<Begin Segment 11>

[Translated from Japanese]

TY: By the way, I hear that the women's society was quite active then. What kinds of activities did you do?

YI: The women's society of the temple?

TY: Yes, what kinds of activities did you do?

YI: What we did in the women's society? The women's society cooked meals for special services, and sometimes -- what do you call it -- learned to make various things. There were many talented members and we learned from them. Embroidery and such. Once a month we visited a hospital in Seattle. Also we visited sick people at home.

TY: When you did that, did you mainly visit the Japanese members? Or all the patients...

YI: Now everybody. In those days there were many people with this lung disease.

TY: You mean tuberculosis.

YI: There was a big hospital in the north, in Farland. Every month we visited there and took sushi with us.

TY: Regardless of membership, to Japanese people...

YI: Yes, also to non-members. All the patients. Japanese patients.

TY: To Japanese patients.

YI: There were many of them. There were times we didn't have enough time for everybody and had to postpone till the next time. We don't have that disease very much these days.

TY: You mean tuberculosis, don't you?

YI: Tuberculosis.

TY: That is a contagious illness. That must have been difficult. By the way, what kind of things did you do in daily life?

YI: My husband?

TY: No. Mrs. Ichikawa. You.

YI: I had many children and so I was mainly a housewife. [Laughs]

TY: Then, you got up in the morning...

YI: I did laundry, cooking, and sometimes attended a women's society meeting. I didn't help much.

TY: The temple members helped you out.

YI: Everybody helped me. There were quite capable people among members.

TY: But diapers alone, you must have had a tremendous amount. You had small children. It must have been hard work just to wash diapers.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.