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 (1638)
Social and recreational activities (1188)

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

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1188 items

img Farewell dinner at Heart Mountain concentration camp (ddr-densho-242-22)

Caption on front: "Tom Sashikara Aug '44." Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "Heart Mountain Aug. 1944. Caption reads: 'Farewell dinner for Tom Sashikara leaving for Cleveland, OH. Guy Robertson, the camp director and Mrs. Pryne were there.' K. Hatchimonji is seen on left with his hand on his chin."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-22/

img Community Council at Heart Mountain concentration camp (ddr-densho-242-13)

Caption on front: "Second Com. Council [illegible] - July 1944." Caption by Ike Hatchimonji: "Heart Mountain, Wyoming, july 1944. Community Council. Block representatives. Kumezo Hatchimonji, block 27, back row, extreme left."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-242-13/

doc Assembly center party invitation (ddr-densho-25-75)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-25-75/

img Play staged in an internment camp (ddr-densho-64-1)

The play being performed is comic relief for a nine series adult drama. Mako Nakagawa is on the far right.

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

img Cast of a stage play (ddr-densho-64-2)

Mako Nakagawa is in the front row on the far right.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-64-2/

img Kite flying (ddr-densho-167-14)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-167-14/

img Japanese Americans ice skating (ddr-densho-167-36)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-167-36/

img Party for silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-159-229)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-229/

img Amache USO (ddr-densho-159-62)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-62/

img Party for silk screen shop workers (ddr-densho-159-225)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-225/

img Amache USO (ddr-densho-159-63)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-159-63/

img Relay race (ddr-densho-167-13)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-167-13/

doc Rohwer Young Men's Christian Association membership card (ddr-densho-167-59)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-167-59/

img Japanese Americans in a canal (ddr-densho-167-28)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-167-28/

img Japanese American man golfing (ddr-densho-157-10)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-10/

img Japanese Americans fishing (ddr-densho-157-8)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-8/

img Play in camp (ddr-densho-157-53)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-53/

img Welcome gathering (ddr-densho-157-65)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-65/

img Welcome gathering (ddr-densho-157-67)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-157-67/

img Boy Scout troop (ddr-densho-160-72)

This is Troop 179's Drum and Bugle Corps from Los Angeles.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-72/

img Camp dance (ddr-densho-160-107)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-107/

img Drum and bugle corps on parade (ddr-densho-160-76)

This is Boy Scout Troop 179 from Los Angeles.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-76/

img Boy Scout troop on parade (ddr-densho-160-81)

This is Boy Scout Troop 179 from Los Angeles.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-160-81/

img Elementary school princesses (ddr-densho-20-3)

Elementary school princesses. Left to right: Unidentified, unidentified, Miyuki Hasegawa, Julie Hikida, Marianne Okawa, Haruko Nishimura, Kazuko Noji, Frank Sato, unidentified, Harumi Iwakiri.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-20-3/

img Camp recreational ceremony (ddr-densho-20-2)

James Terada and Harumi Iwakiri.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-20-2/