In 1902 the first nursery in what became a very successful Japanese nursery community was established El Cerrito. Almost all of these nurseries were west of San Pablo Avenue, specifically between Potrero Avenue on the south and El Cerrito’s northern city limits. Many of the nurseries were severely vandalized when the families were forced to move to distant internment camps during World War II. Years later, many growers lost considerable property when their land was taken under eminent domain to build the Eastshore Freeway. But they persevered and prospered; the last Japanese nursery did not close until 2006.

• Roots and Regrowth: Japanese-American Flower Nurseries in El Cerrito

• “Japanese Nurseries in El Cerrito and Richmond,” a 28-page commemorative book of photos and text about local Japanese nurseries

• "Race, Ethnicity, Resistance, and Competition: an Historical Analysis of Cooperation in the California Flower Market,” by Gary Kawaguchi, 1995 Ph.D. dissertation at UC Berkeley

• Map of Japanese nurseries in El Cerrito and East Richmond

• Historic Resource Evaluation of the Mabuchi family’s Contra Costa Florist shop and home in El Cerrito, which led to the preservation of the site

• National Park Service statement on the significant history of the Japanese American flower industry in Contra Costa County

• “Topaz Consumers’ Cooperative,” a handwritten book in Japanese about life and culture at the Topaz internment camp in Utah during World War II

• English translation of the first section of the Topaz book by Meriko Maida