Oregon Nikkei History
On this site we highlight photos from our historical collection housed at the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center in Portland's Old Town neighborhood, as well as other information about history and Japanese Americans in Oregon. Please visit www.oregonnikkei.org to learn more about the Oregon Nikkei Endowment and its programs.
Obon in Portland
Frank Hirahara took this photo of odori dancing at an Obon festival, circa 1948-54. Members of the Oregon Buddhist Church and others in the Nikkei community performed bon odori in a number of places over the years, including Washington Park and the North Park Blocks in downtown Portland. This photo may have been taken at Holladay Park in Portland.
Odori Dancers
Photo (taken by Frank C. Hirahara) of members of the Oregon Buddhist Church and Epworth United Methodist Church of Portland, circa 1948-54. They are all holding American and Japanese flags, but the occasion is unknown. Left to right: Ed Tamiyasu, Alice Kida, Jean (Tsujimura) Takashima, Jean (Kida) Tomita, Shizuko (Ochiai) Okazaki, Alice (Matsumoto) Ando.
Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Heart Mountain, Wyoming. Members of the staff and volunteer helpers reassemble a privately owned Japanese typewriter to be used for the Japanese languge edition of the Heart Mountain Sentinel, Center newspaper. The paper is wrapped around the rubber cylinder, the typist pushes the roller riding platten over the bed of type. After picking the next character, a lever is operated which picks up the type, presses it against the paper and replaces it in its niche. Complicated in appearance and operation, due to the short hand characteristics of Japanese writing, the advance of thought is nearly equal in speed to a standard English typewriter. 1/13/1943
Tom Parker, photographer. From the Central Photographic File of the War Relocation Authority
(via todaysdocument)
Tule Lake Relocation Center near Newell, Calif., 1942 or 43. Women at the Japanese American relocation camps of World War II, photographer unknown.
Kikuo Hiromura, the father of the donor of this photo, wearing what appears to be work attire. This photo is unique in that it is one of the few where Kikuo is smiling. Circa 1920s.
Portrait of Seki Hiromura, the mother of the donor of this photo, and one of her sons. Seki and her husband Kikuo raised their five boys in Portland, Oregon. Circa 1925.
Council Crest is a park in Portland, and in 1912 (when this picture was taken), Council Crest Amusement Park was a popular attraction, accessible only by streetcar. The amusement park closed in 1929.
Kikuo Hiromura (the image donor’s father) is on the far left of this portrait. The others are unknown.
Nisei field trip
The date and occasion of this outing are unknown, but it is probably in Portland. The image donor’s family lived in Portland, and one of his brothers is in the group of children. Circa 1931.
The Hood River Nikkei community is shown gathered in front of the Japanese Community Hall in 1929, commemorating Japanese Ambassador Debuchi’s visit.
Shoichi Endow (right) in the U.S. Army with two other Nisei soldiers during World War II. Sho joined the army prior to Pearl Harbor and eventually ended up in the all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This photo may have been taken in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, circa 1944.
The Mikado baseball team of Portland, Oregon, circa 1936. Players include George Somekawa, George Marumoto, John Murakami, George Azumano, Art Somekawa, Hood Shiogi, and Salem Yagawa.
January 1945, Menton, France. Soldiers from the all-Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team determining coordinates for targeting mortars. Left to right: Okamoto, Lt. Teraoka, Akira “Ike” Iwasaki.
The Endow Family of Hood River, circa 1926. From left to right: Tei, Kane, Mitsue, Shoichi, Shohei.
Woodblock print made in the Minidoka internment camp in Idaho by Marian Hara of Portland, Oregon, an art student of Fumi Haraguchi Kato at Hunt High School.
Dr. Kei Koyama in his dental office at NW 3rd Avenue and Couch Street in Portland’s Japantown, circa 1941. Dr. Koyama’s office was in the Merchant Hotel building.
