Takahashi discusses about growing up in Washington. He details about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Takahashi also discusses volunteering for the Army, experiences during basic training, and going overseas. Takahashi details about his families…
Yikimura discusses his family and his childhood. He details about religion and his schooling. Yikimura also discusses about his life after high school and recalling December 7, 1941.
Takao discuss his prefecture origin and familial description. He shares childhood memory, favorite types of movies, and religion. Takao attends Japanese Language School growing up. He works at a cannery during the bombing of Pearl Harbor and…
Yamanaka discusses his parents, his siblings, and his father's various occupations. He then talks about growing up in Colorado, going to church, moving as a child to Los Angeles and Japan, and then returning back to the United States. He also talks…
Murakami discusses his Father, Mother and siblings. Growing up Murakami does not have much communication from his Issei parents about their immigration to the United States. He contributes this upbringing to not facing discrimination or racism.…
Kiyabu describes his early life in growing up in Hana (Maui), Hawaii. He details about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Kiyabu also volunteering for the Army and traveling to the Mainland.
Muramatsu discusses his family and childhood. He details about being drafted, Pearl Harbor, and its aftermath. Muramatsu also discusses about going to the Mainland and experiences at Camp McCoy.
James Iso describes his family history, including where his parents immigrated from in Japan and their settlement in the United States. He talks about his siblings, about his childhood memories, and about attending Japanese language school.
Masuda discusses about her family, schooling, and some of his early jobs. He details about religion, Japanese language school, and his home life. Masuda also discusses about discrimination, living in Fresno, California, Pearl Harbor, and its…
Yamaguchi discusses about his family and visiting his parent's hometown. He details about his schooling and getting drafted. Yamaguchi also discusses about his pre-war military service, Pearl Harbor, and its aftermath.
Ogawa discusses about his foster family. he details about his childhood, geopolitics, and being an American. Ogawa also discusses about Pearl Harbor, its aftermath, and joining the Army.
Shintaku discusses his Father, Mother, and siblings. His Father is a share cropper for a Danish Family. Due to the Alien Land Law, his father is unable to purchase his own land. Shintaku faces discrimination at school and when he gets older, he takes…
Higgins discusses about his childhood. He details about what values he was taught and schooling. Higgins also discusses about volunteering and post-war life.
Higgins discusses about growing up in New Jersey and his military service. He details about his family and childhood. Higgins also discusses about his social life and reaction to Pearl Harbor.
Huberth discusses his family, childhood, and love for horses. He details about going to church and college. Huberth also discusses about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath.
Meada discusses his childhood and religion. He details about being drafted into the Army and December 7, 1941. Meada also discusses working at the post exchange and his journey to California.
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…
Kiyonaga discusses about her family and upbringing. She details about Pearl Harbor and how it changed her life and America as a whole. Kiyonaga also discusses about her mindset during World War Two and European Concentration Camps.
Shimabukuro discusses his childhood growing in a plantation camp on Kauai. He details about his high school experiences and briefly his family life. Shimabukuro also discusses being drafted, his experiences at Schofield Barracks, and the events Pearl…
A. Takahashi discusses his youth growing up in the Central Valley of California. He talks about his parents' backgrounds, their immigration and characters. He also discusses his interest in aviation and how he enlisted in the military.
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…
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.
Sumida discusses his childhood, family, and Japan Language school. He details about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Sumida also discusses about heading to the Mainland for training and his experiences while there.
Akamine discusses about his childhood experiences. He details about working on the sugar plantation. Akamine also discusses attending Japanese language school and his personal values and habits.
Tanaka discusses what it was like growing up in Hilo, Hawaii. he details about the aftermath if pearl harbor and his draft experience. Tanaka discusses about his experiences during basic training.
Asai discusses his childhood. He details his experiences at Merced Temporary Detention Center. Asai also discusses his experiences at Amache Concentration Camp and leaving camp to work in Cleveland.
Asai discuses his family. He details about his childhood and farming community of Cortez, CA near Turlock. Asai also discusses Pearl Harbor and the resulting forced removal.
Kishi discusses about his family. He details about what it was like growing up inLivingston, California. Kishi also discusses about Pearl Harbor and his experiences with forced removal.
Tanji discusses about growing up in Cressey, California and his family. He details about his schooling, hobbies, and friends. Tanji also discusses about his experiences with forced removal.
Mayeda discusses about his schooling, childhood home, and community. He details about his childhood, family, and the events prior and after Pearl Harbor. Mayeda also discusses about forced removal and his children.
Asai discusses about growing up on a farm. He details about his family and other aspects of his childhood. Asai also discusses about remembering December 7, 1941, volunteering for the service, his experiences with the 2nd Armored Division, and being…
Katagiri discusses what it was like growing up in Portland, Oregon. Katagiri paints a picture of his family life. Katagiri also details what is was like being a Japanese American before and after the events of Pearl Harbor.
