in East Los Angeles. Here he grew dry onion, garlic, and cabbage with his wife Ayano and 6 kids: Aiko, Hiroshi, Masao, Kimi, Henry, and Anna. A few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hisao was arrested, and in March of 1942, the two oldest boys Hiroshi and Masao and their mother moved the family to Clearfield, Utah to live with their cousins instead of going into an internment camp. During the war, they continued farming in Clearfield, growing tomatoes, canning peas, sugar beets and onions. In 1944, the oldest son Hiroshi was drafted and served in the 442 regiment, and Masao took charge of the farm. After the war, the family farmed in Utah for another 9 years. In 1952, Hiroshi and Masao moved back to California and bought H&M Fujishige Farms, a 58- acre farm in Anaheim, where they grew strawberries, vegetables, and herbs. The farm was located at 1854 Harbor Blvd, near Disneyland, and it was here that they started their families. Together they farmed in Anaheim from 1954-1998 and owned a wholesale business in the LA Produce Market. Currently, the family of Hiroshi Fujishige continues to farm as Fujishige Farms growing strawberries in Orange County and Santa Cruz County. They are also the co-founders of the Gem-Pack Berries distribution company.

Before the war, Williams Ranch, East Los Angeles (5 kids: Masao, Henry, Aiko, Kimi, Hiroshi)

Before the war, around 1926 (Family photo+Family Friends)

Late 1990s, Fujishige Farm location off of Harbor Boulevard

Fujishige Farm Sign from Harbor Boulevard

Fujishige Farms Produce Sign

Hiroshi Fujishige is being honored with other Japanese American Farmers at the Japanese Consulate in 1988.

Sansei Fujishige Farmers (children of Hiroshi Fujishige)

Jugoro Ishii Poultry Ranch

Mon, 13 May 1918 09:50:51 GMT

Jugoro Ishii was born May 8, 1887, the third son of Hisakichi and Toku (Chiyoda) Ishii, in Karashima Tanushimaru, which is now part of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan (on the southern island of Kyushu). A second son, Tsunezou, died at age seven, leaving Kyutaro and Jugoro as the two oldest. Thus, at one point and being the oldest living sons, they had to leave the home and go out on their own.

Being the oldest, Kyutaro left Japan first and went to Hawaii. Jugoro intended to follow his older brother to the United States. But by the time Jugoro was ready, his entry into the U.S. was impeded by the Asian Exclusion laws and prejudice against Asians. But undaunted, Jugoro persisted and at first went to Mexico where he spent a few years. He finally entered the U.S. via El Paso on August 8, 1907, with a plan to join his older brother (who by this time had come to the U.S. mainland and settled in the Talbert area of Orange County, California).

Jugoro did make his way to Talbert and reunited with Kyutaro, joining with his brother in farming. In 1912, Kyutaro returned to Japan and married Sada Nakamura. Jugoro went back to Japan the following year and on October 27, 1913, married Mumeno Kanegae, who lived in Kaneshima, a neighboring village to Tanushimaru. It was almost as if Kyutaro and Jugoro worked as a sort of “tag team” returning to Japan one after the other: one seeking a wife while the other watched over the farming at home.

It is interesting to note, however, that the land that Hisakichi Ishii (their father) farmed in Japan is still owned by the family – for five generations now. Hisakichi was a rice farmer and rice is still grown on the family land today. Currently, a great granddaughter of Hisakichi, Hisami Ishii and her husband, Noriyoshi, (who had to take the “Ishii” last name) live in the Ishii home and farm the land.

By late 1918, Jugoro moved his growing family to the growing community of Norwalk in Los Angeles County. There, he rented land at what is today the well known “Five Points/Norwalk Square” area and grew sugar beets. By 1924, his family included five children: Mary, George, Frank, Lily, and John.

But Jugoro had bigger goals in mind – the American dream. He moved the family to another location in Norwalk on Carmenita Road and started a poultry ranch, selling eggs. Being a poor immigrant whose mastery of English was virtually nonexistent for his entire life, Jugoro never borrowed money to pay for anything: land, cars, homes, farm equipment, etc. He saved and paid for everything in cash. He bought the land (a bit over ten acres) on Carmenita Road but because of the laws of the time, as an Asian alien, he could not himself take title to land. Thus, he had to buy the land in the names of his American-born children who were citizens, Mary and George. (That law, incidentally, was not repealed until AFTER WWII in 1952.)

World War II was for Jugoro and his family, as it was for all West Coast people of Japanese descent, a most traumatic experience. Once he and Kyutaro realized what was going to happen, the brothers formed a plan. Jugoro found a friend to run the poultry ranch during the family’s “internment” and took his family to Talbert. That way, both families would evacuate at the same time and be at the same internment camp together – Poston, Arizona. Frank, however, was already serving in the U.S. Army and remained on active duty for the duration of the War. Upon returning to California after the War, Jugoro was very fortunate, in that the family was able to get the poultry ranch back and resume operations. Most other Japanese-American families, however, were not so fortunate.

More specifically, coming out of Poston in 1944, most of the family initially went to Colorado because they could not come back to the West Coast because the War was still in progress. According to War Relocation Authority records, as of January, 1944: Jugoro, Mumeno, and Lily were in Ft. Lupton (where Jugoro was picking sugar beets) and Mary and John in Denver (living at different locations). Frank was in still the Army located at Camp Howze, Texas. George, however, had not been living at home when the War broke out and had been sent to the internment camp at Rohwer, Arkansas. When he left camp, George went to Dayton, Ohio, trying to get employment in the aircraft industry.

The story of George Ishii is an interesting “sidebar” in and of itself. When the War broke out, he was employed as chief engineer at an aircraft manufacturer in Van Nuys, California, Philips Aviation. Obviously, he was forced to leave that job – against the fierce objections of the president of that company, James Philips. George was actually one of the pioneers in the aviation industry. He knew Bill Boeing (yes, that one) and Jack Northrup (before there was a Northrup Corporation), and Herman “Fish” Salmon, Lockheed’s lead test pilot of the time. But his career was dashed. Upon, release from Rowher, he was hired – apparently mistakenly – at a bomber modification plant in Vidalia, Ohio (near Dayton), and fired as soon as they figured out he was Japanese-American. The U.S. Army forced Northwest Airlines (who operated the plant) to fire George. Despite several letters from experts and his previous employer as to his qualifications and loyalty to the United States, he could not get employment in any aviation related job during that time. Ironically, after the war, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corp at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.

John was drafted in January, 1945 and served in the U.S. Army with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, arriving in Italy in spring of 1945. He returned home in 1946, and initially went back to Colorado. When evacuation hit, John was in the middle of his senior year at Excelsior High School. Thus, he was not there for graduation ceremonies and, I am told, his diploma was mailed to him at Poston.

After WWII, and their discharge from the U.S. Army, both Frank and John joined with Jugoro working the poultry ranch. John raised his family in the original family house on Carmenita Road while Jugoro built a new home just down the road. The poultry ranch operated successfully until 1967 when suburban “sprawl” into the outlying areas of Los Angeles County made it too difficult to continue farming in that area but Jugoro was not to be deterred.

In 1959, Jugoro had invested $200,000 in a 40-plus acre piece of property in Oceanside – paying, as always, in cash. With the end of the poultry ranch in Norwalk, the family sold the land and formed a new corporation. This new family business entered the mobile home park community business. At first, the land was leased to parties that owned and operated Laguna Vista Mobile Home Estates on the land. Then in 2013, the family acquired Laguna Vista, completing Jugoro’s dream.

Throughout the years, the Jugoro Ishii family was an extremely close-knit family, gathering to celebrate, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Years Day. Including the early years with Kyutaro’s side, gathering for Thankgiving and Christmas Eve went on for over 100 years – over three generations. During their lives Jugoro and Mumemo were held in very esteem by all of the family and friends. Today, the Jugoro Ishii family still has annual reunions. And, every other year, there are reunions between the Kyutaro and Jugoro Ishii sides. Also, Auntie Kuni, is now 103, and we celebrate her birthday with gatherings that include both sides of the family. In April, 2022, Auntie Samie turned 100.

In retirement, Jugoro and Mumeno moved off the land on Carmenita to a home in a quiet neighborhood near Norwalk Park. There, they continued have a vegetable garden, fruit trees, and most importantly a koi pond. Mumeno crocheted beautiful tablecloths for her daughters, daughters-in-law, and granddaughters and won awards for her efforts.

Jugoro passed away in August, 1976, and Mumeno in July, 1989. They were married 63 years. Their long and loving marriage served as a wonderful example: their sons were all married over fifty years: George & Mary for 58; Frank & Samie for 62, and John & Toyo for 57 years. A grandson, Larry and wife, Georganne, have been married for 53 years. Jugoro has one great grandson, Jeffrey, and two great-great grandsons, Jordan and Jaret, that carry on the “Ishii” name.

Jeffrey is a baseball scout for the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team and (pre-pandemic) would travel to Japan twice a season to scout players. That did enable him to sometimes make his way to Fukuoka to watch players for the Hawks or opposing teams. This also enabled Jeffrey to be in contact with certain of the Ishii relatives. Jeffrey, Jordan, and Jaret have all learned to speak Japanese and can read Japanese as well.

While Jugoro was alive, he made three only three trips back to his homeland: the first time to marry Mumeno, another in 1934 (to bring Mary back home and at which time he took John), and lastly in 1957 with Mumeno. Otherwise, contact with the family was only by written letter or later by telephone.

In recent years, our family members from California in the have been able to meet with family in the “old country” in 2017 and in 2019. Georganne Ishii, the wife of grandson, Larry, has become the genealogist and historian of the family and through her efforts, the vast majority of this history has been compiled and saved for the benefit of those living and our posterity. To this end, great thanks is due Georganne for her efforts so that this history and opportunity has not been lost.

Thankfully, we have a cousin, Masamitsu Ishii, in Japan (that fluently speaks English) that Georganne communicates with regularly and as a result, she organized three trips to Japan: in 2015 and the two mentioned above. The first meeting in 2015, was before a cruise that Georganne and Larry took at which time they met with Masamitsu and his family in Yokohama and discussed the possibility of having a reunion at a later date in Fukuoka.

In 2017, that first reunion became reality in Fukuoka at which Larry, Georganne, Karie (Ishii) Lasko (granddaughter of Jugoro), Adrienne (Lasko) Chamberlain (great granddaughter of Jugoro), Jeffrey Ishii, and Jaret Ishii met with many of the Ishii family descendants.

Then in 2019, a second and larger reunion took place also in Fukuoka at which time the following attended from California: Larry Ishii, Georganne Ishii, Karie Lasko, Nina (Martin) Nagel (granddaughter of Jugoro), Debbie (Ishii) Chiya (granddaughter of Jugoro), and Candace Chiya (great granddaughter of Jugoro). Attending from the Kyutaro side were: Donna (Ishii) Chiamori (granddaughter of Kyutaro); Erin (Chiamori) Takemoto (great granddaughter of Kyutaro) and husband, Mark; Erin’s daughters, Emiko and Megumi (great great granddaughters of Kyutaro); Andrea (Chiamori) Arakawa (great granddaughter of Kyutaro) and husband, Tatsumi; Andrea’s sons, Keiren, Kojorio, and Keizo (great great grandsons of Kyutaro); Anthony Ishii (grandson of Kyutaro) and wife, Jeanette; Michael Ishii (great grandson of Kyutaro) and his fiance, Sky Shields.

Jugoro was well respected and known in the community. I remember very old family friends. There were the Franciosi’s that grew flowers and lived across Carmenita from the poultry ranch. There were the Pellitier’s who lived north of the poultry ranch on Carmenita. So close were the families that we called the elderly Mrs. Pellitier “Grandma” Pellitier. Then there were the Tripepi’s who had the car wash in town. When the new Norwalk City Hall was opened, Jugoro had his name on a plaque as a contributor to its building.

Jugoro and Mumeno could not have imagined what their legacy would eventually be nor what they would leave behind for the generations that would follow. It has been a truly amazing story – the American Dream!

Jugoro Ishii Family: Jugoro standing, Mumeno sitting; children from left: Mary, John (in Mumeno's lap), Lily, Frank, George

Jugoro Ishii Farm House, Carmenita Road, Norwalk, California; c. 1930

Ishii rice fields, Japan: from left: Masamitsu Ishii, Noriyoshi Ishii, Georganne Ishii, Hisami Ishii, Adienne Chamberlain, Karie Lasko

Kyutaro and Jugoro Ishii Combined Family Reunion, 2017 in Anaheim, California

Ishii Family Reunion in Fukuoka, Japan in 2017

Ishii family crest (mon) on headstone at family cemetery in Tanushimaru village

Aerial view of Jugoro Ishii poultry ranch (taken in early 1960's)

Nishinaka Farm

Sat, 27 Apr 1918 08:42:43 GMT

Tomokichi Nishinaka immigrated to San Francisco in the early 1900s. When he sent for his bride in 1906, Tomie’s ship was re-routed to Seattle because of the San Francisco earthquake. Tomokichi got word of this and met Tomie in Seattle where they settled and started a family.

After living in Seattle and working in Bellevue in the lumber business, Tomokichi decided to move his family to Bainbridge Island to begin farming. The Nishinakas were some of the first immigrants to Bainbridge Island.

