Dave Tatsuno Interview Segment 11

Family background: parents met through arranged marriage, lived and worked in San Francisco, California (ddr-jamsj-2-6-1) - 00:07:41
Growing up bilingual (ddr-jamsj-2-6-2) - 00:01:35
Experiencing subtle racial prejudice while growing up (ddr-jamsj-2-6-3) - 00:03:21
Mystery surrounding official birth date and location (ddr-jamsj-2-6-4) - 00:02:42
A difficult childhood: living alone in San Francisco with an unfit guardian (ddr-jamsj-2-6-5) - 00:04:00
Attending University of California Berkeley before World War II (ddr-jamsj-2-6-6) - 00:05:36
Prewar activities: YMCA and church groups (ddr-jamsj-2-6-7) - 00:03:29
Childhood memories: holidays, discipline (ddr-jamsj-2-6-8) - 00:03:15
The aftermath of Pearl Harbor: "everything was turmoil" (ddr-jamsj-2-6-9) - 00:08:48
Renters of home in San Francisco steal and sell belongings (ddr-jamsj-2-6-10) - 00:03:15
Working as a buyer for camp co-op store (ddr-jamsj-2-6-11) - 00:05:02
Forming a YMCA chapter in camp (ddr-jamsj-2-6-12) - 00:01:47
Observing events in camp: military volunteers, student relocation program (ddr-jamsj-2-6-13) - 00:06:51
An emotional return to San Francisco after leaving camp (ddr-jamsj-2-6-14) - 00:06:17
A family loss prompts a move to San Jose, California, and the establishment of a store (ddr-jamsj-2-6-15) - 00:07:06
Decision to sell Japanese goods in department store (ddr-jamsj-2-6-16) - 00:03:26
Description of Nichi Bei Bussan Department Store: long working hours (ddr-jamsj-2-6-17) - 00:04:14
Importance and influence of the YMCA over the years (ddr-jamsj-2-6-18) - 00:04:10
(ddr-jamsj-2-6-19) - 00:01:54
The difficulty of reestablishing lives after the incarceration (ddr-jamsj-2-6-20) - 00:03:55
Reflections on owning a business in the Japantown community (ddr-jamsj-2-6-21) - 00:06:24
Present-day exterior and interior shots of the Nichi Bei Bussan Department Store (ddr-jamsj-2-6-22) - 00:02:11
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Japanese American Museum of San Jose
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ddr-jamsj-2-6-11 (Legacy UID: denshovh-tdave-01-0011)

Working as a buyer for camp co-op store

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.

00:05:02 — Segment 11 of 22

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January 20, 2005

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-2-6

Dave Tatsuno

Dave Tatsuno Interview

01:36:59 — 22 segments

January 20, 2005

San Jose, California

Nisei male. Born March 31, 1913, in San Francisco, California. Spent difficult childhood years in San Francisco under care of a guardian while family lived in Japan. Graduated with a degree in business administration from the University of California at Berkeley before World War II. Removed to Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and then to Topaz concentration camp, Utah. While in Topaz, was permitted to travel around the country as a buyer for the camp co-op store, and also obtained permission to shoot home movie footage from within the camp itself. After World War II, established the Nichibei Bussan Department Store in San Jose's Japantown.

(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.)

Aggie Idemoto, interviewer; Mike Izumi, videographer

Japanese American Museum of San Jose Collection

Courtesy of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose

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