Kunio Otani Segment 14

Family background (ddr-densho-1000-75-1) - 00:03:46
Growing up in a lumber community (ddr-densho-1000-75-2) - 00:02:50
Learning English in school after growing up speaking Japanese (ddr-densho-1000-75-3) - 00:02:43
Moving with family to a number of small towns (ddr-densho-1000-75-4) - 00:03:09
Attending school in a small town (ddr-densho-1000-75-5) - 00:02:37
Growing up with religious and cultural values (ddr-densho-1000-75-6) - 00:05:14
Sports and social activities in high school (ddr-densho-1000-75-7) - 00:03:04
Father's prewar exporting business (ddr-densho-1000-75-8) - 00:02:58
The bombing of Pearl Harbor: being asked to be the neighborhood night warden (ddr-densho-1000-75-9) - 00:06:28
Preparing for mass removal (ddr-densho-1000-75-10) - 00:02:45
Arriving early to the Tule Lake concentration camp, California (ddr-densho-1000-75-11) - 00:02:29
Reflecting on the camps: "In the end maybe it all worked out" (ddr-densho-1000-75-12) - 00:04:33
Working as the sports editor for the Tulean Dispatch, a camp newspaper (ddr-densho-1000-75-13) - 00:05:59
Family responsibilities as the oldest son (ddr-densho-1000-75-14) - 00:01:46
Dancing, talent shows, playing "Go," and drinking in camp (ddr-densho-1000-75-15) - 00:03:56
The importance of recording life histories (ddr-densho-1000-75-16) - 00:01:44
Family's adjustment to camp (ddr-densho-1000-75-17) - 00:01:53
The controversy surrounding the so-called "loyalty questions" (ddr-densho-1000-75-18) - 00:05:48
Considering volunteering for the military (ddr-densho-1000-75-19) - 00:01:22
Tule Lake concentration camp becomes a "segregation center" (ddr-densho-1000-75-20) - 00:03:12
Leaving Tule Lake during the transition to a segregation center (ddr-densho-1000-75-21) - 00:03:40
First impressions of Heart Mountain concentration camp (ddr-densho-1000-75-22) - 00:03:44
Joining the staff of the Heart Mountain Sentinel, a camp newspaper (ddr-densho-1000-75-23) - 00:01:50
Drafted into the army (ddr-densho-1000-75-24) - 00:03:19
Working as a company clerk in Europe as part of military service (ddr-densho-1000-75-25) - 00:02:45
Military service: memories of journey by boat to Germany (ddr-densho-1000-75-26) - 00:03:41
Attending the Nuremberg trials (ddr-densho-1000-75-27) - 00:03:22
Looking back on military service (ddr-densho-1000-75-28) - 00:01:37
Family returns from camp and established a greenhouse business (ddr-densho-1000-75-29) - 00:02:16
Father's passing (ddr-densho-1000-75-30) - 00:01:50
Taking over as head of the family (ddr-densho-1000-75-31) - 00:03:05
Reflecting on the positive and negative aspects of the incarceration experience (ddr-densho-1000-75-32) - 00:02:43
Reactions to the redress movement (ddr-densho-1000-75-33) - 00:03:44
Working as the sports editor for the Tulean Dispatch (ddr-densho-1000-75-34) - 00:03:41
Limited employment opportunities for Nisei after the war (ddr-densho-1000-75-35) - 00:02:46
Early days working at the Columbia Greenhouse: "things were quite primitive" (ddr-densho-1000-75-36) - 00:03:16
Customers at the Columbia Greenhouse (ddr-densho-1000-75-37) - 00:01:51
Working at Columbia Greenhouse (ddr-densho-1000-75-38) - 00:02:36
Deciding to start own greenhouse business (ddr-densho-1000-75-39) - 00:02:34
Buying Greenwood Greenhouse (ddr-densho-1000-75-40) - 00:04:10
Establishing Greenwood Greenhouse (ddr-densho-1000-75-41) - 00:03:38
A different business philosophy at the Greenwood Greenhouse (ddr-densho-1000-75-42) - 00:02:19
Difficult times in the greenhouse business (ddr-densho-1000-75-43) - 00:03:11
Changing dynamics of the business (ddr-densho-1000-75-44) - 00:02:02
Positives of running a family business (ddr-densho-1000-75-45) - 00:03:03
Expansion of the greenhouse business (ddr-densho-1000-75-46) - 00:04:08
Current work schedule (ddr-densho-1000-75-47) - 00:02:59
Future of the Greenwood Greenhouse (ddr-densho-1000-75-48) - 00:02:05
Walking tour of the greenhouse: seedlings (ddr-densho-1000-75-49) - 00:04:40
Description of vegetables grown (ddr-densho-1000-75-50) - 00:02:01
Seasonal plants (ddr-densho-1000-75-51) - 00:03:36
Losing some greenhouses in a storm (ddr-densho-1000-75-52) - 00:02:18
Equipment used in the greenhouse business (ddr-densho-1000-75-53) - 00:02:58
Looking back at how greenhouse business has changed (ddr-densho-1000-75-54) - 00:02:59
Description of photographs (ddr-densho-1000-75-55) - 00:08:24
Free to use This object is offered under a Creative Commons license. You are free to use it for any non-commercial purpose as long as you properly cite it, and if you share what you have created.

Learn more...

ddr-densho-1000-75-14 (Legacy UID: denshovh-okunio-01-0014)

Family responsibilities as the oldest son

00:01:46 — Segment 14 of 55

Previous segment Next segment

May 31, 1998

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-75

Kunio Otani

Kunio Otani Interview

02:57:07 — 55 segments

May 31, 1998

Seattle, Washington

Nisei male. Born July 31, 1921, in Seattle, Washington. Raised in Raymond, Washington. Incarcerated at Tule Lake concentration camp, California, and Heart Mountain concentration camp, Wyoming; he worked on the staff of both camp newspapers, the Tulean Dispatch and the Heart Mountain Sentinel, respectively. Resettled in Seattle after the war and entered the greenhouse business. He owned and operated the Greenwood Greenhouse with his brother.

Alice Ito, interviewer; Rebecca Walls, interviewer; Matt Emery, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

API