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TI: So now let's talk a little bit about your father. What was your father's name and where was he from?

PT: His name was Tomokichi.

TI: And where was he from?

PT: He was from Hiroshima. There was a Japanese scholar who wrote a lot about, formally about the Japanese. This part he did not write about. A large number of Japanese came to this country to avoid military service. And in Japan, when you are born, you're one year old. So by the time you are (thirteen) or (fourteen) years old, you cannot leave anymore. So my father left just about when he was (twelve) or (thirteen) and went to Hawaii. I don't know how many of the Japanese came to this country under those conditions. When my father came to Hawaii, that was in 1878.

TI: So very, very early in immigration.

PT: Yes. And then the United States had annexed Hawaii. Since indentured laborers were illegal in the United States, Hawaii asked the United States for just one year that these workers be continued on under indentured labor. And as soon as that one year was up, now he's about (fifteen) years old. Then there's a ship waiting for the Japanese because this was a ship for the railroads. And the railroad system in the West had still not been completed. So he worked as a railroad worker and all he had to do was work six months and he's free. If he wants to continue, why, there's a job for him.

TI: And again, how old was he when he did this?

PT: He was about (thirteen or fourteen).

TI: (Thirteen)?

PT: (Thirteen) years old.

TI: (Thirteen) years old he's doing this?

PT: Yes. And then he goes to Stockton, and then contact (people from) the area that you came from.

TI: Oh, the kenjinkai.

PT: (He worked in a barber shop).

TI: Like a janitor?

PT: Janitor, yes, of a (barbershop) in Stockton. So that's what he did during the daytime, and then at night he went to night school and learned to read and write English.

TI: Now during this time, who was your father traveling with?

PT: By himself. [Interruption] But the interesting thing that's missed here is the fact that they were not going to serve in the military. And there was quite a number that came under those conditions. That is why, when it came time for them to go on to marry, what emerged was the "picture bride" system. Otherwise, they couldn't go to Japan. They'd be snatched up. So my mother, who was (eighteen years old), came from Hiroshima and he married her.

TI: So this is interesting. So those who were avoiding conscription, when they left Japan, they had no intent of ever going back to Japan.

PT: They can't.

TI: Right. So this kind of debunks the theory many people said, that people came to the United States to make money, then to return. But in this case, your father had no plans of returning.

PT: No fool will go back, because that means military service. Many of those who came were not middle income people. These were people who lost their farm because of taxing and taxing for Japan to build its military force. And I think this was only in certain prefectures. I would guess Kumamoto, I would guess... well, three or four others.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.