<Begin Segment 13>

[Translated from Japanese]

TY: What were the major differences? What were the major differences between the Japanese temples and the Fresno temple?

YI: Let me think. There does not seem to be much difference nowadays. In what they do.

TY: But when you arrived in Fresno...

YI: In those days, it was more advanced here. It was much more active here. Not much in Japan, though there might have been some which did many activities. In the countryside, the temples did not engage in many activities. Although there was a women's group, all it did was to get together once a month and listen to a lecture while drinking tea.

TY: Were there any American members at the temple?

YI: Americans? In the old days? Well, there were one or two Caucasians.

TY: With those people, was the sermon still given in Japanese?

YI: No. At that time, I think it was in English. Oh, by the way, there was this artist by the name of Yuseki Tsurumi. This artist from Japan, Tsurumi something came to Fresno. We have a photo of him at home. In that photo, there were four or five Caucasians with him. I guess those were government related officials. Maybe, that's why they were there. When he spoke at the temple, four or five Caucasians were in the photo.

TY: Did the Sunday school consist of mostly the second generation children?

YI: Uh-huh. In those days they still spoke Japanese. My husband spoke at Sunday school all in Japanese. Nowadays you have to speak in English. Those were the days of Japanese language. The parents were all the first generation. They could not speak English.

<End Segment 13> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.