Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California

Contents

Introduction
Immigration
Settlement
Organizations/Religion
Discrimination
World War II Incarceration

Historic Sites
Selected References

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Nippon Hospital
Stockton, San Joaquin County

The Nippon Hospital is the last structural remnant of the Stockton Japanese community of the early 1900s. It is a two-story brick structure, with a brick pillared porch entryway. Decorative elements include use of colored brick to highlight architectural features of the structure. White bricks, engraved "Nippon Hospital," are laid in the facade near the top of the building.

Completed in 1919 at a cost of $20,000, the hospital was the result of a proposal by the local Japanese Association, and was financed by Tokutaro Matsumoto, a wealthy local farmer. The facility was apparently equipped with modern furnishings, and was intended to serve Japanese patients, although the first doctors and nurses to be employed were White. The Japanese felt that they had not received adequate medical care during the flu epidemic of 1918 which filled the existing hospitals to capacity. This convinced the Japanese community of the need for its own medical facilities.

J. Kyono, secretary of the local Japanese Association, organized the effort, and G. T. Nakagawa of the Nippon Drug Store and Joseph F. Ogata were the principal staff members. When interviewed by the Stockton Record April 12, 1919, Secretary Kyono stated that "the Japanese who are ill in the hospital frequently want appetizing dishes of their own food, and heretofore it has been impossible to give them that attention in other hospitals."

The stated purpose of the Nippon Hospital was to provide "care of the sick, infirmed, and disabled, to operate, and conduct in all of its branches and departments a school for the general training of nurses." Incorporated in 1922 with the amount of capital stock valued at $10,000, the 400 shares sold for $25 per share. In 1925, the corporation was reorganized, with the amount of capital stock valued at $20,000, and 2,000 shares each worth $10. Each of the five directors owned one share.

The hospital served the Japanese community until 1930, when it was beset by financial difficulties. It then changed ownership and became a hotel. The Nippon Hospital is now registered as a California State Historical Landmark, and is in the process of being renovated for use as senior citizen's housing.

Nippon Hospital, Stockton, San Joaquin County

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Last Modified: Wed, Nov 17 2004 10:00:00 pm PDT
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