Koyama and the interviewers introduce themselves. He describes his hometown Nampa, Idaho. He talks about his father's immigration to the United States. He discusses his father's employment ventures. He describes his family home. He talks about his…
Kitaoka discusses going to school the day after the Pearl Harbor bombing. Although it is uncomfortable not knowing how his classmates feels, Kitaoka does his best in class. He recalls the climate on the school campus , the Unites States President's…
Kitaoka discusses the family business and routine on the chicken ranch. Norwalk is primarily a Dutch community and Kitaoka describes the high school transition. He discusses identity and his heritage.
Kitaoka discusses the Alien Land Laws and the reasons why Japanese immigrants are only able to lease land and not buy. Kitaoka recalls his Father transitioning form produce farming to a chicken ranch because farm the lease expires. At this time only…
Kitaoka discusses his birth date, birth place and his parents. His Issei Father immigrates from Japan to the United States and works on the Railroad. Eventually he returns back to Japan to marry Kitaoka's Mother who is a picture bride. Growing up…
Shinmoto discusses moving to Kingsburg a Swedish farming community. Transitioning in High School is a difficult time for Shinmoto. He recalls sports help him make friends but is lonely during lunchtime. He is also put in the same grade with his…
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…
James Jin Kobayashi is born on November 25, 1921, in San Bernardino, California. His parents are Ishhinosuke Kobayashi and Taka Ishikawa from Japan. James's father comes to San Bernardino because his brother owns a restaurant. His father, Ishii,…
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…
Kurahara discusses his name, birth place, and birth date. His parents are Issei and his Father passes away from an accident. at an early age His Mother remarries a Filipino and Kurahara remembers the intercultural prejudices they face when they take…
Theodore "Ted" Yenari discusses meeting his wife, children and grandchildren. He shares his hopes and dreams for his grandchildren for the future. After his military career, Yenari is active in community organizations and competes in pole vault,…
Yenari discusses his influential teacher is Mr. Hayashi from Japanese School. Yenari defines what is means to be a good citizen, an American, and to have moral and ethics.
Growing up Yenari plays baseball, golf, and pole vaulting. In high…
Hiraoka discusses about his childhood, his encounter with discrimination, and the teachers that made an impact in his life. He details about his high school athletics career. Hiraoka also discusses about his experiences in his high school's rotary…
Hiraoka discusses about his family and their history. He discusses about farming and his education. Hiraoka also discusses about different aspects of his childhood, including friends, playing sports, neighbors.
Muramaru describes a rice soup dish called “chagai”; and discusses playing football and his family’s store growing up. He then talks about his uncle in Japan, his whereabouts during the attack on Pearl Harbor, neighbors who were sent to Honoluliuli…
Ken Tamura severes in the 442nd Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Company L.
He is born in Okmulgee, OK on March 27, 1923. His parents are from Japan, and he has three sisters and a brother. Ken grows up in an isolated area on a farm.
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…
Tsukazaki talks about his parents and siblings including discussing their education and employment. He then talks about his childhood and discusses playing baseball and fishing; and talks about his father’s writing hobby and learning Kendo. Next,…
Toshio discusses about interactions with people of Japanese ancestry. He details more about going to Japan to study Japanese and what it was like being a Nikkei in Japan. Toshio also discusses about establishing American football in Japan, attending…
Noguchi discusses his parents and their immigration to the United States; his father’s employment and death; and his mother’s physical traits and personality. He then talks about attending school and Japanese language school; going to church;…
Ken Nihei discussed the poem If by Rudyard Kipling and how it applies to life.
Ken recalls his wife Masuko and life with their children, Westley Paul and Judith Ann. Ken hopes his children to live a good life and enjoy every moment.
Hanamura discussing growing up in Alameda California; discusses his father, mother, and their marriage; and talks about his father's involvement with church. He then talks about his siblings including discussing his brother getting drafted, his other…
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…
Guy begins the interview talking about his family background, and his father coming from Liverpool and settling on the east coast. He would grow up in uptown New York, playing a lot of football and basketball and attending a variety of different…
Suzuki discusses his childhood and living in California. He details about his family and social activities. Suzuki also discusses about his educational experiences.
Minata talks about his parent's backgrounds. He also talks about his siblings. He describes his community and what he did during his leisure time as a child. He discusses his high school experiences. Minata talks about the Attack on Pearl Harbor and…
Hashimoto describes his travels across Hawaii for Judo tournaments. He talks about his memories of secondary school. He describes each of his siblings lives and careers. He briefly discusses his high school graduation and his college studies.…
Hashimoto explains how his parents immigrated to the United States. He talks about his parents marriage. He describes his father and mother. He discusses his father's accident and the way it changed his mother's role in his family. He talks about his…
Konno talks about growing up on a citrus ranch in San Dimas, California; and discusses his parents, childhood activities, friendships, and speaking Japanese at home. He also talks about attending high school and Japanese language school; playing…
Ben Umeda begins the interview talking about his family, his father and mother being from Hiroshima and their journey to get to Selma in California. Next, he talks about growing up in California, picking grapes to make raisins for work and doing…
Watada discusses his prefecture origin and familial description. Watada is born on December 21, 1923 in Los Angeles, CA. Watada's Father, Jay Watada is from Japan and immigrates to the United States with his Father. They both come in hopes to make…
Kojimoto continues to talk about his extended family. He describes a trip that he took to Los Angeles, California. He discusses his parent's plans after World War Two. He talks about his involvement in high school sports. He describes his…
Sakaji discusses growing up in California in a farming community; and talks about his father’s personality, physical traits, and employment. He then talks about his childhood home, siblings, religion, and discusses his mother. Next, Sakaji talks…
Akira Otani describes his experiences in Japanese language school. He explains why he did so much walking as a child. He shares the values that he received from his parents. He talks about his involvement in sports. He describes memorable teachers.…
Takekawa discusses memorable teachers from his school days, playing sports, and high school activities including becoming class president. He then talks about going to college and studying to become a physical education teacher and his experiences…
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…
Tazoi discusses growing up in Garland, Utah. He details about facing discrimination. Tazoi also discusses the aftermath from Pearl Harbor and joining the army.
