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
Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1005-1-20)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1005-1-20)
Passing time in camp: crafts, gardening

Eiichi Edward Sakauye shot footage of the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming, from 1943-1945, on 8 mm film. This interview is of Mr. Sakauye providing voice-over descriptions for his original footage.

Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1005-1-16)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1005-1-16)
Activities in camp: gardening, baseball

Eiichi Edward Sakauye shot footage of the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming, from 1943-1945, on 8 mm film. This interview is of Mr. Sakauye providing voice-over descriptions for his original footage.

Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1005-1-8)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1005-1-8)
Cultivating a flower garden

Eiichi Edward Sakauye shot footage of the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming, from 1943-1945, on 8 mm film. This interview is of Mr. Sakauye providing voice-over descriptions for his original footage.

Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1005-1-3)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1005-1-3)
Homemade ice skating rink in camp

Eiichi Edward Sakauye shot footage of the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming, from 1943-1945, on 8 mm film. This interview is of Mr. Sakauye providing voice-over descriptions for his original footage.

Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1005-1-23)
vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1005-1-23)
Cultural performances in camp

Eiichi Edward Sakauye shot footage of the Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming, from 1943-1945, on 8 mm film. This interview is of Mr. Sakauye providing voice-over descriptions for his original footage.

Shig Yabu Interview Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1011-10-4)
vh Shig Yabu Interview Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1011-10-4)
Recreational activities in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Shig Yabu Interview Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1011-10-7)
vh Shig Yabu Interview Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1011-10-7)
Participating in Boy Scouts in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Shig Yabu Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1011-10-11)
vh Shig Yabu Interview Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1011-10-11)
Adopting a pet bird in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Shig Yabu Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1011-10-5)
vh Shig Yabu Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1011-10-5)
Movies and sports in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Bill Shishima Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1011-1-5)
vh Bill Shishima Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1011-1-5)
Participating in Boy Scout activities in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Nobu Shimokochi Interview Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1011-7-6)
vh Nobu Shimokochi Interview Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1011-7-6)
Visiting Yellowstone National Park on a Boy Scout trip

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the …

Roy Doi Interview Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1011-5-4)
vh Roy Doi Interview Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1011-5-4)
Recreational activities in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

Kazuo Shiroyama Interview Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1011-6-6)
vh Kazuo Shiroyama Interview Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1011-6-6)
Participating in the Boy Scouts in camp

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

An oral history with Frank S. Emi - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-68-1)
vh An oral history with Frank S. Emi - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-68-1)
An oral interview with Frank S. Emi, civil rights activist and leading figure of the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Audio is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0169. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3734_F01
An Oral History with Sumiye Takeno, Part II - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-60-1)
vh An Oral History with Sumiye Takeno, Part II - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-60-1)
An oral history with Sumiye Takeno, a current resident of Denver, Colorado. This interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The purpose of this interview was to gather information regarding Takeno's incarceration and resettlement experience during World War II. Specifically, the interview covers her childhood in Florin, California, …
An oral history with Sue Kunitomi Embrey - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-64-1)
vh An oral history with Sue Kunitomi Embrey - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-64-1)
An oral interview with Sue Kunitomi Embrey, an activist, educator, writer and longtime chair of the Manzanar Committee. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcription is found in the item: csufccop_jaoh_0140. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 2426_T01
An oral history with Togo Tanaka - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-62-1)
vh An oral history with Togo Tanaka - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-62-1)
An oral interview with Togo Tanaka, newspaper editor, documentary historian, and businessman who was incarcerated at the Manzanar camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcription is found in the item: csufccop_jaoh_0104. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1271.3_T01
An oral history with Joe Yamakido - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-67-1)
vh An oral history with Joe Yamakido - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-67-1)
An oral interview with Joe Yamakido, an incarceree at the Santa Anita Assembly Center and the Jerome incarceration camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0168. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 3733_T01
An Oral History with Norman Y. Mineta - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-55-1)
vh An Oral History with Norman Y. Mineta - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-55-1)
Japanese American congressman, representing the Thirteenth Congressional District of California, born and raised in San Jose, California, discusses his early life, graduation from the University of California, Berkeley, and receiving a commission and serving in the armed forces from 1953-1956. Recalls the removal, "relocation," and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II at the Heart …
An Oral History with Sumiye Takeno, Part I - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-59-1)
vh An Oral History with Sumiye Takeno, Part I - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-59-1)
An oral history with Sumiye Takeno, a current resident of Denver, Colorado. This interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. The purpose of this interview was to gather information regarding Takeno's incarceration and resettlement experience during World War II. Specifically, the interview covers her childhood in Florin, California, …
An oral history with Togo Tanaka - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-61-1)
vh An oral history with Togo Tanaka - Segment 1 (ddr-csujad-29-61-1)
An oral interview with Togo Tanaka, newspaper editor, documentary historian, and businessman who was incarcerated at the Manzanar camp. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcription is found in the item: csufccop_jaoh_0102. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1271.1_T01
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