Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Kiyoshi Seishin Yamashita
Narrator: Kiyoshi Seishin Yamashita
Interviewer: Tom Ikeda
Location: Seattle, Washington
Date: October 30, 2009
Densho ID: denshovh-ykiyoshi-01-0002

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TI: Well, that's okay. You can just give me the names and the...

KY: And the next person was Shizuko, that was a sister, and she was born three years after my eldest brother, 1912. And following Shizuko was Masao, and he was four years older than I am. I was born in 1920, so that means 1916 he was born. And then I was born, following me was Harue, and she was three years below me, but she died at the age of twenty. And below her was Toshie, and she was a couple years younger than Harue. And then after Toshie was Kikue, and she was a couple years younger. And then the youngest was... oh, there was one in between, there was Yoshio. And then there was... Yoshio, Toshie, Yasue, she was the youngest.

TI: So nine. Nine total.

KY: Nine in all.

TI: So Tokio, Shizuko, Masao, then you, Kiyoshi, Harue, Toshie, Kikue, Yoshio, and Yasue. Wow, big family.

KY: Big family. So that's a total of nine, but two died in their infancy, and Harue was, died at the age of twenty. So there were actually six siblings that made it to maturity, got married and so on.

TI: Okay, so let me ask a little bit about your father. Can you tell me your father's name and where he was from?

KY: My father was born in Kumamoto, Amakusa is an island off of Kumamoto in Kyushu. And I'm sure he was born in the 1870s, '75, something like that. And his name was Iroku, so I imagine he was the sixth child, quite a large family, too, I guess. And the entire family was engaged in farming in Amakusa, Kumamoto.

TI: And do you know about when he came to North America?

KY: No, I do not know, but I would think around 1900 or around there. Yeah, that'd be about the right age, 'cause he was born in 1875, he'd be twenty-five years old. That's a good age, yeah, around there.

TI: And I think you mentioned earlier that he may have gone to Canada first?

KY: Yes, that's what I understand. He first went to Canada, and then he came to Washington. And after coming here, so this must be in the early 1900s, I guess just before 1910 or around there, because my eldest brother was born over here in 1912.

TI: Okay, so Canada, then to Washington State, then back to Japan...

KY: Oh, went back to Japan around that time, around 1910, I would think, and got married.

TI: And how did, do you know how he met your wife -- I mean, your mother?

KY: I'm quite sure it was one of those family arranged marriages where they say, "Well, you're a man this old and you need a wife." [Laughs] And the families got together, and they're both from the same area. So I'm sure that's the way it went, that it was what was called an arranged marriage.

TI: And what was your mother's name?

KY: Mother's name was Some Yamagawa.

TI: And how would you describe your mother? If someone would say, "What was your mother like?" Personality, what would you say?

KY: That's a good question. I would say she was a good mother, kind and loving, and wanted the best for her kids, so she's the one that kind of encouraged going to school and not missing school, studying hard. Plus live the "right way," in other words, go to church, be a good citizen, work hard, study hard, make of yourself something.

TI: And so the same question for your father. How would you describe your father? What was his personality, or what were some things he would say?

KY: I would say: work hard, diligently, do your best, and above all, be a good citizen and be very careful in choosing your religion. And Buddhism, as far as he's concerned, was most important. So be religious and be honest. In other words, be a good citizen.

TI: And what about personality? How would you describe him personality-wise?

KY: Father? He was good, kind, very generous, very, very devout Buddhist. That comes from the fact that we lived closest to the temple, church, I'll get into that later. But anyway, he was that kind of person who liked to smoke. I remember his fingers were all yellowed from nicotine from too many cigarettes. But he was involved, friendly, very kind, generous, especially for supporting the religion, Buddhism. I would say he was a typical Japanese immigrant type. Do well and work hard, be diligent. I would say those are the main characteristics of him. Kind and gentle like a Buddhist.

TI: Good, okay.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright (c) 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.