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AI: Okay, today is October 26, 2003 and we're here at the Densho office with Art Shibayama. Thanks very much, Art. And I'm Alice Ito with Densho and Dana Hoshide is doing the videography. So, I just wanted to start off by asking you about your father's family's background in Japan, what his name was and where he was from.

AS: Well, my father's name was Yuzo Shibayama and he was born in Fukuoka, Japan. And he immigrated to Peru 1920, I think.

AI: And now he --

AS: When he was fifteen.

AI: So he wasn't the only person in his family who immigrated, is that right?

AS: No, he came, we, he came with his brother. Because I heard that they had an uncle in Peru. So then my father was, was helping my uncle. I think they were delivering coal at that time.

AI: Do you know what area of Peru that was?

AS: It was Lima.

AI: And so then, did both your father and his brother stay?

AS: No. My father stayed but my, his brother, after one year, he went back to Japan.

AI: And so then your father stayed. And he was delivering coal. Do you know much else about other things that he might have done in those early years when he was in Peru?

AS: No. He didn't talk too much about early years, so, so I don't know.

AI: What about your mother's family?

AS: Well, my mother's family, I don't know when they came to Peru. But she, she came with her parents and they settled in Callao.

AI: And for people who don't know, can you explain a little bit about Callao and Lima and...

AS: Well, Lima, Lima doesn't have any ocean around it, so, so Callao is the closest, closest city with, with a port. So actually, that was the port for Lima.

AI: Do you have any idea about how old your mother was when she came over with her parents?

AS: No.

AI: Not sure. Well, then I have a, you brought a picture. If you could show this and tell us about that.

AS: These are my parents.

AI: And what was your mother's name? What was your mother's name?

AS: Tatsue, last name was Ishibashi. And I guess they got married in Peru, 1929.

AI: About 1929. Okay. And then you brought another picture here also.

AS: These are my mother's parents.

AI: And can you tell --

AS: Kinzo, Kinzo and I think Masae Ishibashi.

AI: And did you know what area of Japan they came from?

AS: Fukuoka.

AI: Fukuoka also?

AS: Yeah. They're both from Fukuoka.

AI: Did you ever hear anything about why your mother's family came?

AS: No, I don't know.

AI: Don't really know. But after they came -- oops, here, I'll get that one. You have this picture of some of the business they were involved in.

AS: These are my grandparents' small department store. This is in Callao. And that's my grandmother (Masae Ishibashi) carrying me. And I, I guess I lived with my grandparents from, from around two to, to the time I had to go, I started school in kindergarten. Then I went back to my parents in Lima.

AI: In Lima.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.