<Begin Segment 40>

AI: Well, so there were, many changes happened after the surrender of Japan. And you were, started to say a little earlier about, here you were, I think you were a senior in high school by this time and, and that your principal started talking about how these Americans were going to be coming. And so, what happened there that you --

MK: To visit the school? We talked about the naginata training, all the stories he --

AI: Oh, right.

MK: But when Americans came to occupy that particular area, why they came was because we were right on the border of Hiroshima. And my father worked himself a position with the police force, and then on the side he was teaching English, which was in great demand.

AI: Tell about that. Why was that that English then was in such big demand?

MK: Because of the occupation coming. And then they had, they were told to, of course, work with the city officials to be excused to use or, certain buildings, or the roads, or whatever, have some priority in their occupation. And in this country no one knew, the British English was very, they couldn't understand each other, but at least my father was able to. So he really became popular and it made him happy that he was useful, both sides. And then we ended meeting up with a lieutenant that came from Seattle, he was attending Seattle University. And he even got a promotion to a captain while he was serving in that area. And he knew how things were, how bad things were, so he helped us out bringing, unloading flour and sugar and even coffee. And my father used to make some breakfast for him. And he came into our house and they were chatting away, and I mean, this was just kind of like a godsend and I know now that it was really not what he should have done, but, I mean, he was a godsend for that time. And it was only because this lieutenant was from Seattle, I'm sure.

AI: And because your father's English was good enough.

MK: And English, right, right, again.

AI: That he could communicate.

MK: And he kinda paved the way. And I remember one job my father had was to, at the ryokan where the occupation force (lived) was kinda converted into their dorm, he (...) instructed the Japanese carpenter how to make it into a American-style toilet so they can sit on it, not squat on it. And those are the things. And when you understand what your goal is, it's easier to do. Because, being in the country, they didn't know what a Western-style toilet was because they were not used to traveling. So there are funny stories mixed in with the sadness of it all.

<End Segment 40> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.