As an infant, Shigeko, the eldest Nishinaka sibling, was sent to live in Japan with relatives. Eventually three of her other sisters, Fujio, Nobuko, and Fumi would join her in Japan for education. All four were not happy to be separated from their family at such a young age. In 1913, the entire Nishinaka family was reunited in Japan on a short family visit.

Tomokichi purchased land in the name of his eldest daughter, Shigeko, who was born in Seattle. As a Japanese national he could not own land nor could he become a US citizen. The Nishinaka farm is located off Battle Point Drive at Miller Road near Bainbridge Gardens. He and Tomie eventually had 5 daughters and one son.

Finally, in 1918, the entire Nishinaka family was reunited on Bainbridge Island. They enjoyed spending time with their extended family. Just before the US entered WWII, Tomokichi and Tomie took their two youngest children, Midori and Takeo, back to Japan. The four eldest daughters remained on Bainbridge Island where they married and raised families.

—photos and history courtesy of Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community, BIJAC.org

Tomokichi and Tomie Nishinaka

1913 Family reunited in Japan

1918 Dress up for a Japanese picnic

Before WWII family portrait

Tomokichi on his farm

Fumiko (NIshinaka) Hayashida, 3rd from left

Nishinaka extended family

Shigeko Nishinaka and Frank Kitamoto wedding

Y. and S. Tanaka Farm

Sun, 21 Apr 1918 06:28:08 GMT

Our Tanaka Farm was 40 acres and located on Verano (now Euclid) between Warner and Slater. We grew lettuce, cabbage, celery, romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, asparagus, string beans and cabbage.

Yoshitaro Tanaka was born in 1886 in Hidaka-Gun, Wakayama Ken, the second son of a farmer. With 300 yen he caught the SS Siberia to San Francisco to work in the mines in Mexico. He jumped a train bound for Mexico, was found unconscious, apprehended and sent to Mexico. In December 1906, he escaped, entered the US and ended up in Huntington Beach at a celery camp.

Yoshitaro went to Seattle in 1916 to pick up his picture bride Suye Higuchi and they married four days later. Masaru (Mutt) was born in 1917. As the eldest son of 6 children, he was destined to stay home and take over the farm. After the war; his brothers, Susumu, Hiroshi, Isamu and Yukio and sister, Kimiko all went to college or pursued other interests.

Mutt had 10 acres in his name and leased an additional 30 acres to farm. He purchased a house in Santa Ana and had it moved to the property, miraculously, not a single window was broken. He was about to be discharged from the US Army w hen December 7th brought chaos. Yoshitaro and Suye along with their daughter and youngest son were relocated to Poston, AZ while their other 3 sons enlisted in the Army. After the war, Yoshitaro and Suye received a personal letter from Secretary of War Stimson recognizing their four sons’ service. Mutt bought the 30 acre parcel and soon married Yoshiko Nishi in 1949. They had three children, Bobby, Ricky and Sharon. They endured the flood of 1952 when the Santa Ana River broke its banks. Mutt sold the property in 1963. It is now the site of Fountain Valley Regional Hospital and an apartment complex.

Mutt Tanaka on the farm April 1931

Cousins and Yoshitaro, April 1931

Mochitsuki 1953 -2

Mochitsuki 1953-1

Mutt and son Bobby

Suye 2nd from left April 1931

Tanaka family 1930

Tanaka Dinner

Kitazawa Seed Company Established by Gijiu

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Mon, 18 Jun 1917 22:34:32 GMT

Gijiu Kitazawa was born in Shinonoi, Shiozaki Mura, Sarashina Gun, Nagano Ken, Japan in 1889. He worked as an apprentice for a seed company. Arriving in America in 1917, Gijiu started the Kitazawa Seed Company, and married Kikuno Nakashima, also from Shinonoi, in 1921. 2023 marks the Seed Company’s 106th year since its founding, making it one of the oldest established seed companies in the country. Sadly, Kitazawa Seed Company was not in continuous operation for that entire time; forcing to shut its doors from 1942 to 1945.

On February 19, 1942, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, forcing the evacuation of all Japanese Americans to camps. The Kitazawa family was about to celebrate their company’s 25th anniversary in San Jose, but on May 30, 1942, the business dumped all their seed and inventory and closed. The Kitazawas and six children left home with limited possessions and were sent to the Santa Anita Racetrack Assembly Center. Later they were sent to Heart Mountain Internment Camp, Wyoming, for approximately a year. Eventually, the Kitazawas’ sponsor allowed them to work as “domestic help” in Michigan.

The impact wartime had on people, families, and businesses including the Kitazawa Seed Company was devastating. We wish to thank and offer our respect to those who endured and were impacted by this dark mark in American history. May we always learn from our mistakes.

Returning to San Jose in 1945, the business resumed in the family home basement. Many Japanese farmers and customers lost their farms and homes, so the seed business started from scratch. Loyal customers, hard work, and resilience allowed the Kitazawas to slowly regain a market and start a mail-order business. They continue to offer over 500 seed varieties producing heirloom Asian vegetables, herbs, edible flowers, and the largest selection of Asian varieties in the United States.

After Gijiu passed in 1963, his wife Kikuno and their son Earnest (Ernie) took over running the company. Sakae Komatsu and his wife Helen (Gijiu’s daughter) took over in 1992. When Sakae died, Helen took over the company until she sold it in 2000 to its current owners, and the legacy of the Kitazawa family lives on. The business is currently based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Gijiu Kitagawa and Kenji Sera

Kitagawa Bros. seed store, 356 Taylor, San Jose

Kitagawa Seed Company catalogue 2017

Santa Anita Assembly Center (public domain photo)

Heart Mountain Internment Camp (Hirahara Collection)

Yard long bean seeds

Asian daikon sprouts, Okayama lettuce and bean seeds

Otsuka Farms

Fri, 18 May 1917 20:39:44 GMT

In 1917, Yoshitaro and Tsuma Otsuka immigrated to the United States from the Fukuoka prefecture in Japan. They settled in the Signal Hill area of Long Beach, California and began farming with the assistance from a friend. There, he grew mixed vegetables along with poultry and livestock. The family quickly grew with the births of six children including the eldest son, Joe Kenji. Yoshitaro moved his family to Downey, California when a better farming opportunity presented itself. There, he continued to grow vegetables utilizing his family as the main source of labor. Joe Kenji attended Downey High School where he played on the varsity baseball team. When war was declared against Japan, the Otsuka family was sponsored to work on a farm in Idaho Falls, Idaho in lieu of moving into one of the relocation camps. At the age of 19, Joe Kenji enlisted into the United States Army. Upon his discharge from military duty, he married Stella Fujimoto. With limited resources, Joe Kenji moved with his family into an old farmhouse owned by the Kitajima family in Garden Grove where they worked in the fields. Soon, Joe Kenji scraped enough money together to purchase a small parcel of land in Santa Ana where he moved his family including his first son, Donnie. A second son, Jimmy, would soon arrive. Joe Kenji continued to grow mixed vegetables before switching to strawberries which was a more lucrative crop. The farm was located off the banks of the Santa Ana River. The rich sandy loam soil was ideal for growing high quality, sweet tasting strawberries. Instead of selling his strawberries to brokers at wholesale prices, Joe Kenji began selling his berries and vegetables directly to the public at a small roadside stand. His two sons, Donnie and Jimmy, followed his lead and in 1988 they constructed a “super” stand on Fairview Street in Santa Ana. The Otsuka Farms stand was so popular it was featured twice on Huell Howser’s “Visiting” program. Currently, Jimmy does the growing for Tanaka Farms where his passion for farming continues to be a tribute to his father’s legacy.

Yoshitaro and Tsuma Otsuka enjoy family's first farm owned in the United States

Stella Otsuka picking strawberries

Tsuma Otsuka loading strawberries for market

Joe Kenji with sons, Donnie and Jimmy, showing off their watermelons

Otsuka Farms roadside stand in Garden Grove, California

Joe Kenji during construction of "super stand' in Santa Ana, California

Berries ready for sale

Huell Howser with Jimmy and Diane Otsuka during filming of "Visiting"

Brookville Gardens

Mon, 23 Apr 1917 01:33:18 GMT

In the early 1900s, Japanese immigrants started vegetable farming in Gardenville (aka Fife), WA near a brook, (Wapato Creek) which is how Brookville Gardens got its name. In 1917, Haruaki Yotsuuye, from Anai Yawatahama Ehimeken, was invited to join his brother-in-law and sister, Kameo. Farming was manual back-breaking work with deliveries by horse-drawn delivery trucks. Being able to purchase land as a Japanese immigrant was even harder.

Haruaki’s family sailed on the last ship to Tacoma before the 1924 Immigration Act cut off all immigration from Japan. In 1937, Haruaki bought out Kameo’s portion of the partnership and continued to farm the land with his elder sons Toju and Akinobu. Haruaki’s daughter-in-law, Kazue Uchida, was born and raised in Tacoma thus, as an American citizen, she was able to purchase the farmland. The 20- acre farm was thriving producing romaine lettuce, potatoes, and rhubarb. Then the war hit.

Haruaki was taken away by the FBI and sent to Santa Fe, NM. When the family had to evacuate to Minidoka, ID, Kazue gave Roy Andre, power of attorney over the farmland. Albert Jacobs ran the farm in their absence. In 1945, they were the first family to return. Roy was an honest man and returned the farmland to the family. They were able to plant a patch of radishes before the season ended. Deliveries had to be done at night. Eventually, Toju started building new equipment, developing efficient farming techniques, and the farm became a thriving business again.

In the early 1900s, Japanese Immigrants, including Haruaki Yotsuuye, started the Brookville Gardens farm in the Gardenville, WA (aka Fife, WA) area

In 1928, Naohiro Sasaki is driving a Brookville Gardens delivery truck.

Yotsuuye family in the early 1930s: Tada, Haruaki, Aki, Toju, Mary, and Sadao

Early 1930s delivery truck full of lettuce and potatoes

In 1936, Toju and Kazue Yotsuuye are standing in front of a lantern Toju built. It still stands today in Fife.

Haruaki and other internees performing at the Santa Fe Internment Camp

Toju Yotsuuye farming on new farmland after being displaced by the Port of Tacoma.

Brookville Gardens was a thriving farm through 3 generations of Yotsuuye farmers.

Howard Kunihiro

Wed, 07 Jun 1916 10:23:35 GMT

As did many young Japanese men looking for the riches of gold in California my grandfather, George Sanmatsu Kunihiro, left his hometown of Iwakuni, in Yamaguchi prefecture, and boarded a ship to sail to the United States. He arrived in San Pedro in 1899. After discovering that there were no streets lined with gold he found a job in a fish cannery.

He attempted to make a living by fishing, but found that it was not a very consistent job, He heard there were jobs in citrus from Pasadena to Riverside along the foothills. He was amazed at the beautiful fruit especially the taste. He was able to able to stay in a mission that took in Japanese laborers and also teach them to speak English.

In 1905, when the Colorado River over flowed irrigation canals supplying water to the Imperial Valley, he and a buddy heard it was a duck haven and headed there for some duck hunting. Although it was night and they couldn’t see the ducks they shot at the quacking and in the morning there were ducks everywhere.

They took the ducks to local merchants in Brawley. The owner of the local feed & fuel store asked him if he would be interested in planting watermelon seeds. That’s how his farming days got started.

The first early crop brought in a good return. The following year a large group of Isseis rushed to the valley wanting to grow watermelon, too. The feed store owner suggested grandpa grow cantaloupes instead. That went on for a couple of years and he eventually did very well.

Grandpa went back to Japan in 1916 and married my grandmother, Tokiyo, and eventually had 3 boys and 1 girl. The family lived in Westmoreland on a 100 acre farm just north of Brawley. It had a general store, feed & fuel store, bank and elementary school. The farm was divided into 4 sections growing alfalfa, grain, produce crops, and cantaloupes.

The Issei farmers formed a co-op and sold their crops to the Western Cantaloupe Exchange of California. The WCE was alleged to be an illegal conspiracy through which commission merchants obtained a monopoly of the distribution of cantaloupes and in turn defrauded the Japanese growers of the full amount they were due from the sale of the cantaloupes.

In 1914 G.S. Kunihiro was chosen as the formal plaintiff in a lawsuit against the packers, shippers, and carriers involved in a lawsuit against the WCE. He was assigned the claims of 55 Issei growers to represent all the Issei growers. The lawsuit continued for ten years and went all the way to the United States Supreme Court. The farmers eventually ended up losing the case. Grandpa lost most of his money funding the case.

My grandpa was disappointed but I think he wasn’t broken by it.

My Uncle asked grandpa if he was disappointed that he lost the $5,000,000.00 case and he said “no, he would have had all these spoiled kids” with a big smile on his face.

The family eventually moved to Sierra Madre, CA. My uncle’s family still lives there in the same house next door to grandpa’s house.

Harvesting canoloupes in Brawley, CA. Grandpa Kunihiro is on left end of photo

George and Tokiyo Kunihiro, Shiz, Mit, and Mat

Mule drawn threasher, Grandpa Kunihiro shown on the right side of picture

Kunihiro family shown in front of cotton field. Note American flag!

Express boarding rooms in Riverside, CA. around 1900-1910? Grandpa in back of truck.

