Historic Preservation Terminal Projects

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NAKAMA: THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PRESERVATION OF THE JAPANESE AMERICAN FAMILY FURO IN HOOD RIVER COUNTY, OREGON
(University of Oregon, 2005-08) Bell, Christopher Squibb
At the turn of the 20th century thousands of first generation Japanese immigrants, Issei, came to the Ame1icas seek their fortune. Many tried to strike a balance between casting off their he1itage in favor of western lifeways in a forlorn quest for acceptance, and preserving traditional cultural practices of their homeland. On lssei farms, the Japanese bathhouse, the furo, emerged as one of the few physical manifestations of Japanese tradition. This cultural transference indicated both the functional and symbolic import of the furo. Once ubiquitous, they have disappeared like the lssei, leaving only a handful of inactive yet partially intact furo. This thesis documents five extant furo found in Hood River County, Oregon; interprets them contextually; and puts forth a proposal for their preservation. By highlighting a discrete traditional cultural practice, this thesis also aims to help others seek out other immigrant landscapes that demand a modicum of cultural fluency.