Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Mitsuko Hashiguchi Interview
Narrator: Mitsuko Hashiguchi
Interviewer: James Arima
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Date: July 28, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-hmitsuko-01-0045

<Begin Segment 45>

JA: There was no real vegetation in the camp area, right?

MH: Uh-uh.

JA: So no natural cooling of trees and shade.

MH: No. We were out in the desert. I call it desert, is what was it was.

JA: The lumber that was used for building the barracks...

MH: They probably used that, you think? I don't know. I don't know where the government got it.

JA: But did they have knotholes that fell as they dried?

MH: No, I don't think so.

JA: You didn't have problems with that?

MH: Yeah. And a lot of it is tar anyhow, tar paper on the outside, all completely.

JA: So like dust storms and stuff, you were able to isolate yourself somewhat within?

MH: Well, it comes in, so you have to keep, keep cleaning, sweep, dust, whatever you might have to do. But they had nice windows there and everything else, which I was very impressed. At least could you see outside once in a while. And we were allowed to make furnitures to fit your room and things like that. You can steal the lumber, someplace down the, down there someplace.

JA: Acquire the lumber. [Laughs]

MH: Yeah, someplace, somewhere. And then they bring it home and whoever is the carpenter of the family, build your table or chair or things like that. And a lot of people made nice dressers and things like that, too, which is very, very nice if they're good carpenters, and so you were able to make your own furniture so it would be comfortable in those camp, is what it was.

JA: And so this is what your father did?

MH: Uh-huh, uh-huh.

<End Segment 45> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.