PARTNER

INTERVIEW ID

ddr-densho-1000-27

NARRATOR

Ryo Imamura

INTERVIEW TITLE

Ryo Imamura Interview

02:52:23 — 35 segments

DESCRIPTION

Sansei male, born April 28, 1944, in the Gila River concentration camp, Arizona. His father was the late Rev. Kanmo Imamura, a former Bishop of Hawaii and a minister for the Hawaii Kyodan and the Buddhist Churches of America (BCA). His mother Jane Imamura composed many of the children's gathas sung in the Dharma Schools. Both of his grandfathers were Issei ministers, who were instrumental in bringing Jodo Shin Buddhism to America at the beginning of the century. His paternal grandfather was Bishop Yemyo Imamura of the Hawaii Kyodan. And his maternal grandfather was Rev. Issei Matsuura of the Buddhist Churches of America. He received a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master's degree in Counseling from the San Francisco State University, and a Doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco. He received the tokudo and kyoshi ordinations in Kyoto in 1971-2 after which he was a minister for the Hawaii Kyodan and director of the Buddhist Study Center for 4 years and a BCA minister for 11 years. Before moving to Washington in 1988, he was a psychotherapist in California and co-founder of the East-West Counseling Center. Currently he is a professor of Psychology at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. The focus of his teaching and research is East-West Psychology with an emphasis on Buddhist thought and practice.

PRODUCTION

Stephen Fugita, interviewer; Erin Kimura, interviewer; Steve Hamada, videographer

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

• Imamura, Michael Ryo

CONTRIBUTOR

Densho

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of Densho

RIGHTS