<Begin Segment 6>

DH: What values do you think that your parents instilled in you during that time?

JH: Well, I think that like many Isseis... they showed a lot of integrity. And I think they taught you honesty and integrity. And I think that, I hope, reflects in my life, and I hope it reflects in my children's life. That was one of the great values. I think there was a value of humility too. Of course, being persons of a minority group, I guess you had to practice a little humility anyway. I think we were, though poor and poorly dressed, we were always clean, and I think that was something that was instilled in us also, was cleanliness. And I think in a way we were very fortunate, because we had a retail business and we were exposed to people all the time, and I think that helped us in an awareness of being social, and it was a little easier for us to greet the public. And those things, a lot of things that your parents tell you or try to teach you are not taught vocally, but by example. And I think the standard in bearing of both of my parents were a classic example of being a good person, and I hope it reflected on their children.

DH: Do you think those were Buddhist values or personal values, or are they just so intertwined that it's hard to say?

JH: I like to think that those were developed by what the short relation -- in my father's case, a very short relationship with their parents. And from what I understand, where my father went after the flood and they lost their, after they lost their parents, he was tutored by the mother, stepmother, where he stayed for a short period of time. And I kind of recall him saying that this lady took time to teach him a lot of things, which maybe some others didn't have that opportunity.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.