Inventory of the Ninomiya Studio Collection SPC.2016.006
Finding aid prepared by Karen Clemons
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
©2017
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Ninomiya Studio Collection
Creator:
Ninomiya Family
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2016.006
Physical Description:
288 boxes
Physical Description:
237.14 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1919-1944, 1949-1993
Date (bulk): 1950-1980
Abstract: This collection contains negatives, prints, directories, programs, correspondence, business material, and studio ephemera
from the Ninomiya Studio that was located in the Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, California. The negatives
and prints document Japanese American communities in the aftermath of World War II. Some of the images in the collection include
photograps of architecture in Los Angeles and Little Tokyo, Nisei Week parades, community and religious groups, family and
individual portraits, and photographs taken at weddings and memorials. Some of the photographs in the collection have been
digitized and are available online.
Language of Material:
English
, Japanese
.
Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
After the collection was dispersed in 2010, five accessions came to Dominguez Hills. The first accession, 30 linear feet,
was donated in 2016 by Michael Risner. The second accession was transferred from the Japanese American National Museum in
2017 and was initially donated to the museum by Jon Soto. Jon Soto later donated additional material to the CSUDH Archives
and Special Collections. The last accession of negatives and prints was donated in 2018 by Allison Ramirez. Additional material,
such as business receipts, invoices, customer cards, and studio ephemera, was donated in 2021 by Karyn Kurihara.
Scope and Content
This collection contains 288 boxes (237.14 linear feet) of negatives, prints, directories, correspondence, programs, publications,
invoices, receipts, customer cards, and studio ephemera from the Ninomiya Studio that was located in the Little Tokyo district
of downtown Los Angeles, California. The collections' negatives and prints document Japanese American communities and families
after World War II. Images include family and individual portraits, passport photographs, images of Los Angeles and Little
Tokyo's architecture including cityscapes and the surrounding landscapes, images of parades in Little Tokyo, community groups
and activities such as conventions and meetings, Nisei Week, images of members of the military, church and Buddhist temple
groups, beauty queen contestants, women in traditional Japanese clothing, sporting events such as judo, and images taken at
weddings and funerals. Also included are some copy negatives of photographs from and of pre-war Japan and pre-war Los Angeles,
scenes capturing businesses in Little Tokyo, and business people having discussions.
The 28 Cirkut film negatives or panoramic negatives feature family gatherings, Christian and Buddhist funerals, and picnics.
The correspondence are primarily from family members in Japan and China to the Ninomiya Studio or Ninomiya family. There is
also a letter from Kataysima to Kinso Ninomiya when the Ninomiya family was at the Poston incarceration camp.
The invoices, receipts, and customer cards from the Ninomiya Studio are from 1949-1982 and document local business who worked
with the Ninomiya Studio. It includes a checkbook dated April 17-1941 to March 28, 1942, just before the mass incarceration
of Japanese Americans. The checkbook begins when the business reopens in the 1950s. There is also an address book, customer
cards, and business ephemera, such as business cards and envelopes from the studio.
Related Materials
Existence and Location of Copies
Processing Information for Digitized Materials
Cataloging for this collection was initially completed by Stella Castillo, Alexandra Arai Cauley, and Christina Pappous. Additional
negatives were scanned in 2019, and cataloging for this material was completed by Susmita Patange, Jay Patel, Jasmine Abang,
Jesus Padilla, and Jennifer Hill.
The Gerth Archives and Special Collections created digital reproductions from the original material for long-term preservation
and access. These preservation files are stored on the Gerth Archives and Special Collections Deparment Drive. For more information
on the best practices and standards for the digitization process, please see:
CSU Japanese American Digitization Project technical reference guide.
