Yukio Kawamoto was born in Berkeley, California. He learned to speak the Japanese language at a young age due to the influence of his mother and the Buddhist Church. He talks about what it was like to grow up in Berkeley, and he was often…
Yoshito Fujimoto describes his family history and personal background, his time spent in Japan as a child, and returning to the United States. He recalls attending Japanese language school, how he was recruited into the Military Intelligence Service,…
Yoshio Izumi goes to Japanese language school first before starting English school. When his family moves from Malibu to Santa Monica, Yoshio attends Santa Monica School. The makeup of the school is primarily Caucasians students and half a dozen…
Yoshio Izumi was born September 15, 1918, in South Pasadena, CA. His parents are Riozo and Otomi Izumi. Yoshio's mother was previously married and has two children from the previous married. There are nine children in the family.
Kanegai discusses his family, being the eldest son, and going to Japanese language school. He details about visiting Japan and the death of his mother. Kanegai also discusses about his favorite memories growing up, values, and social activities.
In this video clip, Yoshiaki Fujitani continues to talk about his time at McKinley High School. The teachers at McKinley made a positive impact on his life, even encouraged him to take public speaking classes. He describes his identification as a…
In this video clip, Yoshiaki Fujitani talks about his father's influences about Japanese cultural values and his decision to study Buddhism. He describes what it was like to grow up in Pauwela, Maui. Growing up in a Buddhist temple, Yoshiaki…
Yoroku Ito is born on January 31, 1922, in Puunene, an island of Maui. Yoroku and his family live in camp five on a sugar plantation. The house is comfortable for five children and two adults. Yoroku explains the camps are segregated and sectioned by…
Ichikawa discusses his parents, childhood, and home life. He then talks about his feelings regarding Japan after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and his thoughts about forced removal after Executive Order 9066. Ichikawa then describes his experiences at…
Teramura continues his recollection of his school years in Oregon, his favorite subject being math. He discusses some of the impactful teachers he had and some of the discrimination that he faced during his childhood. After graduating from Oregon…
Nagasaka discusses attending Japanese language school as a child and coming from a Buddhist family. He also talks about his recreational activities in school, such as handball, in which he was always the best. Next, he talks about the after effects…
Willie Tanamachi discusses life on the farming Texas with his 12 siblings. Growing up in the 1920's there was no electricity and he cherished opportunities to go to the county fair and movies.
William Yoshito Thompson is a World War Two veteran who volunteered for the 442nd (Head Quarters 2nd Battalion). He is born March 15, 1924, in Hilo, Hawaii. His father is from Scotland, Ireland, and moved to Hawaii. He remains a British subject and…
Hamada discusses his grandfather's immigration to the United States and his work on the transcontinental railroad; discusses his grandmother; and talks about his parents. He then talks about both his maternal and paternal grandparents; discusses his…
Omoto discusses his childhood including talking about moving, his fishing hobby, childhood home, and friendships. He then talks about land ownership laws and race discrimination in regards to Japanese Americans prior to World War Two; talks about his…
Kurasaki talks about his other names and his childhood. He talks about his parents and his family's income. He discusses primary school and Japanese language school. He describes his education and carpentry work. Kurasaki explains what life was like…
Misaka discusses Ogden, Utah, his Issei parents, and siblings. In elementary school, he was the only Japanese American in his class. Also Misaka attends Japanese Language School. In high school he plays sports. His parents are supportive of Misaka…
Tsuneishi discusses his name, birth date, and birthplace. Tsuneishi grows up in Duarte, California and there is only another Japanese family in the area. He is more integrated with Caucasians. During the Great Depression, Tsuneishi's Father is a…
