Kōbe Center for Overseas Migration and Cultural Interaction — Attraction in Kobe

1999-2007 CAP HOUSE appearanceIn November 1999, the NPO Art and Planning Council (CAP) commissioned by the city of Kobe began its activities as an art space based on the idea of ​​"artist in registration (artist with life)". The bedroom of "Immigrants" has been revived as an atelier where artists are engaged in creative activities, and various public events such as exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and forest schools were held as well as creative activities. At the same time, the Kobe Emigration Reference Room was set up on the 1st floor, and the 4th floor became an activity base for the Kansai Brazilian community. Looking back on the history of immigrants, support activities for Nikkei have begun. As these activities continued, voices calling for permanent preservation were raised from local Japanese organizations in Brazil, and the National Overseas Nikkei Kaikan Promotion Council was established with the Japan-Brazil Association as the center, and the prefectures and cities were established. Discussions involving the country and petition to the country were developed.

2007-2009 In 2007, with the cooperation of the national and prefectural governments, the city of Kobe decided to preserve and redevelop the building of the former Kobe Migration Center. Construction was declared on April 28, 2008 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the migration to Brazil, and construction began in May of the same year and was completed in June 2009. The opening ceremony was held on June 3, 2009, and it has three functions: "Plaza for embarking on hope and the unknown," "Plaza for coexistence with multiculturalism," and "Plaza for creation that makes the most of art." It started as a cultural...

Small, cozy museum, free admission. Located in building formerly used to process and hold emigrants before leaving Japan for various South American countries, of which Brazil was the most frequent. Informative photo and poster exhibits are written in Japanese, Portuguese and English. Upstairs bedrooms were recreated. Exhibits are unstaffed. They include oral history interviews of descendants stillliving in Brazil and film taken in the 60s and 70s of emigrants leaving Kobe. The presence of staff or volunteer docents would make viewing the exhibits immensely more meaningful and valuable to visitors. Uncertain if emigration records are available upon inquiry. A must visit for anyone with relatives who emigrated from Japan to...

主にブラジル移民の資料が豊富に展示されています。コンパクトにまとめられていて視覚的に分かりやすく、とても充実した施設だと思います。横浜の施設が解体されていることから国内で唯一ここしかないという貴重な存在です。一世の異国で一旗あげて大金持ちになって帰国するという話は容易に理解できるのですが、戦後もブラジル移民が1970年代まで船で続いていたというのが、理解できませんでした（高度成長期があったのに何故移民？）がボランティアの方が途中で説明下さり、よく理解できました。明治、大正、昭和戦前の頃と戦後では移民の目的、内容が異なるということで、もし興味のある方にはこの施設で学んでいただければと思います。なるほどと感ずることが多いです。 個人的に印象に残ったのがブラジル移民の一世、二世、三世の方たちの証言映像です。二つモニターがあり、タッチパネルで自分が見たい映像を見ることができます。二世、三世の方はほぼ日本語ではなく、ポルトガル語で話されています。 顔は日本人ですが、会話はポルトガル語です。 また混血も進んで、顔は全然東洋系ではなく、あちら系という感じで言葉もポルトガル語なんですが、祖父母は日本人だという方もいて、複雑な感じ（日本人とは顔なのか？言語なのか？習慣や文化、精神なのか？等々）を受けました。 初期の移民の方の苦労は察するに余りあります（奴隷として扱われていた）。一世の方が子や孫に日本の文化や習慣を口頭で伝えていきます。 素晴らしい日本、美しい日本を肉親に教育された二世、三世の方が来日して日本にショックを受けたという証言映像がありこれはこれで記憶に残りました。 あまりにも良い、素晴らしいと言われ続けて、さぞかし、日本はすごい国やと思ったことでしょう。とても興味深かった証言映像でした。 てっきり来日したら日本は素晴らしかったという感想が聞けると私は勝手に思っていたからです。 (山田クララ里美さんや田村アグネスさんのインタビュー)...