<Begin Segment 5>

AI: Well, now I wanted to ask you a little bit more also whether you went to a Japanese school or anything of that sort in addition to your regular school?

LK: When we lived in the International District I... my mother started me in Japanese school when I was five. I don't think the regular Japanese school took you until you were six. So she had me go to this private one and I think she had aspirations for me from then. And so she kind of pushed me along. And so I remember going for one, one year there and I continued on Saturdays. And in fact by then, we had moved, so then all of us would go on Saturdays to this private, smaller Japanese school because we just couldn't get over there to the, after school, the timing-wise, the distance and all. So we, that was our Saturday morning outing to go to Japanese school and we'd either get there by cable car or else walk.

AI: The cable car. Now, that's something that we don't have any, any more. Where did that run?

LK: There was one that went all the way up from the bottom of Yesler Way all the way up to, you know, Leschi. And that was one that we had taken frequently and... but mostly we walked. And it was about three miles or so. You know now, it would be pretty far for us to walk when we're used to driving, but yeah, we used to do it.

AI: Does anything stand out in your mind about the Japanese school, any particular experiences, or...

LK: Well, we didn't make much progress. [Laughs] Because we didn't study too hard and we only went because our parents were making us go. So I think it was same with my brothers and sisters, too. Although my older, my older sister was more proficient at it than us, because she went to the big Japanese school. And, but by the time it came to me, it was just a Saturday lesson and you know... quite a few kids in the school and we'd go through our lessons and then next week we forget everything they taught us. [Laughs] So it, it was a long struggle. So I really am embarrassed that I didn't study a little harder now that I'm an adult.

AI: Right.

LK: I wish I had.

AI: Right.

LK: Especially when I've gone to Japan.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.