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

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1155 items

img Nisei man standing next to carnival game (ddr-csujad-44-53)

A photograph of a Nisei man incarcerated at Tule Lake, California. He is standing next to a homemade carnival game consisting of a hoop with strings attached on top of a pole. A sign behind the man reads "goal-hi." Groups of people are walking past the man. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-44-53/

img Outdoor stage at the Gila River incarceration camp (ddr-csujad-42-221)

Photographed are audiences and an outdoor stage at the Gila River incarceration camp. The caption reads: Outdoor stage at the Gila River incarceration camp. Title from caption. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_02_06_003

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-221/

img Gila River Co-op workers' picnic (ddr-csujad-42-231)

A group photo of the Gila River Co-op workers. It was taken during the picnic. The handwritten note on the back side reads: Co-op worker's picnic, Feb. 1944. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tak_02_07_001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-42-231/

doc Letter from Makoto Okine to Mr. Okine, June 28, 1945 (ddr-csujad-5-82)

A letter from Makoto Okine in Lecce, Italy to his father, Seiichi Okine, in the Rohwer incarceration camp in Arkansas. It is mailed via New York by the US Army Postal Service. In the letter, Makoto assumes that not many people participate in the bonodori event in the camp this time because many of the young …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-82/

img Alan Ladd, Sue Carroll [Carrol], and Bill Kato [with an injured man] (ddr-csujad-56-313)

Two injured men, including Bill Kato, play cards, while Alan Ladd and Sue Carol look on. Taken at Fitzsimmons General Hospital. Handwritten text on back of photo reads, "Taken at Fitz. Gen. on Dec. 12, 1944, including Alan Ladd, Sue Carroll and Bill Kato." The original image is housed with the Sonoma County Japanese American Citizens …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-313/

doc Satoshi Kuwamoto interview (ddr-csujad-6-17)

Oral history interview with Satoshi Kuwamoto. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_KUWAMOTO_SATOSHI

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-17/

doc Ruth Okuye Ihara interview (ddr-csujad-6-8)

Oral history interview with Ruth Okuye Ihara. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_IHARA_RUTH

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-8/

doc Amache summer carnival program (ddr-csujad-7-18)

Program listing events and showing locations for a carnival put on by the incarcerees at Amache. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_Amache Summer Carnival

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-7-18/

doc Granada Christian Church Sunday School news, 1942 (ddr-csujad-7-21)

Newsletter put out by the Granada Christian Church for it's congregation. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_Granada Christian Church Sunday School News

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-7-21/

doc Song lyrics (ddr-csujad-7-31)

Several pages of well known popular song lyrics from the era. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_Song Lyrics

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-7-31/

doc Rhythm show program (ddr-csujad-7-30)

Program for a play/concert put on by high school students at Amache. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMLSC_Rhythm Show Program

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-7-30/

doc Saka Tanaka (ddr-csujad-8-73)

Oral history interview with Saka Tanaka. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Tanaka, Saka

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-73/

doc Kazuye Matsunaga (ddr-csujad-8-38)

Oral history interview with Kazuye [Kazue] Matsunaga. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Matsunaga, Kazuye

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-8-38/

doc Written piece: "Halloween Dance" (ddr-densho-102-29)

This piece was written by Kara Kondo, and is part of a series titled "Sketches from Evacuation."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-102-29/

img USO (ddr-densho-102-24)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-102-24/

img Recreation department staff (ddr-densho-111-3)

Staff of Tule Lake concentration camp's recreation department. They are sitting on a stage platform which was built in a firebreak, and used for various performances. Second row from front, ninth from left is Harry Mayeda, the Recreation Department Director. Elaine Ishikawa Hayes is in the third row, sixth from left.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-111-3/