Wallace Nunotani talks about his family and siblings. He discusses his childhood hobbies. Nunotani describes secondary school and Japanese language school. He talks about his time at University of Hawaii. He discusses his religious background and…
Wallace Nagao talks about his family's history and his early life growing up on one of Hawaii's sugar plantations. Nagao goes through his educational history-- from elementary school through college and his experiences at Japanese language school. He…
Kagawa talks about growing up in Japan until he was nine; his father's employment; and his childhood in Hawaii including discussing recreational activities and attending Japanese language school. He then talks about attending high school and his…
Izui speaks about growing up in Seattle, Washington and it's Japanese community. He discusses his education from elementary to high school, experiencing subtle discrimination. After this, he talks about what it was like leading up to the war and…
Tokita and the interviewers introduce themselves. He describes his grandparents immigration. He shares his father's backstory. He talks about his early life on the Wilcox Estate. He discusses J.N. Wilcox. He describes his experiences in primary…
Nishibayashi begins the interview with an introduction of his family and how they came from Kumamoto to Hawaii. He would grow up in a plantation village, where he would attend Japanese language school as well as normal english school. He enjoyed…
In this segment, Takemoto describes his family background and life prior to the onset of the Second World War. His parents were Niseis who did not have a strong connection to Japan. While working for the Hilo Electric Light Company, Takemoto…
Toshiyuki Uchida and Kiyoshi Kinoshita begin the interview with an introduction and background on their nicknames and families. Both were born in Washington and would attend school and Japanese language school, enjoying the outdoors. Next, they both…
Tokunaga begins the interview talking about his family background and his parents coming over from Japan and settling eventually in Washington. Growing up in Washington, he would enjoy playing sports with other kids, attend regular and Japanese…
Uesato begins the interview speaking about his family background, including his mother and father. Next, he talks about keeping up with the wars overseas and how unexpected the attacks on Pearl Harbor were. Living in Hawaii at the time, they were…
Tony Koura is born on June 26, 1926. Before being drafted into the military, Tony is at Manzanar. Despite the discrimination after the Pearl Harbor attack, Tony wants to volunteer for the Army because of patriotism.
Sakaji discusses his parents including his mother's death, father's employment, and their reasons for immigrating to the United States. He then talks about his siblings; his childhood chores; discusses the differences between past and present day…
Tommy Nishioka begins the interview with an introduction of himself and his parents, who came from Japan and settled in Hilo, Hawaii. His father would work with sugarcane workers, growing trees for firewood, while the children attended school and…
Nakayama discusses his parents including his father's employment and hobbies, talks about his siblings, his sister's death from tuberculosis, and religion. He also describes Shinto, and talks about his childhood including discussing his neighborhood,…
Matsushita begins the interview talk about his childhood and growing up in Idaho. He would work on his family's farm while attending school and doing a large variety of chores. He talks about his high school years and then about his whereabouts…
Tom Tsuda reveals his parents backstories. He talks about his early life in Wyoming. He describes his relationships with his siblings. He discusses how he spent quality time with his family. Tsuda talks about Japanese language school and childhood…
Toke Yonekawa describes his childhood growing up with his mother, stepfather, and siblings in a multiracial neighborhood in Guadalupe, California. He talks about what it was like growing up in the Depression and how everyone he knew were in a similar…
Thomas Ukichi Wozumi is born July 24, 1918, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father Utaro Wozumi, and mother, Otsuru Yamamoto Wozumi are Issei from Japan. He has two older siblings, Mildred and James.
