Guia Cultural da Costa Verde

Itaguaí • Itaguaí

KAZUHIRO ISSOBE

An enthusiast in Japanese customs and values

• 
• 
• 

Kazuhiro is a descendant of members of the Japanese community that arrived in Itaguaí in 1939. The basic activity was farming at that time, resulting in guavas, tomatoes, strawberries and greens being widely grown in the region’s fertile land. Language difficulties were no obstacle in the life of these pioneers. Local peace of mind and acceptance by the region’s population favored the growth of business. The current members of the Japanese community still live and continue to farm in their smallholdings in Piranema, a district of Itaguaí.

Kazuhiro traveled to live in Japan, where he remained for eight years. On his return he found that the yonsei, or the region’s fourth generation of Japanese, knew nothing of their past, their ancestors’ background and customs. He therefore decided to organize a cultural revival with the stress of this volunteer work on language, writing and culture. The Shin Itaguaí course is located in Rua São Francisco, 72, district of California and is open to everybody.

He is an active promoter of the Miss Nikkey competition sponsored by Renmei – Associação Cultural e Esportiva Nipo-Brasileira do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (the entity in charge of the Japanese communities in the State of Rio de Janeiro), held on the last weekend in May. He gets in touch with Japanese families in Itaguaí, advising competitors and keeping an eye on their enrollment and performance in the contest.

Kazuhiro imparts his expertise in the guidance of local school students by teaching bon odori dancing, origami techniques and the use of typical attire in school events. He explained that the Japanese community was greatly reduced through their assimilation and the exodus of descendants, who went after better work conditions in their country of origin as well as in other states. A large portion of nikkeys are currently tradesmen in the town and some have become self-employed professionals or businessmen.

Reactivating the Itaguaí Bunka Clube founded by the first immigrants and currently located in Piranema, will be a great step forward in integrating Japanese and Brazilian cultures, reviving the times when former club members practiced gateball that was derived from baseball, a sporting activity much practiced in Japan and spread throughout the Japanese communities in South America.

Information