Returning home

When the camps closed, Japanese Americans were handed $25 and put on trains headed for the places they had been forcibly removed from nearly four years earlier. Harassment was common -- many returning Japanese Americans were greeted with signs reading "No Japs Allowed." Other discovered their property had been vandalized or stolen. Homes and businesses that had been boarded up or left in the care of others were abandoned and stripped of furnishings and goods. For the majority, who did not have homes to return to, housing was the most serious problem. Housing discrimination was severe in many areas and persisted to varying degrees until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s. Former camp inmates with no other options moved into hostels and converted community institutions with conditions not much better than the camps they had just left. Although this period was stressful, it is remembered as a time when people came together to share what they had.

World War II (231)
Leaving camp (287)
Returning home (1049)

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1049 items

vh Yae Wada Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-476-16)

Trying to reclaim prewar beauty shop business after the war

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-476-16/

vh Yae Wada Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-476-15)

Father's reestablishment of his laundry business

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-476-15/

vh Fumiko M. Noji Segment 37 (ddr-densho-1000-72-37)

Returning to Seattle, a helpful train porter

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-72-37/

vh Frank Kitamoto Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-35-23)

Reception of Bainbridge Island, Washington, community to returning Japanese after the war

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-35-23/

vh Frank Kitamoto Segment 24 (ddr-densho-1000-35-24)

Decision to return to West Coast after World War II

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-35-24/

vh Frank Kitamoto Segment 25 (ddr-densho-1000-35-25)

Mother's efforts to reestablish the family farm after the war

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-35-25/

vh Frank S. Fujii Segment 24 (ddr-densho-1000-8-24)

Leaving Tule Lake: "Put me on a train, gave me $29... And then you're feeling so inadequate and feeling so poor"

This interview was conducted over two days due to electrical problems. The majority of the interview was completed on the second day, September 5.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-8-24/

vh Takae Tanino Walts Interview Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-508-19)

Rebuilding after losing farm during the war, working as a schoolgirl

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-508-19/

vh Esther Takei Nishio Interview Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-370-18)

Leaving camp as part of a test group allowed to return early to the West Coast

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-370-18/

vh Kunio Otani Segment 31 (ddr-densho-1000-75-31)

Taking over as head of the family

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-75-31/

vh Toru Sakahara - Kiyo Sakahara Interview II Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-77-16)

Returning to Seattle and finding a place to live

This interview was conducted over two days at the Sakaharas' home.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-77-16/

vh Toru Sakahara - Kiyo Sakahara Interview II Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-77-19)

Toru's beginning a career in law and insurance

This interview was conducted over two days at the Sakaharas' home.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-77-19/

vh May K. Sasaki Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-79-26)

Returning to Seattle, finding temporary living quarters in the local "dojo"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-79-26/

vh May K. Sasaki Segment 27 (ddr-densho-1000-79-27)

Returning to find home sold

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-79-27/

vh Fumiko Hayashida Segment 34 (ddr-densho-1000-15-34)

Difficulties with the family farm after returning home

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-15-34/

vh Fumiko Hayashida Segment 32 (ddr-densho-1000-15-32)

Leaving camp and returning to Bainbridge Island: "glad to be home"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-15-32/

vh Fumiko Hayashida Segment 33 (ddr-densho-1000-15-33)

Observing changes in the Bainbridge Island Japanese American community postwar

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-15-33/

vh Fumiko Hayashida Segment 35 (ddr-densho-1000-15-35)

Facing losses and giving up the farm on Bainbridge Island

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-15-35/

vh Yosh Nakagawa Interview Segment 25 (ddr-densho-1000-172-25)

Returning to Seattle after World War II; living at the Japanese Methodist Church

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-172-25/

vh Yosh Nakagawa Interview Segment 24 (ddr-densho-1000-172-24)

Family chooses to return to Seattle after leaving camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-172-24/

vh Min Tonai Interview I Segment 32 (ddr-densho-1000-354-32)

Parents try to rebuild their lives after the war

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-354-32/

vh Emery Brooks Andrews Interview Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-155-18)

Father's activities immediately after returning to Seattle: opposing the teamsters and aiding Japanese American farmers

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-155-18/

vh Emery Brooks Andrews Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-155-17)

The end of World War II: returning to Seattle, father's resolve to reopen the Japanese Baptist Church

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-155-17/

vh Tokio Hirotaka - Toshio Ito - Joe Matsuzawa Segment 44 (ddr-densho-1000-23-44)

Reestablishing farms after the war

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-23-44/

vh Tokio Hirotaka - Toshio Ito - Joe Matsuzawa Segment 43 (ddr-densho-1000-23-43)

Returning home and restarting farm

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-23-43/