Ninomiya Family and Studio Biography
Born on October 19, 1894, in Hiroshima Ken, Japan, Kinso Beach Ninomiya immigrated to the United States on May 27, 1913. His
wife, Kiyo Ninomiya (nèe Kodani), was born on February 16, 1907, in Tokyo, Japan, and immigrated with her family to the United
States on January 5, 1915. The two married in Los Angeles, California, on October 7, 1928, and had four children: Elwin Ichiro
(born February 23, 1929), Terry Terumi (born September 1, 1931), Clyde Kunio (born November 11, 1937), and Letty Hisako (born
February 17, 1940). In the Little Tokyo district of Los Angeles, Kinso Ninomiya owned and operated the successful Ninomiya
Studio starting in 1922 and its satellite location on Terminal Island until its closure in the face of subsequent mass incarceration
of Japanese Americans in the United States following the U.S. entrance into World War II. The Ninomiya family was forcibly
removed to the Poston incarceration camp in Arizona on May 27, 1942, and remained there until 1945; Kinso Ninomiya was the
first of his family to be released from Poston on February 6, 1945. The eldest Ninomiya children, Elwin and Terry, were respectively
released from Poston on March 14 and September 23 of 1945. Kiyo and the two youngest children, Clyde and Letty, were all released
on October 20, 1945.
Returning to Los Angeles, Kinso Ninomiya reopened the Ninomiya Studio on 353 East 1st Street. All four Ninomiya children attended
Theodore Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights between 1947 and 1955. The youngest, Letty, attended Los Angeles State College
and graduated in 1962 with a B.A. in Social Sciences. Elwin was drafted into the United States Army on December 20, 1950,
served in Korea, and was released on December 9, 1952. After his time in Korea, Elwin rejoined his father in operating the
Ninomiya Photo Studio, taking over the business after his father's death on August 7, 1966. The Ninomiya Studio remained open
until 1986. Terry Ninomiya passed away in January 1995, while Elwin Ninomiya died on October 9, 2009.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in five series.
Series Include:
- Negatives and Cirkut Negatives
- Prints
- Invoices, Receipts, Customer Cards, and Ninomiya Studio Ephemera
- Correspondence
- Directories, Publications, Programs, and Other Documents
Processing and Project Information
This collection was processed by Stella Castillo, Alexandra Arai Cauley, and Christina Pappous with the assistance of Lindsay
Anderson, Matthew Weisbly, Sharon MacNett, Katie Gronenthal, Jesus Padilla, Jennifer Hill, and other Gerth Archives and Special
Collection staff, student assistants, volunteers, and interns.
Funding for processing and cataloging the Ninomiya Studio Collection was provided by National Historical Publications and
Records Commission (NHPRC), California Civil Liberties Public Education Program (CCLPEP), Haynes Foundation, and National
Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
Revision Statements
The finding aid for this collection has been revised since it's initial creation by Karen Clemons in 2016.
Revisions
- February 2020
- The Ninomiya biography, written by Alexandra Arai Cauley and Christina Pappous, was added to the finding aid. The processing
note, existence and location of copies note, and container list were added by Susmita Patange and Jennifer Hill. The abstract,
related materials and acquisition notes were updated by Jennifer Hill. Jasmine Abang conducted additional research on the
Ninomiya family and Ninomiya Studio.
- November 2021
- Container list was updated to include additional material by Jesus Padilla.
- January 2022
- The container list, abstract, scope and content note, acquisition information, and arrangement note were updated. Additional
material was processed and added to the collection by Jennifer Hill.
Publication Note
This collection was featured in a blog published by the
Los Angeles Archivists Collective. The blog was written by Alexandra Aria Cauley and Christina Pappous.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Japanese Americans
Japanese American families
Japanese Americans -- California
Japanese Americans -- Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
Japanese Americans -- California -- Los Angeles -- 1940-1950
Little Tokyo (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Japanese American photographers
Ninomiya, Kinso
Ninomiya, Elwin
Negatives and Cirkut negatives
1949 - 1986
Scope and Contents
This series contains various sized negatives and cirkut negatives from 1949-1986 taken by the Ninomiya Studio. Also included
are negative packets with attached and loose funeral notices, as well as examples of other negative packets selescted from
the collection. Items numbered "99" have an unknown creation date.
