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 (277)
Concentration camps (1771)
Social and recreational activities (1230)

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

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1230 items

doc Takeharu Inouye Diary (ddr-densho-365-2)

In the second diary he kept in the camp at Tule Lake, Takeharu Inouye recounts his struggles with education and the boredom resulting from few recreational opportunities. Though he participated in several baseball games with his classmates, Takeharu spent the majority of his free time attending the movie showings that occurred daily or weekly throughout the …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-365-2/

doc Takeharu Inouye Diary (ddr-densho-365-3)

In the final diary that Takeharu Inouye kept during his internment at Tule Lake, he includes descriptions of the movies he went to see daily, which served as his primary form of recreation. Takeharu also describes his feelings over succeeding and failing in his high school classes, since his friends would cheat off of his work, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-365-3/

img Group of boys with model planes (ddr-densho-434-360)

Caption: Topaz Vultures

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-434-360/

img Group leaning on railing (ddr-densho-493-78)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic The woman in front of the group is Frances (Itabashi) Nishimura.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-78/

doc Aquila 1943 (ddr-densho-493-39)

First edition of the Aquila, yearbook of Tri-State High School at the Tule Lake facility in Newell, California. The book includes a roster of all students, photos of the classes and clubs (including Zoology Club, Needle Arts Club, Tri-State Thespians, glee clubs, and others), names and photos of faculty and staff, and a written history of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-39/

doc Valentine Dance Invitation (ddr-densho-493-69)

Invitation to dance

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-69/

img Shiz (Hamatani) Sugioka and Frances (Itabashi) Nakamura (ddr-densho-493-85)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-85/

doc Letter to Frances (Itabashi) Nishimura from Mary Sakai (ddr-densho-493-24)

Letter from Mary Sakai thanking Frances for her modeling and the use of her clothing in a fashion show at Tule Lake. "Dear Frances, Your splendid cooperation in our successful fashion parade was very deeply appreciated by me and my fellow committee members. Thank you kindly for lending us your lovely collections, and I hope everything …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-24/

img Group picnic (ddr-densho-493-84)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-84/

img Woman at picnic (ddr-densho-493-83)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-83/

img Martha Murata at picnic (ddr-densho-493-79)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-79/

img Two people at a picnic with barracks in background (ddr-densho-493-63)

Caption below photo: May 1944 12E Picnic Amache The woman whose face can be seen is Frances (Itabashi) Nishimura.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-63/

img Woman at picnic (ddr-densho-493-82)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-82/

img Two women at a picnic (ddr-densho-493-87)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-87/

img Martha Murata and unknown woman at picnic (ddr-densho-493-80)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-80/

img Group of woman at a picnic (ddr-densho-493-77)

Per donor note on previous page: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-77/

img Group picnic (ddr-densho-493-88)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-88/

img Shiz (Shizuye Hamatani Sugioka) (ddr-densho-493-86)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-86/

img Hanaye Noda leaning against wall (ddr-densho-493-81)

Per donor note on page 29: Amache Warehouse workers at a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-81/

img Group of women at a picnic (ddr-densho-493-76)

Per donor note: workers from the Warehouse on a picnic

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-493-76/

img Group at a Buddhist's picnic (ddr-densho-518-86)

Written next to photograph in scrapbook: Buddists [sic] Picnics, Sat. Hirata, Kats Abe, Dick Kuwata, Hank Ozawa, Wieney, Yochari, Harry, Tsu Nakashima, Roy Izumi.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-518-86/

img At a Buddhist's picnic (ddr-densho-518-85)

Written next to photograph in scrapbook: Buddists [sic] Picnics, Lily Morinaga, Nobi Ochiai, Ayako Yamanaka, Yoshito.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-518-85/

img Darts at a Buddhist's carnival (ddr-densho-518-84)

Written next to photograph in scrapbook: Buddist's [sic] Carnival, [left to right] Tomio Hamasaki, Hank Ozawa, Jim Koga.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-518-84/

img Bingo at a Buddhist's carnival (ddr-densho-518-83)

Written next to photograph in scrapbook: Buddist's [sic] Carnival, May Morinaga [standing at microphone], Kari [standing on right].

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-518-83/

doc Sentinel supplement, series 67 (May 11, 1943) (ddr-csujad-55-1053)

News bulletin for incarcerees covering announcements, events, programs, policies, recreational activities, and jobs at Heart Mountain incarceration camp. Current issue includes information on employment, civil service examination, training courses, and sports briefs. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1055

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1053/