PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN 6) — Many Portlanders would say Hiroshi’s Anzen is a city institution and rightly so, considering the Northeast Portland Japanese grocery store opened 109 years ago.
Though the owner, Hiroshi Matsushima, called it quits on Tuesday because he said he needs a break after six-decades of working there.
Customers were sad to learn the news and see it go.
“When a store is around this long, you never think it will go away,” said Matt Weier, who has shopped at Anzen for 15 years. “It’s one of those businesses in Portland that’s a cultural institution, and I’m sorry to see it go.”
Matsushima’s grandfather opened Anzen in 1905 in what was a thriving Japantown at 311 NW Davis until World War II when the US Government ordered Hiroshi’s family and 120,000 other Japanese to internment camps.
Hiroshi went to a series of camps and remained at one in Crystal City, Texas, until 1946. Twenty-two years later, the family reopened the store.
“They had to feed the family somehow,” explained Matsushima.
But Japan town never did recover and remnants of it are on display at Oregon’s Nikkei Legacy Center along with some new artifacts that were at Anzen.
“I just want to rest,” said Matsushima, who grew up in the back of the store. “I can remember when I was 12-years-old carrying out packages.”
During retirement, the 75-year-old wants to fish, read and spend more time with his grandchildren. He donated any leftover food to five local churches.
His family never owned the store building, and it’s anyone’s guess as to what business moves in next.
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I have never been to this store in twenty-five years ago when I was in the next city of Portland. Sometimes some people gave me some Japanese stuffs like cupped noodles which were bought in Anzen as the souvenirs from Portland. I was not interested in Japanese foods at that time. During I was living in U.S., I did not have so much Japanese Food. Maybe that's why I remember the taste of the instant noodles from Anzen very well. That was "Maru-Chan."
Other Japanese foods were - Beef Bowl in Los Angels, Chicken Teriyaki Bowl at 'Miyagi' in New York City, Zouni Soup by Japanese Restautrant 'Kyoto' in Salem, Oregon, Cup Noodles from Anzen, Udon noodle which is cooked with members of domitory, Japanese Style 'Curry' that is cooked with my ex-room mate in a apartment off campus and typical Japanese meal my aunt cooked in North Carolina.
Twenty five years ago - it was kind of hard to picture the long time I would spend for the future. Now, everything is in the old time, but some of these memories are still so clear.
The school which I have been is still at the same place in Oregon. Maybe just like we were, students lives over there in the age of 19-20 years old even many so much improved electrical things surround them.
I imagine how it is clear and how deep memory for me for now, if I saw Mr. Matsumoto in twenty-five years ago at the time he was fifty years old. Now I have less than ten years to the age of fifty that needs ten more years to be '60 decades' of mine. So, I have more than thirty years to his age of now. I wonder how long and how short next days I will be.
Time flows.
