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 (283)
Leaving camp (430)
Returning home (1151)

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1151 items

img Couple eating dessert (ddr-one-1-432)

Black and white photographic negative of Ruth (Komachi) Muramatsu and George Muramatsu enjoying a dessert at the end of a long table with chairs stacked up on the table.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-432/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-36)

Original black and white photographic print of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto's wedding reception. About 11 people sitting around banquet tables. Wedding party seated along back wall; from left to right: Yoichi "Jack" Nomi, Tamaye (Fujiwara) Nomi, Sam Sakamoto, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto, Keso Kuwahara, Lilly (Kobayashi) Irinaga. Rest of the guests are unidentified. For negative …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-36/

img Obon Festival (ddr-one-1-256)

Black and white photographic negative of Nobuko (Ochiai) Susaki speaking with an unidentified white woman. Man seated in far back right identified as Elmer Nishimoto. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-256/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 39 (ddr-one-1-462)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 39 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Shoreline Hotel and Anchor Inn. In the background a sign for the Blue Eagle Cafe is visible. The float is of a large rainbow with women dressed in each color sitting around the top of the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-462/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-41)

Original black and white photographic print of Bridal party standing in front of the alter. Left to right: Tamaye (Fujiwara) Nomi, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto, and Lilly (Kobayashi) Irinaga.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-41/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 19 "Newberg" (ddr-one-1-471)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 19 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. On the side of the building is an advertisement for San Juan Slacks. Five women ride on the float; one sitting on a large replica of a watermelon slice. The side of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-471/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-373)

Black and white photographic negative of four women sitting at a picnic table eating with chopsticks at a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right: Frances (Kinoshita) Mayeda, Sumi "Sue" (Kaga) Hasegawa, Mrs. Kiyomura, and Jean (Kiyomura) Tamiyasu.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-373/

img Community Picnic (ddr-one-1-375)

Black and white photographic negative of young families sitting at a picnic table enjoying a community picnic at Viking Park hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). From left to right is Dr. Toshi Hasuike, Sachiko "Sachi" Hasuike, Jeanne Hasuike, Mitsuko Hasuike, Daniel Hasuike, Arthur Hasuike and James "Jim" Hasuike.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-375/

img A Man at a Food Counter (ddr-one-1-561)

Black and white photographic negative of a man standing behind a counter. The man leans against the counter with a staircase behind him. In the background under the staircase are crates of empty soda bottles.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-561/

img Bridal Party of Wong/Okazaki wedding (ddr-one-1-130)

Original black and white photographic print of Lillian (Wong) Okazaki's bridal party preparing her veil. Bridesmaids left to right: Christine Quan, Dorothy Moe, May (Wong) Oka, and Violet (Wong) Yee.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-130/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 24 "Big Top" (ddr-one-1-134)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 24 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside W.L. Reid Company Building Hardware Specialties. The float has a circus theme with a clown riding backwards on a donkey made of brown and yellow flowers, with two women dressed in blue sitting on tight ropes, and a …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-134/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade Float (ddr-one-1-460)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade float driving down W Burnside in front of the Anchor Inn, Sailors Union of the Pacific, and the Grant Hotel. The float is made of orange and cream flowers, a woman in a pink gown stands under an arbor, and a man dressed as a caveman lays on float …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-460/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Cowgirl (ddr-one-1-481)

Color slide of a cowgirl on palomino horse. The cowgirl is dressed in a pink riding suit and waving her hat at the camera. Float with a church choir is visible in the background in front of the W.L. Reid Company. The Portland Rose Festival Parade is an annual event in which floats are made out …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-481/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-365)

Black and white photographic print of Ayame Ogimi playing ukulele for two unidentified friends in her dorm room at Reed College. Negative ONLC 3185 (ddr-one-1-367).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-365/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 34 "Saturday Nite Bath" (ddr-one-1-466)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 34 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company and White Stag Manufacturing buildings. The float depicts a bathroom, with two women- one sitting inside a bathtub made of flowers, the other sitting at a vanity holding a pink ribbon. A man's …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-466/

img Prize Table (ddr-one-1-424)

Black and white photographic negative of a large prize table at a bingo event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now know as the Oregon Buddhist Temple). Woman bent over on left side is Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka, man sitting on far right side facing camera is identified as Zenzaburo Ochiai.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-424/

img Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet (ddr-one-1-413)

Black and white photographic negative of the head table at the Northwest Buddhist Convention banquet dinner in the Seattle Buddhist Church's basement. From left to right: Reverend Tatsuya Ichikawa (from Seattle, Washington), Reverend Eiyu Terao (from Spokane, Washington), Reverend Shinjo Ikuta (from Vancouver, British Columbia), Reverend Tesshin Shibata (from White River, Washington), Reverend Akira Jotetsu Ono …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-413/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 11 "Goin' Fishin'" (ddr-one-1-475)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 11 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. On the side of the building is an advertisement for San Juan Slacks. The Grant Hotel is visible in the background. The float depicts a child using a large fishing rod made …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-475/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 31 "Portland Traction" (ddr-one-1-516)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 31 driving down SW Third Ave in front of a large crowd gathered outside a Signal gas station and San Francisco Tailor, behind the Signal gas station is the old Multnomah Hotel. The float has three mermaids seated around the front of the float, and a man dressed as …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-516/

img Buddhist Convention (ddr-one-1-336)

Black and white photographic negative of three unidentified women outside Collin's Field House in Seattle, Washington for a Buddhist convention. George Oba is coming up from behind the women. Woman on the far right is holding a program with the date Feb 29- Mar 2, 1952 written on the cover.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-336/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-14)

Original black and white photographic print of the Sorelles, a high school social group. Back Row (left to right): Elsie Okazaki, Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, Jean Matsumoto, Lillian (Niimi) Mikariya, Rose Haruye (Muramatsu) Ouchida, Kathleen “Kathie” Haruko (Matsuda) Sato, Frances (Kinoshita) Mayeda, Grace Mieko (Muramatsu) Ouchida, and Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka. Third Row: Nami (Miura) Koida, Miriam …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-14/

img Sorelles Group Photo (ddr-one-1-22)

Black and white photographic negative of the Sorelles, a high school social group. Left to right: Grace (Ebihara) Akiyama, Betty Nakashimada, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, Nami (Miura) Koida, Masae "Elsie" (Morita) Onishi, Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba, Mitsy (Kiyomura) Takeoka, Betty Ishida, Elsie Okazaki, Agnes (Inouye) Kitayama, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando, Jean Matsumoto, and …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-22/

img Dance (ddr-one-1-350)

Black and white photographic negative of unidentified couples dancing in front of large windows with blinds drawn.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-350/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-246)

Black and white photographic negative of six Obon dancers posing for the camera holding small Japanese and American flags. From left to right: Eddie Tamiyasu, Atsuko "Alice" Kida, Jean (Tsujimura) Takashima, Jean Yasuko (Kida) Tomita, Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) Ota Okazaki, Atsuko "Alice" (Matsumoto) Ando. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-246/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-233)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers performing in front of crowd. Dancer in center of image with butterflies on kimono is Phyllis Midori (Ando) Muramatsu. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider Nikkei community. This image was taken at …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-233/