Supreme Court papers from lawsuit, 1913-1923

Florist shop on Foothill Blvd. in Pasadena, CA., in1935

On the family farm in Westmoreland, Ca.

Sogioka Farms

Wed, 19 May 1915 09:50:07 GMT

Between 1915 and WWII internment, Hiroshima natives Sekimatsu and Shiye Sogioka raised their four children (Kazue, Yosh, Mits “Beans” and Fumi) on a rented plot of land in Baldwin Park, California. The early years recalled draft horses, bathing in the barn with water heated by fire, and hard work by all.

After the war and internment at Heart Mountain in Wyoming, the family returned to a small farm on Corak Street in Baldwin Park. In 1956, eminent domain forced the sale of the property to the city and consequent move to neighboring West Covina. A few years later, West Covina’s burgeoning population and a decent offer from a housing developer resulted in the family farm (now run by Yosh and Beans) relocating to Chino. Yosh would peruse weekly farm newsletters to determine which crops would be profitable for growing. Over the years, this included strawberries, boysenberries, cauliflower, cabbage, melons, beets, and leeks.

The brothers continued their partnership and pattern of hard work until retiring in 1989, both choosing to remain in Chino and continue their agricultural activities in their backyard victory gardens. They were also able to engage in their mutual love of deep sea fishing with their sons, until they were no longer able. Yosh passed in 2006 and Beans in 2017. Throughout the years, farming had enriched their lives and kept them connected to a great community of family, friends and neighbors.

Beans and helpers - Baldwin Park

Fumi, Shiye and Sekimatsu - Baldwin Park

Yosh - Baldwin Park

Beans with son Carl - West Covina

Shiye - Chino

Yosh with son Bruce

Yosh’s wife Kay

Oka Family Farm

Tue, 27 Apr 1915 07:38:08 GMT

Isojiro Oka was born in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan. He married Kaoru Ozeki at age 20, in an arranged marriage. In 1906, he left Japan, leaving Kaoru with her family. He and a friend went to Mexico due to immigration laws to the U.S. They left Mexico to go to Canada and stopped in Huntington Beach to work. Later he went to Fresno to work in the vineyards, and returned to Huntington Beach. He worked hard and earned enough to lease land and work it himself until 1917.

By 1915, Isojiro’s wife joined him in the U.S. He moved to a large, undeveloped farm with two other families. A long-lasting friendship with the Tamuras and Kawaguchis was established. On a four or five hundred acre farm, they raised cabbage, chili peppers, celery, tomatoes, sugar beets, and other vegetables, delivering their produce directly to stores, but later using a local trucking firm.

The two other families moved, leaving the Okas to operate the farm until 1942. After Pearl Harbor and World War II began, Isojiro was suddenly taken to jail with other Japanese-American leaders and eventually sent to Poston Concentration Camp in Arizona. He was reunited with family and many of his eight children.

In 1945 they left Poston and the elder Okas lived in Colorado with their daughter. Their sons returned to farm in Huntington Beach and the Okas joined them. In 1950 they moved to a 20 acre Santa Ana farm, and the Huntington Beach property was leased. In 1961, the sons turned this property into a housing development, forming their own construction firm.

Isojiro retired from farming after World War II, but always maintained his own vegetable garden. He was a pioneer and leader in the Japanese community. He was honored in the 1962 Nisei Week Festival in L.A., and a school in Fountain Valley was named for him in 1972.

Oka family portrait

Oka family

Oka farm horse carriage

Jiichan and Bachan Oka

Oka kids + one

Oka farm 1, 2, 3

Okas at home 4 pictures

Oka family land lease

Nitta Brothers

Sun, 21 Feb 1915 08:28:04 GMT

In 1897, 17-year-old Shosuke Nitta emigrated to Portland, Oregon from Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, and four months later, moved to Alameda. In 1898, he worked as a field hand in the asparagus fields near Sacramento, toiling 11 hours a day, earning one dollar. Shortly after that, he relocated to Los Angeles to work in the restaurant business.

By 1907, Shosuke purchased his first 15 acres of land on Fairview Avenue in Santa Ana, while continuing to live in Los Angeles. After marrying Taka Umezaki in 1915, they moved to Santa Ana, where he became the first in Orange County to grow asparagus, thus forming Green Spear Farms. By 1920, they had 3 sons, Hitoshi, Minoru and Mitsuo, all who would go on to get farming related degrees and join the family business.

When WWII broke out, the Nitta family was sent to the Poston, Arizona internment camp, while Mitsuo served in the U.S. Army with the 442 nd Battalion. Their trusted foreman, Sal Quintana, continued to run the farming operations until they returned home in 1945, working for the family for a total of 75 years. In 1947, Shosuke incorporated the business to form S. Nitta and Sons, and focused on growing celery, cucumbers, cauliflower and beans. By the mid-1950s, Shosuke and his sons divided up their joint land holdings and Nitta Brothers became a separate entity.

Over the years, the Nitta family farming businesses included properties in Santa Ana, Orange, Irvine, Yorba Linda, Oxnard and Surprise, Arizona. By the 1970s, strawberries would be their sole crop until they retired in the mid 1990s.

Green Spear Farms lug labels with the Shosuke Nitta family

L-R Tosh, Sal Quintana, Min, Shosuke, Mits

L-R Mits and Min in red caps

Mits

L-R Min and Mits

One of the annual parties held for the workers and their families.

The Mayebo (Maebo) Farm

Wed, 10 Jun 1914 09:21:59 GMT

In September of 1904 my Issei grandfather, Masato Mayebo immigrated to the United States at age 14. He was the first-born son of Jimyemon Mayebo from Miiri, Hiroshima- Ken. Masato sailed from Yokohama, Japan on the SS Korea and arrived in Honolulu a week later. Masato worked for seven years in the sugar cane fields of Hawaii and as a railroad laborer in California.

Masato and his childhood friends, Tsuneshichi Taniguchi and Jim Sakoda, immigrated around the same time and settled in California. A formal photo taken in 1906 of the young men dressed in western style suits and shoes signifies how eagerly they adapted to the American lifestyle. Masato was 16 years old.

In 1911, Masato returned to Japan to arrange his marriage to 16 year old Ayako Matsuda from Yagi. He was 21 years old. She would wait in Japan for another three years, gazing at his formal betrothal photograph; a young and handsome Masato attired in a suit, bow tie, shirt and vest, complete with leather gloves.

Ayako sailed from Yokohama, Japan at age 19 on the SS Chiyo Maru to San Francisco in early 1914. She and Masato were married on March 15. They were employed at the time by a farmer. Their wedding was basically a day off from work and a honeymoon in the employer’s barn.

Masato and Ayako settled on a farm in the Selma/Fowler area, where they worked together and raised four children: Tom Hiroshi, Minnie, Masami and Gene Raymond. As Issei and non-citizens, Masato and Ayako could not own property in California, but the farm could be owned by their oldest son, Tom - who, having been born in California, was a natural born U.S. citizen. Sadly Masami passed away from a tragic accident as a young child.

Masato’s friends, Tsuneshichi Taniguchi and Jim Sakoda, had settled in nearby farming communities with their families. The friends visited each other regularly; and their children became friends and attended the same Buddhist temples and community centers.

In a formal family photograph Masami is seated on Masato’s lap wearing a cap with a Buddhist symbol. The Mayebo family is posed and proudly dressed in their best American style clothing. This photo symbolizes their achievement of the American Dream.

As soon as the children were old enough, they were expected to help out with the farm chores. My mother, Minnie, started washing dishes as well as sorting and stacking raisins on trays, at age 5. When Ayako became ill after Masami’s death, Minnie at age 7 took over the household chores and the care of 2 year old Gene Raymond. Minnie did her farm chores and ran the household, preparing meals for the family, for several years, all while attending school.

Minnie graduated from Fowler High School in 1935 at age 17 as Valedictorian of her class. She did not tell her parents that it would be customary for her to wear a white dress for the graduation as she felt it was extravagant. But she also broke with Japanese tradition, leaving the farm to study dressmaking and fashion at Woodbury College and supporting herself as a nanny. Minnie refused to commit to an arranged marriage and eloped with my father to Las Vegas on August 18th 1940.

December 7th, 1941 Pearl Harbor was bombed and the world changed over night. All Japanese were looked upon as the enemy. Some friends, neighbors and businesses would turn their backs on the Mayebo family. Crops still had to be tended and brought to market, employees paid. Japanese farmers could not sell their produce at fair market prices. Their backs were to the wall.

A month later my sister, Cecile was born on January 5th 1942. Weeks later on February 19th, Executive Order 9066 would force all Japanese Americans into prison camps. The Mayebo family had little time to prepare as bank accounts were frozen, the farm business, stock, equipment and pets had to be secured for the duration of the war. They were forced to sell personal possessions for a fraction of their value and their hard earned produce left to rot in fields.

My parents decided to run away to avoid imprisonment at the Santa Anita Assembly Center, located eight miles down the road from the Sogioka farm. Believing in taking chances, Gene convinced both his parents and his in-laws, the Mayebos, to join them. My grandparents, uncles, and aunts, including two infants, moved from place to place in February and March, 1942. They hid in canyons during April and May and were soon exhausted, dehydrated and underweight. The constant fear of getting shot by patrolling soldiers or armed vigilantes was emotionally and physically overwhelming. They finally drove to Sanger and voluntarily surrendered to authorities. According to my parent’s 1942 income tax my father earned $125.00 for almost a month’s work at Sanger and $101.00 for his work with Dr. Alexander Leighton at Poston.

On July 14th, 1942, thirteen members of my extended family, ages five months to fifty-six years, my father and twenty-two year old wife, Minnie with six-month-old Cecile were transported by train to The Poston War Relocation Center Camp 2.

Both Masato and Ayako were active in camp activities at Poston. Masato worked in the kitchens and Ayako participated in various clubs and in many War Relocation Authority group photos. She was one of the few Issei women who could read, write and speak English – valuable skills.

By 1943 Leave Clearance allowed changes in the camps. Farm workers were in high demand to supply the nation with fresh produce. Many farmers were now soldiers fighting in the war and the government had imprisoned all of the Japanese farmers in the Western states. Gene Raymond, Tom and wife Betty Yamamoto and son, Ronnie, left for Colorado to work on a rancher’s farm. My father left for New York City in early December 1943 and Minnie and Cecile would arrive by train on January 4th, 1944. The Issei Mayebo and Sogioka parents remained in camp until they closed down in 1945. During the war the Mayebo farm had been burned down on October 18th, 1944.

After the war, Masato and Ayako returned to the Selma/Fowler farm to rebuild their home and farm business with Tom, Betty and grandsons, Ronnie, Robert and Vernon on the Mayebo farm.

Gene Raymond would also return to work the farm with his parents and brother. He later left to join the US army and was the recipient of a Purple Heart award for bravery during the Korean War. On his return Gene Raymond worked as a municipal employee and raised his two-step sons, Jack and Robert Mundy with wife Yoshiko.

April 5, 1954 Ayako and Masato became naturalized citizens. They had rebuilt their lives and their farm and achieved their dream with hard work, quiet determination and love of family. Yoshiko and Gene Raymond cared for his parents Masato (December 30th, 1981) and Ayako (April 5th, 1979 ) when they became elderly and passed away. Their courage and quiet determination to overcome obstacles and achieve a better life for our family has been passed down to me.

By Jean Sogioka La Spina

The Issei Mayebo family

The Mayebo farm

Mayebos and farm crates

Mayebo family

Minnie and Tom

Tom Mayebo packing vegetables

Kametaro and Misao Inatomi Farm

Thu, 23 Apr 1914 00:31:37 GMT

Grandfather Kametaro Inatomi came from Fukuoka Japan around 1905, seeking to fulfill the American dream in the land of the free. First migrating to Mexico to w ork silver mines, he crossed into California working on farms across the state, earning enough to return to Japan in 1914 and married picture bride, Misao Miyahara, bringing her to California. They farmed five acres of cabbage and five of celery in the Dominguez Hills. Later, flowers were grown. Kametaro built two houses; the couple eventually had ten children. Having novice doctor skills, Kametaro delivered eight of nine of his children at home. Sadly, Chiyoko, the eighth child, died in infancy. He was head of the Japanese School, Japanese Parents’ Association, and member of the Fukuoka Kenjinkai Group.

Terrible and confusing times came crashing down on all Issei and Nisei when WWII started. The Inatomis quickly determined what each member’s suitcase would hold; their personal belongings, artifacts, furniture, appliances, and vehicles were left behind. After years of blood, sweat, and tears everything was lost. Adding more devastation, Kametaro was arrested and taken to Tuna Canyon Detention Station because he was a community leader and judo advocate. Transferred to Lordsburg Detention Center, New Mexico, he was finally released to family incarcerated at Gila River, Arizona.

While Grandfather was arrested as an enemy alien, his oldest son Harold attended the University of Washington to pursue a master’s degree, continued to the University of Ohio, and never returned to farm. It fell to the second son, Richard, to take over the farm. Ironically, behind barbed wire in Gila, Kametaro’s two sons Jim and Bob joined the M.I.S. and served their country despite all that happened to the family. Later, his son Private First Class Harry Inatomi served in Germany during the Korean War.

After WWII, the family returned to Dominguez Hills, their home completely gone and their existence erased. The family settled in Sawtelle, West Los Angeles. Starting from scratch, they lived honorably and with good reputation.

