Preserving California's Japantowns Collection

ddr-densho-1010

This collection consists of interviews conducted in partnership with Preserving California's Japantowns, a project of California Japanese American Community Leadership Council (CJACLC), dedicated to documenting historic resources from pre-World War II Japantowns.

For more information about the project, please visit www.californiajapantowns.org.

Funding for these interviews was provided by a grant from the California State Library through the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program.

2009-2012

2009-2012

17 oral history interviews

Densho

Courtesy of the Preserving California's Japantowns Collection

17 Objects

Louie Watanabe Interview (ddr-densho-1010-1)
vh Louie Watanabe Interview (ddr-densho-1010-1)
Nisei male. Born August 22, 1925, in Walnut Grove, California. Grew up in Walnut Grove, where parents owned and operated a restaurant and rooming house. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Merced Assembly Center, California, and Granada concentration camp, Colorado. Left camp for Chicago, Illinois, and worked in various places, including Colorado Springs …
Betty Fujimoto Kashiwagi Interview (ddr-densho-1010-2)
vh Betty Fujimoto Kashiwagi Interview (ddr-densho-1010-2)
Nisei female. Born February 9, 1929, in Isleton, California. Grew up in Isleton where parents operated a boarding house. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Sacramento Assembly Center and Tule Lake concentration camp, California. In 1943, transferred to the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas, then, when that camp closed, to the Rohwer concentration camp, …
Walter N. Matsuoka Interview (ddr-densho-1010-3)
vh Walter N. Matsuoka Interview (ddr-densho-1010-3)
Nisei male. Born September 25, 1926, in Walnut Grove, California. Grew up in Walnut Grove, where father owned and operator a shoe sales and repair business. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Merced Assembly Center, California, and the Granada concentration camp, Colorado. After the war, returned to Walnut Grove. Was drafted and served …
Kiyo Nikaido Morimoto Interview (ddr-densho-1010-4)
vh Kiyo Nikaido Morimoto Interview (ddr-densho-1010-4)
Nisei female. Born November 30, 1919, in Walnut Grove, California. Paternal grandparents immigrated to the United States with father. Grew up in the Madera, California, area, and was married with a child by the time World War II broke out in 1941. During the war, removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration …
David Matsuoka Interview (ddr-densho-1010-5)
vh David Matsuoka Interview (ddr-densho-1010-5)
Nisei male. Born December 21, 1929, in Walnut Grove, California. Grew up in Walnut Grove where father owned and operator a shoe sales and repair business. During World War II, removed with family to the Merced Assembly Center, California, and Granada concentration camp, Colorado. Returned to California as a high school student.

(This material is based …

Eddie M. Inaba Interview (ddr-densho-1010-6)
vh Eddie M. Inaba Interview (ddr-densho-1010-6)
Nisei male. Born May 9, 1917, in Walnut Grove, California. Parents worked at Canal Ranch, an agricultural community, where they grew produce for Libby, McNeill & Libby. Parents also owned and ran a bar in Walnut Grove. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, removed to the Merced Assembly Center, California, and Granada (Amache) concentration camp, Colorado. …
Sat Kuwamoto Interview (ddr-densho-1010-7)
vh Sat Kuwamoto Interview (ddr-densho-1010-7)
Nisei male. Born February 25, 1922, in Fresno, California. Grew up in Fresno, where parents ran several retail stores. During World War II, removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Gila River concentration camp, Arizona. After leaving camp, graduated from the Missouri School of Mines. Returned to Fresno after World War II.

(This material …

Kenji Maruko Interview (ddr-densho-1010-8)
vh Kenji Maruko Interview (ddr-densho-1010-8)
Sansei male. Born December 13, 1920, in Fresno, California. Father was born in Hawaii, mother was born in Japan. Grew up in Fresno, where parents ran a successful bicycle shop and general store. During World War II, removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. Signed "no-no" on the so-called "loyalty …
Rose Nakagawa Interview (ddr-densho-1010-9)
vh Rose Nakagawa Interview (ddr-densho-1010-9)
Nisei female. Born May 7, 1915, in Auburn, Washington. Mother died at a young age, and was adopted by aunt and her family. Grew up in Washington state before moving to Fresno, California. Married and had a child before World War II, then removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. After …
Nori Masuda Interview (ddr-densho-1010-10)
vh Nori Masuda Interview (ddr-densho-1010-10)
Nisei male. Born September 11, 1916, in Fresno, California. Grew up in Fresno in Chinatown, where the city's Chinese and Japanese communities were concentrated. During World War II, removed to the Fresno Assembly Center, California, and the Jerome concentration camp, Arkansas. Left camp to work for Seabrook Farms, New Jersey. Enlisted in the military and served …

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