<Begin Segment 19>

[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

SP: Well, as we're winding down, I just wanted to ask you if there's anything else that you wanted to share or any other stories that you wanted us to know?

SA: Just, let me see, I told Tom that I just recently talked to my girlfriend and her name was... is it okay to bring it up at this time?

TI: Yes, yes, please.

SA: Her name is Miyoko Kawakami. And they were the largest landowners in Bellevue, Japanese American landowners. One hundred and four acres in the Wilburton area, near Kelsey Creek, I don't know if you're familiar with that. But they never returned because they had lost their property. But her story, she said that she didn't continue with her education. None of them did, but They helped their father who was one of the younger Isseis. In his late forties, she said they worked in the canneries of Isleton, after they were released from camp. And at that time, too, they stayed at Tule Lake until the very end. And there was a time of indecision, her father thought, he knew he couldn't get his land back. And had thoughts about maybe returning to Japan, to Fukuoka. But they all stayed and helped, helped and worked hard. And they lived on the premises where they offered housing for the cannery workers. So she said it was very meager living for two years. And helped the father buy twenty acres, a down payment (on) twenty acres of land in Reedley, California, she said they bought this land where they had (raised) watermelons (that) were still there, she said. But that wasn't their (specialty), they didn't want to raise that, they wanted to raise tomatoes and zucchinis, and things like that. That they were more familiar with. And she said that their father paid off that land in seven years. Worked hard. Really, they all worked hard. And she said that when he got his citizenship in 1952, she said that he wanted to buy these labels for the boxes that you put on, "Raised in Reedley by Kawakami Farms." And he was able to do that, and lived to be ninety-six years old. And she said that before he died, he said that he had no regrets about all the hard times of being an immigrant and losing his farm. And they, he said he had a very happy life in Reedley and felt that he (had succeeded). So I said, "You know, Miyoko, that's a real nice story." Because, you know, they all helped out, they worked hard. And so she went to the camp pilgrimage too. I invited her and I said, "Would you like to go? (There's) going to be eleven in our group." And she brought her two daughters, and (...) her granddaughter. And she said that, and (she's satisfied with her life). I mean, she had sent her kids to college, and her granddaughter had just gotten a double degree from Stanford. And even her own children she said that they have done okay. (So) I thought the Kawakami family, (...) was kind of a nice story. Because they had lost all of their land, and the father just persevered, (worked here) and just didn't look back.

SP: Really turned it around.

SA: Yeah, and their mother lived to be ninety-one, father, ninety-six. And in fact, at one of the Bellevue gathering, they said, "Oh, Mr. Kawakami is the longest living Issei from prewar Bellevue." [Laughs]

TI: That's interesting. Can you just give us a little more details of how he lost the farm? You mentioned earlier it was the largest farm.

SA: It was a hundred and four acres in Bellevue. Can you imagine? But the thing of it is, see, like in our case, we bought the virgin forest for $300, and cleared the land. And we owned it outright. But they had bought this Wilburton property, Bellevue property in (...) 1936, I believe she told me. And they had, they were making payments on it, and when you make $12 a month in camp, you (can't continue making payments). You know, they just lost their farm because they (discontinued to make) the payments on it.

TI: And so who took it over? Was it a bank foreclosure?

SA: I don't know what kind of (foreclosure it was). She said they just lost it. They just couldn't make the payments anymore. But (...) I said, "Miyo, it's nice that your family did (...) well. Is it okay if I tell this story, because I'm going for the interview, and would like to maybe mention that about her family." Because she says they've never told anyone here in the Pacific Northwest about she had, they had gone through. But, one of the things she did tell me that was, "My father, (...) one day (...) said, 'I'm going to buy you all a watch, for appreciation for all you did for me,'"(...). So he took them to a jewelry store and bought them all a watch. And I said, "Gee, that was pretty nice. Really nice."

<End Segment 19> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.