I’m so proud to honor Kametaro and Misao Inatomi and their children Jean, Harold, Richard (my father), Nancy, James, Robert, Harry, Chiyoko, Charles and Sadie.

Mother, Misao in Greenhouse

Son Richard (Dick) Inatomi in Greenhouse

Misao with Dick, Jean and Harold. Kametaro on Tractor

L-R, Jean, Harold, Kametaro, Misao and Dick

Inatomi Family 1950s

Inatomi Family 1933

Inatomi Family, Dominguez Hills, 1930s

Bob and JIm Joined the M.I.S.

Naritoku Farms

Thu, 23 Oct 1913 09:18:53 GMT

Naritoku Farms was established by Daisuku Naritoku. Daisuku was born into a Samurai Family in Kumamoto Japan. At the age of 16 he decided not to pursue the life of a Samurai. He moved to Hawaii and worked in the pineapple fields.

In 1913 Daisuku Naritoku traveled to San Francisco California to meet and marry his Picture Bride, Satsu. Together they started their first farm in La Puente California. They had 3 sons and 3 daughters.

Over the years they moved to farms in Venice, Long Beach, Fountain Valley and Garden Grove where they reside today.

During the outbreak of World War II, they Naritoku's were farming in Fountain Valley. In February of 1942 they were forced to relocate to the horse stables at Santa Anita for six months until the concentration camp in Rohwer Arkansas was completed.

In 1946 the Naritoku's returned to their Fountain Valley Farm. In 1950, son Joe Naritoku moved his parents and new bride Sue to a farm in Garden Grove. Joe Naritoku was a smart businessman. He decided to purchase farmland on the east side of Beach Blvd so that his produce stand would attract beach goers on their way home to stop and shop. A Pumpkin Patch in October for 10 years and witnessing the Olympic Torch Run in 1984 were a couple of events at the Naritoku Farm.

Naritoku Farm operation commenced in the year 2000. Joe Naritoku passed away in 2010. Joe is survived by his wife Sue, sons Norman and Danny, daughter Patty, grand daughters Michelle and Stephanie, and extended family members.

Daisuku & Satsu Naritoku with oldest son Joe and his family

Joe & Sue Naritoku posing in the produce stand with a water color painting of their stand

Naritoku Farm Pumpkin Patch

1984 Olympic Torch Run at Naritoku Farm

Joe Naritoku’s 90th Birthday Celebration

Norman Naritoku and Joe Naritoku

Sue Naritoku picking strawberries

Bainbridge Gardens

Wed, 23 Apr 1913 01:50:00 GMT

After working for the mill for a short while, Zenhichi Harui and Zenmatsu Seko, (brothers w ith different last names because Zenmatsu took his wife’s last name), started a small fruit and vegetable farm on New Brooklyn Road in Bainbridge Island in Washington State. In 1913 they built Bainbridge Gardens. Harui and Seko procured 23 acres of land off Miller Road where they built Bainbridge Gardens Grocery and Nursery along with several ornamental gardens, farmland for growing plants for the nursery, and a home for their families. The beautiful ornamental gardens were a favorite spot for young children to play in. Shiki Harui and Hatsuno Seko, wives of Zenhichi and Zenmatsu, often stood in the Bainbridge Gardens’ greenhouses tending to their prize- winning chrysanthemums.

Before the war, Bainbridge Island was made up of several small communities, each with their own grocery store and post office. Bainbridge Gardens was in the heart of the Fletcher bay community, and became a gathering place to visit with friends and neighbors.

Harui and Seko had a thriving grocery store. The store was rented during WWII. Tenants kept up the building so it was in good shape upon the Haruis and Sekos return after the war.

However, upon their return, the brothers were devastated to find their lush gardens and nursery damaged beyond repair. The beautiful plants were stolen or had died; the display gardens were ruined, and the greenhouses had collapsed.

Zenhichi Harui attempted to rebuild Bainbridge Gardens, but he was getting on in age and had little savings. He was never able to get the business back to where it was before the war. Thirty years later, his son Junkoh would finally re-build Bainbridge Gardens at the same location and today it is once again a beautiful and thriving business.

—photos and history courtesy of Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community, bijac.org

Bainbridge Gardens, a community gathering spot

Children Played in the Garden

Harui and Seko's Bainbridge Gardens Nursery

Grocery store

Bainbridge Gardens Farm and Grocery store

Upon returning from the war, found ruins

Rebuilding Bainbridge Gardens

Furuta Family Farm

Sat, 18 May 1912 23:56:42 GMT

Charles Mitsuji Furuta and his wife Yukiko emigrated from Hiroshima, Japan, in the early 1900s and settled in Wintersburg (now Huntington Beach) where Charles purchased five acres of land in 1912. In the 1920s Charles’ brother-in-law Henry Akiyama began commercially raising goldfish on that land. When he decided to expand this business in another location, Charles took over the fishponds, operating the enterprise as the Furuta Goldfish Farm until the family was evacuated to Poston, Arizona, during World War II.

After the war, the Furutas returned to Wintersburg only to discover that none of the fish survived. Rather than trying to rebuild the goldfish business, the family decided to grow flowers for the commercial market in Southern California instead. Around this time, Charles’s son Raymond and his wife Martha took over management responsibilities of the farm. Some waterlily plants managed to survive wartime neglect, so the family preserved an acre of waterlily ponds; the remainder of the ponds was plowed over to grow sweet peas. For the next fifty years, the farm was the only commercial source of cut waterlilies in the United States.

The Furuta farm ceased operating in 1995 and was sold in 2004, but the farm buildings, family residences, and structures that housed the Japanese Wintersburg Presbyterian church still exist. In 2015 the National Trust for Historic Preservation declared the Furuta farm site a National Treasure for its historical significance as one of the few remaining properties acquired by Issei farmers prior to passage of the 1913 California Alien Land Law which prohibited aliens ineligible for citizenship from owning agricultural land. The National Trust found that the Furuta property highlights the important civil rights struggles faced by Japanese immigrants and their families in this country, including the right to citizenship, the right to own property, and the rights to freedom and due process during wartime.

For more information about the history of the Furuta farm, we recommend the following:

Yukiko Furuta, Interviewed by Arthur A. Hansen and Yasko Gamo , California State University, Fullerton, 1986. In this volume of the Issei Experience in Orange County, California, oral history series, the wife of Charles Furuta tells her story of immigrating from Hiroshima, Japan, to the rural village of Wintersburg in 1912 through the return of her family from evacuation during World War II. The English version of the interview may be accessed here:

https://oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=ft7p3006z0&query=&brand=oac4 .

Historic Wintersburg of Huntington Beach , by Mary Adams Urashima, History Press Library Editions, 2014, provides a detailed history of the Furuta farm and the Wintersburg Presbyterian Church which was located on the corner of that property from 1910 to 1965, as well as the Orange County Japanese American community centered there. She also maintains a very interesting and informative blog dedicated to the preservation of the historic structures associated with this property at http://historicwintersburg.blogspot.com .

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s website sets forth in detail the historic significance of the Furuta farm and church site at https://savingplaces.org/places/historic-wintersburg . The National Trust also placed the farm site on its 2014 list of America’s 11 most endangered historic places.

Our American Family-The Furutas , a half-hour documentary on the Furuta family’s immigration story narrated by descendants of Charles and Yukiko Furuta as part of the Our American Family series broadcast on PBS stations throughout the nation. Currently available for free viewing through Amazon Prime.

Charles and Yukiko Furuta’s Wintersburg home 1913

Charles, Yukiko and Ray going to church 1915

Charles and Yukiko Furuta with children Ray, Etsuko, Kazuko, Nobuko, and Toshiko in 1923

Furuta Gold Fish Farm in Wintersburg 1928

Furuta Family 1935 - Front: Charles, Grace, Yukiko, Rear: Kazuko, Ray, Toshiko, Etsuko

Ray Furuta growing sweat peas in 1949

Waterlily pond 1951

Ray Furuta 1954

Kitasaki Brothers Farms

Wed, 24 May 1911 09:42:12 GMT

When their wholesale Five and Ten store failed in their home village of Koga in Fukuoka Ken Japan, the Kitasaki brothers decided to journey to America to make their f ortune. Ichitaro and Zenjiro came through Seattle in 1904. My Mom, Tomoko Kitasaki Mizusawa used to tell us that her Dad, Zenjiro was a wetback. Senzaburo Kitasaki came i n 1906 to San Francisco just before the big earthquake hit there. In 1916 the fourth b rother, Seigoro came.

According to Mr. Nishizu, Senzaburo made a small fortune growing cantaloupe in t he Imperial Valley. This allowed the brothers to start a large farming operation in Buena Park. Approximately 300 acres in size and located East of Beach Boulevard and s outh of the Santa Fe Railroad and as far east as the Fullerton airport. The farm was s tarted in 1911. The brothers raised sugar beets and lima beans.

The sugar beets were harvested and topped in the fields and loaded into horse d rawn wagons. The wagons were driven to large ramps next to the railroad tracks and d umped into train cars for transport to processing plants in Los Alamitos and Anaheim.

Horses were used on the Kitasaki farm until 1920. In 1920 the Best Tractor b ecame available which was one of the first tractors with tracklayers. Best Tractor later b ecame Caterpillar Tractor. The Kitasakis owned one of two of those tractors in Orange County at that time. Photos below show the tractor and one of the brothers working o n the tractor. Wow, I hope he remembered how to put it back together. I suspect t he date on the photo is not correct since the tractor didn’t come until 1920.

The Kitasaki brothers grew cabbage and tomatoes which were shipped b y train to the East. Lima beans were dried and shipped to the Nelson Bean Warehouse i n Buena Park.

According to Mr. Nishizu:

“The Kitasaki farm in Buena Park served as a haven for many Japanese immigrants s eeking to gain a foothold in America. Numerous single Japanese laborers boarded with t he Kitasakis, while many married families lived on the farm property in separate houses. Quite a few friends from Kasuya Gun in Japan worked for the Kitasakis while getting situated i n this country. Even Mr. Kariya, who became one of the largest and most prestigious farmers i n Buena Park, first worked for the Kitasakis.”

In 1928 the ranch where the Kitasakis farmed became the first place in the county t hat was subdivided for homes. The Kitasakis moved to Norwalk and farmed there for a few years until the time of the great depression. My mother used to tell me that her f ather was wealthy until the Stock Market crash. Apparently he had invested in the m arket during those times.

After 1930 large parcels of land became scarce so the Brothers started their own smaller farm operations. When my Mom and her sisters were in grade school and high school their f ather Zenjiro, farmed in Rattlesnake Canyon in North Irvine, leasing land from the Irvine C ompany. Zenjiro and Tsugi Kitasaki raised 4 daughters and a son. One child died at or near childbirth. Yuki, Chiyoko, Tomoko and Tomiko were the daughters and Utaro was the son. My Mom told me that there were rattlesnakes on their farm and t hat Yuki was the designated shooter.

By Steven Mizusawa, son of Tomoko Kitasaki Mizusawa, daughter of Zenjiro and Tsugi Kitasaki.

Dumping the sugar beets in the railroad car

Seigoro Kitasaki repairing Best tractor, 1918

Threshing lima beans, 1917

Picking and hauling tomatoes, 1918

Kitasaki residence in Buena Park, 1924

(l-r) Mrs. Tsugi Kitasaki, Shige Nishizu's cousin and Yoshiko Kitasaki, Seigoro Kitasaki's wife

The Kitasaki Clan in 1927. Adults from the left: Zenjiro Kitasaki, Tsugi, Senzaburo, Yoshiko Kitasaki, Seigoro

Children from the left: Utaro, Tomiko, Yuki, Chiyoko, Tomoko. Baby Michiko and Kiyoshi.

Zenjiro Kitasaki and daughters

Takatsuka Farm

Thu, 27 Apr 1911 07:51:56 GMT

Yohei and Aya Takatsuka farmed strawberries since moving from Tacoma in 1911. They raised six children on Vashon Island, including Augie, born in 1920. Incarcerated with the family during the war, he volunteered for the Army from camp. Meanwhile, the Takatsukas were transferred out of Tule Lake into Minidoka, and daughter Kimi was elected “Sweetheart of Minidoka” while Augie served in Europe. After WWII, only a third of Vashon Island’s Japanese Americans returned. Yohei and Aya returned to berry farming on Vashon in June, 1945.

Augie was a veteran of the decorated 442 nd Regimental Combat Team. Returning in December, he nursed physical and mental combat wounds; just months later, he worked with only an old crosscut saw, a hoe, a potato hook, and pitchfork. His friend, Mrs. Gorsuch, leased him property that became his farm. Augie returned to the VA Hospital, and she offered him an interest free loan—a kindness he would remember—though never took. Complications from trench foot left him with a wooden leg.

A 1947 bumper crop allowed Augie to buy the land. Through two decades he sold berries to packers and stores around Puget Sound. Producing four tons of strawberries per acre, each worker contributed a ton. Augie hired British Columbia First Nations workers--growing currants--keeping them through the lucrative end of the season. He even hired Seattle students, but finding workers made farming untenable.

Transformation to a U-cut Christmas tree farm in the 1970s involved luck. Another farmer offered extra plants, and thrifty Augie could not let them go to waste. The trees remained unsold until a Sunset Magazine article led to selling an entire acre in two weeks.

