Living conditions

All of the camps were constructed according to the War Department's specifications, which included barbed-wire fences, guard towers, and armed guards around the perimeter. The camps were organized in "blocks" consisting of twelve to fourteen barracks, a mess hall, communal showers and toilets, laundry facilities, and a recreation hall. Each barracks was divided into four or six rooms with each room housing one family, no matter how large, and there was no running water. The furnishings that Japanese Americans found on their arrival were canvas cots, a potbellied stove, and a single bare light bulb. The thin walls offered little protection from the harsh weather, which ranged from 110 degrees in the summer to 25 degrees below zero on winter nights. The flimsy construction allowed no privacy and made normal family life difficult. Camp inmates improved their own living conditions by creating interior walls and partitions, constructing furniture from scrap lumber, and planting gardens.

World War II (283)
Concentration camps (2384)
Living conditions (1897)

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1897 items

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-416)

Asks about other properties to buy in San Francisco, questions about how things are there, news of Pinkie, cold weather at camp and how the pregnancy is going

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-416/

doc Card from Tomoye to Helen Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-130)

Thanking her for package

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-130/

doc Letter from Tomoye Takahashi to Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-401)

Asking for Henri to send various items such as corn chips, cigars, material. News of other incarcerees leaving

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-401/

img Class photo of nursery school at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-7)

Written on back: August 1943 Nursery school in Hunt Idaho. Teachers Miss Takahashi / Miss Ota / Miss Tanaka / Mrs. Hanamura / Eddie Masaru Hirota, Norma Kayoko Hirota. Dickie Yoshihiro Hirota

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-7/

img Five children outside barracks at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-1)

Written on back: Sept 1944 in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-1/

img Class photo at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-8)

Written on back: "Story Hour" at Hunt Idaho / Norma Kayoko Hirota 5 years old / April 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-8/

img Woman sitting with five children on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-6)

Inscription on front: Sept 1944

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-6/

img Boy sitting on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-3)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-3/

img Class photo of nursery school at Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-9)

Dickie, Eddie and Norma identified on photo front. Written on back: Nursery school in Hunt Idaho. Eddie Masaru Hirota 5 years / Norma Kayoko Hirota 4 / Dickie Yoshihiro Hirota 3 / Teachers (from left) Miss Takahashi / Miss Ota / Miss Tanaka / Mrs. Hanamura / August 1943

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-9/

img Woman with baby and boy on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-2)

Inscription on front: Sept 1944 Fredie / Billy 2

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-2/

img Woman holding baby, sitting on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-4)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-4/

img Boy sitting on barracks steps in Minidoka (ddr-densho-543-5)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-543-5/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, November 5, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-8)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the social activities, religion, and logging Social and recreational activities|id:63. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-8/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, November 21, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-10)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the social activities, Thanksgiving, and teachers. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-10/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, July 12, 1943 and an Independence Program (ddr-densho-432-16)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Missoula, MT. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-16/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, November 9, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-9)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of interactions with the Arkansas community. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-9/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, January 11, 1943 (ddr-densho-432-11)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the social activities and holidays. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-11/

doc Letter from Ruth Yamada to Matsuye Koike, October 23, 1942 (ddr-densho-432-7)

This letter discusses life at Rohwer concentration camp, including discussion of the food, environment, church, and school. Matsuye Koike received the letter while imprisoned at Fort Lincoln, Bismark, ND. The letter was "detained alien enemy mail examined."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-7/

img Icicles on building at Heart Mountain (ddr-ajah-2-903)

Caption below photo: Icicle Encrust the Heart Mountain, Wyoming Beauty Shop

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-903/

doc Selections from interview with Sachi Fudenna with photos (ddr-ajah-2-842)

Document titles: Sachi Fudenna Recalls the Washington Township and Tanforan during World War II

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-842/

img Woman standing by pile of coal (ddr-ajah-2-902)

Caption below photo: A Nisei woman who was a school teacher stands next to coal pile at Heart Mountain, Wyoming, circa 1943-1944

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-902/

doc Diary of Tomoe Tomine while incarcerated at Topaz (ddr-ajah-2-937)

Original images of diary pages and transcribed text, including notes and biographical information about Tomoe Tomine and family

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-937/

av Sowing Seeds of Life... of Hope (ddr-densho-1024-80)

Japanese vegetable seeds played an enormous part in making life more bearable for the Japanese people who were incarcerated in a concentration camp at Heart Mountain, Wyoming during WWII. See this item in the Densho Resource Guide at: Sowing Seeds of Life... of Hope (film). See this item in the Digital Library of the Japanese …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1024-80/

av Barriers and Passes (ddr-densho-1024-58)

Scenes of living conditions of Japanese Americans in the relocation centers during World War II. Department of the Interior. War Relocation Authority. (02/16/1944 - 06/30/1946) Series : Motion Picture Films, compiled ca. 1939 - ca. 1945 Record Group 210: Records of the War Relocation Authority, 1941 - 1989 See this item in the Digital Library of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1024-58/

av Home Movie: 010114: Jerome, Arkansas Relocation Center (ddr-densho-1024-23)

Home movie shot at the Jerome (Arkansas) Relocation Center, ca. June 1944. Jerome was the last concentration camp for Japanese Americans to open and the first to close; upon its closing, detainees were transported to nearby Rohwer and camps in other states. This Kodachrome film was shot by an unknown cameraperson and found on eBay. Includes …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1024-23/