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Japanese Culture: Links to More Information

In Dandelion Through the Crack we learn so much of Japanese culture at the time of the internment. But time does not stand still and there is so much more to learn, about the people, the culture, and the aftermath of the Internment. We provide links here as a service to readers interested in learning more about the Japanese, their culture, and what has happened to Poston.

Japanese Culture

Cherry Blossom in DC
Every year around springtime, The National Cherry Blossom Festival holds a ceremony to celebrate the ties between American and Japanese Culture. Nearly a century ago Read more...
Culture For Kids: Guide To Japanese Traditions
Covers different aspects of Japanese culture with many helpful links.
Furoshiki
What is a furoshiki?
Onigiri
What is onigiri? Here's a good description.
Onigiri recipe
Recipe for onigiri from a Japanese website.
Onigiri today
Onigiri as sold in stores in Japan today.
Spam Musubi
A description.
Spam Musubi recipe
A history of musubi and a good recipe.

Japanese New Year

In Japan, New Year or Shogatsu, is a major holiday. The night before, people go to the temple to worship and pray that the following year will be happy and prosperous. Special food that has been prepared in advance is used for the main meal. On New Year’s morning, people go to the houses of family members and friends to celebrate and exchange gifts.

Shogatsu in Japan
Japanese New Year Celebrations

We wish to thank Tyler P., a student at Jean Massieu Academy, for his excellent research and helpfulness in providing this information.
 

Poston Today

The Poston Restoration Project
Poston has the most remaining buildings of any of the 10 camps. But the buildings are rapidly decaying. Help save the site and build a museum.
Passing Poston
Passing Poston tells the story of Kiyo Sato, Ruth Okimoto, Mary Higashi, and Leon Uyeda of the Poston Relocation Center and how that terrible time has affected their lives and still lingers with them today.

History

 
Forsaken Fields
FORSAKEN FIELDS delves into the little-known history of California’s Japanese American farmers before, during and after they were forced into U.S. internment camps, along with 120,000 other persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II. In spite of anti-Asian legislation, many Japanese American farmers finally achieved a measure of financial success by the 1940s, only to be forced to abandon their land and livelihood. Refusing to let their grim camp environment destroy their spirits, these farmers instead turned their prison yards into gardens, creating small patches of beauty and hope to get them through the desolate times. Interspersing vivid footage of camp life, painful recollections of property loss and the racial discrimination they faced as they returned to their farms, this moving documentary captures the emotional complexity and resiliency of a community determined to survive one of the darker chapters in national history.

Achievements

Blackbird Vision
The Blackbird Vision Screening System is an award-winning, vision screening test designed and marketed by Kiyo Sato to identify eye disorders in pre-school and kindergarten children.