Kaneko was given several shares of the companys stock which climbed in value like the proverbial Japanese eel. He was soon able to purchase some land in Redlands to go into the orange growing business. He was the first Japanese to own land in Southern California. The two are typical of the early Japanese immigrants to California who went into schoolboy work to learn the language and customs of the land which would turn out to be their lifelong home. There in American homes they learned the skills of cooking. gardening. and laundry which would stand them in good stead when they struck out for economic independence. By 1893. there were about 40 Japanese in southern California.
Identified stereotypes
The phrase 'like the proverbial Japanese eel' is a generalization.