Michael and Jimmy Doi’s parents are from Yokohama, Japan. After eloping, they went to Oxnard, CA. In Oxnard, Michael and Jimmy's father was a farmer, and their mother was a housewife. There were four sons (Dick, Sam, Michael, and Jimmy) and one…
Oishi begins the interview with his family background and moving to Hawaii from Hiroshima. He would grow up in Kona, Hawaii working at the family farm and then for his aunt at her grocery store, all while attending school and Japanese language…
Kusunoki and the interviewer's introduce themselves. Kusunoki talks about his parents. He discusses what his father did for work. He describes his siblings. He talks about Japanese language school. He discusses his family's desire to return to Japan.…
James Mamoru Fujii was born on May 28, 1926. His parents were Bukichi "Ben" Fujii and Yoshino Yamakado Fujii. James' mother was the second wife after the first wife passed away. In the first marriage, James' father has three children.
Minoru "Minor" Miyasaki was born March 18, 1925. Minoru's father immigrated from Japan to Hawaii to work on the sugar plantation. Later, he moved to California to sharecrop strawberries and vegetables. Minoru lost his mother at an early age, and his…
Kawamoto discusses his parents and siblings. He details about his home life and education. Kawamoto also discusses about his hobbies and what is was like to grow up on California.
Yukio Okutsu describes growing up in his village and learning about Japanese history and values. He also talks about changes following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Seichi Sakaida serves with the 442nd in K Company. He is born July 9, 1922, in Ookala, HI. At a young age, his family moves to Molokai, and he grows up on the plantations. Seichi's parents are from Yamaguchi Kan prefecture in Japan and his mother is…
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…
Ikeda discusses how he got his nickname; and talks about his parents and growing up on a farm in Clovis, California. He then talks about playing softball, high school, attending Japanese language school, and religion. Lastly, Ikeda recalls being at…
Kaihara discusses his parents origins. He talks about his community and primary school experiences. He also explains what he did with his leisure time as a child. Thomas Kaihara talks about his relationships with family members. He describes his…
Janet Nakakihara and Janice Trubitt say their grandmother is big on celebrating New Year and birthdays. Janet recalls her mother mentioning her mother adopted all of the American holidays and celebrations. Even though they did not have much money,…
Don Miyada is born on May 21, 1925, in Oceanside, California. Don's parents are Raiju Miyada and Masu Miyada, who both emigrated to the United States from Japan. Don shares his childhood memories working on the farm, school, holiday, and morals and…
Masato Yamashita's interview is with Lloyd Fujitani.
Masato Mauch Yamashita is born on December 27, 1924, in Lodi, CA. Lloyd Katsuto Fujitani is born January 1, 1917, in Lodi, CA. Both Masato and Lloyd are with 442nd Company I. Masato, and Lloyd's…
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,…
Susumu "Chick" Sarae is born on August 2, 1923, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His parents are from Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, and they have six children. One child lives in Japan for ten years before reuniting with the family in Hawaii.
Tsuya and the interviewers introduce themselves. Tsuya talks about his early life on the plantation. He describes Lihue, Kauai. He discusses Japanese language school. He lists the languages spoken in his home. He shares his parent's backstories. He…
Inada continues talking about his war experiences, including joining up with I Company, before getting wounded in action. He talks about being in combat and getting a hand injury, causing him to leave and head to a field hospital. There, he begged…
Oye would be discharged from the Army after some guard duty in Europe and being shipped back to the United States, passing the Statue of Liberty on the way back. He would end up in Philadelphia, where he would meet his wife and begin his career as a…
Matsumoto gives us a thorough recollection of his family background and growing up in Hawaii. Next, he talks about being 17 and seeing Japanese planes fly overhead as he played football with friends, which a year later resulted in his volunteering…
Nakasone discusses attending Japanese language school and his involvement with Buddhism and judo. After this, he talks about the attacks on Pearl Harbor; living just three miles from Pearl Harbor, he would see firsthand the Japanese zero's flying…
Nishioka talks about his early life in Hilo. He describes the sugarcane work camps in the Hilo area. He discusses the items his family made and purchased from the store. He talks about the sports that he was involved in during childhood. Nishioka…
Nakamura discusses life in Hawaii during the war time, including martial law and heavy food rations. He talks about the various restrictions that the civilians had, and the few things that they would do for fun, such as going to the movies. He then…
Kazuo Hinatsu begins the interview talking about growing up in Oswego, Oregon, where there were very few Japanese Americans and his family would have a farm. Next, he talks about how his parents came from Japan and settled in Oregon, becoming…
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…
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 name, birth date, birthplace and growing up during the Great Depression. He recalls his Father and Mother's personality and child rearing. Shinmoto's Father is a quiet man and he learns about his Father history through his Uncle. …
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.
