The Yabuki brothers, Kameji and Terumatsu, each immigrated to Bellevue in the early 1900s. They owned and operated greenhouses - growing cucumbers, tomatoes, geraniums, chrysanthemums, lilies, and more. Both brothers were extremely active in the Japanese community of Bellevue. Following their incarceration during WWII, Kameji relocated to Portland, Oregon while Terumatsu returned to Bellevue.
Eastside Heritage Center was recently gifted with items belonging to the Yabuki family. Among these items there were a variety of tea canisters sourced from Japan.
The earliest records of tea in Japan date back to the 800s CE. Camellia sinensis seeds were brought from China by Buddhist monks and cultivation began.
Sencha (煎茶"boiled tea") is the most popular form of green tea in Japan, making up 80% of the tea produced there. Sencha is a loose leaf tea, as opposed to the powdered Matcha used in traditional tea ceremonies. It is produced by steaming the leaves briefly to prevent oxidation, then rolling, shaping, and drying the leaves.
Green tea would not have been readily available on the Eastside for much of the early 20th century. Food was grown locally or sourced through Seattle; requiring the use of ferries to cross Lake Washington. With the construction of the Lacey V. Murrow Bridge in 1940, access to the Port of Seattle was much easier. Both of these canisters were sourced from the North Coast Importing Company of Seattle.
2020.002.001 - Tin can with paper label. "Specially Selected Japan Green Tea, New Crop, Packed for North Coast Importing Co., Seattle, Wash. Made in Japan"
Founded by Tadashi Yamaguchi in 1919, the North Coast Importing Company was located in what is today known as the International District of Seattle. By the early 1950s, his sons Kay and Minoru were operating the import, export, and grocery wholesaler at 515-517 Maynard Avenue, the Freedman Building.
“FREEDMAN BUILDING (Adams Hotel) 513-517 Maynard Avenue South. built 1910. Distinguished by one of the most elaborate facades in the district, the Freedman is a four-story mid-block hotel with 80 single rooms and two storefronts bays at the street level.”
2020.002.002 - Tin can with paper label. "Japan Green Tea, Hatsutsumi Brand, Packed for North Coast Importing Co., Seattle, Wash. Net Weight 1/2 lb, Products of Occupied Japan."
These tea canisters were likely sourced from the Yamaguchi’s company in the early 1950s. We know this by carefully examining their labels. At the bottom of this paper label it reads “Products of Occupied Japan”. The occupation of Japan by Allied forces lasted from 1945–1952.
Following WWII, Allied forces lead by the United States occupied the nation of Japan. General MacArthur oversaw this occupation and instated a series of changes to their government. The country’s constitution was overhauled, the powers of the Emperor were further limited, and sweeping social and economic reforms were implemented.
The occupation ended in 1952 after the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty. Under this treaty, the sovereignty of Japan (with exception of the Ryukyu Islands) was restored.
Commonplace items have the capacity to hold a great deal of historical information. The tea canisters featured here share the stories of local Japanese-American consumers and business owners, the importance of cultural food practices, and the implications of global politics. They may be small, humble things, but household goods are vitally important to the future understanding of our shared history.
Donated in memory of Alan Hideo and Chiye Yabuki
Resources
Tsushima, Asaichi. Pre-WWII History of Japanese Pioneers in the Clearing and Development of Land in Bellevue. 1952.
Sakamoto, H. (2019, January 19). Snapshots in Time: Left to right: Kay Yamaguchi to Min Yamaguchi. North Coast Importing Co. was located on Maynard, next to Hong Kong Restaurant Left to right: Kay Yamaguchi and Min Yamaguchi. Photo by Dean Wong, 1982. International Examiner. https://iexaminer.org/snapshots-in-time-left-to-right-kay-yamaguchi-to-min-yamaguchi-north-coast-importing-co-was-located-on-maynard-next-to-hong-kong-restaurantleft-to-right-kay-yamaguchi-and-min-yamaguchi-photo-by/.
Google. (n.d.). Federal Register. Google Books. https://www.google.com/books/edition/_/hZkUNre_m6UC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA5430&dq=North%2BCoast%2BImporting%2BCo.%2BMaynard%2Bst.
Densho. (n.d.). https://ddr.densho.org/media/ddr-densho-201/ddr-densho-201-464-mezzanine-05410bbe7e.pdf.
NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall. Internee Tadashi "Tad" Yamaguchi. (n.d.). http://nvcfmemorialwall.org/profile/view/683.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, June 3). Occupation of Japan. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_Japan.
The Importance of Green Tea in Japanese Culture. Umami Insider. (2018, February 9). https://www.umami-insider.com/importance-of-green-tea-in-japanese-culture/.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, June 11). Green tea. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_tea.
Tea. in Japan. (n.d.). https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2041.html.
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. (n.d.). https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/86003153_text.