box 1
Negatives 49-2 to 50-170
1949 - 1950
box 2
Negatives 50-171 to 50-226B
1950
box 3
Negatives 50-227 to 50-314
1950
box 4
Negatives 50-315 to 50-412
1950
box 5
Cirkut negatives 50-900 to 50-903
1950
box 6
Negatives 51-1 to 51-137
1951
box 7
Negatives 51-138 to 51-246
1951
box 8
Negatives 51-249 to 51-358
1951
box 9
Negatives 51-359A to 51-427
1951
box 10
Cirkut Negatives 51-900 to 51-905
1951
box 11
Cirkut negatives 51-906 to 51-909
1951
box 12
Negatives 52-1 to 52-130
1952
box 13
Negatives 52-131 to 52-249
1952
box 14
Negatives 52-250 to 52-382
1952
box 15
Negatives 52-383 to 52-456
1952
box 16
Cirkut negatives 52-900 to 52-905
1952
box 17
Cirkut negatives 52-908 to 52-911
1952
box 18
Negatives 53-1 to 53-137
1953
box 19
Negatives 53-138 to 53-310B
1953
box 20
Negatives 53-311 to 53-588
1953
box 21
Negatives 53-589 to 54-91
1953-1954
box 22
Cirkut negatives 53-900 to 53-903
1953
box 97
8 x 10 Negatives 53-168 to 54-593
1953-1954
box 23
Negatives 54-92 to 54-219B
1954
box 24
Negatives 54-220 to 54-344
1954
box 25
Negatives 54-355 to 54-472
1954
box 26
Negatives 54-473A to 54-593A
1954
box 27
Negatives 54-593B to 55-91
1954-1955
box 98
8 x 10 Negatives 54-597 to 55-437
1954-1955
box 28
Negatives 55-92 to 55-217B
1955
box 29
Negatives 55-218 to 55-328
1955
box 30
Negatives 55-329 to 55-440
1955
box 31
Negatives 55-542 to 55-574
1955
box 32
Negatives 55-564 to 56-111
1955-1956
box 33
Negatives 56-112 to 56-215
1956
box 34
Negatives 56-216 to 56-334
1956
box 35
Negatives 56-335 to 56-415
1956
box 36
Negatives 56-416 to 56-501
1956
box 37
Negatives 56-502 to 56-578
1956
box 99
8 x 10 Negatives 56-443 to 56-302C
1956
box 100
8 x 10 Negatives 56-314C to 56-573
1956
box 38
Negatives 57-01 to 57-130A
1957
box 39
Negatives 57-130B to 57-231
1957
box 40
Negatives 57-232A to 57-384C
1957
box 41
Negatives 57-385 to 57-503B
1957
box 42
Negatives 57-504 to 58-58
1957-1958
box 101
8 x 10 Negatives 57-4 to 57-275
1957
box 102
8 x 10 Negatives 57-276 to 57-503
1957
box 103
8 x 10 Negatives 57-506 to 58-311
1957-1958
box 43
Negatives 58-59 to 58-199
1958
box 44
Negatives 58-200A to 58-318
1958
box 45
Negatives 58-319 to 58-444
1958
box 46
Negatives 58-456 to 58-589
1958
box 47
Negatives 58-590A to 58-900
1958
box 104
8 x 10 Negatives 58-325 to 58-681
1958
box 48
Negatives 59-01 to 59-378B
1959
box 49
Negatives 59-379 to 59-495
1959
box 50
Negatives 59-496 to 59-593
1959
box 51
Negatives 59-595 to 59-644B
1959
box 105
8 x 10 Negatives 59-73 to 59-374
1959
box 106
8 x 10 Negatives 59-378 to 60-356
1959-1960
box 52
Negatives 60-01 to 60-139
1960
box 53
Negatives 60-140A to 60-698
1960
box 107
8 x 10 Negatives 60-357 to 61-19
1960-1961
box 54
Negatives 61-01 to 61-190
