Last Shibai Performance
“The last shibai performance was held for Mr. (Kay) Hagimori who was terminally ill. The shibai performers were members of the Gojikai, which was a very large service organization mostly made up of Kibei Nisei (1.5 and second generation Japanese Americans who were educated in Japan). They were all busy, working people and where they found the time to rehearse, I don’t know.”
–Reverend Donald Castro
Former Rinban at the Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple
Gojikai shibai performers gather at one of their last performances, Issei Nite (1983)
Members shown:
(back row, left to right) Frank Hattori, Joe Wakazuru, Yoshito Harada, Kay Hagimori, Hisako Toshi, Takashi Matsui, George Mizumori, and Jim Hasegawa
(front row, left to right) Kiyoshi Yasui, T.R. Goto, Ted Tomita, Sr., Kiki Hagimori, Nancy Funamori, and Charles Toshi
Courtesy of Seattle Betsuin Archives Committee