People and Their Stories
Growing a Community: Pioneers of the Japanese American Floral Industry
Growing a Community: Pioneers of the Japanese American Floral Industry is a compilation of oral histories collected during this project. Together they give a brief introduction to the Japanese American …Read More
The Past, Present, and Future of the San Francisco Flower Mart
Bob Otsuka, Executive Vice President and Manager of the California Flower Market, narrates a video that chronicles the history of the San Francisco Flower Mart from its inception to today.
Fusae Yoshida (Fujii)
Sunnyside Nursery was started in Oakland by Eisaku Yoshida around 1915. Eisaku married Kino Kamano in 1919 and started a family that eventually consisted of three sons and four daughters. …Read More
Kiyoshi Yoshida
The Yoshida Nursery was started in 1922 by Nobuji and Tame Yoshida at 7624 Krause Avenue, Oakland. The Yoshidas lived at Krause Avenue for 14 years, during which time six …Read More
Yuriko Yokota (Sugihara) and Gilbert Sugihara
Yuriko was born to her parents Jujiro and Teru Sugihara in 1915. Soon after she was born the Sugiharas bought 2.5 acres of land in Richmond where they started the …Read More
Glenn Sugihara
The Sugihara Nursery was started in 1915 by Glenn’s grandparents, Jujiro and Teru Sugihara. Glenn’s father, Gilbert, and his four siblings all grew up and worked at the nursery. The …Read More
Ruth Shiraki and Jean Gize (Shiraki)
The Shiraki Nursery on Clement St. in Oakland was started in 1924 by Shinzo and Miyomo Shiraki. They had four children: George, Harry, Mary, and Ruth. The nursery operated on …Read More
Mt. Eden Nursery
Zenjuro Shibata started his first nursery in 1906 on 105th Ave. in Oakland. In 1913 he married Koyuri Otsuka and began a family. The Shibatas remained in Oakland until moving to …Read More
Jean Nomura (Nakano)
Tomojiro and Seki Nomura bought the Nishihara Nursery on 163rd Avenue in San Leandro shortly before 1920, establishing the Nomura Nursery. They specialized in carnations but also grew sweet peas, …Read More
Meriko Maida
The Maida Nursery was started in the early 1900s on Wall Avenue in Richmond by Kumakichi Maida and his son Eiichi. Before opening his own nursery Kumakichi had learned the …Read More
Kitayama Bros. Nursery
In 1945, brothers Tom and Ray Kitayama came to the San Francisco Bay Area, where they worked for the Mt. Eden Nursery and the San Lorenzo Nursery. After gaining invaluable …Read More
Norman Hayashi
In 1906 Hirokichi Hayashi and his brother Tomoichi Kitano opened the Hayashi Nursery at 2239 73rd Ave., Oakland (originally the corner of Thomas Ave. and Yoakum). In 1912 another brother, …Read More
Takako Endo (Tsuchiya)
Takako was born in Berkeley on 24 August 1917 to her parents Mareyo and Iku Tsuchiya. After several unsuccessful attempts at different businesses including a chicken ranch and a restaurant, …Read More
Elsie Ogata (Adachi)
The Adachi Nursery was started in El Cerrito in 1905 by Isaburo Adachi and his brother Sadajiro. Together they built one greenhouse a year until they were operating 12 greenhouses …Read More