Henry Hajimu Fujii

Infobox person
name = Henry Hajimu Fujii


image_size = 185px
caption =
birth_date =birth date|1886|08|17
birth_place = Takashiro, Tottori Prefecture, Japan
death_date =death date and age|1976|11|02|1886|08|17
death_place =Nampa, Idaho
occupation = farmer, Lapidary, Spokesman
spouse = Fumiko (Mayeda) Fujii (1891-1984)
religion = Christian
partner = Henry Katsuji Hashitani, George Shigeya Takeuchi
children = Ida Fujii (1913-1926), Howard Tomae Fujii (1915-1997), Mary Henshall (1916- ), Edward Fujii (1919-1923), Edson Akira Fujii (1923- ), JoAnne Irene Nagasaka (1930- )
parents = Yasujiro Fujii, Tsune Fujii
relatives =


website =
footnotes =

Henry Fujii (August 17, 1886 – November 2, 1976) was a pioneer and Japanese American community leader in the state of Idaho. His primary vocation was in agriculture. In the 1930s, Fujii was recognized as a pioneer in large-scale onion farming, advancing the acreage scale of which a farmer could raise crops Hayashi, Robert T. (2007). “Haunted By Waters" (Hardcover), pages 59, 62-65, 73, 126-130. ISBN 978-1-58729-610-9] . In 1936, he established the Japanese Onion Growers Association, and served as the organization's president for over 30 years.

As a Japanese immigrant living in the interior of the United States, Fujii was not part of the Japanese American internment, maintaining a residence in Nampa, ID throughout World War II Henshall, Mary S. (1973). “Henry Fujii Interview”, JACL Convention, Boise, ID: Idaho Historical Museum File 0H#0037, November 24, 1973] . Although he, like most other Japanese-Americans, was the subject of significant racial persecution in the mid-1940s, Fujii maintained strong community relationships and leadershipHenshall, Mary. (1975). “Pioneer Portraits: Henry and Fumiko Fujii”, Idaho Yesteryears, Spring 1975, pages 20-27] . The Emperor of Japan awarded Fujii the 6th Order of the Rising Sun for his efforts in furthering the relationships between Japan and the United States Community News, Idaho Free Press & Caldwell News-Tribune, Monday, July 19, 1971, page 8.] .

In his retirement, Fujii turned to rockhounding as a pastime, and amassed one of the most extensive gem and mineral collections in the Northwestern United States Penson, Betty, “Japanese Amasses Famed Rock Exhibit”, Idaho Statesman, Sunday, July 27, 1986.] In 1974, Fujii donated a portion of his collection to the State of Idaho, with Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus personally accepting the donation.

Background

Hajimu Fujii was born August 17, 1886 in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. He was the fifth son to Yasujiro and Tsune Fujii. As a boy, he helped raise rice and silkworms on their one-ox, three-acre farm. In high school, Fujii and some friends made the decision to immigrate to America upon finishing school. Hamiju, whose name means ‘The Beginning’, didn’t pass his physical examination because of an eye infection, so his classmate, Katsuji Hashitani, went on to America alone. Fujii taught school for a year while returning to full health, and borrowed $500 for his fare to America.

Fujii left Japan for America at the beginning of April, 1906 on the ship ‘Keemun’. After an eighteen-day voyage he arrived in Victoria, BC. He continued on his journey via train to Vancouver, BC, finally arriving in Seattle, WA on May 1 where he joined his former classmate Katsuji Hashitani. Hashitani told Fujii that his first name ‘Katsuji’ was difficult for Americans to pronounce, so he’d taken the name ‘Henry’. Hamiju, not knowing any other common U.S. names, chose to take the name Henry as well.

In December 1908, Fujii partnered with Hashitani and George Shigeya Takeuchi, assuming a lease of an 80-acre farm and house in Emmett, ID. They raised vegetables and fruit, and supplied produce by horse and wagon to the town of Emmett, and Pearl, a nearby gold mine camp. During each winter farming off-season, Fujii, Hashitani, and Takeuchi studied the English language, taking lessons three nights a week with a local church pastor.Fujii, Edson, Fujii, Lorraine (2008). "A New Partnership", Okagesama: An American Dream, Fooj Entertainment, July 17, 2008]

Within five years of arriving in the U.S., Fujii had paid back the $500 he had borrowed to come to America, and amassed $500 in savings, as well as funding to return to Japan to get married. On December 29, 1911, Fujii married Fumiko Mayeda at Takashiro, Tottori-ken, Japan. Fumiko Mayeda was born on July 12, 1891 at Kochi, Maniwa, Okayama Prefecture, Japan. She was the daughter of a history teacher Fujii had admired when he himself was a teacher. Fujii returned to the U.S. with his new bride, traveled from Japan to Seattle aboard the SS Inaba Maru, and arriving on April 23, 1912.Alexander, Mrs. Robert, Hungerford, Mrs. Cecil (1971). “Henry and Fumiko Interview”, Boise: Idaho Oral Historical Center, August 23, 1971]

Japanese Land Law

Fujii’s ability to purchase land was partly due to his own efforts in fighting the alien-land law that had been introduced in the Idaho State Legislature in 1915. Eight years after joining the Japanese Association of Western Idaho (JAWI), Fujii was elected president. His election was the beginning of a 26 year leadership for the JAWI. The association’s usual activities involved such matters as arranging trips to Japan, marriages, funerals, and buying property. One of the most serious matters of the JAWI was that of the Japanese land law. California, Oregon, Washington, and other western states had passed laws which prohibited Japanese from owning or leasing land. Idaho’s five Japanese Associations organized a federation and elected Fujii, as well as other representatives, to fight a similar law in the state of Idaho. This team successfully lobbied to delay passage of the law, defeat it, and introduce a new law. This new law allowed renewable leases of up to five years. With its passage in 1923, Idaho remained the only state in the West where the Japanese immigrants could lease land. Nagasaka, Diane, Fujii, Lorraine (2008). "Land Law", Okagesama: An American Dream, Fooj Entertainment, July 17, 2008]

References