1961
box 55
Negatives 61-201 to 61-610
1961
box 56
Negatives 61-411 to 61-614A
1961
box 57
Negatives 61-542 to 61-750
1961
box 108
8 x 10 Negatives 61-25 to 61-532
1961
box 109
8 x 10 Negatives 61-548 to 62-447
1961-1962
box 58
Negatives 62-542 to 62-473
1962
box 59
Negatives 62-474 to 62-625
1962
box 60
Negatives 62-626A to 63-138
1962 - 1963
box 61
Negatives 63-139 to 63-276
1963
box 62
Negatives 63-277 to 63-417
1963
box 64
Negatives 63-418A to 63-542
1963
box 110
8 x 10 Negatives 62-031 to 63-107
1962-1963
box 111
8 x 10 Negatives 63-131 to 63-107
1963
box 65
Negatives 64-01 to 64-166
1964
box 66
Negatives 64-168 to 64-328
1964
box 67
Negatives 64-330 to 64-441
1964
box 68
Negatives 64-442 to 64-559
1964
box 69
Negatives 64-560 to 64-608
1964
box 70
Negatives 65-01 to 65-185
1965
box 71
Negatives 65-186 to 65-420
1965
box 72
Negatives 65-421 to 65-624
1965
box 73
Negatives 65-625 to 66-204C
1965 - 1966
box 74
Negatives 66-421 to 66-544
1966
box 112
8 x 10 Negatives 63-444 to 66-145
1963-1966
box 75
Negatives 67-001 to 67-462
1967
box 76
Negatives 68-001 to 68-254
1968
box 77
Negatives 68-255 to 68-900
1968
box 113
8 x 10 Negatives 66-151 to 67-430
1966-1968
box 78
Negatives 69-01 to 69-218
1969
box 79
Negatives 69-219 to 69-404
1969
box 80
Negatives 70-01 to 70-244
1970
box 81
Negatives 70-245 to 70-905
1970
box 82
Negatives 71-01 to 71-246
1971
box 83
Negatives 71-247 to 71-394
1971
box 84
Negatives 72-01 to 72-188
1972
box 85
Negatives 72-189 to 73-078
1972 - 1973
Physical Description: Includes 35 mm negatives.
box 86
Negatives 73-079 to 74-076
1973 - 1974
box 87
Negatives 74-077 to 76-133B
1974 - 1976
box 88
Negatives 76-134 to 77-144
1976 - 1977
box 89
Negatives 77-145A to 78-109
1977 - 1978
box 90
Negatives 78-111 to 79-113
1978 - 1979
box 91
Negatives 80-34 to 80-952
1980
Physical Description: Includes 35 mm negatives.
box 92
Negatives 81-0 to 81-58
1981
Physical Description: Includes 35 mm negatives.
box 93
Negatives 82-26 to 83-129
1982 - 1983
Physical Description: Includes 35 mm negatives.
box 94
Negatives 84-1 to 84-900
1984
Physical Description: Includes 35 mm negatives.
box 95
Negatives 85-1 to 86-30
1985 - 1986
box 96
Negatives 99-30 to 99-112
undated
box 114
8 x 10 Negatives 68-086 to 99-35
1968 - 1971, undated
box 285, folder 1-6
Negative packets with funeral notices and loose funeral notices
1953-1971
box 286, folder 1
Cirkut ephemera
1950-1952
box 286, folder 2-3
Negative packets
1949-1969
General
Selected negative packets from the collection.
Prints
1949 - 1986, undated
Scope and Contents
This series contains various sized prints from 1949-1986 taken by the Ninomiya Studio. Items numbered "99" have an unknown
creation date.
