The 1953 holiday issue: Hershey Miyamura and the Issei story

Vol. 37, No. 24, December 18, 1953. 72 pages. View this issue

Hiroshi Miyamura, the Nisei Medal of Honor recipient, was the cover subject of this 72-page holiday issue. A photo page recorded his October 1953 week in Washington, including the White House ceremony with President Eisenhower, and Mike Masaoka wrote a tribute to him. Much of the rest looked back at the Issei: Midori Nishi on the geography they came from, Bill Hosokawa on the Pacific Northwest pioneers, Seiko Ogai on the first immigrants to Hawaii, and Larry Tajiri on a century of Japanese immigration to America.

Other pieces looked ahead. Dr. Roy Nishikawa wrote about goals for the 1954 JACL national convention in Los Angeles, and Judge John F. Aiso argued for careful thinking about discrimination. Readers will also find short stories by Katsumi Kunitsugu and Fred S. Kai, a basketball history by George Yoshinaga, and chapter news. About 58 of its pages carry holiday greetings, including from Santa Barbara, Placer County and Milwaukee.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Ambassador Araki: Sincere Appreciation, by Hon. Eikichi Araki, page 2. Japan’s ambassador to the United States pays tribute to the Issei for their perseverance and their contributions to agriculture and American life. He thanks the Pacific Citizen for the holiday edition.
• New Horizons, by By DR. ROY NISHIKAWA, page 2. Dr. Roy Nishikawa reflects on the JACL’s future goals for the 1954 national convention in Los Angeles. He urges members to move beyond Nisei-only concerns toward broader justice for all Americans.
• Probing Discrimination, by By JUDGE JOHN F. AISO, page 5. Judge John Aiso argues that Japanese Americans should carefully distinguish real racial discrimination from personal differences before crying prejudice. He calls for self-examination and self-respect as the basis for progress.
• Why I Came to America, by By P. M. SUSKI, M.D., page 7. Dr. P. M. Suski explains his reasons for emigrating from Japan, citing a desire to escape restrictive customs and find better opportunity. He criticizes Japanese community habits such as excessive associations and fruitless language schools.
• Never the Twain Shall Meet, by By KEN MURASE, page 10. Ken Murase reflects on postwar Japan after a year of observing its cities, children’s institutions, and social changes. He argues that America should export ideas rather than just goods to Japan.

In-Depth

• Issei’s Geographical Background, by By MIDORI NISHI, page 3. Midori Nishi examines how Japan’s geography, mountainous terrain, climate, and population pressure shaped the emigration and cultural patterns of the Issei. She links the home regions of emigrants to their later life in America.
• Dear Son Mike, by BILL HOSOKAWA, page 6. Bill Hosokawa writes to his son about the history of Japanese pioneers in the Pacific Northwest, from the first arrivals in Seattle in 1879 through the railroad and sawmill labor years. He recounts his own father’s early hardships and the community’s growth.
• Respect of Ancestry at Tomb Still Deep in Japan, by By MOCK JOYA, page 6. Mock Joya describes Japanese customs of tending family graves, holding memorial services, and the traditional burial and worship practices. He explains the cultural meaning of ancestral cemeteries.
• Ohnick Saga, by By TATS KUSHIDA, page 8. Tats Kushida profiles H. Ohnick (Hachiro Onuki), an Issei who came to America with the 1875 Philadelphia Centennial mission and later helped bring electricity, gas, and street cars to Phoenix. His family and career are traced across Arizona and Washington.
• Crepusculum, by By HARUO ISHIMARU, page 10. Haruo Ishimaru writes a tribute to his father, Keinosuke Ishimaru, an Issei who worked on railroad crews and endured hardship to raise his family. The piece reflects on the sacrifices of the Issei generation.
• They Chose Hawaii, by By SEIKO OGAI, page 12. Seiko Ogai recounts the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii, who were recruited in 1868 under contested circumstances. She describes their plantation labor, hardships, and the second wave of immigrants in 1885.
• Yamato Colony of California: The Picture Story of Livingston, page 14. A photo-essay on the Yamato Colony founded at Livingston, California, in 1906 as a Japanese Christian farming community. It describes the sandy early settlement, the growth of the church, and the local prejudice the settlers faced.
• Prince Nagasawa: California’s First Real Pioneer Is Nearly Forgotten, by By TAMOTSU MURAYAMA, page 20. Tamotsu Murayama profiles Kanae ‘Prince’ Nagasawa, a samurai-born pioneer who studied in London, joined Thomas Lake Harris’s community, and founded the Fountain Grove winery in Santa Rosa. The article laments how his story has been forgotten.

