<Begin Segment 21>

MN: Now, meanwhile, you were still in Japan, you were accepted into Kyoto University. What did you major in at Kyoto University?

FH: It was law.

MN: And why did you choose law?

FH: Well, because my dad, when I were a young kid, he always said that there are two profession that one can, one can excel in. One is the law and the other is the medical field. And so I just followed that. But the courses that I took was, instead of a strict law, it was more or less the public administration kind of unit that I took.

MN: And when did you graduate from Kyoto University?

FH: 1952.

MN: Were your parents at your graduation ceremony?

FH: No, they were here in this country. So they could not attend any of the graduation ceremony.

MN: Now, a year after you graduated, you became Christian in 1953. How did that come about?

FH: Well, I think it is a long, long history. Like my brother, when he suffered from the brain tumor or something, was healed there and so forth. And then attending the bible study at the officer's, the British officer's home and so forth. It was a very, very gradual process. But one thing I recall, I was a nasty boy when I was in Okayama and so forth. And one day, after drinking and doing all the, all the sinful things and so forth, I was walking back to the Okayama station to catch the train back to my countryside home. And when I was passing in front of that church, I heard the very joyful, it was a youth group having, I think it was a celebration or something like that. And so I just walked in and say, "Hey, take me in," and they say, "No." And then they call the pastor and the pastor come out and say, "Hey, it seems like you are very much drunk. We cannot take you in now. Get sober and then come back again." And so I think I went back the next Sunday or something like that. And then attending the Sunday worship service, I felt as if the pastor is speaking only to me, that kind of feeling I had. And so gradually, I started attending. Not only when there was service, but various meetings and so forth. And I even became a Sunday school teacher and so forth, and after being Baptized and so forth.

MN: And this is all in Japan, still?

FH: Yeah, still in Japan, Okayama. And so Okayama church, that was my home church.

MN: Did your family have a problem with you converting to Christianity?

FH: Oh, no, not at all. Because my parents, even when they were in Japan after the war, used to invite the pastors from city of Okayama. Okayama church and another Shinyae church, that is the Methodist church. But having the pastor there at our home and having the house meeting in the countryside and so forth. And so they were not Christian, but our parents, my father as well as Kano, which is my uncle, used to have a gradual process of becoming Christian and so forth. Later on, they became Christians. But was gradually exposed to Christianity. And one person, if I can mention, name is... Bob... he is a professor at the School of Theology in Claremont.

MN: Suzuki?

FH: No, no, he's an American, but he has quite a few books and so forth. He even came to our house and spoke through the, let's say, occupied forces. My uncle used to be an interpreter for the Japanese intelligence, CIA and so forth. And so he was even invited from Kobe and spoke at our house. Bob G. Cobb. Cobb, C-O-B-B, yeah. And so it was a gradual process, I was exposed to Christianity. And so after attending those meeting and so forth, I became a Christian on Christmas Day, Christmas service.

MN: Christmas Day 1953?

FH: I think so. My parents, after coming back to this country, they became Baptized, too, both parents.

<End Segment 21> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.