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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 (283)
Concentration camps (2078)
Social and recreational activities (1262)

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

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1262 items
Couple dancing (ddr-manz-10-51)
img Couple dancing (ddr-manz-10-51)
Original caption: "Rosie Maruki, George Shiba, waltz contest winners."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-51/
Couple standing in a firebreak (ddr-manz-10-11)
img Couple standing in a firebreak (ddr-manz-10-11)
Original caption: "Nancy & Roy Takeda."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-11/
Modernaires (ddr-manz-10-61)
img Modernaires (ddr-manz-10-61)
Original caption: "Standing: Rosie Maruki, Reiko Ando, Tosh Morishita, Terry Arita, Tak Ando, Kaz Nishimoto, Tosh Nakadaira, Kiyo Tanuki, Lucy Aoki, Suzanne Anzai, Iris Akiyama. Seated: Chickie Hiraoka, Fumi Matsuzawa, Duchess Takeuchi, Advisor Misuko Nakamura, Mary Kageyama, Irene Kusayanagi."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-61/
Group of women in front of a car (ddr-manz-10-1)
img Group of women in front of a car (ddr-manz-10-1)
Original caption: "Gazelles 1942. Teruko Kuwata, Kimi Okubo, Pee Wee Kusunoki, Fujiko Takahashi, Grace. Front - Nellie Lujan, Florence Nemoto, Rosie Maruki, Heme Hashimoto."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-1/
Young people sitting on a hillside (ddr-manz-10-3)
img Young people sitting on a hillside (ddr-manz-10-3)
Original caption: "Gazelles 1942."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-3/
Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-10)
img Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-10)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-10/
Roughnecks club photograph (ddr-manz-10-16)
img Roughnecks club photograph (ddr-manz-10-16)
Original caption: "Roughnecks asfter slumber party. Manzanar 1944."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-16/
Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-12)
img Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-12)
Original caption: "Chiyo Takeda, Chickie Shiba, Grace, Aki Sakamoto, Nutsie Fujimoto, Nancy Takeda, Wes Kanegae."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-12/
People at a gathering (ddr-manz-10-53)
img People at a gathering (ddr-manz-10-53)
Man on the right: Lou Frizzell
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-53/
Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-13)
img Calico Cats club photograph (ddr-manz-10-13)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-13/
Group of women in front of a car (ddr-manz-10-2)
img Group of women in front of a car (ddr-manz-10-2)
Original caption: "Gazelles 1942."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-10-2/
Musical Revue program (ddr-manz-9-8)
doc Musical Revue program (ddr-manz-9-8)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-9-8/
Calico Cats (ddr-manz-6-62)
img Calico Cats (ddr-manz-6-62)
Original caption: "Chiyo Takeda, Chickie Shiba, Grace Aki Sakamoto, Nutsie Fujimoto, Nancy Kanegai."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-6-62/
Manzanar roughnecks after slumber party (ddr-manz-6-35)
img Manzanar roughnecks after slumber party (ddr-manz-6-35)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-6-35/
Group of young women (ddr-manz-6-38)
img Group of young women (ddr-manz-6-38)
The group is preparing to dunk Ruby Nakamura in the water.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-6-38/
Cosmetology Club (ddr-manz-6-61)
img Cosmetology Club (ddr-manz-6-61)
Original caption: "Back row: 1. Hideko Ohashi, 2. Mari Kakoi; 3. Amy Miyamoto, 4. Sadaye Akemoto, 5. Kazuko Nagai, 6. Hideko Minabe, 7. Tomi Isago, 8. Katie Inouye, 9. Diane Tani, 10. Masako Kurokawa; Middle row: 11. Lillian Uyemura, 12. Mary Hirabara, 13. Duchess Takeuchi, 14. Miss Dorothy Yamamoto, 15. Rikoko Nakamura, 16. Masako Matsuo, 17. …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-6-61/
Queen and her court (ddr-manz-6-56)
img Queen and her court (ddr-manz-6-56)
Original caption: "Her Majesty Haru Ogawa. Attendants: Kiyo Nishi, Riyo Yano, Virgie Kikuta, Yuri Yamazaki."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-6-56/
Calico Cats (ddr-manz-6-63)
img Calico Cats (ddr-manz-6-63)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-6-63/
Group of children dressed as pirates (ddr-manz-7-8)
img Group of children dressed as pirates (ddr-manz-7-8)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-8/
Three people playing in the snow (ddr-manz-7-76)
img Three people playing in the snow (ddr-manz-7-76)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-76/
Children playing in front of barracks (ddr-manz-7-4)
img Children playing in front of barracks (ddr-manz-7-4)
Caption on reverse: "Reiko, Naomi, Akiko, Molly, Emmy."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-4/
People on skis (ddr-manz-7-80)
img People on skis (ddr-manz-7-80)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-80/
Boys playing with a ball in front of barracks (ddr-manz-7-31)
img Boys playing with a ball in front of barracks (ddr-manz-7-31)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-31/
Two girls playing with a ball (ddr-manz-7-24)
img Two girls playing with a ball (ddr-manz-7-24)
Caption on reverse: "Naomi, Akiko, Milly, Emmy, Alice."
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-24/
Women and an igloo (ddr-manz-7-86)
img Women and an igloo (ddr-manz-7-86)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-7-86/
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