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 Children at Odori (ddr-one-1-64)

Color slide of two posing children in their Odori (traditional Japanese folk dance) costumes. Second from the left is Janice (Ikata) Marks.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-64/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Cowgirl (ddr-one-1-163)

Color slide of a woman in a white western/cowgirl costume riding on the back of a palomino horse with a black saddle with silver embellishments in the Rose Festival Parade. She is posed for the camera at the intersection of W Burnside of NW First Ave, the Grant Hotel and Noon Bag Company buildings are visible …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-163/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 40 (ddr-one-1-171)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 40 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Shoreline Hotel and Cafe, and Anchor Inn. The float has a large elephant made of white flowers and three women in Arabian costumes riding up front. On the float is a small yellow sign with the number …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-171/

img Reed College (ddr-one-1-364)

Black and white photographic negative of Carlos Ogimi and other students sitting at drawing table working on an unknown project. Carlos is the first seated student on the right, everyone else is unidentified. This photographic negative was taken at Reed College where Carlos was a student. Original print ONLC 3180 (ddr-one-1-362).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-364/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- Float 27 "Motor Show 1907" (ddr-one-1-467)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 27 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company and White Stag Manufacturing. The side of the float reads "Portland Auto Dealers." Written on the front is "Motor Show 1907." A small yellow sign is placed on the front of the float …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-467/

img Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-66)

Color slide of four unidentified women in yukatas or kimonos with Japanese straw hats performing Odori (traditional Japanese folk dance) at night.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-66/

img Horse in stables (ddr-one-1-441)

Color slide of a brown horse with a large white spot on its head inside a stable that surrounded by straw. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-441/

img Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet- Kitchen (ddr-one-1-428)

Black and white photographic negative of women plating food in the kitchen of the Seattle Buddhist Church for the Northwest Buddhist Convention Banquet. Behind the stove from right to left: Irene (Yamaguchi) Tatsuta, Betty Kurimoto Yamasaki, Noriko (Ichikawa) Kurashige, and May Matsumoto, others unidentified.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-428/

img Wedding of Sam Sakamoto and Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto (ddr-one-1-34)

Original black and white photographic print of the bride, Hanaye (Fujiwara) Sakamoto, standing in front of the alter holding her bouquet.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-34/

img Obon Festival (ddr-one-1-183)

Black and white photographic negative of a large seated crowd. Obon dancers crouched on the sideline. First crouched man on left side is Nobi Saito, first seated man from left is Tom Shigeto Tamiyasu. Obon is an annual event hosted by the Oregon Buddhist Church (now known as Oregon Buddhist Temple) and attended by the wider …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-183/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- "Tom and Huck" (ddr-one-1-468)

Color slide of a Rose Festival Parade float driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd gathered outside the Noon Bag Company building. The float depicts Tom and Huckleberry Finn riding on a raft. Two boys are dressed up as the characters and wave to the crowd. The side of the float reads "University of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-468/

img Obon Festival Dance Rehearsal (ddr-one-1-308)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers rehearsing an Odori folk dance in front of a small audience inside Norse Hall. Obon dancers from left to right: Mr. Tsujimura, Dennis Kasubuchi, Masa Maekawa, Kojiro Yoshida, unidentified, and Ben Kasubuchi Jr. First row of audience: Josephine Kato, Minoru "Bob" Ando, Roberta Ando, and Sakae (Fujii) Ando. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-308/

img Ladies Bowling Team- Oregon Nisei Bowling League Photo #4 (ddr-one-1-564)

Black and white photographic negative of a Nisei women's bowling team. The team is posed on a staircase with monogrammed shirts. From left to right: Yoko (Hishikawa) Iwata, Takako Inukai, Toshi (Tamiyasu) Fukuhara, Kathleen Sasaki, and Sachi (Nakata) Nakashima. Original print ONLC 3430.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-564/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-282)

Black and white photographic negative of two unidentified women at Obon posing for the camera. 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-1-282/

img Young Buddhist League Convention Queen (ddr-one-1-25)

Black and white photographic print of the Fourth Annual Northwest Young Buddhist League's Convection Queen: Mary (Nakata) Fujii of Portland, Oregon. She is dressed in a dark formal gown, wearing a jeweled tiara and velvet robe. The photograph was found in Frank Hirahara's memorabilia of his time in Portland.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-25/

img Obon Festival- Dancer (ddr-one-1-249)

Black and white photographic negative of Shizuko "Shiz" (Ochiai) Ota Okazaki smiling for the camera in front of crowd during Obon. 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-1-249/

img Obon Festival- Dancers (ddr-one-1-244)

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-1-244/

img Roses (ddr-one-1-522)

Color slide of red rose bush. Image was most likely taken at the Rose Test Garden in Washington Park. According to donor processed on June 14, 1964.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-522/

img Portland Rose Festival Parade- float 29 "Sears" (ddr-one-1-532)

Color slide of Rose Festival Parade float 29 driving down W Burnside in front of a crowd outside the Blue Eagle Café on the corner of NW Second Ave. The float has a carriage made of white flowers with a red trim and purple wheels. The carriage is pulled by a horse made of white flowers. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-532/

img Horse outside (ddr-one-1-446)

Color slide of a brown horse with a blonde mane outside with a rope tied around its muzzle. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-446/

img Obon Festival- Odori folk dance (ddr-one-1-216)

Black and white photographic negative of Obon dancers holding small Japanese flags performing before a crowd. Second Obon dancer from the left: Shig Yuzuriha. Third Obon dancer from the left: Nobyo Sato. 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-1-216/

img Roses (ddr-one-1-487)

Color slide of a red rose bush, in background white roses are visible. According to donor processed on July 3, 1952.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-487/

img Registration for Northwest Methodist Rally (ddr-one-1-85)

Black and white photographic negative of the registration table for the Northwest Methodist Rally. From left to right: Toyse "Toy" Miura, Ko Tambara, Nami (Miura) Koida, and George Nakata.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-85/

img Sorelles Beach Outing (ddr-one-1-400)

Black and white photographic negative of Lillian (Niimi) Mikariya (right) sunbathing at the Oregon Coast with an unidentified Nisei. Behind them is Beti ann (Minamoto) Wantroba playing with a beach ball at a beach outing planned by the Sorrelles (a high school social group).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-400/

img Corral (ddr-one-1-450)

Color slide of three horses laying down inside a wooden corral. According to donor processed on June 20, 1951.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-one-1-450/