Military & Veterans

• Sgt. Miyamura’s Memorable Week In Washington, by P.C. Staff, page 3. This photo page documents Hiroshi Miyamura’s visit to Washington in October 1953, including his White House Medal of Honor ceremony with President Eisenhower. Family members are pictured with him.
• In Tribute to Hiroshi Miyamura, CM, by By MIKE MASAOKA, page 4. Mike Masaoka pays tribute to Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura, the Nisei recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in Korea. The article recounts his citation, his captivity, and his postwar role as a symbol of Japanese American dignity and acceptance.

Arts & Entertainment

• Influence of Japanese Prints on Western Art, by By GEORGIA W. CRAVEN, page 4. Georgia Craven discusses how Japanese woodblock prints transformed Western art in the nineteenth century, influencing Whistler, Manet, Degas, and Toulouse-Lautrec. She highlights the lasting impact of Japanese aesthetics on Western design.
• Ga-adena no Ojisan, by By JUN ASAKURA, page 12. Jun Asakura tells a story of an Issei gardener in Los Angeles who builds his livelihood over thirty years. The piece also explores generational differences between the Issei and their Nisei and Sansei children.
• The Halcyon Days, by By KATSUMI KUNITSUGU, page 14. Katsumi Kunitsugu’s short story follows Angel Ramirez, who meets his former junior-high classmate Kimiko on a Los Angeles streetcar. Their chance encounter brings back memories of the carefree days before the war.
• Remember I’m Your Father, by By DEN MOREY, page 16. Den Morey’s short story depicts a daughter who loses patience with her aging father after he injures her baby during a fishing trip preparation. A moment of reconciliation leads her to rethink her treatment of him.
• Last Farewell, by By FRED S. KAI, page 18. Fred Kai’s short story portrays Mr. Ueno, a retired Japanese American shopkeeper in New York, meeting his estranged daughter Amy. Their conversation reveals long-held regrets about family and identity.
• The Mimosa Look, by By M. H. CONSTABLE, page 20. M. H. Constable’s short story follows the Shio family as their daughter Suzi and her friends leave a planned gathering for a drive-in. Mrs. Shio’s hopes and her husband’s quiet gesture bring a moment of warmth.
• The Party, by By TAD YAMACHIKA, page 22. Tad Yamachika tells of a family who holds a farewell party with money sent by their son Shigeru, who is shipped to war. The family’s grief and resolve are shown as they prepare the celebration.

National

• An American Century After Commodore Perry’s Visit to Japan, by By LARRY TAJIRI, page 5. Larry Tajiri traces the history of Japanese immigration to America from Manjiro Nakahama’s 1844 arrival through the twentieth century. He surveys the contributions of Issei and Nisei across agriculture, science, arts, and entertainment.
• Is the Job Done?, by By HAROLD GORDON, page 8. Harold Gordon argues that the JACL’s work is far from finished, citing ongoing legal and claims problems and continued discrimination in housing. He makes the case for the One Thousand Club as a stable funding base.

Community

• 25 Years of Service, by By ROY T. YOSHIDA, page 7. Roy Yoshida recounts the founding and history of the Placer County JACL chapter from its 1928 origins through its wartime dormancy and postwar revival. He describes its community programs and public relations work.
• Chapter Reports: Twin Cities, by P.C. Staff, page 14. The Twin Cities chapter summarizes its 1953 activities, including membership drives, citizenship classes, a credit union, and social events. The report highlights its growing community programs.
• Sacramento JACL Bowling Tournament, page 21. A notice announces the fifth annual Sacramento JACL bowling tournament scheduled for February 1954. It lists entry fees and contacts for registration.

Sports

• L.A.’s Cardinals, by By GEORGE YOSHINAGA, page 19. George Yoshinaga recounts the rise of the Los Angeles Cardinals, a Nisei basketball team of the late 1930s that won multiple JAU and Pacific Coast titles. He profiles the players and their memorable rivalry with the San Francisco Mikados.

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