Yoshimoto Collection

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ワトソン・T・ヨシモトの生涯

1907
Yoshimoto's parents immigrate to Hawaii from Yamaguchi, Japan. They work on a plantation.
1909
Yoshimoto is born on 6th June and named Watson Toshinori. The registration of his birth is presented 21 November.
1910
Yoshimoto enters a public school and a Japanese school in Hauula.
1924
His father Yoshinosuke Yoshimoto (43) passes away.
1925
His mother Kou Nagawa Yoshimoto (39) passes away. Yoshimoto leaves school and becomes an apprentice carpenter on a plantation. He becomes a journeyman carpenter and then foreman before leaving the plantation.
1930
Yoshimoto gets marriage to Amy Kimiye Shimaoka. He changes jobs from a carpenter and gets employed in a construction company. A degree of engineering is obtained with a correspondence course.
1931
His first son Watson Jr. is born.
1932
His first daughter Jeannie Vee is born.
1933
His second son Sadao is born but passes away one year after. Yoshimoto begins to hunt in Hawaii.
1934
His second daughter Maxine is born.
1940
Yoshimoto establishes the Oahu Construction Company.
1941
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December. Yoshimoto abrogates his Japanese nationality. He continues to work on the construction industry and receives orders mainly from American forces.
1948
He gets divorce from Amy.
1951
Yoshimoto gets marriage to Katherine K. Endo. They move to Ahi Place, Honolulu, Hawaii for life.
1954
He assumes the post of the management on the General Constructors Association in Hawaii and becomes to receive large scales and amounts of orders after this.
1957
Yoshimoto travels to Canada for hunting, which is his first time trip to the foreign country. He continues to travel for hunting almost every year since this year to 1995.
1958
He travels to Africa, Lisbon, Rome, Egypt, India, Bangkok, Hong-kong, and some region of Japan where he meets his relatives. After homecoming, he joins some hunting clubs.
1960
Yoshimoto hunts and gathers the specimens collection of African animals for the order from the museum of San Antonio, Texas. He begins to hunt for taxidermy at some museum’s requests.
1963
Yoshimoto donates a reindeer skull to National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan.
1965
Yoshimoto begins to work on the bowling business parallel with the construction industry.
1972
His taxidermy collections are donated to Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Hawaii, and on display for public.
1976
Yoshimoto is commended to “Man of the year” for contributions to wildlife preservation and his taxidermies of quality from Safari Club International (SCI).
1977
The display of Yoshimoto’s taxidermy is ended in Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum for remodeling. After this event, he buys back the taxidermies by degrees.
1978
W. T. Yoshimoto Foundation is established for wildlife preservation. Yoshimoto becomes the president of SCI, Hawaii to 1981.
1980
Yoshimoto is award the Wetherby Big Game Trophy, which is called the Oscar Awards for hunters, by Wetherby Foundation International for contributions to wildlife preservation, his taxidermies of quality and education for young people.
1986
He begins to display his taxidermy collection for public at his office and home personally.
1987
Oahu Construction Company is introduced as one of the top 25 companies by a business paper; Building Industry Digest.
1988
Oahu Construction Company is chosen as one of the most succeeded company in Hawaii by a business paper; Hawaii Business.
1992
A private museum “Wild Museum” is open. The museum has been remodeled by a bowling alley and exhibits his taxidermy collection bought back from Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. He retires from the construction industry.
1995
Yoshimoto’s final hunting trip, to Spain and Kazakhstan, is conducted.
1997
He decides to donate his collection for National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo.
1998
The collection moves to National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo. The special exhibition for the Yoshimoto Collection is held. Mr. and Mrs. Yoshimoto come to Japan.
1999
Yoshimoto establishes a scholarship for students studying wildlife preservation in The University of Hawaii.
2004
Yoshimoto passes away.