Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Tad Kuniyuki Interview
Narrator: Tad Kuniyuki
Interviewers: Tom Ikeda, Shin Yu Pai
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: October 28, 2008
Densho ID: denshovh-ktad-01-0002

<Begin Segment 2>

TI: So, I'm curious, I want to ask about your father. Can you tell me your father's name and where he was born?

TK: Koju. K-O-J-U. He was, he was born in Agenasho, Japan. Agenasho, that's Yamaguchi-ken.

TI: And do you know what kind of work your father's family did in Japan?

TK: I think they were rice farmers. And I remember them, a visit, when we went to visit them. I remember them, had a lake full of, it's a small, we call it a pond, more like a pond full of goldfish. I don't know if they sold them or what, but I remember seeing them. I was only five years old, but it's in my mind. It was made so they could drain that whole pond out if they want to, and then they could fill it up again. So I think they were tending goldfish, too.

TI: And so, I'm unclear, so when they could drain the pond, was that to clean it out? Or did they need the water?

TK: I don't know. It didn't make a difference to me, I was only five years old. So when I went back, a few years back, my cousin showed me her pond full of goldfish. Great big goldfish in there, all kinds. So they were still continuing it, I guess. The pond was nothing like I had seen before. It was much more modern and everything else, the decorations and all that. So I think they did it for business.

TI: And so I'm curious, when... the goldfish -- I'm going to put this underneath your arm here [referring to microphone cord]. But when you, when people raise goldfish, do they raise it for food, or was it more for...

TK: No, not for food. This is for pets, I guess, I think, as far as I know.

TI: So your father's family were rice farmers, they also had this pond.

TK: I think, my mind is still, I think of orange orchard. And they had a boat, too, that they told me they shipped their oranges on a boat. They took it, I mean, they didn't ship, they took it themselves. But this was years and years ago, before they had all these roads, modern roads and everything. They used to take it by boat. 'Course, I was only a kid then, so, my memory isn't that good for it.

TI: So it sounds like your father's family were landowners and they had some assets. They had the pond, a boat, so they were fairly well-off in Japan.

TK: Gosh, I don't know. That part I have no idea, I was only a kid. When I went back, well, it seemed like they were doing okay, but I don't know. By then, they were retired, too, you know.

TI: Well, why did your father leave Japan to come to America?

TK: I have no idea. He never told me.

TI: How about in terms of his birth order? Was he like the oldest son, or did he have older brothers?

TK: I think he was second in line. I'm not sure. I have a list there, but I think he was second.

TI: Yeah, okay, what I read was that he had older brothers.

TK: Yes.

TI: And so in many cases, when you have older brothers, they tend to get the land, and then you're younger, so oftentimes, the younger sort of sons end up leaving, because it's easier.

TK: I know he had a younger brother because the younger brother was over here, too, my uncle.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.