Mukai continues to talk about his relationships with his siblings. He describes three childhood near drowning incidents. He describes the demographics of Bostonia, California. He discusses his experiences in high school. He talks about a mentor that…
Konno discusses his parents and talks about his brother’s involvement with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He then talks about growing up on an orange grove in Azusa, California, his experiences with prejudice in high school, going to Japanese…
Kikuyama discusses about his family and childhood. He details about his social life and hobbies. Kikuyama also discusses about Pearl Harbor, its aftermath, and volunteering for the service.
Tanna discusses about his family and career aspirations. He describes Honolulu growing up. Tanna also discusses about his schooling and best childhood memories.
Kuniyoshi discusses and describes his parents upbringing, background, characteristics, personalities, and careers. Hideo discusses his childhood growing up in Hilo, Hawaii including his childhood activities, neighborhood, attending Japanese language…
Jack Sameshima was born in Seattle, Washington. His father came from Kumamoto, Japan, and his mother was a Nisei from Hawaii. When he was younger, his family moved from Seattle to Minot, North Dakota, then to Whitefish, Montana, and back to Seattle…
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.
Masako "Mary" Yamada was a United States Army Nurse during World War II. She was born in Belvedere, California, but moved to New York City during her youth, where she attended nursing school and volunteered to be a US Army Nurse. She describes her…
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…
Yoshiaki Fujitani grew up in Maui, Hawaii on a plantation camp in a parsonage. His father was a missionary, so he and his seven siblings grew up in a Buddhist temple. His family took in three orphans and they became a part of their family. He…
In this video clip, Genro Kashiwa talks about his childhood. As the son of a Buddhist priest, he was responsible for completing various chores around the Buddhist temple and during services. He describes what it was like growing up in a traditional…
Genro Kashiwa grew up in a community housing camp on a sugar cane plantation in Wailua, Hawaii. His father was a Buddhist Priest, and he conducted religious services within the various community housing camps on the sugar plantation. His mother was…
In this video clip, Mas Takahasha talks about his childhood growing up in a Salvation Army Orphanage Home in San Francisco after his mother died. He describes his travels around Europe while on pass during the war. He talks about meeting his wife,…
Mas Takahashi was the youngest of five children. He grew up in San Francisco, and later, Stockton, California, where he attended high school. After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, he and his family were forcibly removed to the…
Rudy Tokiwa talks about growing up on a farm in Salinas, California. When he was in high school, he moved to Japan and traveled to Manchuria and Korea. He describes what it was like living in Japan and how his fellow Japanese students treated him --…
Harry Fukuhara describes his childhood growing up in Washington during the Great Depression. He and his family moved to Japan after his father passed away, where he attended high school. He describes the emerging wartime atmosphere in Japan during…
Surh begins the interview by recalling the story about how her parents met, married, and started a family. After that, Surh recalls her parents' work before reminiscing about different stories that reflected her personality and behavior as a child.…
Kim Ida Surh begins by discussing her background and her family's background, including her family's time in Mexico, California, and Arizona. She also recounts some memorable childhood stories of her antics with her Uncle Bob before proceeding to…
In this video clip, Tets Asato describes his Issei parents, growing up on a farm in El Monte, California, and growing up in a Japanese household. He talks about his childhood - friends, school, playing sports, etc. - and about his mother's passing.
Ito begins his interview with recollections of his childhood in Stockton, California. He describes his experiences in primary and secondary school and auto-mechanic school, before being drafted into the Army in 1940.
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.
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,…
Takejiro Higa was born in Hawaii, but spent most of his childhood in Okinawa. When his parents died, he lived with his uncle in Okinawa until the age of sixteen, where he moved to Hawaii to live with his sister. Living in Hawaii was very different…
In this segment Ben Uyemura talks about his upbringing in a poor neighborhood of Los Angeles. His parents did not have a lot but he remembers they both were hardworking people. He talks about the activities he was in as a kid in grammar school, and…
Don Seki was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. During his childhood, he loved spending time outdoors, especially going fishing with his friends. He and his family lived in a sugar cane plantation camp, but, before the war,his parents moved back to…
In this segment, Martin Tohara talks about living in Hawaii and what his father did to secure a safe upbringing. He explains how English school and Japanese school were different and what was taught in Japanese school. He also explained how growing…
Akune begins with describing his childhood and family. He moved to Japan at the age of ten, after his mother passed away. When he turned fifteen, he returned to the United States to help his father.
In this video clip, Ray Nosaka talks about his family and growing up in Hawai'i. He recalls instances where he faced racial discrimination in the work force.
Furumoto discusses growing up in Hawaii including sugar plantation experiences, childhood and high school activities, Japanese language school, his parents and cultural disciplinary standards, community leaders and educators and his decision to…
