1. Topics

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

Filters

Facilities
Format
Genre
Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

1262 items
Six people sitting on ground at picnic (ddr-densho-464-53)
img Six people sitting on ground at picnic (ddr-densho-464-53)
Inscription on front: Asano putting pigtail on Mr. Kubo
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-464-53/
Two women and a man picknicking by river (ddr-densho-464-36)
img Two women and a man picknicking by river (ddr-densho-464-36)
Inscription on front: 1944 / Shoshone
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-464-36/
Group picnicking by river (ddr-densho-464-30)
img Group picnicking by river (ddr-densho-464-30)
Inscription on front: Shoshone River / 1944
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-464-30/
Group at picnic (ddr-densho-464-42)
img Group at picnic (ddr-densho-464-42)
Inscription on front: Mess Hall Picnic / 1944
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-464-42/
Group of dancing couples seen from above (ddr-densho-464-93)
img Group of dancing couples seen from above (ddr-densho-464-93)
Inscription on front: Coronation[?] Ball / 1944 / Ora[?] and Mae Inouye
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-464-93/
Keynote address by Bob H. Suzuki for Nisei Honorary Degree Ceremony (ddr-densho-446-363)
doc Keynote address by Bob H. Suzuki for Nisei Honorary Degree Ceremony (ddr-densho-446-363)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-363/
Letter from Joseph Ishikawa to Eva (ddr-densho-468-99)
doc Letter from Joseph Ishikawa to Eva (ddr-densho-468-99)
Letter written from Granada (Amache) describing life in the concentration camp compared to Santa Anita.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-99/
Book of 70th Anniversary of Japanese Congregational Church (ddr-densho-446-455)
doc Book of 70th Anniversary of Japanese Congregational Church (ddr-densho-446-455)
The Japanese Congregational Church's 70th Anniversary coincided with the 100th Anniversary of the Japanese Christian Mission in North America. This book traces the history of JCC within the larger setting of national and local events, and some of the photos and narratives may be of interest. Ai Chih Tsai was pastor at JCC from 1948 to …
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-455/
Oral Memoirs of Joseph Ishikawa (ddr-densho-468-94)
doc Oral Memoirs of Joseph Ishikawa (ddr-densho-468-94)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-94/
Kubota Family Album (ddr-densho-471-1)
img Kubota Family Album (ddr-densho-471-1)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-471-1/
Five girls performing (ddr-densho-475-228)
img Five girls performing (ddr-densho-475-228)
Black and white photograph of five unidentified teen girls singing into a microphone. Several rows of men are seated behind them with an American flag on the wall.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-475-228/
Five girls performing (ddr-densho-475-227)
img Five girls performing (ddr-densho-475-227)
Black and white photograph of five unidentified teen girls singing into a microphone. Several rows of men are seated behind them with an American flag on the wall.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-475-227/
People reading near a canal (ddr-densho-475-285)
img People reading near a canal (ddr-densho-475-285)
Black and white photograph of young men reading on crudely constructed benches along the edge of a canal.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-475-285/
Boy reading on the shore of a canal (ddr-densho-475-286)
img Boy reading on the shore of a canal (ddr-densho-475-286)
Black and white photograph of a boy reading on the shore of a canal.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-475-286/
Invitation and dance card for Dance
doc Invitation and dance card for Dance "Spring Frolic" (ddr-densho-484-20)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-484-20/
Children working (ddr-hmwf-1-279)
img Children working (ddr-hmwf-1-279)
"2 children working on cleaning shoes on front steps" Identified as Yasuko Ideishi (left) and Mitsuru Ideishi (right)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-hmwf-1-279/
Children working (ddr-hmwf-1-281)
img Children working (ddr-hmwf-1-281)
"2 children working on cleaning shoes on front steps" Identified as Yasuko Ideishi (left) and Mitsuru Ideishi (right).
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-hmwf-1-281/
Tomoye Takahashi's 1943 diary from Topaz (ddr-densho-410-568)
doc Tomoye Takahashi's 1943 diary from Topaz (ddr-densho-410-568)
Written on 1943 planner/calendar book from Buckbee Thorne Real Estate. Containing descriptions of camp life, her work on the Topaz Times women's page, sewing projects, meetings and social events, visitors and family news. Blank from March 27 to December 31 (blank pages not processed) except for four pages of names and contact information at back
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-568/
Tailoring class at Poston (ddr-densho-427-5)
img Tailoring class at Poston (ddr-densho-427-5)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-5/
Tailoring a suit jacket (ddr-densho-427-3)
img Tailoring a suit jacket (ddr-densho-427-3)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-3/
Tailoring class at Poston (ddr-densho-427-2)
img Tailoring class at Poston (ddr-densho-427-2)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-2/
Group in front of the tailoring center at Poston (ddr-densho-427-1)
img Group in front of the tailoring center at Poston (ddr-densho-427-1)
A group of women and one man at the tailoring center in Poston concentration camp pose outside of recreation hall block 35.
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-1/
Tailoring exhibit at Poston (ddr-densho-427-8)
img Tailoring exhibit at Poston (ddr-densho-427-8)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-8/
Tailoring class at Poston (ddr-densho-427-4)
img Tailoring class at Poston (ddr-densho-427-4)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-4/
Tailoring exhibit at Poston (ddr-densho-427-7)
img Tailoring exhibit at Poston (ddr-densho-427-7)
https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-427-7/
API