Kibei

Kibei is the term for the generation of Nisei born in the U.S. but sent to Japan for education. When in Japan, the Kibei lived with grandparents or other relatives while their parents remained in the U.S. to work. Kibei often struggled to fit in both in Japan, where they were viewed as outsiders, and the U.S., where they were considered "too Japanese" by their Nisei peers. Because of their knowledge of both cultures and languages, the Kibei in particular were targeted by the government as "disloyal" during World War II. Ironically, the Kibei were heavily recruited for the Military Intelligence Service because of their linguistic abilities.

Identity and values (192)
Kibei (467)

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467 items

av Interview with Takeshi Kameoka, (audio) (ddr-csujad-56-2)

Sonoma County resident Takeshi Kameoka was interviewed on April 15, 1978, by a Sonoma State University student for the North Bay Ethnic Archive Project. He talks about early life, moving to Japan with his family following father's death, returning to US and taking up vegetable farming. Discusses church as center of Japanese American community. See this …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-56-2/

doc Memo from the office of John J. McCloy (ddr-densho-67-58)

Memo from the office of John J. McCloy to an unknown recipient regarding transfer of Hawaiian Kibei to Tule Lake. Author states that Kibei cannot be transferred due to lack of facilities and the fear that the Kibei will add to a growing militant section of internees. This would be problematic because the Japanese military might …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-67-58/

doc Message to John J. McCloy (ddr-densho-67-57)

Message from unknown source to John J. McCloy on Kibei in Hawaii. Discusses the professed loyalty or disloyalty to the U.S. of the Kibei - author states that all Kibei are probably disloyal. Requests transfer of interned, "loyal" Hawaiian Kibei to mainland camps because if those loyal Kibei filed a writ of habeas corpus in Hawaii, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-67-57/

doc Memo to John J. McCloy regarding Kibei in Hawaii (ddr-densho-67-59)

Memo to John McCloy from unknown source regarding Hawaiian Kibei parolees. The author states that he had been paroling Kibei considered least dangerous and monitoring them as an alternative to transfering them to the mainland. This process only applied to a tiny population so the military would not be accused of "relaxing their vigilence." Author also …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-67-59/

img Siblings (ddr-densho-107-27)

All of Roy Matsumoto's siblings were born in the United States, but went to live in Japan. Left to right: (in chronological order) Takeshi, Tsutomu, Noboru, Harue, Isao, and Shizue.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-107-27/

img School photo (ddr-densho-321-924)

Caption in album: "Good Ol' School Days / Kiku Fujii's class in Hakata, / Fukuoka, Japan / 1913-1921."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-924/

img High school class photo (ddr-densho-321-925)

Caption in album: "'High School.'"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-925/

img Family traveling back to Japan (ddr-densho-321-919)

Caption in album: "Mom leaving for Japan / Kiku / Born: Napa, California / 1907 / Spent 10 years in / Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-321-919/

doc National Archives letter (ddr-densho-314-9)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-314-9/

img Yoshiko Tsubota Tsujihara (ddr-densho-252-35)

A young woman in a kimono. Caption on Post-it: "Yoshiko Tsubota Tsujihara (Kibei)."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-252-35/

img Family (ddr-densho-258-97)

Family posing outside, multiple generations, with a young man in a military uniform. Caption below: "Yukio, Shiz, Hanako, & Akira Aramaki." Inscription: "Dear One-san, Love Hanako."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-97/

img Picnic with Takedas (ddr-densho-258-4)

Family sitting outside. Caption above and on photo: "Picnic with Takedas, Mom, Jo, Ernie."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-4/

img Young people's church gathering (ddr-densho-259-282)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Some sort of young Nisei gathering taken in front of the Hood River Riverside Church, a Congregational church Since both the Reverends Lester Bond, the then-pastor at Riverside, and Taro Goto are shown, I figure that this was some sort of a young peoples' church gathering, mostly likely a YPCC [Young People's …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-282/

img Two young Nisei men (ddr-densho-259-215)

Kay Yasui with an unidentified young man.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-215/

img Young People's Christian Conference (ddr-densho-259-288)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Posed group photo of many young Nisei This surely must have been another YPCC gathering this conference likely took place at a church in Portland."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-288/

img Young People's Christian Conference (ddr-densho-259-287)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A sectional Young People's Christian Conference (YPCC) which was held in Yakima, WA, February 23, 1935."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-287/

img Nisei girls wearing kimono (ddr-densho-259-222)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Michi and Yuka [Yasui] are standing and the parasol is folded."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-222/

img Nisei girls wearing kimono (ddr-densho-259-223)

Michi and Yuka Yasui wearing kimono and posed with a parasol.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-223/

img Nisei girls wearing kimono (ddr-densho-259-221)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Yuka and Michi [Yasui] sitting, and wearing kimono. Michi is holding a cloth parasol. This is a very cute picture, and I'd guess that Yuka was around 3 years old then."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-221/

img Young People's Christian Conference (ddr-densho-259-296)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Posed group photo of another YPCC [Young People's Christian Conference], this time at the Centenary-Wilbur Church which was on the eastside of Portland." Caption on front of photograph: "Fourth Oregon Sectional Y.P.C.C. Centenary - Wilbur Church, Portland, Oregon, March 28-29, 1936."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-296/

img "Girls from Dee" (ddr-densho-259-272)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Five Nisei girls who lived in Dee [Oregon]. This picture was taken on the south side of the old Dee Japanese Community Hall. I can identify Mikie Kageyama and Hannah Kinoshita but I don't recognize the other three."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-272/

img Portrait of a Nisei boy (ddr-densho-259-259)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Young Nisei boy wearing a necktie and a pullover sweater. This was 'George' Yutaka Iwasa, the only child of Inosuke and Haruye Iwasa. They lived in the Belmont district of Hood River."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-259/

img "The Hood River Japanese Methodist Church Camp" (ddr-densho-259-285)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "The Hood River Japanese Methodist Church Camp at Tilly Jane Campground in the Mount Hood National Forest We actually camped out in tents then, and the supplies had to be hauled across the Tilly Jane Creek canyon on a cable car [This picture] includes Raymond Hiroshige (a U of O college classmate …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-285/

img Nikkei children on a farm (ddr-densho-259-273)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Nikkei children at the Mosier farm Front row, [left to right]: Kingo Kanemasu; I think a Kajita boy; Shigenobu Yamaki; Takaaki Yasui; I think another Kajita boy; 3 unidentified girls in a row; Shizue Yasui; Reverend Isaac Inouye. Second & back rows: Mr. Hatsutaro Kajita; Michi Yasui (looking over Yakaaki Yasui's shoulder); …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-273/

img Young People's Christian Conference (photocopy) (ddr-densho-259-286)

Photocopy. Caption by Homer Yasui: "Posed group photo of many young Nisei This surely must have been another YPCC gathering this conference likely took place at a church in Portland."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-286/