Interview & Article at KQER
NPR station KUER-FM, Salt Lake City, broadcast an interview and published an article, “Everybody Knew Each Other” – Remembering Salt Lake City’s Original Japantown As The Community Works To Revitalize It about efforts to restore the neighborhood where Craig Nagasawa grew up.
KUER quotes Nagasawa relating memories of growing up in Japantown, and includes an image of his family’s Sunrise Fish Market, the subject of many of his paintings. It includes a frank discussion about the destruction of the neighborhood and speculates about its possible future.
“Everybody took care of us and watched out for us,” (Nagasawa) said. “Whenever we were hungry, we’d just wander into whatever the nearest business was and they would feed us. So it was a spectacular and beautiful Japanese and Japanese-American way of growing up.”
Then 1966 came — and so did the wrecking balls to his playground.
“As a kid, I thought it was a great show,” Nagasawa said. “We would all go running to stand across the street and watch these huge wrecking balls take down the buildings. But I think for the adults, it was really harsh and hard for them because they’re not only knowing they’re leaving, but they’re witnessing the actual physical destruction of what was going to happen.”
Sonja Hutson, KUER 90.1, May 19, 2021