▁of ▁whom , ▁except ▁for ▁his ▁el dest ▁sister , ▁were ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁U . S .. ▁George ' s ▁father ▁and ▁two ▁un cles ▁ran ▁a ▁successful ▁import - export ▁business , ▁Ts ut ak awa ▁Company , ▁sh ipping ▁mainly ▁l umber ▁and ▁sc rap ▁metal ▁to ▁Japan , ▁and ▁general ▁goods ▁from ▁Japan ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ ▁George ▁moved ▁to ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Fu ku y ama , ▁Japan , ▁at ▁age ▁seven , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁sib lings , ▁while ▁his ▁father ▁remained ▁in ▁Seattle . ▁His ▁mother ▁died ▁of ▁influen za ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 ; ▁his ▁father ▁rem ar ried . ▁ ▁The ▁family ▁lived ▁with ▁their ▁mat ernal ▁grand m other . ▁As ▁a ▁big , ▁da iry - f ed ▁American ▁kid ▁who ▁spoke ▁very ▁little ▁Japanese , ▁George ▁had ▁trouble ▁fitting ▁in , ▁and ▁found ▁comfort ▁in ▁art . ▁His ▁grand par ents ▁introduced ▁him ▁to ▁traditional ▁Japanese ▁art ▁forms ▁such ▁as ▁Kab uki ▁and ▁N oh ▁drama , ▁Sum i - e ▁painting , ▁call ig raph y , ▁wood - block ▁printing , ▁cer am ics , ▁flower ▁arr anging , ▁and ▁the ▁tea ▁ceremony ; ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁he ▁studied ▁European ▁and ▁American ▁art , ▁and ▁developed ▁a ▁lif el ong ▁love ▁of ▁Western ▁classical ▁music . ▁He ▁showed ▁promise ▁as ▁an ▁artist , ▁but ▁to ▁his ▁father ' s ▁disappoint ment ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁medi oc re