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Serving As Your Voice of the Nikkei Community Since 1902
Vol. 63, Issue 20 / May 07, 2008
University of Washington awards honorary degrees May 18 to Japanese American students incarcerated during World War II
The North American Post
Japanese Students Club Members by Fireplace 11/24/41
(click to enlarge)
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The University on May 18 is honoring more than 450 Japanese American students who were forced to leave their studies after President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 99066 in 1942, leading to the incarceration of about 120,000 Japanese Americans on the West Coast.
A formal ceremony called "The Long Journey Home: Honoring UW Nikkei Students from 1941-42" will be held at 2 p.m. in 120 Kane Hall.
On Feb. 21, the UW board of regents approved the awarding of honorary bachelor's degrees, culminating efforts that began several years ago, involving many different individuals and organizations. This is the first time the UW has ever given out honorary degrees to a group of students.
"It's just the right thing to do," says Gail Nomura, UW associate professor in American Ethnic Studies who, along with professor Tetsuden Kashima, presented the resolution to the regents. "We need to get the story out. The students want the lesson to be learned that this should never happen again."
UW President Mark A. Emmert will present honorary degrees to all Nikkei students or surviving family members who had their education disrupted by incarceration. Keynote speaker will be former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, who also was incarcerated as a young boy but rose to become one of the highest ranking Japanese American politicians in the country.
The ceremony will also acknowledge the efforts of former UW president Lee Paul Sieg and other UW officials to help the Nikkei students to arranging their transfer to inland universities. UW faculty also were encouraged to help Japanese American students finish class work before the quarter's end; some UW diplomas were even awarded in the incarceration camps.
Hiro Nishimura, who returned to the UW to complete his biology degree in 1948, says, "I wasn't bitter. It's great to be an American." Nishimura continued at the UW for 28 years, in the physiology and biochemistry departments. "This is still the best country in the world and the best democracy."
A photo opportunity starts at 1 p.m. in front of Suzzallo Library as all the Nikkei students will gather for a group photo before the formal ceremony.
There is a website and phone number set-up to help with ceremony questions and register honorees: www.uwalum.com and (206) 543-0540. The ceremony will also be webcast live at www.uwtv.org.
Nikkei Ski Legend Nobi Kano: 1914 - 2008
Shihou Sasaki
The North American Post
The lodge for the Rokka Ski School is built by Nobi Kano's initiative in 1963.
Photo courtesy of the Rokka Ski School
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Local Japanese American (Nikkei) ski pioneer, Nobuyoshi "Nobi" Kano passed away on Apr. 10 at age 93.
Born in Sunnydale, Wash., in 1914, and educated in Japan, the Kibei Nisei (second generation Japanese American who was sent to Japan for education) was one of the early-time accomplished Nikkei skiers. He was a founder of the Rokka Ski Club, now a bilingual ski club for greater Seattle's Japanese Nationals and Japanese Americans.
"He was instrumental in creating [many] Japanese American skiers with his enthusiasm and love of skiing," said Fred Hirai, who has known Kano about 50 years.
According to an article by Bill Kawahara for Professional Ski Instructors of America in 2002, Kano had a strong interest in winter sports in Japan.
"He fashioned his first pair of ice skates by attaching a flat, sharp carpenter's tool to his getas, an elevated, flat wooden board worn on the feet secured by thongs, similar to the rubber flip-flops of today," Kahawara, a Rokka Ski School adviser, says in the article.
Returning to Seattle in the early 1930s, Kano started practicing skiing under Ed Link with other Nikkei and later formed the Rokka Ski Club. Kano was a Class A racer in 1938 and participated in ski competitions.
When World War II broke out, the ski club was interrupted, but Kano did not lose his passion for the winter sports. He served in the United States Army's 10th Mountain Division as the only Nikkei instructor. He later served in the Military Intelligence Service.
After the war, Kano restarted the Rokka Ski Club in 1950. He also became a certified ski instructor in 1951 as the 73rd instructor in the Pacific Northwest division of the Ski Instructors Association to launch the Rokka Ski School for a Nikkei winter activity at Snoqualmie Summit. He also helped build the club lodge at Crystal Mountain in 1963.
"In the early years of skiing with Nobi, many of the younger JA skiers were known as 'Nobi's boys' by many non-Asian skiers," Hirai said by email. "He has contributed well to the skiing JA community. He helped to keep the Rokka Ski Club going during the time when things were not going well and also when membership was thriving."
Now divided by eight levels, the Rokka has about 150 memberships among 30 volunteer instructors and 20 of their helpers.
In addition to the Rokka school, Kano also held ski instruction for youth and ladies including the Candy Cane Ski School. He was named as a Professional Ski Instructors Association Northwest legend in 2002. Kano also was involved with the photography business.
Kano is survived by wife Tamako, son Philip, daughter Barbara Joy, brothers in Japan and other family members. His memorial service was held on Apr. 14 at Seattle Betsuin.
"He has been an inspiration and role model for all of us who have tried to follow in his footsteps," Kawahara stated in his article. "We will always be thankful for all he has done to promote the love of skiing in our community, and feel he is truly a skiing legend."
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