In this video clip, Thomas Takemoto talks about his experience in Japanese language school -- he was placed in the highest class. After graduating from high school, he was very active in social clubs at the YMCA, and even helped create the Senior Y…
Takano discusses his father's personality and physical traits; talks about his father's knowledge of the English language; and discusses values he learned form his parents. He then talks about fishing with his father; his favorite memories of his…
Tateishi talks more about what it was like to grow up in Hawaii, including playing marbles and working at a brewery. He also gives more background on his family, such as his six sisters and the family he had that was living in Hiroshima when the…
In this video clip, Tets Asato describes going to Japanese language school as a child. He also talks about the relationship with his siblings and family, and going to the movies with his father. He describes what his life was like when the war broke…
Tsukiyama was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. His parents were educated immigrants from Japan. He attend both Japanese language school and English Standard School. During the Pearl Harbor attack, he had been a part of the University of Hawaii…
Kurahara and the interviewers introduce themselves. Kurahara talks about his family trips to Japan. He describes the demographics of his Seattle community, including that of his high school. He shares his experiences with discrimination. He discusses…
Ikeda and the interviewers introduce themselves. He talks about his nickname. He describes his early life in Maui, Hawaii. He discusses his siblings. He talks about his childhood activities. He also talks about his parents immigration to the United…
Senzaki discusses growing up in the Los Angeles area, describing what Little Tokyo was like; and experiences while attending Japanese language school and high school. He then talks about prejudices in regards to Japanese Americans' employment in…
Tadayoshi "Tad" Sugiyama is originally from San Francisco City, few blocks away from Japan Town. Tadayoshi's Issei parents come to the United States in the early 1900s and work at Tadayoshi's grandfather's restaurant in San Francisco, California.…
Ito discusses attending Japanese language school as a child and his reasons for not enlisting as an interpreter in World War II. He discusses being drafted into the military and being assigned non-military jobs at the camp he was stationed. He…
Oye begins the interview speaking about her family background and how her father and mother began their journey to California. Once settled in Salinas, her family opened a parlor, selling candy and dry-goods. During her childhood, she was able to…
Sumio Frank Shimada was born on April 21, 1918, in Vacaville, CA. Later his family moved to Cordelia and then San Jose. Frank revisited Vacaville last year for a reunion. He described the changes in the town since his childhood.
Sukeo "Skeets" Oji was born on February 24, 1918, in Sacramento, CA. He got his nickname Skeets because Sukeo was hard to pronounce. Skeets' father, Ozo Oji, was a hard-working man. He immigrated to the United States by himself from Hiroshima, Japan.…
Ito begins the interview speaking about his family background, including descriptions of his mother, father and the values they taught him growing up. Next, he speaks about school and what it was like to grow up in Hawaii. During this time, Ito…
Suga discusses his family's business growing flowers, his father's childhood in Japan, and his mother. He then talks about his childhood including discussing the importance of education and working;attending Japanese language school; and the…
Kimura discusses his parents; siblings; growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii; and talks about his father’s employment. He then talks about attending Japanese language school; discusses the languages he spoke at home; religion and attending church; learning…
Akita talks about his early life in Hawaii. He describes his mother, father, and grandparents. He discusses what life was like on a sugar plantation. He talks about the Japanese language and Japanese language school. He briefly discusses his siblings…
In this video clip, Sho Nomura describes his childhood growing up in Sierra Madre. He talks about his Issei parents and about attending Japanese language school. He talks about his sister, who had been sent to Japan to live with their grandparents,…
Doiwchi discusses his parents immigrating from Japan and his father’s job working at Rafu Shimpo. He talks about his family’s ownership of property, attending Japanese language school and church, and discusses his interest in automobiles. He also…
Saito discusses his parents and his father’s reasons for moving to the United States; as well as his father's employment. He then talks about growing up in Los Angeles; discusses his brother; and talks about his neighborhood growing up. Next, Saito…
Mukai discusses about his family and childhood. He details about a typical day and the communities he grew up in. Mukai also discusses about his educational experiences.
Takata talks about his early life in Sacramento. He also describes his parent's personalities. He discusses his siblings and his family's businesses. Takata describes what life was like in Sacramento. He describes his friendships and religious…
Tsubota discusses his first days of combat during World War II. He proceeds to speak about a gruesome injury he suffered that ended up taking the life of a fellow officer. He then discusses his recovery and his role as a counterintelligence agent…
Tsubota discusses his family background broadly in great detail, including his parents and all of his siblings. He later speaks about his education and the lessons that he took away from Japanese language school.
