James Sakamoto Interview Segment 3

Family background (ddr-jamsj-2-1-1) - 00:02:19
Growing up speaking both English and Japanese (ddr-jamsj-2-1-2) - 00:02:09
Prewar community activities: picnics, theater, baseball (ddr-jamsj-2-1-3) - 00:03:05
(ddr-jamsj-2-1-4) - 00:01:00
Growing up on family farm: doing chores (ddr-jamsj-2-1-5) - 00:02:58
Being questioned by the FBI at school (ddr-jamsj-2-1-6) - 00:01:10
Moving to Stockton, California, in an attempt to avoid mass removal (ddr-jamsj-2-1-7) - 00:01:44
Memories of the Stockton Assembly Center, California (ddr-jamsj-2-1-8) - 00:00:52
Remembering the train ride to Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas, helping to set up the camp (ddr-jamsj-2-1-9) - 00:04:33
Leaving camp for Lafayette, Colorado (ddr-jamsj-2-1-10) - 00:01:31
Finding work after camp and serving in the military (ddr-jamsj-2-1-11) - 00:02:30
Returning to the Santa Clara Valley after World War II (ddr-jamsj-2-1-12) - 00:02:52
Attending barber school (ddr-jamsj-2-1-13) - 00:01:24
Working as an apprentice barber (ddr-jamsj-2-1-14) - 00:03:56
Description of barbershop business, playing cards with friends (ddr-jamsj-2-1-15) - 00:02:27
Having non-Japanese American barbershop customers (ddr-jamsj-2-1-16) - 00:02:02
Thoughts on running a business in Japantown (ddr-jamsj-2-1-17) - 00:02:36
Positive aspects of owning the Sakamoto Barbershop (ddr-jamsj-2-1-18) - 00:02:43
Experiencing discrimination before and after World War II (ddr-jamsj-2-1-19) - 00:02:47
Thoughts on resettlement (ddr-jamsj-2-1-20) - 00:01:10
Rewards and difficulties involved in running a Japantown business (ddr-jamsj-2-1-21) - 00:03:51
Present-day exterior shots of the Sakamoto Barbershop (ddr-jamsj-2-1-22) - 00:00:31
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Japanese American Museum of San Jose
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ddr-jamsj-2-1-3 (Legacy UID: denshovh-sjames-01-0003)

Prewar community activities: picnics, theater, baseball

This interview was conducted by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, and is part of a project entitled "Lasting Stories: The Resettlement of San Jose Japantown," a collaborative project between the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and Densho.

00:03:05 — Segment 3 of 22

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October 18, 2004

Japanese American Museum of San Jose Collection

Japanese American Museum of San Jose Collection

Courtesy of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose

Japanese American Museum of San Jose
Visit partner

ddr-jamsj-2-1

James Sakamoto

James Sakamoto Interview

00:50:10 — 22 segments

October 18, 2004

San Jose, California

Nisei male. Born April 18, 1924, in Mayfield, California. Spent prewar childhood years in Alviso, California. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, moved with family to Stockton, California, in an attempt to avoid mass removal. Despite this, was removed to the Stockton Assembly Center, California, and the Rohwer concentration camp, Arkansas. Resettled in Colorado after the war, served in the military, and returned to San Jose, California. Established small business, Sakamoto Barbershop, in San Jose's Japantown in 1953.

(This interview was conducted by the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, and is part of a project entitled "Lasting Stories: The Resettlement of San Jose Japantown," a collaborative project between the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and Densho.)

Ann Muto, interviewer; Mike Izumi, videographer

Japanese American Museum of San Jose Collection

Courtesy of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose

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