A colorful figure, Augie loved pool; his nickname was “Eight Ball,” and his passion for craps was memorialized by a pair of dice at his grave. Many island tales involved Augie—roller-skating as a boy in a decommissioned chicken coop at night; digging a well for his strawberries with help from dowser Rod Thurston; or learning the hard way that pumpkins don’t grow on a hillside (apparently they roll). Augie eventually retired and passed in 2007, but the farm still bears his name. It is owned and operated by the Karl Olsen family.

— Author Vince Schleitwiler for the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. revisitwa.org/waypoint/takatsuka-farm/

Augie's student yearbook photo

1930s, Thurston dug Augi's well

Augie on right in the 442nd

U-Cut Christmas tree farm

Augie in later years

Takatsuka farm on Vashon Island

Kato Farms

Sun, 23 Oct 1910 09:18:53 GMT

In 1899, Taikichi Kato arrived in Seattle, Washington from Hiroshima, Japan settling in Garden Grove. By 1910, he and Tsunekichi Neishi were farming partners in Garden Grove’s Newhope area. In the early 1920s, they grew a mixed crop of vegetables, and bought an orange grove in 1922.

Ume Kato arrived from Japan in 1914. Their 7th child was born in 1928, they moved to Talbert (Fountain Valley), and farmed chilies near Ellis and Magnolia. Between 1930 – 1932 they moved to Ward Street between Slater and Warner and farmed 40 acres. From 1932 - 1934 the crops were tomatoes and chili. 22 acres of farmland on Bushard Street were purchased in 1934. The Kato home, built in 1941 before evacuation during WWII, still stands today.

In 1938 Taikichi and Tsunekichi owned a ten acre walnut grove until after the war. The two groves were sold and the Kato-Neishi partnership folded, but the two families remain friends today.

Unfortunately, Taikichi died while he, Ume and three of their children were incarcerated at Poston. After the war, Ume and six children (one lived in New York) farmed under the name “Kato Bros.” In 1947, forty acres on Ellis and Newland were purchased. When the two groves were sold, eighty acres on Verano (Euclid) around 1948 were purchased.

The Katos grew Anaheim chilies, asparagus, bell peppers, bush beans, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, and tomatoes. In 1949 - 1950, 53 acres were purchased on Del Obispo in San Juan Capistrano (Dana Point). Sold in 1966, the Katos retired from farming at that time.

Taikichi, Ume and their seven children in 1928

Taikichi and son Masaru 1933

1940's Celery Harvest

1948 Tractor in asparagus field

Lettuce Harvest 1950s Bushard St. Fountain Valley

Crop Dusting 1950s to Fumigate Crops

Cauliflower in San Juan Capistrano 1962

Planting celery seedlings 1940s

Bay City Flower Company - Higaki Family

Tue, 31 May 1910 08:18:53 GMT

In 1910, Nobuo Higaki(born in Hanemura, Kochi prefecture) started Higaki Nursery in Redwood City, California shortly after he immigrated from Japan. In the early days, Nobuo grew cut carnations, roses, chrysanthemums and gardenias for florists in San Francisco. When the Great Depression hit in 1929, few had money to buy flowers, so the family grew green beans, cucumbers, celery transplants and tomatoes in an attempt to financially stay alive. In 1942 during World War II, by way of Executive Order 9066, the Higaki family was forced to abandon their nursery and home and relocated to Idaho. Nobuo was separated from the family and incarcerated in Bismarck, North Dakota. Gratefully, oldest son, Harry arranged for a local Bay Area grower to lease out the family’s greenhouses, and continue harvesting the existing cut flowers for the tenant's business. A Redwood City banker stepped forward to collect rent on behalf of the family while Harry, Juichi, Shigeru & Naomi farmed in Idaho. Later, 3 of the 4 brothers served in the US Army during WWII.

When the war ended, the family returned to the nursery and under Harry's leadership, incorporated the business under its current name, Bay City Flower Co, Inc. Brothers Juiichi, Shigeru & Naomi also followed their father's wishes to continue the family business. Under Harry’s visionary leadership, the nursery pivoted and began growing potted plants instead of cut flowers. In 1960, the nursery relocated from Redwood City and Santa Clara to Half Moon Bay, and over time acquired more space and property to expand production on the coastside. In 1986, Harry’s son, Harrison Higaki followed his father in leadership. Naomi's son Ron was also an integral part of the business until his unfortunate fatal bike accident.

Harrison and his diverse and skillful executive team of mostly non-family members expanded Bay City's product line, evolving from shipping mainly on the West Coast to all 50 states. In addition to growing potted chrysanthemums & holiday plants, the company added blooming plants including new hydrangea hybrids (bred by Harrison), freesias, calla lilies, lavender, ornithogalum, succulents, Love Story lilies, gardenias, oregano, jasmine, hellebores & more.

During this time, the 4th generation, Lisa, Marc & Michael Higaki also began to add energy & imagination to the family business.

Finally, in November, 2019, after 4 generations & 109 glorious years in floriculture, it was time for Bay City Flower Company to wind down the family flower business. The family's hearts are filled with joy & gratitude for the many individuals and companies that have journeyed together with it over these many years.

The story of Bay City has been a journey with many twists and turns, high risk & reward, and many times of financial hardship. Through it all, the Higaki Family is grateful to have been able to sustain 109 years on a road of faith, hope, love and a passion for achieving its mission, "bringing beauty to life".

To God be the Glory!

Founder - Nobuo Higaki

Our First Delivery Truck, Nobuo(R)

Harry, Shig, Aiko, Motoko, Nobuo, Emi, Juichi, Naomi(L to R)

Visionary - Harry Higaki

Kim, Ron, Heidi, Harrison, Sachi, Harry, Mae, Naomi, Sumi, Shig (L to R)

Builder/Breeder - Harrison Higaki

J.Yoshimine, M.Hall, S.Cornwall, S.Hasegawa, D.McCahon, H.Higaki (L to R)

Bay City Family

Heidi, Harrison & Harry Higaki, Lisa, Natalie & Michael Ng (L to R)

Matsujiro and Tome Koyanagi Yamashita Family

Thu, 19 May 1910 00:17:05 GMT

Matsujiro Yamashita and his two nephews Shikazo and Masahira, immigrated to Utah in 1910 from Fukuoka, Japan. They settled on four plots of farmland in South Hooper, Utah. They farmed crops of wheat, alfalfa, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, sugar beets, onions and squash. They also had several different animals of horses, cows, pigs, chickens, dogs and cats. They also had a large ⅓ acre garden with fruit trees, apple, pears, cherry and peaches. A neighbor, Vern Parker showed Matsujiro how to milk cows and use the horses to farm the ground. They farmed 48 acres in two pieces. Crops were irrigated from the Hooper Canal built by four Hooper families. Weekly water turns were posted for water times based on the number of water shares owned.

Matsujiro married Tome Koyanagi and had six children: Fumiko, Hisako, Akiko, Chikae, George, Joe and Frank. They attended local Weber County Schools with friends and neighbors. They attended the local Buddhist Church with other Japanese families.

They lived in a house moved from seasonal workers lot to the 2450 No. 6000 W. address. The house was later remodeled several times to make room for the growing family.

Masahira lived in a house kitty corner from Matsujiro. Shikazo went north to Honeyville and fa rmed there. After Masahira’s wife passed away Masahira returned to Japan for a period of time and returned to Utah. After that time Shikazo moved to Hooper to farm with his wife Suzie Hashimoto. They had three children: Hiroshi, Kiyoshi and Emiko. They farmed the west side of 6000 W. and an additional section west.

In 1927 the Matsujiro hay barn burnt down. The stored hay crops were destroyed and they lost some animals. The neighbors and friends helped with monetary and in kind donations to help survive. The barn was rebuilt and they were able to continue with the farm. Frank Matsujiro’s youngest son, farmed until 1960 then the farm was leased out. Hiroshi, Shikazo’s oldest son, continued to farm their plot of land until recently.

Matsujiro and Tome Koyanagi Yamshita Family

Uchida Farms

Sat, 30 Apr 1910 13:18:27 GMT

In 1910, Sahei Uchida began what would eventually become Uchida Farms. Like many of his generation his path had taken many turns. He had initially arrived in Hawaii in 1906, where he found employment as a day worker. A year later he moved to the mainland, where he worked in sawmill and later in the transportation business. He initially started by raising hogs with Tokuji Sato in Little Rock and Olympia Washington where they kept 50 pigs.

In 1912, he brought over his wife Iwaye, a picture bride who he married the day she arrived, from Japan. Around this time, he moved to northwest Tacoma in the Brown’s Point area. He recalled, “We had to travel a rough mountain road, and therefore it was very hard to collect the feed every day. Especially in winter, when I came back from Tacoma after collecting, the two horses were enough on the flatland, but on the mountain road I had to use four horses to pull the wagon up.”

Due to the inconvenience and cost he moved to flatlands along the Puyallup River. By this time, the family’s operation had grown to 200 to 300 pigs.

In December 1918, he suffered through a major flood which left his house and hog sheds flooded at high tide and inflicted heavy damage. He recalled, “Since it was unsanitary after the flood, the family moved to another location where there was no fear of high water. It was primitive forest land where big trees and bushes were growing densely, and we cleared off the trees by using dynamite and turned it into land for cultivation, planting strawberries. Of course, we built a house for the berry-pickers.”

Nature was not the only obstacle to farming, his greedy landlord informed him around that time that he was going to raise his rent which in turn caused him to move to Levee. Once again in the winter of 1933-34 he endured another flood of the Puyallup River. In 1935, he was finally able to purchase land in the names of sons Isamu and Minoru, who were 16 and 13 respectively at the time, since he was precluded from holding property in his own right because of the Immigration Act of 1924. With the purchase of this land, Uchida Farms transitioned from hogs to vegetables, such as carrots, peas, and beans. Operations continued up to 1942.

With the signing of Executive Order 9066 the family took measures to transfer care of the farm to their neighbor Marie Bingisser before reporting to Camp Harmony at the Puyallup Fairgrounds and later interment at Minidoka Internment Camp. Even during the war the family was involved in agriculture as Sahei’s sons Isamu, Minoru, and Sho were granted work releases to work on farms in the vicinity of Chinook, MT. Prior to the end of the war Isamu and Sho began farming near Vale, OR and later moved to Ontario, OR, where they raised onions, potatoes and sugar beets. After the war Sahei and Iwaye returned to Pierce County and were eventually joined by their son Minoru after he completed his enlistment in the U.S. Army. Uchida Farms continued to expand it’s operations until they came to and end in 2000.

Uchida Hog Farm circa 1921

Lettuce Harvest circa 1974

Celery Harvest

1920 Iwaye, Chiyoko, Isamu, Sahei, Kazue, and Kiyoko on their hog farm

In 1931, International Truck full of Lettuce for Uchida Farms

1922 Uchida Family, Kazue, Sahei (standing), Isamu, Iwaye, Minoru (infant), Chiyoko, Kiyoko

In 1930, Uchida hog farm

In 1906, Sahei immigrated on the SS Siberia from Japan to Hawaii with $5 in his pocket

Fujioka Farm

Thu, 21 Apr 1910 10:12:17 GMT

Formerly owned and operated by Fujioka family for most of the 20th century, Forest Garden Farm today is a working farm rich with cultural and agricultural history. Visitors are welcome with advance notice.

Most farms on Vashon Island as Forest Garden Farm have histories that stretch back to the late 1800s. A cedar cabin was built there between 1910 and 1915. From approximately 1910 to the early 1940s, Issei (first-generation) immigrants Sadagi and Tsune Fujioka lived and worked on the farm. The Fujiokas cleared land, raised six children, and grew berries. They may have lived in the cedar cabin until 1927.

Anti-Japanese legislation prevented the purchase of land, so the Fujiokas were not able to own property; however, the 1970 census shows that the Fujiokas rented it in the name of eldest American -born son Tashio.

Forcibly removed to Pinedale Assembly Center, then Tule Lake in California in 1942, the Fujiokas eventually went to Heart Mountain, Wyoming. After the war, the Fujiokas with Tashio and youngest child Suzie lived briefly in Spokane. Tashio returned to Vashon and purchased the property for $13,000 in 1951. He eventually cleared the majority of land in the 1960s and 1970s, and his strawberry harvests would become legendary.

In the 1970s, Tashio decided to work for the post office and shift efforts on the farm to maintenance and forestry. In the 1990s, his health declined, and he moved to Bainbridge Island in 2006. Toshio passed away at 97 in 2017.

In 2014 the Fujioka sisters sold the farm to Lisa Hasselman and Chris Hedgpeth, who named it Forest Garden Farm. Today, visitors can see traces of the Fujioka family stewardship. Hasselman and Hedgpeth are working to restore the property to be a certified organic fruit, vegetable, and herb farm. A roadside farm stand and seasonal farmer’s market booth allow visitors to sample the farm’s current offerings.

