Born in Nagano Prefecture only a month before the U.S. military occupation of Japan ended, Masayuki was envious of the wealthy American lifestyle depicted on television programs and in the films that were flooding into post-war Japan.
A fortunate invitation by a wealthy American couple in 1971 brought him to Berkeley, California, where he observed firsthand the lifestyle he had been coveting. There he met a Korean brother and his sister who instilled the idea of attending school in the U.S. in Masayuki's head. That seed soon germinated and grew into an obsession.
Through various twists and turns, Masayuki succeeded in turning his ambition into a reality, and he even managed to find an American woman he intended to make his wife. However, as usual, things did not go smoothly for Masayuki, and he became an illegal alien in America.
In this book you will learn the unusual job he did to earn money to come to the United States, how he handled cultural differences and the lack of employment opportunities as an illegal alien, how he battled a gambling addiction, and how he found a woman to settle down with. These are just some of the stories conveyed honestly and in stark detail. These stories will make you laugh hysterically, smile, cry and ask yourself, "Was the younger version of me ever this crazy?"
The Life of a Crazy Japanese Immigrant is the true, unvarnished life story of Masayuki Ohkubo.