box 115
Prints 49-129 to 50-170
1949
box 116
Prints 50-171 to 50-214
1950
box 117
Prints 50-217 to 50-286
1950
box 118
Prints 50-287 to 50-350A
1950
box 119
Prints 50-351 to 50-411
1950
box 120
Prints 51-1 to 51-100A
1951
box 121
Prints 51-100B to 51-184
1951
box 122
Prints 51-185 to 51-235
1951
box 123
Prints 51-238 to 51-280
1951
box 124
Prints 51-281 to 51-322B
1951
box 125
Prints 51-325B to 51-359B
1951
box 126
Prints 51-361 to 51-392B
1951
box 127
Prints 51-392C to 51-419
1951
box 128
Prints 52-2 to 52-75
1952
box 129
Prints 52-76 to 52-164
1952
box 130
Prints 52-165 to 52-228
1952
box 131
Prints 52-230 to 52-315
1952
box 132
Prints 52-316 to 52-339
1952
box 133
Prints 52-340 to 52-392
1952
box 134
Prints 52-393 to 52-431
1952
box 135
Prints 52-432 to 52-447
1952
box 136
Prints 53-5 to 53-154
1953
box 137
Prints 53-160A to 53-300
1953
box 138
Prints 53-307 to 53-547B
1953
box 139
Prints 53-548A to 53-623
1953
box 140
Prints 54-1 to 54-77
1954
box 141
Prints 54-80 to 54-170
1954
box 142
Prints 54-175 to 54-253
1954
box 143
Prints 54-254 to 54-280
1954
box 144
Prints 55-283 to 54-387B
1954
box 145
Prints 54-388B to 54-473A
1954
box 146
Prints 54-473B to 54-546
1954
box 147
Prints 54-554 to 54-593B
1954
box 148
Prints 54-596 to 54-623
1954
box 149
8 x 10 Prints 50-02, 54-41 to 54-390
1950, 1954
box 150
8 x 10 Prints 54-391 to 54-620
1954
box 151
Prints 55-01 to 55-150
1955
box 152
Prints 55-157 to 55-217
1955
box 153
Prints 55-218 to 55-275
1955
box 154
Prints 55-278 to 55-298
1955
box 155
Prints 55-303 to 55-369
1955
box 156
Prints 55-370 to 55-392B
1955
box 157
Prints 55-401 to 55-500
1955
box 158
Prints 55-501 to 55-577
1955
box 159
8 x 10 Prints 55-02 to 55-382
1955
box 160
8 x 10 Prints 55-386 to 56-385
1955-1956
box 161
Prints 56-01 to 56-85
1956
box 162
Prints 56-87A to 56-144B
1956
box 163
Prints 56-149 to 56-215
1956
box 164
Prints 56-216 to 56-310
1956
box 165
Prints 56-314A to 56-400
1956
box 166
Prints 56-401A to 56-456
1956
box 167
Prints 56-457 to 56-500
1956
box 168
Prints 56-501 to 56-543A
1956
box 169
Prints 56-543B to 56-574
1956
box 170
8 x 10 Prints 56-401 to 56-573, 57-21 to 57-145
1956, 1957
box 171
Prints 57-03 to 57-94
1957
box 172
Prints 57-99 to 57-159A
1957
box 173
Prints 57-159B to 57-180
1957
box 174
Prints 57-184 to 57-226
1957
box 175
Prints 57-232A to 57-373
1957
box 176
Prints 57-375 to 57-472
1957
box 177
Prints 57-473A to 57-575
1957
box 178
8 x 10 Prints 57-150 to 57-298
1957
box 179
8 x 10 Prints 57-3xx to 57-384
1957
box 180
8 x 10 Prints 57-393 to 57-536
1957
box 181
Prints 58-302 to 58-373
1958
box 182
Prints 58-2 to 58-110B
1958
box 183
Prints 58-111 to 58-201
1958
box 184
Prints 58-203 to 58-295
1958
box 185
Prints 58-380 to 58-452
1958
box 186
Prints 58-468 to 58-503
1958
box 187
Prints 58-507 to 58-590
1958
box 188
Prints 58-593 to 58-674
1958
box 189
Prints 58-675 to 58-900
1958
box 190
8 x 10 Prints 58-17 to 58-380
1958
box 191
8 x 10 Prints 58-381 to 58-668
1958
box 192
Prints 59-01 to 59-338
1959
box 193
Prints 59-340A to 59-418
1959
box 194
Prints 59-419 to 59-527
1959
box 195
Prints 59-530A to 59-566
1959
box 196
Prints 59-567 to 59-643
1959
box 197
8 x 10 Prints 59-78 to 59-340
1959
box 198
8 x 10 Prints 59-355 to 59-530
1959
box 199
Prints 60-01 to 60-113B
1960
box 200
Prints 60-114A to 60-586
