Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Sumiko M. Yamamoto Interview
Narrator: Sumiko M. Yamamoto
Interviewers: Tom Ikeda (primary); Barbara Takei (secondary)
Location: Sacramento, California
Date: December 8, 2009
Densho ID: denshovh-ysumiko-01-0003

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TI: So when your father came to America, where did he first go? Where did he start, and can you tell me, kind of, his path?

SY: That, gee, I can't say because I never heard of it. I never heard him say.

TI: So do you remember if he was anywhere else before Spreckels, did he talk about that at all?

SY: I think he was all over. I really don't know, because we traveled all over, too, with him. So we had to change schools.

TI: Okay, so tell me about that. So where are some places you remember living?

SY: Where was it? Oh, gee, we went to so many places, I can't... we went to Alisal, that's in, near Salinas, Alisal. And I think I... gee, what grade was I in? Third or fourth. I'm sorry I can't remember.

TI: So why did your father move the family around?

SY: Well, he didn't own the field, I mean, where he could farm. So wherever he could find land, I guess, he had to move. So we moved with him. So we went to Alisal, we went to Castro Hill, we went to Stockton, and where was it? I think first we were in Tulare, I guess, and then, oh, gee, I can't remember now. Those are the few places that I remember the family moved to.

TI: And so what kind of farming did he do?

SY: Vegetables, mostly, like tomatoes, onions, strawberries.

TI: Now, for you, was it pretty hard moving to, like, different schools?

SY: Yes, it was, uh-huh. It was hard getting used to the new place and make new friends, it was kind of hard. I guess we stayed about one or two years, you know, so we moved a lot.

TI: And generally, when you moved, were they to places where there was a Japanese community?

SY: Yes, yes.

TI: So generally there was always a place.

SY: Yes, yes. Because I guess my father couldn't speak English.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.