<Begin Segment 3>

RP: What was he growing primarily on that, on that land? This was Venice, right?

NN: Yes. And at that time --

RP: Celery was a really big crop.

NN: It was. They did have an association toward Culver City and in that area, and they did have farmers planting the celery in that area. And so my father did do celery, but he also did -- oh, this is right before the war in the '40s, early '40s -- I mean, late '30s. He went into gardenia because that was quite popular with the movie stars wearing the corsages and things like that. And so he did quite well with that, and was involved with the flower market. And then gradually he, as the popularity waned in that area, then he went into camellias, but that wasn't too profitable, and so he went into vegetables. And then he started to go into the celery seedlings which he did very well with. That's how he had expanded his business. But at that time, it was in... let's see. I guess by 1970, he was doing quite well, and so he was one of the first to buy, to have built one of the largest greenhouses on the West Coast. And they did a, they have a picture of him inside the greenhouse with celery seedlings on the cover of the... oh, what is that? I think it's the museum.

AF: Is that the one where's he's carrying you?

NN: Yes -- no, no. That's the gardenia one. I have a copy of that, have a picture of it in the album, can't remember the name of it exactly. A senior moment, I guess, sorry about that. But, so after that... well, is there anything you would like to add on?

AF: No, you're doing well.

RP: Actually, I'd like to ask all of you to share your, you know, your memories of your father. Obviously he was a very resourceful, hardworking Issei man, but as daughters, what do you remember most about your dad?

AF: Oh, he was very lovable. And I remember he just loved Nancy, 'cause she was the youngest one. And oh, he just enjoyed her so much. And I think he was a little bit miffed because he didn't have any sons, but when Nancy came, he just enjoyed her. And I used to see him smile from ear to ear, and he really enjoyed her.

NN: He loved all the children, actually. And he was very caring and very generous to the, all the girls.

KT: 'Cause I could remember his friends, the Issei friends, his friends, saying, "Gee, too bad, Mr. Nishi, you didn't have any sons to help you with the greenhouse." But he said, no, he never regretted, he'll never regret that.

RP: 'Cause in Japan, he came from a family, huh, he didn't have... he was orphaned, right?

KT: He was orphaned, his mother --

NN: Well, he had a stepfather, but he, his mother passed away.

KT: When he was six months old or something.

NN: Yes, of asthma. She had asthma.

KT: He was raised by his sister.

NN: His stepsister. And he had a stepbrother from what I recall. But I don't remember his name. I don't think they're living... their offspring, when we went back to Japan, when my mother's father passed away, this is in 1951. She took me back at that time, and it was still with the prop planes and things. Prior to that, my sister, the three of them, went back to Japan in 1935. And so they, Mother decided to take me back in '51. And so by the time we got there, they had the funeral and everything, but we had an opportunity to sightsee the various places from the onsens to, you know, the whole countryside of Japan. And at that time, we were able to contact the nephew, I believe, of my father, in the countryside. And so I recall going back there with Mother to meet with him, but it was very brief. So we really haven't had, didn't have too much of a time to get to know him. But I imagine he might have some relations back there which we, haven't connected with us yet.

RP: So your father returned to Japan in 1935?

NN: No, it's only my mother.

RP: Oh, your mom.

NN: Yes, uh-huh.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.