エイブリー・サイトウ

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In Japan, certain families upheld traditions centered on martial discipline, ritual loyalty, and secrecy—values woven into local clan ceremonies and esoteric Shintō rites. Dragon symbols played a key role in coastal rituals and rain-making ceremonies, representing ancestral strength, purity, and power. These customs were passed down through rural communities, carried later into cities and abroad.

By 1901, the Gen’yōsha (“Black Ocean Society”) had emerged, founded by former samurai and traditionalists led by Mitsuru Tōyama. Shortly after, Uchida Ryōhei created the Kokuryūkai (“Black Dragon Society”). These groups were known for their disciplined training, coded loyalty, and secretive alliances—an underground legacy of ritual and discipline.
During WWII, Japanese Americans were imprisoned at camps like Manzanar. Within the camp, youth groups united into what became known as the Manzanar Kuroryūkai ("Manzanar Black Dragons"). Though their early acts were petty—raiding rations, harassing others—they fostered a strong internal code and solidarity.
Following internment, some of these groups formed street-level crews in California, carrying forward the code of loyalty and solidarity forged in the camps. In San  Fierro, descendants of these men organized into crews rooted in shared history and survival ethos. In early 20th‑century Japan, a family tradition grounded in secrecy, discipline, and loyalty took root — values quietly carried across the Pacific over generations.

Eiburī Saitō was born into a family tied to this legacy. Growing up in San  Fierro among the Nisei Boys, a name given to second-generation Japanese Americans born in the U.S., she inherited some of their discipline, silence, and streetwise awareness.

This thread will follow the character development of Avery Saito.

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After WWII, many Japanese-American families who returned to California faced ruin. Prewar, Japanese-Americans thrived in agriculture, small businesses, and local ethnic economies. By 1940, they ran hotels, grocery stores, farms—significant economic contributors. Post-internment, however, many had lost their farms, homes, and businesses. For example, in Los Santos, only 17.5% of Japanese-Americans returned to family businesses by the late 1940s, down from 72% before the war. The economic effects of internment were lasting. Nisei who stayed in poorer camps or areas saw 9–13% lower earnings years later, and communities such as San Fierro’s Japantown shrank dramatically due to displacement and migration. With the collapse of their economic base, many Nisei took jobs as janitors, gardeners, domestic workers—even when they had once owned businesses or farms.
Poverty has climbed additionally for some in recent years, with the California Poverty Measure estimating that over 13% of residents fall below the poverty line—with housing costs factored in, the effective rate rises to over 20%, the highest in the nation. Among Asian Americans in California, approximately 23% of Asian American and Pacific Islander workers are described as "struggling with poverty"—with Japanese Americans included in that figure (~22%), particularly in low-density neighborhoods. For those living under twice the federal poverty level, food insecurity affects roughly 26.5% of low-income Japanese Americans, meaning one in four households may struggle with basic needs like groceries.

[makselhere]

Really interesting, keep it up.

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This photo surfaced in an archive labeled 'LS Historical Society: 1942–49'. Depicted is a weathered-era building with a bold dragon mural above the doorway. The mural’s artist remains unknown, and it’s absent from city planning diagrams or County records. Given the dragon’s scale and the unique border, some speculate it was painted to mark a gathering place for second-generation Japanese-Americans—a cultural landmark long since forgotten.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by vee

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Symbols and stories from the past remain present, not as relics, but as part of the identity that influences community and individual behavior. Understanding these continuities provides insight into the challenges and resilience of immigrant communities today. In feudal Japan, a samurai without a master was known as a ronin. This status arose from the death or disgrace of their lord, leaving them without a position or income. Ronin often faced social stigma, living on the fringes of society. Some ronin turned to mercenary work, while others became criminals or sought new purposes in literature or politics. Their lives were marked by a loss of status and a search for new identity. 

Avery Saito is a fourth-generation descendant of Japanese immigrants. Her family, like many, came seeking opportunity but found themselves in urban enclaves, maintaining cultural traditions while adapting to a new world. "Over time, the old ways blended with new realities." The samurai code of honor gave way to street codes of loyalty and survival. The dragon, once a symbol of power, now appears in graffiti and charms, reminders of a heritage that persists in altered forms. Avery's life reflects this. She navigates a world shaped by her ancestors' choices. Her story is not unique but part of a larger pattern of adaptation and resilience.