1960
box 201
Prints 60-587 to 60-697
1960
box 202
8 x 10 Prints 60-25 to 60-250
1960
box 203
8 x 10 Prints 60-274 to 60-655
1960
box 204
8 x 10 Prints 60-304 to 60-360
1960
box 205
Prints 61-01 to 61-167
1961
box 206
Prints 61-168 to 61-313
1961
box 207
Prints 61-314 to 61-516
1961
box 208
Prints 61-532A to 61-621
1961
box 209
Prints 61-622 to 61-750
1961
box 210
8 x 10 Prints 61-19 to 61-739
1961
box 211
Prints 62-083 to 62-508A
1962
box 212
Prints 62-509A to 62-674
1962
box 213
8 x 10 Prints 62-031 to 62-457
1962
box 214
8 x10 Prints 62-469 to 62-508
1962
box 215
8 x 10 Prints 62-509 to 62-595
1962
box 216
8 x 10 Prints 62-626 to 62-670
1962
box 217
Prints 63-02B to 63-219
1963
box 218
Prints 63-220 to 63-349B
1963
box 219
Prints 63-350 to 63-472
1963
box 220
Prints 63-475 to 63-577
1963
box 221
Prints 63-578B to 63-648
1963
box 222
8 x 10 Prints 63-003 to 63-181
1963
box 223
8 x 10 Prints 63-188 to 63-307
1963
box 224
8 x 10 Prints 63-309 to 63-406
1963
box 225
8 x 10 Prints 63-412 to 63-313
1963 - 1964
box 226
Prints 64-01 to 64-144
1964
box 227
Prints 64-147 to 64-286
1964
box 228
Prints 64-287 to 64-328
1964
box 229
Prints 64-330 to 64-438
1964
box 230
Prints 64-442 to 64-544
1964
box 231
Prints 64-594 to 64-605
1964
box 232
Prints 65-01 to 65-300
1965
box 233
Prints 65-301 to 65-395
1965
box 234
Prints 65-396 to 65-473
1965
box 235
Prints 65-474 to 65-582
1965
box 236
Prints 65-583 to 65-677
1965
box 237
Prints 66-109 to 66-495
1966
box 238
Prints 66-496 to 66-541
1966
box 239
8 x 10 Prints 66-002 to 66-109
1966
box 240
8 x 10 Prints 66-135 to 66-329
1966
box 241
8 x 10 Prints 66-357 to 66-427
1966
box 242
8 x 10 Prints 66-449 to 66-476
1966
box 243
8 x 10 Prints 66-517 to 66-553
1966
box 244
Prints 67-01 to 67-461
1967
box 245
8 x 10 Prints 67-107 to 67-430, 68-58 to 68-202
1967-1968
box 246
Prints 68-01 to 68-211
1968
box 247
Prints 68-224 to 68-900
1968
box 248
8 x 10 Prints 68-259 to 68-393, 69-21 to 69-323, 70-77 to 70-209, and 71-366
1968-1971
box 249
Prints 69-01 to 69-109
1969
box 250
Prints 69-111A to 69-284
1969
box 251
Prints 69-287 to 69-344
1969
box 252
Prints 69-346 to 69-402B
1969
box 253
Prints 70-02 to 70-193
1970
box 254
Prints 70-194 to 70-904
1970
box 255
Prints 71-01 to 71-258
1971
box 256
Prints 71-263 to 71-391
1971
box 257
Prints 72-002 to 72-131
1972
box 258
Prints 72-231 to 72-273
1972
box 259
Prints 72-133 to 72-229
1972
box 260
Prints 73-001 to 73-138
1973
box 261
Prints 73-141 to 73-901 and 74-03 to 74-76
1973 - 1974
box 262
Prints 74-82 to 74-202 and 75-02 to 75-900
1974, 1975
box 263
Prints 76-04 to 76-903
1976
box 264
Prints 77-24 to 77-114
1977
box 265
Prints 77-116 to 77-901
1977
box 266
Prints 78-01 to 78-107
1978
box 267
Prints 78-108 to 78-158 and 79-04 to 79-93
1978, 1979
box 268
Prints 80-34 to 80-951
1980
box 269
Prints 81-00 to 81-58
1981
box 270
Prints 82-26 to 82-129 and 83-14 to 83-129
1982, 1983
box 271
Prints 84-2 to 84-900
1984
box 272
Prints 85-1 to 85-78 and 86-22 to 86-30
1985, 1986
box 273
Prints 99-01 to 99-14
1999
box 274
Prints 99-15 to 99-113
1999
box 275
Prints 99-39 to 99-902
1950, 1954-1958
General
This box contains unsorted prints and prints with an unknown creation date.
box 287, folder 23
Oversized prints
undated
General
Oversized prints of Walter Woo and photograph number 99-23.
