<Begin Segment 26>

TI: And so do you remember, about what time did you leave camp? Like how long were you in camp?

TK: I think, I think we were in there just about one year. I think we left in May. I think we went to camp in May and we left in May, far as I can remember.

TI: So about May 1943? Yeah, '43? Okay. During this time, you mentioned your older brother was in the military service.

TK: Yeah, the oldest brother, yes.

TI: Yeah, Yukio. So was this the 442nd he was with?

TK: Yeah.

TI: And so how much did you know what they were doing during this time?

TK: Nothing.

TI: At some point, did you start reading about what the 442 was doing and what was happening?

TK: I don't remember that. I don't remember anything about that part.

TI: Okay, so after a year in camp, May 1943, you go there, from there, where did you go?

TK: From where?

TI: From Idaho, from the camp, did you go to Spokane next?

TK: Yes, then I got a job there, that's all.

TI: Okay, so how long did you live in Spokane?

TK: Gosh, maybe four years after the war? I think it was a little bit after the war we were allowed to come back to the West Coast. So it must have been maybe four or five years, I don't know. I'm not sure.

TI: And during that time in Spokane, what kind of work did you do?

TK: Oh, I worked, first thing I did, first job I got was in a soda pop company because they had an opening there. I was also worked on the railroad there. But all the Japanese were let go on the railroad 'cause there was a, what do you call, essential worker, or no Japanese were allowed to work on the railroad, telephone company, or communication company, something like that. I think we had to work in the non-war connected jobs, I think. That's the soda pop company, I worked there.

TI: Okay, so after four years, four or five years in Spokane, then where did you go?

TK: Think we came back here. My folks had started the restaurant, so, down on First Avenue. So I came back here.

TI: And so you started working, so this is, it was called, like, I think, Tad's Cafe. So this was a restaurant that was actually named after you, right? Tad? So this is down on First Avenue and I think the building still is there. I think it's now called the New Orleans Creole Restaurant, so it's still there. And how had Seattle changed after the war? You'd been now gone for years, and now you come back. What was different about Seattle?

TK: Well, the Japanese community wasn't there any more. That's the first thing you notice, I guess. Other than that, I don't know. So I can't tell.

<End Segment 26> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.