1. Topics

Small business

Japanese American businesses, such as groceries, fish shops, laundries, barbershops, public bathhouses, restaurants, drugstores, and dry goods stores, sprang up in communities along the West Coast. Women and children were vitally important to these "mom and pop" enterprises, as their free labor allowed the family to survive and even prosper during lean times.

Industry and employment (588)
Small business (406)

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406 items
Man behind clothing store counter (ddr-densho-383-380)
img Man behind clothing store counter (ddr-densho-383-380)
Kameki Inouye pictured in his men's clothing store at 504 King St. Written on mat: "Grandfather Inouye first store King St. between 5th & 6th".
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-380/
Drugstore interior (ddr-densho-383-389)
img Drugstore interior (ddr-densho-383-389)
George Tokuda working behind counter on left.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-389/
Two men behind drugstore counter (ddr-densho-383-390)
img Two men behind drugstore counter (ddr-densho-383-390)
George Tokuda on right.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-390/
Basketball team photo (ddr-densho-383-374)
img Basketball team photo (ddr-densho-383-374)
The basketball team was sponsored by George Tokuda's pharmacy business, Tokuda Drug. George Tokuda is pictured third from right. The team won the championship for the league in 1949.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-374/
Cherry Land Florist (ddr-densho-38-30)
img Cherry Land Florist (ddr-densho-38-30)
The Cherry Land Florist was located on Jackson Street in Seattle's Nihonmachi, or Japantown.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-38-30/
Composite of advertisements for Tokio Tailors in Alameda (ddr-ajah-6-329)
doc Composite of advertisements for Tokio Tailors in Alameda (ddr-ajah-6-329)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-329/
Two men by Ice delivery truck (ddr-ajah-6-411)
img Two men by Ice delivery truck (ddr-ajah-6-411)
Caption below photo: Harry Ikeda (at left) at Peterson's Ice Delivery located at 2520 Blanding, Alameda, CA. Peterson's was next door to Ikeda's Alameda Nursery. Circa 1930s
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-411/
Group of women posing for photo (ddr-ajah-6-137)
img Group of women posing for photo (ddr-ajah-6-137)
Caption above photo: Imagire Dress Making School 9th graduation, Oakland, CA., circa 1938 Her first location was in Alameda, Across the Oakland Estuary. Inscription on front in Japanese, individuals identified.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-137/
Man standing on porch of house with business sign (ddr-ajah-6-123)
img Man standing on porch of house with business sign (ddr-ajah-6-123)
Caption below photo: this circa 1905-1910 photo of 1218 Oak includes signage that appears to state cleaning or cleaners, which fits the advertising from the 1907 era. In this circa 1905-1910 photo, 1218 Oak may have housed more than one business. In 1905 it was the Isshin Rou restaurant and also a Japanese Employment Office. On …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-123/
Alameda Nihonmachi (ddr-ajah-6-326)
doc Alameda Nihonmachi (ddr-ajah-6-326)
Map of Japanese owned businesses in Alameda from 1904-1940
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-326/
Paul and Kenji Ima with barracks in background (ddr-densho-483-1101)
img Paul and Kenji Ima with barracks in background (ddr-densho-483-1101)
Black and white photo of Paul and Kenji Ima. Caption on photo "May 1944" written in dark blue ink.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-1101/
Sign from Ima family hotel on 4th Ave (ddr-densho-483-1)
img Sign from Ima family hotel on 4th Ave (ddr-densho-483-1)
AFL recognizes this house as a UNION HOUSE
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-1/
Japanese Directory 1931 (ddr-densho-423-340)
doc Japanese Directory 1931 (ddr-densho-423-340)
Includes portraits of families at home or at businesses, large group photos at community gatherings such a sports events, photos of businesses including shops, factories and farms, and address lists. Listing includes five names at the address of the Starlight Laundry: Choko Nozawa, Takeyoshi Omura; Fusatoshi Sakanai, Takasuke Takeshita, Nobuo Yasaki
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-423-340/
Japanese Immigrants in Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming (ddr-densho-423-339)
doc Japanese Immigrants in Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming (ddr-densho-423-339)
Including photos of businesses and homes, family portraits, state maps. Section of full and partial page advertisements for businesses including photos and proprietors between pages 272 and 273.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-423-339/
Japanese American store owner prior to mass removal (ddr-densho-151-91)
img Japanese American store owner prior to mass removal (ddr-densho-151-91)
Original caption: San Francisco, California. Mr. Tatsuno pictured in his San Francisco drygoods store prior to evacuation of residents of Japanese ancestry. He was in the drygoods business for forty years in San Francisco. Evacuees will be housed in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-91/
Meat market (ddr-densho-34-61)
img Meat market (ddr-densho-34-61)
Mrs. Tom Omura (second from left) and Mr. Tom Omura, holding one-year-old Masaaki (John) Nakata, in front of the meat market and restaurant along Winslow Way East on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The identity of the person on the left is unknown.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-61/
Bainbridge Gardens (ddr-densho-34-8)
img Bainbridge Gardens (ddr-densho-34-8)
Bainbridge Gardens consisted of a nursery, grocery store and gas station.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-8/
Japanese American butcher (ddr-densho-34-54)
img Japanese American butcher (ddr-densho-34-54)
The Nakata family owned and operated the Eagle Harbor Meat Market in Winslow on Bainbridge Island. Mo Nakata worked at the market before and after World War II.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-54/
Opening day of the Eagle Harbor Meat Market (ddr-densho-34-62)
img Opening day of the Eagle Harbor Meat Market (ddr-densho-34-62)
The Eagle Harbor Meat Market was located on Winslow Way on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-62/
Bainbridge Gardens gas station (ddr-densho-34-23)
img Bainbridge Gardens gas station (ddr-densho-34-23)
A view of Bainbridge Gardens from Miller Bay Road with Mo Nakata's Pontiac out front.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-34-23/
G. S. Fukumoto Company Storefront (ddr-sbbt-1-9)
img G. S. Fukumoto Company Storefront (ddr-sbbt-1-9)
A man stands behind the counter at the G. S. Fukumoto Company: Watchmakers and Jewelers.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-1-9/
Men stand outside the Japanese Togo Employment Agency (ddr-sbbt-1-15)
img Men stand outside the Japanese Togo Employment Agency (ddr-sbbt-1-15)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-1-15/
Group photograph inside a business (ddr-sbbt-1-20)
img Group photograph inside a business (ddr-sbbt-1-20)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-1-20/
Japanese Togo Employment Agency storefront (ddr-sbbt-1-13)
img Japanese Togo Employment Agency storefront (ddr-sbbt-1-13)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-1-13/
Group stands outside the Japanese Togo Employment Agency (ddr-sbbt-1-18)
img Group stands outside the Japanese Togo Employment Agency (ddr-sbbt-1-18)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-sbbt-1-18/
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