1. Topics

Social and recreational activities

Japanese Americans found ways to fill the long days created by the enforced idleness of camp life. They made jewelry from shells found in the desert, built furniture for their rooms using scrap lumber and renovated the exteriors of their barracks. People also played cards, chess, checkers, mahjongg, and the Japanese games 'go' and 'shogi.' Camp inmates held dances, concerts, plays, and arts and crafts exhibitions. In Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho, they even held a beauty contest to select the "Sweetheart of Minidoka."

World War II (231)
Concentration camps (1434)
Social and recreational activities (1155)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Arts and crafts in camp, Music in camp

Filters

Facilities
Format
Genre
Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

1155 items
Japanese Americans at Shoshone Falls (ddr-densho-15-66)
img Japanese Americans at Shoshone Falls (ddr-densho-15-66)
These Japanese Americans enjoying a day at Shoshone Falls near the Minidoka concentration camp were allowed to leave the camp on an approved day pass. Left to right: Tom (last name unknown), Ted Kamada, Yoneko Tanaka, unidentified, Norio Mitsuoka, and Kiyoko (last name unknown).
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-66/
Japanese Americans at Shoshone Falls (ddr-densho-15-64)
img Japanese Americans at Shoshone Falls (ddr-densho-15-64)
Japanese Americans from the Minidoka concentration camp visit Shoshone Falls. This area was a popular destination for camp inmates on a day pass. Left to right: Yoneko Tanaka, Fusako Shimizu, Ayako (last name unknown), and Lily Hori.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-64/
Japanese Americans at Shoshone Falls (ddr-densho-15-68)
img Japanese Americans at Shoshone Falls (ddr-densho-15-68)
Shoshone Falls was an easy day trip for Japanese Americans from the Minidoka concentration camp. Camp inmates were allowed to leave Minidoka on short excursions with approval from camp administrators. Left to right: unidentified, unidentified, Ted Kamada, and Yoneko Tanaka.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-68/
Japanese Americans playing bingo (ddr-densho-15-62)
img Japanese Americans playing bingo (ddr-densho-15-62)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-62/
Japanese Americans at a picnic (ddr-densho-15-78)
img Japanese Americans at a picnic (ddr-densho-15-78)
Left to right: Tak Hori, unidentified, and Robert Ikeda.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-78/
Japanese Americans playing cards at the fire station (ddr-densho-15-59)
img Japanese Americans playing cards at the fire station (ddr-densho-15-59)
This is the interior of Fire Station Number 1. Left to right: (first name unknown) Hikida, unidentified, Yoshio Akada, and Mr. Sano. The fire station was one of the few buildings with a refrigerator. Mr. Sano owned the bathhouse underneath the Panama Hotel in Seattle, Washington, before World War II.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-59/
Japanese Americans at a picnic (ddr-densho-15-81)
img Japanese Americans at a picnic (ddr-densho-15-81)
This picnic may have taken place at a local Japanese American farm.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-15-81/
Boy Scout troop drum and bugle corps (ddr-densho-156-24)
img Boy Scout troop drum and bugle corps (ddr-densho-156-24)
Portland Area Council.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-156-24/
Garden next to barracks (ddr-densho-156-40)
img Garden next to barracks (ddr-densho-156-40)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-156-40/
Japanese Americans creating a garden (ddr-densho-156-39)
img Japanese Americans creating a garden (ddr-densho-156-39)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-156-39/
Japanese Americans creating a garden (ddr-densho-156-41)
img Japanese Americans creating a garden (ddr-densho-156-41)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-156-41/
Parade in camp (ddr-densho-156-25)
img Parade in camp (ddr-densho-156-25)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-156-25/
Japanese Americans creating a garden (ddr-densho-156-38)
img Japanese Americans creating a garden (ddr-densho-156-38)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-156-38/
Japanese Americans hiking (ddr-densho-157-55)
img Japanese Americans hiking (ddr-densho-157-55)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-55/
Music class (ddr-densho-157-7)
img Music class (ddr-densho-157-7)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-7/
Welcome gathering (ddr-densho-157-66)
img Welcome gathering (ddr-densho-157-66)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-66/
Japanese American gardening (ddr-densho-157-56)
img Japanese American gardening (ddr-densho-157-56)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-56/
Japanese Americans playing in the snow (ddr-densho-159-49)
img Japanese Americans playing in the snow (ddr-densho-159-49)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-49/
Party for silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-159-221)
img Party for silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-159-221)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-221/
Japanese Americans playing in the snow (ddr-densho-159-45)
img Japanese Americans playing in the snow (ddr-densho-159-45)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-45/
Young Buddhists Association officers (ddr-densho-159-96)
img Young Buddhists Association officers (ddr-densho-159-96)
This photograph is of the outgoing officers for 1943.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-96/
Queen contest (ddr-densho-159-70)
img Queen contest (ddr-densho-159-70)
Left to right: Fumi Sotomura, June Sato, Lucy Nakano, Yoshiko Oda, Asano Kasai.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-70/
Amache USO (ddr-densho-159-60)
img Amache USO (ddr-densho-159-60)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-60/
Party for silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-159-223)
img Party for silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-159-223)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-223/
Two Japanese Americans playing cards (ddr-densho-159-231)
img Two Japanese Americans playing cards (ddr-densho-159-231)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-231/
API