Teraoka talks about his mother and her cooking; and his family’s tradition making mochi around New Year’s. He then talks about being raised buddhist, going to Japanese school and attending a New Year’s celebration; and describes growing up on a…
Ishihara discusses growing up in Enumclaw, Washington, including his experiences living near a lumber mill, his hobbies such as fishing and playing sports, the demographics and community within Enumclaw, and going to school. He also talks about going…
Kuwabara discusses growing up in Idaho, working on his parents farm; and becoming a state champion in a public speaking contest along with his experiences going to the national championship. He also talks about living in Utah, Japan, and California;…
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…
Nishimura and the interviewers introduce themselves. He describes his early life in Hawaii. He talks about his parents and siblings. He describes his involvement in sports. He describes his religious background. He talks about the social activities…
Kojimoto and the interviewers introduce themselves. Kojimoto talks about his parents marriage. He explains the origin of his name. He discusses his father's backstory. He shares his father's employment ventures. He describes his father's name. He…
Kono discusses his parents immigration from Japan; talks about growing up in a village where sugar cane is produced; and talks about attending school and Japanese language school. He then discusses the reasons why he was sent to Japanese language…
Sakamoto begins the interview talking about his family coming from Japan and settling in Los Angeles, California. There, his father would begin a flower business and collect birds, even joining a club that would trade them. He also talks about his…
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…
Katsumi Yagura tells his father and mother's immigration stories. He also shares his memories of his parents and their physical descriptions. He briefly talks about his father's farm work in Utah. He talks about his siblings and his religious…
Hayashi begins the interview speaking about his family background, being born in Denver and what it was like to grow up there. As a child, he would have the chance to live in Japan and would do so for two years, learning all about the Japanese…
Taniguchi describes his parent’s backstories. He talks about his early life in California. He describes his father’s physical features and his mother’s personality. He discusses his siblings. Taniguchi describes his experiences in Japanese language…
In the first part of Mr. Mac Nagata's interview, he discusses his family history, and his father's military service in the Japanese Army during the Russo-Japanese War. Next, Mr. Nagata remembers the Sanger, CA community he grew up in, attending…
In this video clip, Yoshiaki Fujitani continues to describes his experience in Tokyo during the occupation -- he only witnessed one casualty during his entire military service. He and his Military Intelligence Service team were awarded the…
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…
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 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…
Fujimori describes growing up in Boyle Heights, California. He also talks about playing sports, such as football and track, and his academic interests in high school. He recalls his siblings and childhood friends.
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…
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…
Minori Sueda talks about his family and early life growing up in Redondo Beach and Torrance, California. He also talks about feeling like a second class citizen as a Japanese-American and his high school experience.
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.
Nishimura discusses his childhood including his family, favorite childhood activities (including his excellence in Judo), experiences and lessons he learned while in Japanese language school, and his choice to become a teacher.
Furumoto discusses his decision to attend veterinary school at Kansas State University. He recounts his feelings during the Bombing of Pearl Harbor. He also discusses his decision to join the army.
