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-01-0008

<Begin Segment 8>

JA: And can you describe the farm that you grew up on?

MH: Yes. On the farm we had 13 acres of farm that Mom and Dad had to work real hard trying to clear all up so we can raise things on it. And my father had a carpenter help him and they built us a two-bedroom house, a large living room with the pot belly stove in the middle, and then we had two bedrooms, like I said. And we had a nice big storage room where Mom put all her goodies, groceries and Japanese rice, of course. And she had, they had a great big kitchen built and on one side there was a sink, and in the middle there was our kitchen stove that we burnt wood, of course. And then, on the other side Dad built a great big wooden table with wooden bench. And we only had few windows here and there, is what it was, all around the whole house. And then, next to that was our well, which we got our water. And as the years went on we used to always get the water with a bucket from the well, but as, oh, I guess in ten years or so he finally invested in the pump and got a hand pump. So it got easier in getting the water into our house so that's what we did. And then he built a bath house right next door to the house again so we can all take a nice hot bath, and in the evenings Dad started a fireplace for us so the water will get nice and hot. So that was his job while Mom was cooking dinner and we were cooking dinner, whatever, and we all had a nice hot bath there every day. And then after we got through with the hot bath, then we had to get out and do our laundry. Everybody tried to do a little bit of their share, so Mom wouldn't have so much to do on weekends or I have so much to do on weekends. So, we more or less helped each other, is what we did to make it easier.

JA: And so much of your furnishings in the home were built by your father and your father was very handy. I guess this was typical of the farmers in the area?

MH: Typical of the farmers, that's for sure, that they all built things that would be most suitable in the houses. Then eventually, of course, we all went and bought furniture, but until then we were, it was, everything was built. So we can have a place to sit, stand, wherever. [Laughs]

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.