Invoices, receipts, customer cards, and Ninomiya Studio ephemera
1940 - 1982
General
This series contains invoices, receipts, customer cards, and ephemera, such as envelopes and business cards, for the Ninomiya
Studio. Also included is personal material related to the Ninomiya family.
box 276-280
Customer cards
1949 - circa 1982
General
Customer and photograph information written on index cards.
box 284, folder 1
Checkbook for the Ninomiya Studio
April 17, 1941 - March 28, 1942; January 20, 1950 - August 26, 1950
box 284, folder 2
Expenses list for August-December 1949
August-December 1949
box 284, folder 6-7
Ninomiya Studio invoices and business receipts
1951-1952
General
Two years (1951-1952) of selected invoices and business receipts for the Ninomiya Studio. Some of the invoices include Kowl
American Japanese Cultural Broadcasting Society, The Photomount Company, Gross Photo Supply, Nanka Hiroshima Kenjin-Kai, and
LA Japanese Company Daily News.
box 281, folder 1-4
Ninomiya Studio invoices and business receipts
January 1953 - December 1954
General
Two years (1953-1954) of selected invoices and business receipts for the Ninomiya Studio. Some of the invoices include The
Japanese Telephone Directory of Southern California, New Japanese American News, Browns Photo Supply, and Crossroads.
box 284, folder 3
Unsigned leases for the Ninomiya Studio
1953-1954
box 282, folder 1-6
Ninomiya Studio invoices and business receipts
January 1955 - December 1958
General
Four years (1955-1958) of selected invoices and business receipts for the Ninomiya Studio. Some of the invoices include N.
S. Blankenberg Company, The New Graphic Arts Directory, The Chicote Company, California Daily News, Keystone Photo Service,
and Iwata Photography Supply.
box 284, folder 9-11
Ninomiya Studio invoices and business receipts
January - December 1959
General
One year (1959) of selected invoices and business receipts for the Ninomiya Studio. Some of the invoices include The Chicote
Company, California Daily News, Brown's Photo Supply, Eastman Kodak Stores Inc., and Iwata Photography Supply.
box 283, folder 1-7
Ninomiya Studio invoices and business receipts
January 1960 - December 1965
General
Six years (1960-1965) of selected invoices and business receipts for the Ninomiya Studio. Some invoices include Western Frame
Company, Kashu Mainichi, Rafu Shimpo, Calvary Flower Shop, Eastman Kodak Stores, Inc. and The Wholesale Supply Company.
box 284, folder 4
Envelopes, business cards, and other material related to the Ninomiya Studio
circa 1940-1980
box 284, folder 8
Personal material for the Ninomiya family
1978; undated
General
Personal material includes grocery lists from Elwin Ninomiya, a framed photo of a young boy, and other personal documents.
Correspondence
1919 - 1944; 1969 - January 23, 1980
Language of Material: English, Japanese.
Scope and Contents
This series contains correspondence to the Ninomiya Studio and family.
box 287, folder 1
Two letters from Itsuji Ninomiya, to R. Ninomiya
1919
Language of Material: Japanese.
General
Two letters written in Japanese from Ituji Ninomiya to his son, R. Ninomiya, in Japan.
box 287, folder 2
Easter card from Whitmir, to Kinso Ninomiya
March 28, 1921
box 287, folder 3
Letter and Easter program from E.W. Bodley, to Kinso B. Ninomiya
April 2, 1921
General
Letter from E.W. Bodley to Kinso Ninomiya discussing his vacation, church life and friends, and the Easter service that took
place at Bodley's church. Included is the Easter program from March 27, 1921.
box 287, folder 4
Letter from Shiro Ninomiya, to Ninomiya Studio
1940
Language of Material: Japanese.