Matsukawa begins the interview with an introduction of what it was like to grow up in Salt Lake City, Utah. While living there, he would go to school and enjoy the playing sports. As it was the Great Depression years, his family would only have one…
After graduating from Manual Arts High School, Shigeru Iba helps with his Father's nursery business. In March of 1941, Shigeru is drafted into the Army. Springtime is the busiest time for the nursery business. Therefore, he requests a deferment for…
Hitoshi Sameshima and Shigeru Hayashi begin the interview introducing themselves and talking about what it was like to grow up in California. They also talk about their family background and how their parents came to California, one ending up in…
Kawamoto recounts his life post-war in which he was studying to become an optometrist. He talks about working as an optometrist in Tokyo for the US military hospital and for Kaiser Permanente in Japan. He also shares how he met his wife through…
Kawamoto talks about growing up in Hawaii and his life before the war. He also recalls seeing the bombing of Pearl Harbor and his reasons for enlisting in the army.
Shigeo Iwamasa is born November 12, 1923, in Waihee-Waiehu, Maui. Shigeo's father is an Issei from Yamaguchi Prefecture Japan, and his mother is from Hilo, Hawaii. Shigeo has five brothers and a sister.
Taba begins the interview talking about his family background and his parents coming over to Hawaii from Okinawa. Growing up in Hawaii, he was able to attend Japanese language school and have a close family relationship, including a handful of…
Seiki Tamae discusses his time at Fort Snelling's Japanese Language School. Next he talks about the Invasion of Okinawa and the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan. Seiki then relates his deployment experiences to Japan and South Korea as an…
Oshiro discusses Japanese language school and Japanese cultural values. He revisits the topic of leisure time and he describes his community. He explains the role of Pidgin English in his early life. Oshiro also describes his grandfather and other…
Oshiro describes his early life in Papa'aloa. He describes his parents and siblings. He talks about the chores that he had as child. He describes what he would do in his leisure time, including fishing. Oshiro talks about school and the learning…
Oshiro begins the interview with a short introduction and talking about his whereabouts during the Japanese surrender during World War Two. Next, he talks about his childhood, growing up in Hawaii and being brought up with a heavy influence of…
Oshiro continues to talks about Japanese language school. He discuses his religious upbringing. He talks about his experiences while in high school and post-high school. He describes Pearl Harbor before World War Two. Oshiro discusses his carpentry…
Oshiro shares his parents immigration story. He talks about his siblings. He discusses his birthplace and his childhood community. He shares his earliest memories. He talks about his family's farm work on a plantation. Oshiro describes what he did in…
Shimomura discusses his family's business in Japan; commuting to school; and talks about his childhood including discussing his neighborhood, friendships, recreational activities, and playing sports. Next, Shimomura talks about speaking both English…
Kimoto discusses his experience with Japanese Language School. Kimoto details about finding out about Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He also discusses about his experiences with the Kibei.
