Meet George Shima (1864-1926), the man who went from spud to agribusiness stud. A classic example of the “Horatio Alger” path to the American dream, Shima rose from poverty to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs in California. His innovative farming techniques on the Empire Delta Farm, located in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, spanned more than 6,000 acres and was valued at more than $18 million (equivalent to about $630 million in today’s dollars) in 1920.

Born Ushijima Kinji in Kurume, Japan 10 years after the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa—which ended two centuries of official isolation and opened Japanese ports to American ships for trade—Shima originally wanted to attend university in Japan to become a scholar of Chinese classics. However, he failed the English language section of the entrance exam.

In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed and led to increased opportunities for Japanese and other non-Chinese immigrants to find work in the United States. Shima spent the next few years saving money and immigrated to San Francisco in 1889 to learn English. After he arrived, he changed his name to George Shima, and initially worked as a domestic servant and then as a farm laborer.

Shima studied, talked to farmers, learned about growing things, and is said to have thought, “If I can out-pick Americans, I can outgrow them.”

Despite facing limited job opportunities and racial discrimination, in the late 1890s, Shima managed to lease land at a low cost in California’s San Joaquin Delta region near Stockton. The land was marshy, filled with mosquitoes, and regularly flooded by the Sacramento River. His initial efforts to grow crops ended in failure. Undeterred, Shima tried growing potatoes and cleverly developed a system of sub-irrigation dikes, ditches, and draining, allowing him control the water levels. This process uncovered fertile and nutrient-dense soil in which his potato crops thrived.

After noticing how cucumbers and watermelons growing in the same field tasted similarly, Shima wondered if he could replicate this with his potatoes. He grew long Oregon and round California potatoes together, which resulted in a variety that allowed him to charge 25 cents more per sack than his competitors’ offerings for produce on the market.

By 1906, Shima was growing more potatoes than any other farmer in the world, producing 85 percent of California’s potato crop, which led him to become the first Asian millionaire. He had three riverboats to transport his potato yield to the Bay Area for wholesale distribution, and hosted a lavish annual banquet for bankers, merchants, and journalists to foster strong relationships for business. His unwavering tenacity and groundbreaking techniques earned him the title of the “Potato King of California.”

In the early 1900s, Shima met Lee Allen Phillips, a Los Angeles attorney, financier, and Delta reclamation agent. Phillips purchased land, arranged for construction, and then leased it to Shima. At one point, Shima leased as many as 14,000 acres from Phillips. Their friendship and partnership helped them achieve remarkable success through Shima’s ability to grow crops, and Phillips’ visionary approach, allowing them to break new ground in the agribusiness.

However, Shima faced a significant setback with the passing of California’s Alien Land Laws in 1913. These laws prohibited immigrants from owning agricultural land or signing long-term leases—only allowing leases lasting up to three years. They unfairly targeted Japanese immigrant farmers like Shima and later on, Kanaye Nagasawa, discouraged immigration from Asia, and created a hostile environment.

The law was tightened in 1920 and again in 1927, banning Asian immigrants and their American-born children from leasing and owning land. Violators faced penalties of up to two years in prison. This prevailing prejudice resulted in Shima’s wealth and fame coming to a screeching halt, forcing him to dismantle his farming empire, and lose his workforce.

Despite this setback, Shima fully embraced the Japanese expression, “Nana korobi, ya oki,” meaning “fall down seven times, stand up eight,” and became the founding president of the National Japanese Association of America (JAA), serving from 1908-20.

In this role at the JAA, Shima contributed large amounts of fundraised money to promoting agriculture at fairs and expos, sponsored and advocated for the improvement of immigrant rights in Stockton, and provided significant capital to build Hotel Stockton. His efforts earned him more credibility, praise, and fame. However, due to his ethnicity, his name was not listed on the building alongside other investors. Unfortunately, the JAA was unsuccessful in preventing subsequent restrictive laws from passing, and Shima wasn’t ever able to obtain U.S. citizenship.

Exhausted from the discrimination, Shima and his family planned on returning to Japan, but tragically, Shima died from a stroke following a business trip to Los Angeles in 1926. On the day of his death, he was posthumously awarded the Fourth Rank of the Order of the Rising Sun by Hirohito, the Emperor Showa of Japan, in recognition of his distinguished service, contributions, and efforts to improve international relations. His passing left the Japanese and Japanese American communities mourning one of their greatest advocates.

Today, there is almost nothing left of the Stockton that Shima knew. Hotel Stockton still exists, though it has undergone significant changes since it opened in 1910. It has been converted into a mixed-use property, providing affordable housing and office space for several organizations. In 1980, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architectural and historical significance.

In the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the Shima Tract is a section of land named after him, symbolizing the contributions of Japanese immigrants to California’s farming industry. Shima is also recognized at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton with the Shima Center, where students can study agriculture and other subjects. In his hometown of Kurume, Japan, there are numerous statues and plaques commemorating his contributions, honor, and legacy.