- Excerpt from Tamiko Nimura for the Washing ton Trust for Historic Preservation revisitwa.org/ waypoint/fujioka-farm/

Fujioka Farm on Vashon Island

Fujioka Farm Sign

Handmade Usu for Mochitsuki

Pioneer Cabin

Recent Crop of Apples planted by Fujiokas

Tashio Made Geta for His Mother

Mukai Farm and Garden

Mon, 18 Apr 1910 01:25:51 GMT

B.D. (Denichiro) Mukai was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1885. Immigrating to California in 1906, he married Sato, a picture bride from Yokohama. In 1910, they moved to Vashon Island in Washington to farm strawberries. Their son Masa was born in 1911. In 1921 when Sato died, B.D. married her sister Kuni.

From 1910 to 1926, the family leased parcels of land to farm berries. A successful grower, B.D. established the Mukai Cold Process Fruit Barreling Plant. He perfected a process of preserving berries by packing them in barrels, then “freezing” them. The berries were shipped all across the U.S.

In 1926, Masa turned 16 and the family purchased 60 acres of land in Vashon under Masa’s name. With the purchase of their farm and success of the cold-process, the family built a new plant in 1927.

The farm prospered during the Depression. Over 400 workers (of which 250 were housed there) were employed annually to help pack and ship 200 tons of berries. In 1934 B.D. retired, divorced Kuni, and then returned to Japan. Masa, educated at Washington State University and University of Washington took over the business, focusing more on the freezing process and less on cultivation.

Masa changed the name of the business to Vashon Island Packing Company (VIPCo) in 1939. The family formed deep ties in the community by processing berries from many island farms. Due to the Executive Order for the evacuation of all Japanese from the west coast, Kuni, Masa, his wife Chiyeko and their son Milton fled Vashon in 1942, moving to Oregon, where Chiyeko had family. Masa introduced row crops into what was cattle country. He raised seed for lettuce and other vegetables on 100 acres he purchased; he invented his own harvester to catch flyaway seeds, making a successful living during the war.

Due to the efforts of Maurice Dunsford in Vashon and Phillipe Baccaro, they kept the Mukai enterprises fully operational and profitable throughout the war.

The Mukais returned to Vashon after WWII. They continued to grow strawberries and operate the barreling plant. In the 1950’s, Masa opened two more plants in Washington and in Oregon. Due to the economics of the strawberry business changing, i n 1969 Masa sold the packing business. He shifted his energies to another business and retired in 1979.

- courtesy of Mukaifarmandgarden.org vashonheritagemuseum.org

B.D. and Masa with Marchal Strawberry

B.D. Mukai in Seattle 1910

Japanese Garden Designed by Kuni Mukai

Mukai Home and Strawberry Barreling Plant

Vashon Festival

Mukai with bowler hat and children

Owashi, Kaminaka and Hatashita Farms

ocowalkthefarm@gmail.com (OCO Tanaka Farms) — Fri, 18 Jun 1909 23:58:04 GMT

THE AMAZING LEGACY OF AN ISSEI IMMIGRANT, SATARO OWASHI

This article is taken from Nanka Kihonjin by Shinzo Toda (author – Ed & publisher) printed by Hakubunkaku, Tokyo, Japan 1920. Shared by Bruce Owashi.

FARM OPERATOR: Sataro Owashi
Relationship: San Diego Japanese Agriculture Union President.
Original Address: 1319 Kushimoto-machi, Nishi Muko-gun Wakayama-ken
Date of Birth: June 7, 1887

Family: Wife – Haru, Son– Jo (Joseph), Daughter Mari (Mary) Second Son –Ryo (Leo) It was March of 1900 when he came to the U.S. After landing he lived in Montana and Minnesota for 3 years. He came to Los Angeles in March 1903. With an intent to start bamboo craft in South America he went to work at the Y.M. Store and learned the bamboo crafts. Seeing no future in this business, he quit the company. Then, to study English he worked for an American family for four years. After that he studied farming for two years.

In September 1909, he came to San Diego and grew vegetables and strawberries in the suburb of San Diego. Because of an illness, he returned to Japan in March, 1911. After a recovery he married his wife Haru. He then came back to the U.S. and operated a farm for four years. Business was profitable every year and in March of 1912 he moved to Palm City and cultivated a 40 acre farm. He was one of the originators to organize the Japa nese Agriculture Union. The union was founded in 1912 by him and those interested and he was elected as an officer.

Since 1913 he has been serving as president. Also in aneffort to cut down the American buyers’ unreasonably high profit, he established a new Vegetable Sales Union. It is said that an annual net sales is over $150,000. *Note: Sataro Owashi passed from the Spanish Flu in 1918. This article was found searching the internet or Japanese farmers in Southern California. A copy of the book containing this article was stated as being in the UCLA JARP collection. However, when contacted they were unable to locate the book at that time. (Bruce Owashi)

Part 2: Sataro’s Family: the Owashis, Deguchis, Hatashitas, and Tsuidas. Shared by Judy Miyamoto and Bruce Owashi Sataro and Haru Owashi had four children, Mary (1914), Joe (1915), Leo (1916) and Martha (1917). Unfortunately, Sataro passed in 1918 from the Spanish flu epidemic,and left Haru with four children under the age of 5 years old! She had thoughts of returning to Japan but later married Kamekichi Kaminaka and continued farming. Kamekichi and Haru Kaminaka had two children, Grace (1925) and Ray (1932). Ray passed away in 1946 at Camarillo State Hospital, a few months after the ending of World War 2. Grace passed away in March 2022.

Later Mary married John Haruo Hatashita and had five children: Fred, Alice, Elizabeth, Walter, and Dale. Joe married Alyce Matsuoka and had four children: Judy, Kathleen, Bruce, and Norman. Leo married Aiko Ozaki and had three children: Virginia, Joyce, and Leslie. Martha married Takeo Deguchi and they had three children: Sharon, Gail and Dennis. Grace married Mas Tsuida and had 3 children: Mark, Glenn, and Nadine.

Post war, John Hatashita, Joe Owashi and Leo Owashi farmed together under Skyline Farms. Fred Ha tashita joined the farming group after his service in the Army.

In 1970, Joseph Owashi was awarded with San Diego County Farm Bureau Farmer of the Year. In 1980, he was honored with recognition by the Japanese Imperial family for contributions to agriculture. After Joe and Leo retired, Fred continued farming with Mirada Farms.

1942

Front, L to R: Emi and Sanae Hatashita, Ray Kaminaka, Freddie Hatashita

Middle: Martha Owashi (Deguchi), Haru Owashi Kaminaka (Grandmother), Grace Kaminaka (Tsuida), Mary Owashi (Hatashita)

Back: Leo Owashi, Joe Owashi

Sataro Owashi family in “Before the War, The Japanese in San Diego.” by Don Estes

Front L to R: Leo Owashi, Joe Owashi, Mary Owashi Back: Haru Owashi, Sataro Owashi

Camp address in Poston Arizona for Joe and Alyce Owashi

Joe Owashi named “San Diego Farmer of the Year.” by Don Estes

Owashi farm label

Recognition of Joe Owashi November,1980.

For Industrial Development, Friendship between U.S. and Japan, and Welfare of the Japanese people.

S. Nagata Farm

Sat, 15 Jun 1907 04:13:47 GMT

The 27 acre S. Nagata Farm in Indio California was established in the early 1900s by Seitaro Nagata. Seitaro was born on August 6, 1889 and raised on a farm in Yamaguchi-ken, Japan. He came to the United States in 1907 when he was 18 years old. Seitaro first arrived in California where he worked in the orange orchards in Riverside, but he wished to pursue farming on his own. So Seitaro eventually found acreage in nearby Indio that he wanted to purchase. However, since non-citizens (i.e. aliens) could not own land at that time, Seitaro had the land titled in the name of his niece in order to purchase the property.

In 1917 Seitaro returned to Japan to marry Nui Igawa. Nui was born May 16, 1898 in Yamaguchi-ken, Japan. When they returned to Indio, Seitaro managed the farm and Nui managed the packing shed. Their main crop was tomatoes, but the farm also grew string beans and corn. Seitaro and Nui had three daughters and one son; Grace, Lily, Amy and George Nagata.

When World War II broke out, the entire Nagata family was relocated to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona. Throughout their absence during the years from 1942 to 1945 the farm was overseen by a wonderfully loyal worker who maintained the farm until the family returned three years later. Seitaro and Nui eventually stopped farming and the Nagata Farm was ultimately sold to developers.

Two of the Nagata daughters, Grace and Amy, married into another farming family in the area, the Musashi Brothers of Thermal, California. Amy and Grace continued the farming tradition on the Musashi Brothers Farm until their retirement.

S. Nagata Label

S. Nagata Family Portrait

Aerial view of S. Nagata Farm in Indio, CA

Daughter Amy Nagata driving a tractor

Seitaro, Nui and George with cousins on their farm

S. Nagata family at Poston Internment Camp

Sadakichi and Setsu Sogioka

Sun, 10 Jun 1906 08:56:54 GMT

One hundred and fifteen years ago, my Issei grandfather, Sadakichi Sogioka, immigrated to the United States for a better life. At age 18 years he left Hiroshima- Ken, Japan and boarded the SS America Maru in 1906 to Honolulu, Hawaii. Sadakichi cut sugar cane and saved his wages. He later toiled in the California fields as a farm laborer and sent money home to his family in Japan.

Eight years later he brought his twenty-year-old bride, Setsu Omokawa from Hiroshima – Ken, Kabemache, Japan to California. His brother, Sekimatsu Sogioka, had also immigrated to America and had married Shiye Omokawa, Setsu’s sister. Both brothers and their wives eventually made their way to farm in Baldwin Park, California.

In 1914 Gene Isao, my father, was born in Irwindale and later, his brother Mutsushi in 1920, which established American citizenship for both son. My Issei grandparents were not allowed to own property under California laws, but their sons – as citizens – could. And eventually legal ownership of the 1846 Puente Avenue farm in Baldwin Park. As first-born son, Gene was sent to his Omokawa grandmother in Hiroshima - Ken when he was a toddler. Gene Isao was a Nisei and a Kibei; born in America, raised in Japan and returned at age 14 years.

In California, Gene and Muts attended school between early morning farm chores and late afternoon chores. Summers and holidays were spent working the farm. The family was lucky in that they had good neighbors – the Doyles. Mrs. Doyle was the school principal and Mr. Doyle worked for a mining company and part time in real estate.

Gene chose a career in art after graduation from Covina Union High School and five years later eloped with my mother, Minnie Mayebo, a Selma (Fowler) farm girl on August 18th, 1940. The rest of the family continued to work hard in their fields to bring in crops of asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, Japanese potatoes, beets and cabbage. These crops were planted, watered, picked, packed, transported and sold at the market every week. The hard work and sacrifices of the Issei helped to establish the farming community of California.

December 7 th 1941 Pearl Harbor changed everything… the Japanese were now the enemy. Despite that, crops still had to be tended, fruit picked, workers paid and produce sold at the market to survive. Executive Order 9066 (February 19 th 1942) changed that and would force them to leave their farm. The Issei and Nisei were given little time to prepare. Selling personal belongings for pennies on the dollar and perishable produce for almost nothing was sad, costly and humiliating. Their bank accounts were frozen and yet they had to file income tax while imprisoned.

The extended Sogioka family – including Gene, Minnie and infant daughter, Cecile did not want to be sent to the filthy Santa Anita Racetrack eight miles from the Sogioka farm – and later into prison camps in Poston, Arizona. Cecile had been born on January 5 h 1942. My father convinced the family to run and hide in the canyons of California. From February to March 1942 they moved from place to place gathering family members. They hid from April to May but soon exhaustion, tension, lack of food and fear of getting shot by soldiers and roaming vigilantes was emotionally and physically overwhelming. In June 1942 they drove to Sanger and voluntarily surrendered to authorities. A train would take them to Poston.

The Doyles offered help. Mr. Doyle turned to farming and cared for the Sogioka property and remained in contact with Gene and Muts during the war. Doyle’s letters detailing the hard work of farming, nosey FBI agents trying to claim the property and tires are revealing and oddly humorous. His letters describe the changes in the farm industry and racist attitude outside of the camps during and after the war. The Sogioka family was very fortunate to have such good friends and neighbor. Leaving behind the farm, pets and livestock in friendly hands was reassuring.

Sadakichi and Setsu returned to the farm in 1945 when Poston was officially closed. Mutsushi would continue to work the farm with his parents, his wife Sadako Mukai and daughters, Diane and Marilyn.

In 1954 plans for the Ramona Freeway (connecting Los Angeles to Baldwin Park to Pomona to San Bernardino) impacted the Sogioka farm. Eminent domain would effect the family farm. They were paid $265.00 for 2006 sq. feet of land and 30’ of 10” irrigation line.

My parents, Gene and Minnie and young Cecile went to NYC where dad worked as an animator. I was born in 1947 and Alyce a few years later in 1951.

Setsu passed away on March 30 th 1976 and Sadakichi on December 5 th 1970.

Eminent domain. Sogioka's property taken for public use

Sadakichi on the farm

Sadakichi on his tractor

Sekimatsu, Shiye, Sadakichi and Setsu

Setsu and Shiye Omokawa at the train station

Cecile at the Sogioka farm

Sogioka Issei

Sogiokas, Cecile and Mom

Ishii Farms

Sat, 19 May 1906 08:43:02 GMT

Born on January 6, 1883 in Karashima (Village) Tanoshimaru-Machi, Ukiha-Gun, Fukuoka-Ken, Japan, Kyutaro Ishii was the oldest of 9 children born to Hisakuchi Ishii and Toku Chiyoda. In 1899, at the age of 16 and with his father’s help, he booked passage to Hawaii where he worked on a plantation on Oahu until 1905, at which time he was able to afford passage to San Francisco and complete his journey to America. From there, he made his way to Los Angeles (working on the railroad) where he settled into a flophouse on the west side. One day, in 1906, a hakujin farmer from Orange County showed up at the flophouse looking to hire a farm worker. His name was Wardlow. He spoke with Kyutaro and whether it was a word or his body language, there was something that Wardlow liked and as fate would have it, he took a chance and brought Kyutaro back to his farm in Talbert, CA.