Sasai discusses his parents including retelling the story about how and why they immigrated to Hawaii. He also talks about his father's childhood, and discusses his grandfather on his mother's side. Next, Sasai talks about attending school; playing…
Fujimoto discusses his childhood including traveling from Hawthorne to Los Angeles by car, speaking Japanese, and attending Japanese language school. He then talks about the different Japanese writing systems, describes his childhood home in…
Sam Furukawa describes his parents relationship. He recalls the death of his sibling. He talks about his family's farming activities. Furukawa describes his family home and Japanese language school. He discusses his friendships and his experiences…
Kubota discusses his Father immigration from Hiroshima, Japan. His Father is able to come to the United States in 1903 through sponsorship of his own Father. He works on the plantation before returning to Japan to marry his Mother. His parents…
Sachio Takata was born on March 14, 1923, in Southern California. Sachio's father, Kizo, was from Kagoshima, Japan, and immigrated to the United States. He met Sachio’s mother, Hatsumi, from Hawaii, and they married. Sachio is the oldest of ten…
Rudy Tokiwa talks about his father, who immigrated to America from Japan. He was highly educated for an immigrant, and was known to give advice to other Japanese immigrants in America. Rudy also talks about his mother, who was brought over to the…
Matsumoto describes his role in tutoring language officers and helping them with their Japanese. Later he encounters his cousin and younger brother as captured Japanese soldiers in China. After a reunion, Matsumoto is relived to hear that his parents…
Matsumoto describes his early life growing up in Los Angeles and later moving to Japan with his grandparents to attend school. Upon returning to the Los Angeles area, Matsumoto settled in Long Beach, graduating from the local high school and worked…
Fujiwara talks about his birthplace. He describes his father's early life. He discusses his Japanese identity. He talks about his siblings. He explains how his father immigrated to the United States. He describes his father's family. Fujiwara…
Miyamoto begins the interview speaking about his background and his life growing up in Hilo, Hawaii. He would help his grandfather run a bathhouse and spend his free time going down to the beach to catch crabs. Next, he talks about his family…
Yano begins the interview talking about being born and raised in California, playing marbles and hanging out with friends and neighbors. His family would come from Hiroshima, Japan and settle in California, his father as a farm laborer and his mother…
Takashige begins the interview talking about his family background, including his mother and father coming over from Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan and settling in Honolulu. Growing up in Hawaii, he would attend both English and Japanese language…
Sato first talks about how he came to get the name Robert and how he and his siblings chose their names during grade school. He also talks about how his parents were able to keep them involved in Japanese culture, including Japanese language school…
The interview with Clarence Yayoi Tamayori is combined with Robert Tokuo Nagata.
Clarence Yayoi Tamayori is a Nisei veteran of K Company, 3rd Battalion 442nd, is born June 18, 1921, in Lahaina, Maui County, Hawaii. His parents are Matsuki…
The interviewers and Robert Hinazumi introduce themselves. Hinazumi briefly talks about his family of origin. He explains how he learned Japanese. He describes his home life. He discusses the ways his mother supported Japan's military campaign in…
Fujimoto talks about moving to a different house after high school, discusses his siblings, and talks about how his sister helped him with school work. He then talks about food he ate during his childhood, his family’s religion, attending Japanese…
Endo discusses the reasons why he changed his last name to his mother's maiden name; and talks about his parents and grandparents including disucssing his grandparents immigration and his parents employment. He then talks about a fatal car accident…
Arakaki provides an explanation of the meaning of Nisei and Issei, and discusses his parents immigrating from Okinawa to Hawaii, where they worked on a plantation. He then talks about his upbringing-discussing discipline and household chores,…
Tsuda begins the interview with a brief introduction of himself and his parents. After this, he talks about what it was like to grow up in Honolulu, living in Haleiwa on a pineapple cannery. He would enjoy attending Japanese language school and would…
Tochihara begins the interview talking about his family and how they came from Kumamoto prefecture in Japan to Seattle, Washington. He would work as a school boy for a family near his school and would be sent to Japan for a short time to learn…
Nakamura discusses about his family and childhood. He details about food and his family home. Nakamura also discusses about friends, his neighborhood, and schooling.
Kosaki begins the interview speaking about his childhood and schooling in Hawaii, attending Japanese language school in Waikiki. Next, he jumps into his whereabouts during the attacks on Pearl Harbor. After spending some time at the University of…
Muranaka discusses both his father and mother's backgrounds and the influence that they had on his life even as young boy. Though living in poverty, his father was able to buy him an encyclopedia and type writer to instill in him the importance of…
In this video clip, Ray Nosaka talks about going to Japanese language school and talking pidgin. He also describes what Hawai'i was like before the war, and how Japanese Americans were discriminated in the workforce, as well as the military. He goes…
