Meet Bruce Kanegai of Simi Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bruce Kanegai.

Hi Bruce, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My grandfather Niichi Kanegai, immigrated in1890 arrived in San Francisco at the age of 15 yrs and worked with the Chinese on the railroad. He moved to Gardena, and then to WLA Sawtelle area where he established a successful Gardening business. My father, George Kanegai attended University High where I also attended. My mother’s side Kataoka, landed in San Francisco in 1903 and built one of the biggest jewelry store on Grant Ave. After a total loss in the 1906 Earthquake they made their way to Boyle Heights, they built the Kataoka Jewelry Store on 1st and San Pedro and became one of the pioneering families that established Little Tokyo.
My mother did traditional Japanese dancing at the age of 3 yrs as her family became very successful. Because of my grandfather’s business success, it attracted many Japanese immigrants to that area. The Kataoka family was on the cover of the book, “100 years of Little Tokyo history).
During WWII, both sides of my family were forced into 2 different internment camps for the duration of the War in Manzanar and Heart Mountain. My father volunteered for the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) at Manzanar which was comprised of Japanese-American soldiers, He served directly under General MacArthur and Colonel Mashbir in Brisbane, Australia and accompanied them throughout WWII until the Surrender in Japan. I was born in 1947 on the military base in Tokyo, Japan where my father continued to work with the MIS and the Tokyo Police. In 1961, he was sent to Seoul, Korea where a possible Military coup was to take place. He made friends with 23 Generals of the ROK army as the war broke out. At the end of the successful coup, the one General Park Chung-He became his best friend. Later, he accompanied him to meet President Kennedy. In the following years, my father helped the South Korean MIS get established. He never bragged about his service and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal which I accepted in DC and inaugurated into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame. They later became big leaders in WLA and for the City of Los Angeles.
I was bullied growing up being small and Japanese-American after WWII in WLA. We are in the book “Japan Town-Sawtelle”. I became an Eagle Scout and attended UNI High. In 1965, I started training in Shotokan Karate with Master Tsutomu Ohshima who is the founding father of Karate in America. In 1967, I traveled to Japan with the very first US Karate group to visit Japan (featured in the Black Belt Magazine Oct 1967 with Bruce Lee on the cover for the first time. I reached the Master’s (5th Dan Black belt) level in 2000 as I taught in Santa Monica, CSUN, Cal Lutheran University, Moorpark College and the Parks and Recreation program in Simi Valley. In the 60 years of teaching Karate, I have taught over 10,000 students.
I received my high school Art teaching credentials in 1971 where I taught 10,000 art students at Moorpark High and Simi Valley High School. 750 of my Art students won scholarships and awards and became very successful in the Art field (Long story) and I am in touch with hundreds of them. During my Art teaching career, I am the only Art teacher that has been selected as the Teacher of the Year by all the major Art Institutes. including, Pasadena Art Center, Otis Parsons, CalArts, LA Music Center, Amgen and the International Rotary.
Other teaching experiences was teaching Backpacking (20 yrs) and Officer Survival for the California Law-enforcement organizations including the entire Beverly Hills Police Department (15yrs)
I was featured on 3 TV shows for surviving a Rattlesnake bite while golfing for the first time where I should be dead. In 2006, I was the oldest and smallest competitor on the reality TV show Survivor Panama. In 2024, I was selected by Amway as the American Hero Award (YouTube) for all my community and charity work that I am dedicated to serve.
I’m a motivational speaker and do many charity appearances with my Survivor cast mates, including one coming up at the beginning of December. In the meantime, my Karate Dojo is going to do a fund raiser for the Samaritan Center in Simi Valley.
On a side note, my wife counts how many times that I have been to visit the ER since she has met me…51 times. I just tell her that it is only a flesh wound.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Prejudice and racism for being born Japanese-American after WWII.
Being the smallest and always last picked.
Too many injuries and life-and-death experiences.
Jealousy from many people for my successes.
I don’t look back.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Teaching Art: I’m still friends with over 800 of my former students since 1971. My goal was to make them enjoy art, triple their talent and knowledge and teach them to believe in themselves.
POST Law-enforcement instructor: I know that I saved law-enforcement lives with proper techniques: Side-handle baton, arrest and control techniques and weapon retention and recovery.
Shotokan Karate: Teaching politeness and respect first, breaking through mental blocks, physical conditioning and strong self-defense.
Backpacking: Appreciation for nature, proper equipment for enjoyment and survival, map reading and exploring off the trails. (Trout fishing of course).
BTW, in 1980 I ran the 220 mile John Muir Trail from Mt Whitney to Yosemite National Park.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
I actually like to support other people, charity and teaching tips. They can join me in my latest fundraiser for the Samaritan Center in Simi Valley which through donations, support and feed the homeless and the poor. They serve hot breakfasts, wash their clothes, distribute personal hygiene products, and they have food storage for distribution to all needy families.
They can contribute to the Over The Edge Celebrity Weekend for the Samaritan Center. I will be appearing with over 100 Reality TV stars to raise money for each of our charities. My goal is to raise $3,000 minimum by December 1st.

Contact Info:

• Email: survivorbruce@gmail.com
• Facebook: Bruce W Kanegai

Image Credits
These are my personal photos, family photos or someone took it with my camera.