Kyutaro was no stranger to hard work, and Wardlow recognized it. Almost a generation apart in age, they developed a strong friendship that would last for the rest of their lives. Soon, they built a house for Kyutaro (at what later became 17271 Bushard Street) and by 1912, he was “renting” land from Wardlow to farm for himself. It was also 1912 when he went back to Japan to meet, marry and bring back a wife to Talbert. Her name was Sada Nakamura and she was 19 years old. He saw a path on how he could do well in America as a farmer. Farm big. By law, he could not own the land but with the birth of his first born, Joe, in 1914, he foresaw that he could rent the land until Joe turned 21 and then Joe as a citizen could start owning land. Over the next few years, the rest of the children came along: Charles (in 1916), Nellie (in 1919), Don (in 1924) and Rose (in 1927). Eventually, at the height of their operation, they farmed along Warner Avenue (from Brookhurst to Newland) and along Bushard Street (from Talbert Avenue to Edinger Street except for the Wardlow farm and another farm). It was not a continuous block of land but a quilt-like patchwork of roughly 1/4 mile parcels disconnected by other farms. Generally, from an aerial view, Wardlow’s farm was to the south, Fulton’s farm was to the southwest, Plavan’s farm (while he was there) was on the north side of Warner while the Masuda’s, the Neishi’s and the Hara’s farms abutted the Ishii Farm on the east side facing Brookhurst. The crops they raised were many (tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower) and rotated but principally, before the war, they raised lima beans and after the war, it was asparagus.

The greatest challenge was WWII. A few months after the war broke out, the family was evacuated to the Poston Camp. The initial hardship was the suspension of the farm operation. They turned to their friends, the Wardlows, and the latter agreed to take of the farm. Charles (Master Sergeant) was serving in the Army with the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion attached to the 442 nd Regimental Combat Team. Nellie got a job in the Poston offices as a typist. Rose, at 15, made the interesting comment that she never had a sense that things were bad. In Camp, she was glad to see her friends were living close by and she got to see them every day. For her, it was like going to summer camp albeit an armed and dusty one. After about a year, both Nellie and Joe (and his family) were able to leave the camp for Chicago (Nellie) and Colorado (Joe). Once Joe got settled in and bought a farm near Pierce, Colorado, he was able to get Kyutaro, Sada and Rose released from Poston and brought them to Colorado. One of things that Joe spoke of was the “cool” reception that CA farmers like himself received from the local nisei farmers. Like when they brought their truck to the market warehouse, trucks would line up and take turns unloading their produce. But when a CA farm truck approached the line, the other local trucks would not allow them in.

When WWII ended, there was local resistence against the Japanese returning back to Orange County/Talbert. It is difficult now to gauge just how bad it was in those days right after the war had ended but the “hate” was widespread. Kyutaro’s attorney, John Rutan, Sr., founder of the OC law firm of Rutan and Tucker that still operates today, was an old friend of Kyutaro’s dating back to the 1920's. After listening to Kyutaro’s description of the tense climate, Rutan contacted the US War Relocation Authority and supported the idea of sending General Joseph “Vinegar” Stilwell to the Masuda farm to award the Distinguished Service Cross to the family of the late war hero, Kazuo Masuda, They made a big show of it on December 9, 1945 with the General riding in, flags flying, hundreds of people present and an Army motorcade roaring into the small farm town. Stilwell reportedly had to “order” the local civilian leaders to be there. President Reagan, then a young captain, acted as the emcee for the ceremony. Joe recalled that later that night, the Masuda house was shot up by gunfire presumably from locals who did not agree with the Federal Government. No one was hurt nor arrests made but for the moment, the Masuda’s moved out for their safety. Even a couple years later, the resentment still lingered against the Japanese. Masae Ishii (Joe’s wife and a Secretary/Member of the School Board) attended Board meetings held at night in Santa Ana but one of the Wardlows always accompanied her to make sure she was safe from local bigots. As Charles, Stanley (Joe’s son) and Joe Ishii related in recalling the details of this story, the local agitation against the return of the Japanese in Talbert was real and only grudgingly dissipated over time.

Notwithstanding the climate, the real post war story starts out with the kindness that the Wardlow family did for the Ishii’s during WW2 when they kept Kyutaro’s farm intact and when they gave it back to him at war’s end. His friendship with Wardlow was a remarkable thing. Different country, race, language and generation, but the two managed to carve out a friendship that lasted for decades. When white-haired Wardlow would come over with presents, a 5-year old Rose would blurt out “Grandpa!” Despite the land that he owned elsewhere, Kyutaro lived in the same house that was built in 1912 on the Wardlow farm. In the early 60's when the developers were looking to buy the land on which the farm house sat, Nellie Durall (Wardlow’s daughter) explained that before he died, Wardlow made her promise that Kyutaro could live there for as long as he wanted and she was not to sell it. Charles realized the situation, spoke with Kyutaro and the latter agreed that the land should be sold but he would buy a house in the new housing development so that he could remain on the same land.

Kyutaro and Sada were like many Isseis of that time: A strong, close-knit family that met every Sunday at the farm to have lunch and dinner together with “Papa and Mama”. Whether it was going bowling, playing cards, flying kites in the fields or just climbing and hiding on every tree or roof in the compound, it is etched in my memory as an incredibly fun time. It lasted until the State started to buy up the land (including chunks of the Ishii farm land) as a prelude to the construction of the 405 freeway and the new Fountain Valley High School. Sensing the end was near, and at 80 years old, Kyutaro retired in 1963. He had been slowing down for a few years and both Joe and Charles had taken charge, investing in commercial buildings in OC and then buying land for Ishii Bros. in the Reedley/Orange Cove area. It took a couple of years, but by 1965, the last asparagus and bell pepper under the Ishii brand in Talbert was picked, packed and shipped to market.

Although it was just his back yard, Kyutaro spent his remaining years “farming” at his new home. We lived next door so they never put in a boundary wall and both yards were big lots. As a result, he had about a 1/3 acre to farm in our combined back yards. I would help him pick his string beans and tomatoes, and at the end of the day, sit there on the bench next to him. Sometimes, he would grab a tomato, wash it off, pull out a salt shaker and start eating it like an apple. I would be eating my “pay for the day” which was an ice cream soda. He was kind and never seemed to get mad. When I was 15, he started asking me what I wanted to do as an adult. College was a given but he liked the idea of a doctor in the family. I thought that the law was something I might want to do but I knew it would be really expensive. He told me to keep studying and not to worry about the other part. He died not long afterwards on April 9, 1970. Later, I found out that he had set up a trust fund and it was those monies that helped pay my way through college and law school. He was a fascinating guy. Throughout his life, he faced enormous life changing events and every time, he would step back, move around and then go forward to the next goal. He had that stubbornness or “will” to persevere, to keep moving forward. Heading out to see the world at the age of 16 on your own is mind-boggling but to go to a different country with very little education, money or prospects only makes it all the more an incredible journey.

Charles Ishii with trademark cigar in front of Kyutaro's house

circa 1950 Kyutaro-Sada Ishii family by packing shed

circa 1950 Mochitsuki, L-R Kyutaro and Henry Kanegai's father

1955 Joe and Stanley Ishii taking a break

Judge Anthony Ishii, Donna (Ishii) Chiamori, and Linda Osaki

Mori, Tajiro and Taka Tagomori

Sat, 12 May 1906 07:17:38 GMT

Tajiro (Howard) Mori was born on January 26, 1888, in Umami, Kama-shi, Fukuoka-ken, Japan. Tajiro, a third son, was urged to go to America by his parents to seek better opportunities and return to Japan.

On his way to America in 1906, Tajiro disembarked at Hawaii, the “Big Island,” at 18. He worked in cane fields near Hilo where he may have been a 3-year contract laborer; he was living in San Francisco by 1910.

He settled in San Francisco near friends. Tajiro knew Taka Tagomori from a neighboring Japanese village. Tajiro asked her to join him. Taka’s father worked in Montana and he urged her to go to America. She arrived in San Francisco in December 1910 and married Tajiro. They had 7 children; 4 living to adulthood.

Daughter Sakaye (Suzie) was born in 1915 in Piedmont, but it was difficult to work with a toddler and they took Sakaye to Taka’s Tagomori family in Japan. Taka gave birth to Harumi there in 1918; she was left with Tajiro’s Mori family. Back in California, Tajiro and Taka moved to Pescadero in San Mateo County; Shigeki (Shig) was born there in 1919. Tajiro tried farming but was unsuccessful.

In 1922 Taka’s mother Ise died. Tajiro and Taka returned to Japan with Shig to bring their daughters home. Daughter Yoko (Yo) was born on the ship in 1924; arriving home, the Moris moved to San Mateo. Tajiro then worked for years as a gardener and Taka as a housekeeper and cook. To avoid camp they rented their home and moved to Colorado to help friends farm. Married for 65 years, Tajiro passed away at age 87 in 1975; Taka passed in 1978 at 89. In 2022 they have 8 Sansei grandchildren, 14 Yonsei great-grandchildren and 15 Gosei great-great-grandchildren.

Loading sugar cane in Hawaii 1917; Carpenter Collection Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division

Tajiro and Taka 1910

L to R: Suzie, Harumi, Shig, Tajiro, Taka, and Yo 1937

Shig and Toshi (Kitagawa) Wedding 1944

Suzie and Masaru Kato Wedding 1945

Bride Yoko Mori Shiinoki 1945

Tajiro and Taka's 50th Wedding Anniversary 1960

The Iwata Brothers Farm

Wed, 31 May 1905 08:35:30 GMT

Tatsugoro Iwata came to America about 1905-1906 and began farming flowers in Arcadia and doing gardening jobs. He would carry the cut flowers in a large container and take them by streetcar to downtown Los Angeles to sell them as a street vendor, and later at the flower market.

Tatsugoro married Hatsu Ohno in 1912. They had four children, Jean Harue who married Roy Ishida, Tatsumi who married Tsugi Hagiwara, Tadao who married Sakuye Kay Kamo and Toshio who married Jean Akiko Hamano.

The family grew various flowers such as ranunculus, tuberose and daisies in East Whittier, which was known as “Blue Hills” at that time, now La Mirada. They leased land from the Edwin Neff and Rand McNally family. Edwin Wallace Neff was a famous architect and there is a Neff High School named after their family. When the war broke out, Mr. Neff told the family that they could return afterwards to resume their farming.

After being incarcerated at the Rohwer internment camp in Arkansas, the family eventually all returned to California. Mr. Neff kept his promise and let them resume farming. The Iwata family had $3,000 to their name to begin a new start. Tatsugoro had the foresight to keep tiny Caspia seeds (a purple filler-type of flower) and propagated them. Theirs was the only farm to grow such flowers and they made a very successful business which allowed them to buy property in 1949. They purchased 20 acres in Buena Park at Knott and Lincoln Avenues where they grew chrysanthemums and daisies. The later acquired another 10 acres and grew 3 acres of strawberries.

The Iwata Brothers stopped farming in 1975 and relocated to Cypress and Anaheim in 1975. The property is currently leased to a mobile home park and commercial shopping center at the Buena Park location.

The Sansei, Yonsei and Gosei generations are forever grateful to our ancestors for establishing the groundwork and persevering on our behalf for a better future.

Chrysanthemums grown by the Iwata family

Tatsugoro and Hatsu Iwata with children Jean Harue, Tatsumi and Tadao

L to R: Tadao, Jean Harue, Tatsumi; Front: Toshio

Front seated: Tatsumi Iwata; Back standing from L to R: Toshio Iwata, Jean Harue Ishida, Tadao Iwata

Iwata and Kudo Families

Kakuda Farms

Fri, 21 Apr 1905 10:38:19 GMT

Rikitaro and Wasa Kakuda arrived in Honolulu, Hi in 1902 as farmers. They came from Otake, Hiroshima, Japan. Rikitaro had spent almost 10 years in Hawaii previously. Wasa gave birth to two children Mitsuko and Fumiko in Hawaii. About 1905 they were recruited to farm chili in Garden Grove, Ca. The dominant chili processor at the time was Kapp whom may have been responsible.

Rikitaro and Wasa were successful enough farming that they were able to lease a large farm from Mr. Mitchell at Trask Ave. and Euclid St in Garden Grove, Ca. They grew blackberries and chilis on the Mitchell property and later grew chilis near Talbert (Huntington Beach). They were so successful that they were able to retire and take the family back to a new home in Japan in 1918 just 13 years after arriving in Orange County, Ca. In 1919 Rikitaro returned to Garden Grove, Ca. to settle his affairs. He then retired in Japan and dabbled in antiques. He died in 1935 at the age of 73. Wasa died in 1970 at the age of 91 surviving the famine and hardships of WWII.