General
Two letters and one postcard from Shiro Ninomiya to the Ninomiya Studio written in Japanese. One of the letters was sent from
Shanghai.
box 287, folder 5
Letter from S. Ninomiya, to Ninomiya Studio
circa 1940
Language of Material: Japanese.
General
One letter from S. (Shiro) Ninomiya to the Ninomiya Studio written in Japanese sent from Shanghai.
box 287, folder 6
Letter from Kataysima, to Mr. Kinso Ninomiya
March 18, 1944
Language of Material: Japanese.
General
One letter from Kataysana from the Tule Lake incarceration camp to Kinso Ninomiya, who was incarcerated at the Poston incarceration
camp. The letter is written in Japanese.
box 287, folder 7
Postcard from Robert Gisuke Sakamoto to Ninomiya Studio
April 6, 1955
box 287, folder 8
Letter from Nisei Week Inc. to Ninomiya Studio
September 29, 1969
box 287, folder 9
Letter from Ramsey Mizuki to Elwin Ninomiya
January 5, 1971
General
Letter from Ramsey Mizuki to Elwin Ninomiya regarding ordering prints from the Ninomiya Studio.
box 287, folder 22
Christmas card from Miss Hitomi Sogo to Ichiro Elwin Ninomiya
December 1978
General
Christmas card from Miss Hitomi Sogo to Ichiro Elwin Ninomiya with a handwritten note describing what is going on in her life
and where she is working.
box 287, folder 15
Letters and promotional material from the Sumitomo Bank of California
circa 1960 - 1970
box 287, folder 10
Letter from Helen Mitsui to Ninomiya Studio
January 23, 1980
General
Letter from Helen Mitsui regarding photograph enlargement and final payment to the Ninomiya Studio.
box 287, folder 11
Letter from Ayako Fujinora, to Ichiro Elwin Ninomiya, Ninomiya Studio
undated
General
Letter from Ayako Fujinara to Ichiro Elwin Ninomiya from Japan expressing how he would like to come and visit Ichiro and Los
Angeles.
box 287, folder 12
Letter from Satora Ninomiya, to Ninomiya Studio
undated
Language of Material: Japanese.
General
Letter from Satoru Ninomiya to the Ninomiya Studio written in Japanese from Hiroshima, Japan.
box 287, folder 13
Letter from Margaret Tanese to Ninomiya Studio
October 30, 1961
General
Includes invoice from the Ninomiya Studio.
Directories, publications, programs, and other documents
circa 1940-1950, 1957, 1969 - June 1993
General
This series contains Southern California Japanese American telephone (1957, 1967-1970, 1973) and Poston incarceration camp
reunion directories,
Tozai Times publication, Nisei Week programs, and other documents related to the American Legion Department of California, the Japanese American National
Museum, and Japanese camp rally songs. There are also business cards, brochures, postcards, and photographs from the "Saving
Ninomiya: A Photographic Rescue Mission" project started by producer/director Michael Risner.
box 287, folder 13
Japanese "Y" camp rally song sheets
circa 1940-1950
box 287, folder 14
Meeting minutes from American Legion Department of California Commodore Perry Post No. 525
December 7, 1971
box 287, folder 16
Nisei Week Japanese festival programs
1979; 1993
box 287, folder 17
"Directory Colorado River Relocation Center blocks 35, 36, 45, 46"
September 4, 1988
General
Reunion directory for the Poston incarceration camp.
box 287, folder 18
Artifact wish list for "Issei Pioneers, 1885-1924;" Collection management policy for the Japanese American National Museum
(JANM)
July 1989; undated
box 287, folder 19-20
Tozai Times
September 1990 - June 1993
box 287, folder 21
"Saving Ninomiya: A Photographic Rescue Mission"
2010-2016
General
Business cards, brochures, postcards, and photographs from the "Saving Ninomiya: A Photographic Rescue Mission" from producer/director,
Michael Risner.
box 288, folder 1
Japanese telephone and business directory of Southern California
1957
box 288, folder 2
Southern California Japanese American telephone directory
1969-1970
box 288, folder 3
Southern California Japanese American telephone directory
1973
