<Begin Segment 2>

[Translated from Japanese]

TY: How many brothers and sisters did you have?

YI: I had eight brothers and sisters, but one died. So, seven.

TY: As a result, you became the second among the seven children.

YI: Yes, I became the second. I have younger sisters, one, two, three, four. Four sisters. I had one younger brother, but he died. A younger sister also died. So now, there are two of us in America.

TY: Is that right?

YI: Yes, there is one in California. There are two in Japan.

Shinya [Mrs. Ichikawa's son]: The two in America are Mrs. Kimura and you?

YI: Yes?

Shinya: Those are the two.

TY: Oh, the two in America you are talking about are...

YI: There is one in Shimonoseki. Then, another in Takarazuka in Osaka.

TY: The two in America are you, Mrs. Ichikawa, and your sister.

YI: I and a sister who is twelve years younger. She lives in Fresno, California.

TY: Is that right? Well, I understand that you were raised by your grandmother. You were very close to your grandmother, weren't you?

YI: My grandmother?

TY: Yes.

YI: Yes, my grandmother took care of me very well. Since there were many children, my mother was busy taking care of my younger siblings. So my grandmother took me with her wherever she went.

TY: I see. You created a picture book of your life for your family in the past, didn't you?

YI: Yes?

TY: You wrote a picture book for your family, didn't you?

YI: Oh.

TY: The book is entitled My Life.

YI: Oh, yes. My grandchildren wanted to know about my life. As a legacy. I wrote it when I was eighty.

TY: So, written on the first page are your memories of grandmother.

YI: Oh, yes. The first page. When I was four or five, I drew a picture of the time I visited my grandmother's place. So I wrote about it. That is the earliest and foremost event that I recollect.

TY: Could you tell me about it? That memory.

YI: I don't remember that well, but we took a train -- about an hour and half train ride. We got off the train and walked along the country road for a while. My grandmother grew up in a temple, and so we went to that temple. I remember seeing a field full of rengso [Chinese milk vetch] in full bloom. I remember that. I also remember taking a bath there.

TY: Did your grandmother live with you in your house?

YI: What?

TY: Did your grandmother live with your family?

YI: What about my grandmother?

TY: Did she live with your family?

YI: With me?

TY: Yes.

YI: No. My grandmother used to sleep with me. I have a lot of memories of my grandmother. I don't remember too well, but she loved me very much.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.