Keegan discusses his youth growing up in New York and Ohio. He talks about his parents' family backgrounds, and social conditions he observed growing up. He also discusses how growing up in the Great Depression impacted his adolescence; and his early…
Endo discusses more about his experiences in occupied Japan. He details about his involvement with gymnastics and his post-military business. Endo also discusses about his wife and how they got married.
Doi discusses how he got his nickname, growing up in Kauai on a plantation, working at a gas station, and playing sports in high school. He also talks about attending Japanese language school, religion, friendships, and the attack on Pearl Harbor and…
Ikuta talks about his experiences running marathons, playing sports in high school, and his enthusiasm for wine. He then talks about values he learned growing up, working on a farm during high school, and provides a message to future generations.…
Murakami talks about building a home for his family. He talks about his children. He shares his experiences with discrimination before and after World War Two. He shares his hopes for future generations. He explains why he doesn't share war stories…
Ikeguchi discusses his experiences with prejudice; talks about his childhood friendships and recreational activities; and discusses school including his favorite subjects, involvement in clubs, and playing sports. He then talks about his goals for…
Muto talks about playing sports, his experiences prior to and immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, his childhood home, and corresponding with his wife while overseas. Next, Muto talks about his family’s forced removal to Turlock temporary…
Muto discussing his childhood including talking about attending grammar school and Japanese language school; discusses the languages he spoke at home; talks about his neighborhood and the Japanese community in Sacramento; and discusses friendships.…
Arakaki begins the interview speaking about how his father came from Okinawa to Hawaii to work on the sugar plantations. His mother was a picture bride and would join his father in Hawaii to begin their life, having five children. They would have a…
Sato, Wada, and Ito discuss part of their childhoods. They give details their parents, siblings, and attending Japanese language school. They compare then to now and their experiences with prejudices.
Teruya discusses his parents' personalities and physical traits; describes the shoes his mother made for him; talks about working in sugar cane plantation; and discusses his favorite memories of his parents. Teruya then talks about his experiences…
Kodama discusses his family and having to work to the help them. He details about his educational experiences, playing sports, and martial arts training. Kodama also discusses being drafted, basic training, and Pearl Harbor.
Ohama talks about playing sports; and discusses his high school social life, hobbies, food, and socioeconomic status. He then talks about his relationship with his mother; high school graduation; and religion including discussing how Christianity…
Ohama discusses his grandfather's life in Japan and his immigration to the United States; as well as his childhood relationship with his grandfather and his grandfather's personality. He then talks about his father including his personality and…
Fujimori discusses what it was like growing up in California. He details about the affects that Pearl Harbor had on him and his family. Fujimori also discusses his experiences in Manzanar.
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,…
George Matsui was reassigned to MacArthur's Headquarters, Army Intelligence G2, Natural Resources Section after Japan surrendered. He recalls traveling to Fukuoka to see his family for the first time.
George Matsui grew up in Long Beach, CA, and his parents are farmers. George's father decided to go back to Japan when George was in junior high school. In Japan, George attended Japanese Grade School and learned the Japanese language. When George…
Nishimoto talks about his parents, religion, and his family’s businesses. He then talks about his siblings, the assistance his family received from a lawyer, and some of his experiences with discrimination growing up. Next, Nishimoto discusses…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada introduces himself and begins talking about his early life in Santa Maria, California. He describes his family and his time spent working on the family, which he eventually was charged with managing. In addition…
In this segment, Matsuji "Mut" Sakumoto discusses a variety of topics, including the Japanese language and culture, sports, his family religion, and taking up smoking cigarettes. Throughout the storytelling, Sakumoto also discusses his parents in…
In this segment, Wally Yonamine introduces the audience to his family's background. He discusses remembering his roots and his modest upbringing when he was making a name for himself in Japan as a successful professional baseball player. He also…
During this interview, Kim Ida Surh touches on some personal, emotional memories. She first discusses the pain of her Sunday school teacher excluding her brother and her from a party and the effect it had on her emotionally as she grew up. Later,…
Kimoto discusses his family background, growing up in Hawaii on the island of Oahu, attending school, and excelling in baseball. Following high school, Kimoto held a variety of jobs before volunteering to join the Army after the attack on Pearl…
Robert Iso recalls his time growing up in San Jose, California and talks about attending Buddhist Temple and seeing picture shows near Japan Town. He talks about his mother's jovial personality, playing basketball and playing trumpet in the high…
During this part of the interview Edward Ichiyama recalls his time spent in the Army and his experiences during the war. He gives details in regards to witnessing the bombing of Pearl Harbor and his family's experience after the attack. This part of…
Tsubota discusses his childhood and childhood activities before moving on to his high school experiences and eventually enrolling at the University of Hawaii.