His two sons Jimmy Tokuto Kakuda and George Yoshiro Kakuda and daughter Ruth Asako returned to Orange County, Ca after schooling in Japan.

They were active in the Garden Grove Japanese Language School.

Kakuda Farm rented from Mr. Mitchell at Trask Ave and Euclid St circa 1910.Neighbors were Koheji Fujino, Mr. Yanai, and Sekichi Aihara. Field of dry chili, Chili dryer to the left. Note horses and windmill water

Chili farm in 1910. George Kakuda as a baby and Rikitaro Kakuda on the right

Rikitaro, Wasa and Sukataro Kakuda. Rikitaro Kakuda farm on Garden Grove Blvd. near Euclid Ave., Garden Grove, CA circa 1910

Shintaro, Asako Kakuda Aoyama, Rikitaro, George Yoshiro, and Wasa Kakuda circa 1917 in Otake, Hiroshima, Japan

Takamiya and Kakuda families meeting family Japanese naval officer holding George Kakuda. To the right of the officer is Rikitaro Kakuda holding Fumiko. To the left of officer is Wasa Kakuda holding Ruth Asako Kakuda and in between is Mitsuko Kakuda circa 1910 at San Pedro, CA

Muraoka, Hiroki and Fui Urakawa

Mon, 12 May 1902 11:42:54 GMT

Hiroki Muraoka was born in 1873 in Namazu, Kumamoto Ken, Kyushu, Japan to very poor farmers. Their main crop was rice. After harvesting rice, they grew wheat or beans. The property did not sustain a family of eight; Hiroki, the oldest child, was urged to go to Hawaii to farm. Marrying Fui Urakawa, they planned to work for three years, then return to Japan.

First son Koremitsu, born in 1899, was left with relatives. Sailing to Hawaii in 1902, Hiroki became a contract laborer for the Kekaha Sugar Company in Mana, Kauai on its sugar cane plantation. Due to the heat, Hiroki and Fui moved to Koloa. They lived near relatives at Koloa plantation camp. Later, the Muraokas worked at McBryde Plantation at Lawai Stables Camp. Fui added income by cooking and laundering for 5 to 6 single laborers until she had more children and no longer worked. The 9 other children are: Tamaru, Mitsugi, Yae, Gohei, Hideshi, Sueko, Tomeyoshi, Hitoe, and Ikito. Ikito, the last surviving sibling, celebrated his 100th birthday in October, 2021.

At Lawai, six days’ work for four weeks paid $20.00. Hiroki was a luna (supervisor), directing 5 to 6 men irrigating sugar cane.

The Muraokas moved back to Koloa in 1915 at a larger Japanese camp (over 100 residents). Unfortunately, Hiroki lost his luna status and worked alongside oldest son Koremitsu, 15, newly arrived from Japan. Older sons, Tamaru, Mitsugi, Tom, and Gohei (Richard) eventually worked on the plantation. Daughter Yae was among the first elementary children to be hired by the Koloa plantation to hoe. She was in 4th or 5th grade.

Hiroki and Fui endured backbreaking manual labor, the Depression, racism, Hiroki’s imprisonment after Pearl Harbor, and other hardships. 120 of their descendants gathered for a Muraoka Family Reunion on Kauai in 2007. 19 were Rokusei (Sixth generation); 120 years of Muraokas in Hawaii will be celebrated in 2022.

Cane truck and Kekaha Sugar Mill from Pinterest

Muraoka Family in 1910. Oldest Koremitsu in Japan

1925 Muraokas with 10 children & Tamaru's wife Shizuno

Koloa Sugar Mill, Janis Morrison, Flickr

Fui and Hiroki Muraoka, 1940s

2007 Muraoka Family Reunion, Garden Island newspaper, Ron Chen photo

Nimura Brothers

Tue, 26 Jun 1900 05:38:02 GMT

Tamizo Nimura, the family patriarch, came to America in the early 1900’s from Hiroshima and settled in the Imperial Valley of California. He was from a farming family so this was a good place to start a new life. Tamizo later sent for his bride, Miyono Yamada, a family friend also from Hiroshima. They barely knew each other when they married, she being 25 years younger, but together they worked hard and their family grew. They had seven children: Yasuo, Takanori (Pro), Mitsuye (Mitzi), Akiko, Misao, Masao, and Saburo (Smokey).

As immigrant farmers, they moved every two years to towns throughout the Valley like Calexico, Brawley, and El Centro. Tamizo eventually saved enough money to purchase land in Holtville, where the family settled and owns land to this day. During WWII, the Nimuras were incarcerated at Poston. While they lost many possessions, they nevertheless returned to Holtville. For more than 60 years, they grew a variety of crops including lettuce, cantaloupe, broccoli, romaine, and carrots.

A place of hard work and harsh conditions for the Issei and Nisei, the Sansei grandchildren remember fun times on the farm. Growing up, they visited jichan and bachan every spring, summer, and winter. There were Easter egg hunts in the packing shed, swimming in the irrigation ditch, and hikes on red ant- infested trails. Most memorable is a family tradition that began more than 50 years ago – the annual Nimura clan tamale-making and mochitsuki – which still takes place each holiday season in Long Beach.

Nimura Brothers crate label

Tamizo and Miyono Nimura

Masao, Pro, Tamizo, Smokey, Miyono, Mitzi, Akiko, Misao

Alan Masukawa, Rodney Tanamachi, Artie Tanamachi, Craig Tateishi

Bachan and huge daikon

Mochitsuki: Aki Tateishi, Mark Nakashima, Pro Nimura, Donna Sanada, Lisa Takata, Cindy Tatsumi

Uncle Pro with Yonseis: Michael Nakashima, Jenny Tatsumi, Cristy Sanada, Kevin Sanada

Farm fun: Kyle Masukawa, Eric Masukawa, Kacie Takata

Kawatachi Farm

Sun, 07 May 1899 09:23:18 GMT

Information edited from the family history by Patsy Sumie Kawatachi Saiki

Shukichi Kawatachi, the second son of Magobei Kawatachi, was born in Kameyama-mura, Asa-gun, Hiroshima-ken on in 1849. His elder brother, Sauemon, was born in1840. Being a second son, Shukichi knew that his elder brother would inherit the farm. Shukichi knew that by tradition he could help on the farm and be supported by his brother. However, his brother had five children, and Sauemon's eldest son who stood to inherit the farm from his father, had eight children, an overwhelming number of mouths to feed. Consequently, Shukichi left his father's farm to seek employment in various farms and businesses in Hiroshima. In the process, he became a jack-of-all- trades, but he became especially skilled in cutting down trees and making charcoal, which was in great demand in the 1800s. Charcoal making was a skill he brought with him to Hawaii.

Although the Hawaii State Archives kept a record of all Japanese contract laborers arriving in Hawaii beginning in 1885, there is no record of a Shukichi Kawatachi having immigrated to Hawaii from Japan. It’s possible the reason there is no record of Shukichi entering Hawaii is that in 1893, a group of thriving businessmen overthrew the Kingdom of Hawaii reigned over by Queen Liliuokalani. At that time, Hawaii had a labor contract signed by King Kalakaua and Emperor Meiji of Japan, which stipulated that Japanese workers were to be treated with justice and respect. Although the then U.S. President Grover Cleveland directed the newly formed Provisional Government of Hawaii to return the islands to the queen, the leaders, led by Sanford P. Dole, refused. Eventually, in 1898, Hawaii was annexed by the United States as a territory. Therefore, between 1893-1898, the islands were in a state of confusion and turmoil, transitioning from a kingdom to a republic to a provisional government and to a U.S. territory. Ships loaded with workers for the sugar plantations were accepted but not carefully recorded by the immigration office.

Shukichi was 43 when he married 19 year old Chise Okada in 1891. She gave birth to their first son, Yoshio in 1896. Shukichi was not able to see his son because the ship he sailed to Hawaii left before Yoshio was born. Chise was 27 years old when she left Japan without her 3 year old son who stayed behind with relatives. Records show she arrived in Hawaii on July 23, 1899 on the Ghyra Maru.

Shukichi was able to see his son for just one day 18 years later in 1903 after he sent him funds for a ticket to Hawaii. Unfortunately Yoshio contracted conjunctivitis during the passage and was not allowed to stay in Hawaii. On the return trip to Japan, Yoshio contracted tuberculosis and died two years later.

After their second son, Masao was born in 1900 in Papaaloa, Hawaii on the Hamakua Coast, Shukichi fulfilled the terms of his three-year contract with the Laupahoehoe Sugar Company Plantation and repaid the sugar company for his passage to Hawaii. He moved the family to a farmland in Ahualoa, a few miles from Honokaa. Shukichi soon fulfilled his lifelong dream of owning his own farm. The uncultivated land was full of grown lehua trees that he cut to make charcoal. He eventually raised potatoes, corn, green onions, cabbages, carrots, cucumbers and other vegetables. He had two tea bushes and a hill covered with coffee bushes. There were horses, cows, pigs, chickens, and often a goat or lamb as a pet.

Shukichi and Chise raised seven children who helped on their farm. While Shukichi worked on the farm, Chise walked three miles to Honokaa pulling a horse loaded with cucumbers, carrots, beans and cabbages to sell their produce. She was a shy person but buyers waited for her since her vegetables were fresh, and she charged much less than the other farmers. When her vegetables were gone, she would buy rice, salt, sugar, miso and other products she needed in their kitchen.

Shukichi died in 1923 at the age of 74, and Chise died in 1931 at age 59.

Their eldest surviving son, Masao chose to make his living in Honolulu so their second son, Gunji stayed on to farm the land. Gunji was born in Ahualoa in 1902. He married Masako Kono, who was from Japan and born in 1903. She was the oldest daughter of his father's friend. Gunji inherited the family farm and later expanded it to 50 acres by adding several adjacent parcels. He and Masako had nine children, eight girls and one son. Sadly, their son, Tatsuo passed away when he was just a few months old. They also lost their daughter, June when she was struck by a military vehicle during World War II while crossing the road in front of their home after getting off a school bus. Masako passed away in 1940 after giving birth to their ninth child, a daughter who was adopted by Gunji's older brother, Masao.

With the help of his six daughters the family grew Easter lilies, blue lilies, Irish potatoes, radishes, figs, cucumbers, cabbages, carrots, beans, won bok, asparagus, rakkyo and takenoko (bamboo shoots). Masako grew Japanese herbs, such as yomogi and sansho. There were two hills of bananas that produced so much fruit that they often left bunches of bananas on the roadside for people to come and help themselves. Gunji also raised chickens and built a henhouse in which he would leave a plastic egg so the hens would know where to lay their eggs. Chicken manure was collected and used to fertilize the soil. The farm had poha (groundberry) plants and peach, apple, orange, lemon, plum, avocado, kaki (persimmon), and jakuro (pomegranate) trees. Gunji sold his produce on Fridays in Honokaa, Haina, Paauhau and as far away as Paauilo.

After Gunji died in 1974 his family sold the farm.

Shukichi Kawatachi

Chise Kawatachi

1920 Left to Right: Gunji, Goro, Chise, Sumie, Ayame, Shukichi, Sadato, Jiro Kawatachi

(Masao was already working in Honolulu.)

Easter Lily Field

Ahualoa Farm House

1943-03-07 Left to Right: Beth, Clarice, Judy, Gunji, Jane, Jean, Sarah Kawatachi

Gunji Kawatachi

Masako Kawatachi, wife of Gunji

Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm

Wed, 21 Apr 1869 09:13:00 GMT

Located 45 miles from Sacramento, Wakamatsu Farm is California Registered Historical Landmark #815 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has 3 distinctive first honors: 1) Site of the first Japanese colony in America; 2) Birthplace of the first birthright Japanese American citizen; and 3) Resting place of the first Japanese immigrant and woman buried on American soil.

Young “Okei-san” accompanied at least 22 farmers, carpenters, samurai, and others to establish their tea and silk farm in 1869. When she died at the age of 19 in 1871, she became the first Japanese pioneer to lose her life pursuing her unique version of the American dream. Okei Ito’s life is so highly honored by people of Japanese descent that visitors have been paying their respects at her gravesite for nearly a century. Many admit they were trespassing decades ago because the 272 acre farm location was private property until relatively recently. As the culture keepers of Wakamatsu Farm, ARC (American River Conservancy) now manages the property as a pilgrimage site, working farm, and outdoor learning campus.

The ARC hosted an international sesquicentennial festival at Wakamatsu Farm in June 2019 celebrating the 150 th anniversary of the colonists’ arrival date. The event officially commemorated 150 years of Japanese American immigration. 50 years prior in 1969 the Japanese American centennial was recognized.

While the Japanese farmers succeeded for merely a few years, their immigration story holds the greatest fascination for visitors, historians, artists, educators, writers, performers, film-makers, and others. The pioneer Graner and Veerkamp families successfully farmed the land during the 1850’s for 140 years; they sold the property to ARC in 2010. Since then, ARC has developed a thriving destination farm where private and public programs entice visitors to explore the resources, history, and community of rural El Dorado County. For more visitor information, contact ARConservancy.org/events/ or email wakamatsu@ARConservancy.org

Early Japanese Colonist

Kuninosuke Masumizu, carpenter, translator

Matsugoro Ofuji and Family

Okei Ito Gravesite. Died in 1871