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…
Lillian Matsudaira describes life before the war and remembers how her mother would make Udon. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, a curfew is in effect for Japanese Americans to return home early. Lillian also speaks about differentiating between…
Masuoka talks about growing up in and around apple farms in Sebastopol, CA. He gives an overview of the time he spent at Amache Concentration Camp and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). He describes his mother and father's personalities. He…
Masato Eddy Kurushima and his family go to Japan for a few years. During his time in Japan, he sees the country militarizing. After a year of recovery, Eddy's father decides to return to the United States earlier. After living in the United States,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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,…
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…
Kinoshita discusses the reasons why his parents moved from Japan to Oregon and growing up in Oregon in a farming community. He also talks about attending Japanese language school, his sister's experience being sent to Japan to attend school, his…
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…
Kikuchi discusses his father including talking about his immigration to the United States, employment, and experiences in college. He then talks about attending Japanese language school, attending high school, growing up in Los Angeles, playing…
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…
Kawamoto talks about his early life in Winters, California. He shares his fathers backstory. He describes his childhood home. He talks about his first time living in Japan. He discusses the demographics of Winters, California. He briefly talks about…
Kashiki discusses growing up in Southern California, his family's farming business, going to school, his parents, and father's various jobs. He then talks about childhood activities such as fishing with his father, walking to school; and playing…
Mitsugi Kasai describes growing up with his mother and stepfather in Idaho where he went to Japanese language school, played sports, earned money doing odd jobs.
Enoch Kanaya was born March 14, 1925. His parents are from Okayama-ken, Japan, and immigrated to the United States. Enoch's parents were hard-working and loving parents. When the Great Depression happened, farming became difficult, and the Kanaya…
Kajiwara talks about his father's visits to Japan. He briefly describes working for Hawaiian Pineapple. He discusses the work he did on a sugar plantation. He talks about having a twin brother. He talks about primary school. Kajiwara describes his…
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…
Iwataki talks about his childhood including discussing his neighborhood, attending school, friendships, experiences with discrimination, playing sports, and influential teachers. He then continues to talk about his childhood and discusses his…
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…
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…
Inouye discusses his father including his immigration to the United States; employment; and characteristics. He then talks about his siblings; his favorite subjects in school; languages spoken at home; attending Japanese language school; and values…
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.…
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…
Charles "Charley" Toyoji Ijima is born on January 8, 1925, in Makaweli, Kauai, Hawaii. His family lives on a sugar cane plantation. His parents are from Niigata Prefecture of Japan. Charley's father, Shozo Ijima, comes to Hawaii by himself first.…
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…
In high school, Harold Horiuchi enjoys playing basketball. In Seattle, Harold plays basketball for the Fieldhouse Team as a Center. Harold plays basketball in the Japanese American Community too.
In 1938, Harold graduates high school and goes to…
Hoashi discusses more about growing up on Kauai. At the age of 12, he would begin working at McBride plantation during the summers. He also talks about the impactful people he knew during this period of time. From there, he gives us his whereabouts…
Hisatomi continues to talks about his involvement in sports tournaments. He explains how he helped his father mechanize their family farm. He talks about a farmers association and a non-profit association that he helped create. He continues to talk…
Hisatomi briefly describes his birthplace. He describes his mother and father. He talks about his siblings and his childhood home. He discusses his knowledge of the Japanese language. He talks about his household chores and his religious background.…
Hiroki talks about his early life in Kauai. He discusses his family's move to Honolulu. He describes his mother. He talks about his childhood leisure time and being drafted. Hiroki talks about family finances and his high school experiences. He…
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.
Higashino talks about his interpretation and interrogation work. He describes his return to New Delhi. He discusses volunteering to go to China. He talks about his return to the United States. He shares his other memories of South East Asia. He…
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…
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…
Hara discusses his name, date of birth and birth place. His parents are Issei and his Father comes to the United States for better opportunities. Hara's Father works in various places before leasing a hotel in Portland called Austria Hotel. Growing…
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…
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…
Gustafson discusses growing in Illinois in a farming community. His father is well known surgeon. Gustafson shares who are his favorite teachers in school and playing golf. He continues his education after high school by joining the Reserve Officer…
Furuya continues to talks about the Army Reserves and retirement. He talks about his insurance career. He discusses his wife and children. He reveals that he had a high school football career. Furuya revisits the story behind his military…
Furuya continues to talk about his interpretation work during the Korean War. He talks about the 24th division. He explains how he met up with professional baseball players, he played with in the junior league, while stationed in Japan. Furuya…
Furuya reveals that some members of his junior league went on to play professional baseball. He talks about Japanese language school and high school. Furuya describes his experiences with Kendo. He talks about his first job. He discusses what he did…
Furuya talks about his early life in Honolulu. He describes the baseball junior league that he was a part of as a child. He briefly discusses the Great Depression. Furuya describes his father and mother's personalities He talks about his siblings. He…
Furukawa describes his childhood extracurricular activities. He talks about spending time with an Italian family. He discusses the entertainment that he enjoyed as a child. He describes his family's relationship with Japan and his Japanese American…
Fukunaga discusses his parents, including their occupations and his father’s death when he was a child. He then talks about growing up on Oahu including discussing attending Japanese language school, religion, attending high school on a work…
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…
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.
James Fujii grows up in a rural area. After the war, the community doubled in size. James felt everyone got along after they knew one another. In his opinion, the Japanese American community did not rebel against racism after the war. They are happy…
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…
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…
Arisumi describes his family history and father's employment, his mother and their childhood home, as well as his siblings, school, and employment. He also remembers building the temporary rails for the plantation, school activities he did with his…
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…
Akama discusses his prefecture origin and family. He details about his childhood, upbringing, and schooling. Akama also discusses about his social activities.
