Food

The eating facilities in the camps were large mess halls with long lines and crowded tables. Group living tended to erode family solidarity, as teenagers escaped parental authority by eating with friends rather than family. The quality of the food was poor and milk and fresh meat were constantly in short supply. Inexpensive foods such as wieners, dried fish, pancakes, macaroni and pickled vegetables were served often. The diets of the camp inmates improved only after they began growing some of their own food.

World War II (283)
Concentration camps (2078)
Food (283)

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283 items

doc Letter to Yuri from Rosie Suyeyasu (ddr-densho-356-278)

Letter to Yuri Domoto Tsukada from Rose "Rosie" Nakagawa Suyeyasu. In the letter she writes about the dust storms at Topaz, working as a typist, the approaching of her one year anniversary, a the upcoming wedding of their mutual friend Yo Ishida, the pregnancy of her sister-in-law, the possibility she may resettle in Colorado, and inquires …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-278/

doc Letter to Yuri Domoto from Mitsuko Nakamura (ddr-densho-356-381)

Letter to Yuriko Domoto Tsukada from Mitsuko Nakamura in which Mistuko tells about her first days in Crystal City and how it differs from Amache. Item tied together with all objects between ddr-densho-356-321 and ddr-densho-356-413.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-356-381/

vh Akio Hoshino Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-26-9)

Minidoka concentration camp: social life, work, impact of incarceration on families

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-26-9/

vh Yukiko Miyake Segment 29 (ddr-densho-1000-49-29)

Making traditional foods at Minidoka concentration camp, "otsukemono" in a chamber pot

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-49-29/

vh Gene Akutsu Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-1-9)

A teenager's memories of Puyallup Assembly Center: bad food, and games on the 4th of July

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-1-9/

vh Mitsuko Hashiguchi Segment 57 (ddr-densho-1000-12-57)

Organized activities, fresh vegetables and well-cooked rice at Minidoka concentration camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-12-57/

vh Frank Yamasaki Interview I Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-107-18)

Memories of Minidoka concentration camp: sand everywhere, even in the food

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-107-18/

vh Arthur Ogami Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-154-12)

Mealtime at Manzanar concentration camp, California

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-154-12/

vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-92-18)

Recruited to become a mess hall cook at fourteen years old in Poston concentration camp

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-92-18/

vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-92-19)

An accident while working in the camp mess hall

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-92-19/

vh Marian Asao Kurosu Interview Segment 57 (ddr-densho-1000-118-57)

Meals and mess halls: "there was a line for everything"

During this interview, Mrs. Kurosu alternately speaks in both English and Japanese. As a result, the English translation of the transcript contains [Jpn.] and [Eng.], which indicate whether the original dialogue was spoken in Japanese or English.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-118-57/

vh George Kiyo Wakatsuki Interview Segment 11 (ddr-manz-1-150-11)

Memories of food in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-150-11/

vh Massie Hinatsu Interview Segment 10 (ddr-manz-1-100-10)

Describing "ghastly" food in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-100-10/

vh Akiko Okuno Interview Segment 23 (ddr-manz-1-133-23)

Working in the camp mess hall

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-133-23/

vh Marion I. Masada Interview Segment 12 (ddr-manz-1-155-12)

Daily life in camp: food, holidays

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-155-12/

vh Mary Suzuki Ichino Interview II Segment 7 (ddr-manz-1-52-7)

Mealtimes in camp: "Tuesday was always 'slop-suey'"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-52-7/

vh Kinge Okauchi Interview Segment 17 (ddr-manz-1-39-17)

Working in the camp mess hall

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-39-17/

vh Kinge Okauchi Interview Segment 18 (ddr-manz-1-39-18)

Description of camp mess hall

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-39-18/

vh Frank Isamu Kikuchi Interview Segment 10 (ddr-manz-1-5-10)

Description of food in camp: "wholesome and adequate," but "awfully boring"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-5-10/

vh Yooichi Wakamiya Interview Segment 15 (ddr-manz-1-87-15)

Memories of food in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-87-15/

vh Bo T. Sakaguchi Interview Segment 6 (ddr-manz-1-8-6)

Difficulties of camp life: lack of privacy, meals

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-8-6/

vh Sumiko Yamauchi Interview Segment 13 (ddr-manz-1-135-13)

Food in camp: trying to eat at other mess halls

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-135-13/

vh Constance Yamashiro Interview Segment 3 (ddr-chi-1-18-3)

Memories of the Manzanar riot

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-chi-1-18-3/

vh Mitsue Matsui Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1008-3-13)

Food in Topaz concentration camp

Members of the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) arranged for and conducted this interview in conjunction with Densho.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1008-3-13/

vh Eiichi Edward Sakauye Interview I Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1005-1-4)

Served food in the mess hall

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.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1005-1-4/