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TI: So in about 1933, when you were about four years old, the family goes to Japan.

IH: Yes.

TI: Why did the family go to Japan?

IH: According to my father, his success in the business. Later, he was contracted with the sugar company, and he had his own sugar field, too. But my mother said he got really bad homesick, so they went back to Japan.

TI: Oh, so it sounds like, so business-wise, he was doing quite well. He had land, he had his business, but then he got homesick so he wanted to go back. Okay.

IH: That's not good, his excuse, the success of the business. But he did pretty good, I think. Soon as we went back to Japan he bought the land and then built a house.

TI: So what did he do with the land in Hilo? Did he sell all the --

IH: Sold it.

TI: So he sold the business and the land and everything. Okay, so he had money, then he went to, back to Japan, or Hiroshima.

IH: And he didn't sell the land, too, he just let it go, everything, and they went back to Japan. And then later, he asked his friend to sell the land.

TI: Explain that again? So first he went to Japan, and then he came back and then sold it then? So the first time he went, he wasn't sure he was gonna stay?

IH: No, no, that time already he wanted to go back for permanent.

TI: So why didn't he sell the first time? Why did he have to come back?

IH: Maybe he doesn't have a time. When you're homesick, you want to go home. That's the thing.

TI: And then you said in Hiroshima he bought some land and built a place?

IH: Yes.

TI: So where did he build a house?

IH: Almost city limit. And then they didn't have much houses around there. On that street, on the one block, only our house was there. Fill up the (farmer's land) so all around is just farmer's land. So no houses around there. All the land is empty lot.

TI: And how big was your, was the land that your father bought? How much land?

IH: That's not big, just about two houses, can build. Then so he built the house, then he tried to grow the vegetables. Just, you name it, everything we had. Only we didn't have rice, but from the vegetable, everything, potato to peanuts. And not only that, he bought about a hundred boxes of honeybee.

TI: Interesting. Why so many honeybees?

IH: Just as a side business. And then left (professional beekeeper) to take care. And that (professional beekeeper), from Japan, start from Kyushu, southern part, and then go follow the flowers. Then he had extra money coming in. And not only that, he was raising about two thousand chickens in the backyard.

TI: And what were the chickens for? The eggs or would he sell the chickens? Why so many chickens?

IH: Mostly it's the eggs. And when they become old, then they kill 'em and sell to the market, too. So he was self-employed. [Laughs]

TI: And so growing up, did you have to help a lot on the farm?

IH: Yeah. When I came to the seventh grade, I started helping my father clean the chicken house, and then also prepare for the harvest and seeding, too. So I helped quite a bit.

TI: Now, with all the vegetables, you said you had almost every kind of vegetable. Was that for the family?

IH: Just the family.

TI: Just the family. Did you sell some of the vegetables?

IH: No. Just when leftover, then give it to the neighbors.

TI: So it was the honeybees and the chickens, that was more of the business to make some money.

IH: So I'm helping honeybee, too. So I know how to handle the honeybee.

TI: So did you get lots of stings?

IH: No. Well, the stings, sometimes they do it, but for me, it's just like nothing. Even, didn't swell up or anything, just that time it'll get sore.

TI: Now, did you wear special, like...

IH: Yeah, the net on only the face. And the hands, no, just bare hands.

TI: And so what's the trick? Do you just have to go really slow? What do you do so they don't sting you? Is there a certain technique?

IH: No, they put the smoke on it. Before you do, shoot the smoke inside box, then it's calmed down. Then you can open the box, and then you can, what you want to do. And then if get the section, lift 'em up, too much honey, then with a brush, you just shake 'em down. Then when honey stay in there, then cut off the cover and then spin them around and take off the honey. That's all the kind of, I used to do. But that helped me on the college examination, entry examination.

TI: So that didn't help you, knowing all that?

IH: That really helped me.

TI: And what about the chores with the chickens? What kind of chores did you have to do with the chickens? To help out with the chickens, what did you do?

IH: Oh, most of the time cleaned the chicken house. Because not like now, now is only a couple chickens in the one cage. And then when they laid the egg just come out in the front. So they, chicken cannot move around, cannot exercise. But those days, get two hundred, two hundred, two hundred in the different sections. So nighttime, evenings, chase into the house, and then sleep inside the house. But in the morning, open the door and then let go to the field. But, of course, it's all with chicken wire fence.

TI: Interesting. When you did your chores and worked with your father, did he ever talk about his life in Hilo and comparing, maybe, his work in Hiroshima with Hilo? Did he look back at Hilo fondly or was he glad he was in Hiroshima? Did he talk about that?

IH: No, he doesn't talk too much.

TI: And how about your mother? Did she ever talk about Hawaii?

IH: Yes.

TI: What did she say about Hawaii to you?

IH: Oh, she likes Hawaii. She didn't want to go back to Japan. But cannot help, the family. And in those days, husband is the boss. Cannot do anything.

TI: Now, why did she like Hawaii? What did she say about Hawaii?

IH: First of all, the climate, I think. Not like Japan, cold and hot. Japan, when it's hot it's really hot. Those days, no more air conditioning, just with a fan. And everything, not only that, American custom is wide open. Not like Japan. Japan is kind of, so many things.

TI: Oh, so maybe especially for a woman, it was easier in Hawaii than Japan.

IH: It's different.

TI: Oh, interesting.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.