Japanese American National Museum Annual Dinner March 29th

The Japanese American National Museum will hold its 2003 Gala Dinner with the theme, “Honoring the Family Business: Building the American Dream”, on Saturday, March 29, at the Century Plaza Hotel, with 71 Nikkei three-generation family businesses representing seven different states set for recognition.

Family businesses have proven to be the backbone of Japanese American communities throughout the United States. These businesses not only provided essential resources to their communities, but often supported the local church, temple, sports team, and service organization. However, very few of these Nikkei family businesses have been able to survive the Great Depression, World War II, and attrition to be handed down from one generation to another and yet again to another.

The National Museum through its national leadership began seeking the names of Japanese American family businesses that have passed the test of time through three generations. Not surprisingly, many of these businesses were connected to agriculture, including farms, nurseries, and florists. Food was well represented with markets, cafes, confectionaries, processors, and distributors. These businesses were located in seven states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai`i, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington.

Not all Nikkei three-generation family businesses are included in the recognition. Some businesses declined participation. The National Museum did not learn of other similar businesses until after its deadline for the dinner. The Japanese American three-generation family businesses include (by state):

ARIZONA—Baseline Flower Growers, Phoenix.

CALIFORNIA—Bellefontaine Nursery, Pasadena; Benkyo-do Company, San Francisco; Endow Nursery, Carpinteria; Etow Farms and B&E Farms, Watsonville/Salinas; Fugetsudo, Los Angeles; Fukui Mortuary, Los Angeles; Hashimoto Farms, Los Angeles; Hiji Brothers, Inc., Oxnard; Hiyama Farms, Fowler; Ito Brothers, Ventura; Ito Farms, Westminster; Kimura Photomart, Los Angeles; Koda Farms, Inc., South Dos Palos; Kogetsu-do, Fresno; Marutama Company, Inc., Los Angeles; Masumoto Family Farm, Del Rey; Mikawaya, Los Angeles; Murai Farms, Santa Ana; Nakamura Brothers Furniture, Woodland; Nichi Bei Bussan, San Jose; Oku Nursery, Mountain View; Rafu Shimpo, Los Angeles; S. Seiki Plumbing, San Francisco; San Gabriel Nursery and Florist, San Gabriel; Sego Nursery, Valley Village; Takahashi Market, San Mateo; Tanimura & Antle, Salinas; Toyo Miyatake Studios, San Gabriel; Uoki K. Sakai Co., San Francisco; Uyematsu, Inc., Watsonville; and Yamasa Kamaboko, Los Angeles.

COLORADO—Pacific Mercantile, Denver; 20th Street CafÈ, Denver; Lafayette Florist, Lafayette; and Tagawa Greenhouses, Brighton.

HAWAI`I—ABC Stores, Honolulu; Aloha Tofu Factory, Ltd., Honolulu; Hawaii Candy, Inc., Honolulu; Hawaii Planing Mill, Ltd., Kea`au; Isemoto Contracting Company, Ltd., Hilo; Ishihara-ya, Honolulu; Kaimuki Dry Goods, Honolulu; Kimura Lauhala, West Hawaii; Kobayashi Travel Services, Ltd., Honolulu; KTA Super Stores, Hilo; Manago Hotel, Captain Cook; McCully Bicycle & Sporting Goods, Honolulu; Mikilua Poultry Farm, Ltd., Honolulu; Nagamine Photo Studio, Inc., Wailuku; National Mortgage & Finance Co. and Island Holdings Inc., Honolulu; Occidental Underwriters of Hawaii Inc., Honolulu; Oshima Bros., Inc., Kealakekua; Servco Pacific, Inc., Honolulu; Sugai Kona Coffee, West Hawaii; Sure Save Super Market, Ltd., Kea1au; Tamashiro Market, Honolulu; Teshima’s Restaurant West Hawaii; and Y. Hata & Co., Ltd., Honolulu.

ILLINOIS—J. Toguri Mercantile, Chicago.

OREGON—Hiroshi’s Anzen, Portland; Iwasaki Brothers, Inc., Hillsboro; Kern Park Floral Company, Portland; Koida Greenhouses, Inc., Milwaukie; Naito Corporation, Portland; and Ota Tofu, Portland.

WASHINGTON—Sakuma Brothers Farms, Inc., Burlington; and Uwajimaya, Inc., Seattle.

The National Museum has offered two seats at the dinner for each family business. Not all of the businesses have committed to attend. However, each of the businesses will have a profile in the printed dinner program.

Keynote speakers for the evening include the Hon. Maria Contreras-Sweet, the California Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, and David Mas Masumoto, a third generation farmer from Del Rey, California, and the author of several acclaimed books, including Harvest Son, Epitaph for a Peach, and Four Seasons in Five Senses, Things Worth Savoring. Emcee for the evening is Fred Katayama, correspondent for CNN Business News. Entertainment will be supplied by singer Mary Nomura, who was known as the “Songbird of Manzanar” during her World War II incarceration, and three generations of her family.

Funds from the dinner are used to support the National Museum’s educational programming. The Boeing Company is the Premier Sponsor for the event, while American Airlines, George and Sakaye Aratani, and Wells Fargo are Platinum Sponsors. The event will include a silent auction and a live auction. Special to this Annual Dinner is the Lexus Opportunity Drawing, with Toyota providing a Lexus GS 430. Tickets for the Opportunity Drawing will be sold before and on the day of the dinner.

Jim Albaugh, President and CEO of the Boeing Company’s Space and Communications, is the Dinner Chair. Co-chairs are Tracey Doi, Toyota Motor Sales, USA; Ernest Y. Doizaki, American Fish & Seafood; Stephen Kurumada, DDS; Wanda Denson Low, The Boeing Company; Jack Morey, J. Morey Company; and Paul Shishima, Sasaki Shishima & Co.

Platinum tables are $10,000; Gold tables are $5,000; Silver tables are $3,500; and Bronze tables are $2,250. Community tables are available to non-profit community organizations at the special rate of $1,500. Individual dinner tickets are available at $500, $350 and $225.

For more information, contact the Japanese American National Museum at (213) 625-0414.