<Begin Segment 5>

AI: [Eng.] Now, you were about sixteen and a half years old, or seventeen years old then. How did you find out you were going to come to America?

MK: [Eng.] I don't know, the U.S. you know nothing, but because my, my grandfather gone, so I don't want to stay that house, because he's now gone, that's why. Uh-huh.

AI: [Eng.] And your, so your father said --

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

AI: [Eng.] -- he would take you to America?

MK: [Eng.] Yeah that's right. Same time he, yeah, I come back America. He come back same time I go with him. Uh-huh.

AI: [Eng.] How -- that was 1924, you came to America --

MK: [Eng.] Uh-huh, yeah, 1924.

AI: [Eng.] How did you feel about coming to America?

MK: [Eng.] No -- nothing. I don't know nothing, so I don't feel anything, yeah.

AI: [Eng.] You came on a ship named Kagamaru?

MK: [Eng.] Kagamaru, yeah.

AI: [Eng.] Kagamaru. What do you remember about the trip on the boat?

MK: [Eng.] Oh, terrible. I don't know. Always vomit all time so, oh just like dysentery. Yeah.

AI: [Eng.] Seasick.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

AI: [Eng.] And what kind of room did you have on the ship?

MK: [Eng.] Oh, bottom.

AI: [Eng.] On the bottom of the ship?

MK: [Eng.] Yeah, that's why, you know, more shaking, huh. Yeah. Top is much better, though.

AI: [Eng.] And did you share the room with your father or other people --

MK: [Eng.] Other -- no no, other per -- other lady. Uh-huh. Yeah, because separate you know. Uh-huh.

TY: [Jpn.] So when your father came back...

MK: [Jpn.] Yes.

TY: [Jpn.] You were told that he was taking you to the U.S..

MK: [Eng.] Uh-huh.

TY: [Jpn.] Was it decided in a family meeting or something?

MK: [Eng.] I don't think so. Mmm.

TY: [Jpn.] Let's go. Let's go --

MK: [Eng.] That's his idea, look like.

TY: [Jpn.] I understand you had to apply for a visa to come to the U.S.

MK: [Eng.] Oh yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] Where did you apply?

MK: [Eng.] Yokoha -- I don't know. Yokohama?

TY: [Jpn.] Fukui is a small city. That's why?

MK: [Eng.] Yeah, Yokohama, I think.

TY: [Jpn.] Yeah? Then you apply for a green card, no, a visa in Yokohama...

MK: [Eng.] Then, yeah, then I... ship stay in Yokohama. So, we come to Yokohama, then comes arrive America.

TY: [Jpn.] I hear you traveled by train from Fukui to Yokohama.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah, yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] How long did it take?

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] In those days, you must have had to change trains often.

MK: [Eng.] Mmm, yeah, one time I changed trains. Yeah. Uh-huh.

TY: [Jpn.] Also, did you go through an examination?

MK: [Jpn.] Exam?

TY: [Jpn.] Examination. Didn't you take a physical examination or body check?

MK: [Eng.] No, no.

TY: [Jpn.] Then without. If you were at the bottom, then you had a third-class ticket.

MK: [Eng.] Uh-huh. Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] With that ticket...

MK: [Jpn.] Yes.

TY: [Jpn.] You stayed in the women's quarter.

MK: [Eng.] Uh-huh.

TY: [Jpn.] That's how you came to the U.S.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

AI: [Eng.] What, what did your father tell you about America before you came?

MK: [Eng.] Because no time to talk, because he's busy all time, you know, "Because a long time I never see anybody." You know he friend, or that. So, I think he got no time, that's why. And short time, too.

TY: [Jpn.] What do you mean by short time?

MK: [Eng.] Oh, short time in, stay in Japan, because go back. Go back to America, that's why. Uh-huh.

TY: [Eng.] So how long did he have from the day he arrived till he left with you? How long did he stay in Japan?

MK: [Eng.] Hideo?

TY: [Eng.] Your father.

MK: [Eng.] Oh father? Father, I don't know. One month? Yeah, uh-huh.

TY: [Jpn.] During that time, he had to buy tickets, apply for a visa and prepare for the trip.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah, yeah, that's right. Pretty busy, you know. Uh-huh, yeah.

AI: [Eng.] Do you remember any talk with your, the other women in your room on the boat? Do you remember any conversation with her?

MK: [Eng.] No... no, no conversation.

AI: [Eng.] Or did she know anything about America?

MK: [Eng.] No, no... because you know, nobody -- my village, nobody comes Alaska -- America. That's why nobody know America. That's why no talk. Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] Were the women you shared the room with on the boat also from Fukui Prefecture?

MK: [Eng.] Huh?

TY: [Jpn.] Were the women you stayed with on the boat also from Fukui Prefecture?

MK: [Eng.] No.

TY: [Jpn.] No? Do you remember from where?

MK: [Eng.] Look like everybody my stranger. I don't know nobody, so...

TY: [Jpn.] Also you were seasick.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] By the way, did you have a farewell party when you left the village? With your friends? You grew up with them.

MK: [Jpn.] Uh-huh. Well, we bid farewell.

TY: [Jpn.] Yes.

MK: [Jpn.] Well, some sort of farewell.

TY: [Jpn.] Everybody --

MK: [Jpn.] We didn't do anything big.

TY: [Jpn.] But those were your childhood friends, weren't they?

MK: [Eng.] Yeah.

TY: [Jpn.] Because it was a village of fifty-two families.

MK: [Jpn.] Yeah, that's right.

TY: [Jpn.] When you left, did you think you would return, or never --

MK: [Jpn.] I didn't think about it.

TY: [Jpn.] I see. You just said goodbye.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah, because America, I don't know America, you know, so I never think anything.

TY: [Jpn.] I see. What did your friends say? You were the first person in your village.

MK: [Eng.] Yeah, friends. Nobody know America, so, I think they don't care America. Nobody come America, that's why, yeah.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2000 Densho. All Rights Reserved.