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Stories - Issei Stories
08 - Issei Pioneer Museum | Yoshiaki G. Takemura

Issei Pioneer Museum

36001 Hood Canal Drive. Hansville, WA 98340

The museum is in the town of Hansville, situated in the peninsula of the Puget Sound. You could come here from the south by driving through Tacoma. It will take you little over 2 hours from Tacoma if you drive. However, if you are from Seattle, or further north, I advise you to take the Seattle-Bainbridge or Edmonds-Kingston ferry to save time. The jumbo ferry crosses the beautiful Puget Sound in approximately 30 minutes. It is 450 feet long and has a loading capacity of 2500 passengers and over 200 cars. They have about 20 sailings from early morning to midnight. It is then a 40 minute drive to get to the museum from Bainbridge, or 20 minutes from Kingston.

On July 4, 1976, this nation joyfully observed its bi-centennial celebration. This Issei Pioneer Museum was opened in November of 1976 at the Salinas Buddhist Temple in California. The main reason for the opening of the museum was to record/honor the contribution of the Japanese Americans towards the prosperity of present day America, even though the history of Japanese immigration into America is rather recent compared to many other countries in the world.

Since it was the first Nikkei museum in the country, congratulatory messages were received from President Ford, Premier Miki of Japan, Gov. Brown of California and many others. However, the hall that housed the museum was taken down to be replaced by a new gymnasium in 1994, and I was transferred to Seattle in 1995, and to Mexico City in 2000. The present museum was opened here in Hansville in September, 2004 after my retirement from my Mexico assignment.

It was December of 1956 (Showa 31) that I was given a title of 'Overseas Mission Minister, Kaikyoshi' by Nishi Honganji in Kyoto, Japan. Upon coming to America, I noticed that some of the Issei were quite old. However, many of the men were still acting as if they were still in the prime of their lives, and most women were still full of spirit. And I spent next 50 years at Buddhist temples in California (Santa Barbara, Sacramento (Florin), Fresno, Fowler, Salinas), Oregon (Ontario), Washington (Seattle), and Mexico. I shared many fond memories with Issei, but I had to conduct many last rites for them. My mother is a Nisei, born in Auburn, south of Seattle in 1907 and my grandparents were Issei, arriving in the US in 1897 and 1905. So, I am Sansei from mother's side. Now, all of the Issei are gone, and many Nisei are leaving us.

In respect to the name of this museum, you will find many items associated with the Nisei as well, since they are their sons and daughters. Despite of the fact that the Nisei had endured as many hardships as their Issei parents, they inherited the Issei spirit of "gaman" (endurance) and "ganbaru" (never give up) and built a beautiful building upon the foundation that their parents had laid down.

Japanese emigration to the mainland U.S. began around 1880 (Meiji 13), about 140 years ago. It has been a long journey, though it seems to have taken place just a short while ago. Numorous stories of struggle and success were written, as Isseis described how their focus had shifted from, "working abroad to permanent settlement", (wanting temporary work abroad, towards finding permanent work and settlement abroad). There were many cases describing the benefits that they received from the country of their birth and their new country. We must tell our future generations how our pioneers lived bravely and laid the foundation for all of us. Those who have interest and would like to know more about the history of Nikkei and U.S.-Japan relations, please come and visit us to get a feel for the Issei pioneers.

In Gassho,

Yoshiaki G. Takemura

***Unfortunately, the museum is presently (temporarily) closed because of the Corona Virus pandemic. (November, 2020)***