<Begin Segment 15>

[Translated from Japanese]

KS: After you left the camp, you came back to L.A. And from then on, did you always live in Los Angeles?

TT: Yes, that's right.

KS: Where did you live in Los Angeles?

TT: In Boyle Heights... back then, Japanese could only live in Boyle Heights or the Southwest part -- Southwest is west and south. We weren't allowed to go anywhere else. But now, we can buy a house in the heights of Beverly Hills, or anywhere. Back then, there was no way we could even go there. The discrimination was very strong.

KS: Really? Do you think Los Angeles of today has really changed?

TT: Yes, it's changed. Back then, there weren't that many people. Now there's so many.

KS: And what kind of work are you doing now?

TT: Huh?

KS: What kind of work, or hobby or activity are you doing?

TT: You mean now?

KS: Yeah.

TT: I, well, sixteen years. Umm... my husband was in the hospital for eight years before he passed away. After that, for eight years, I worked very hard, raising my children. Then, one of my Christian friends and a minister from Godo Church introduced me to Mr. Terasaki. It had been one year since his wife had died of cancer. But he was very handy and good at making just about anything. He was also very smart. It would be a waste to leave him single. "How about if you do him a favor and marry him?" they said. That's how we were introduced. Besides, he was from a nearby town in Japan. I'm from Kokura in Kyushu. He was from Kurume. It's close to my home town. So we felt close to each other, and eventually got married.

KS: And how did your children feel about that?

TT: My children had all grown by then. They were living on their own.

AI: [To Ken] Ask her, has she ever returned to Japan to visit?

KS: [To Tomiye] Have you ever been back to Japan since then?

TT: I went back to Japan many times.

KS: What was it like when you first went back?

TT: The first time, hmm, how can I say it...

AI: [To Ken] Does she have any impressions after she'd been away for so long?

KS: [To Tomiye] Do you have any strong memories, or any first impressions from the time when you went back the first time?

TT: The first time I went back to Japan, it had been more than twenty years. I was very happy.

<End Segment 15> - Copyright © 2000 Densho. All Rights Reserved.