<Begin Segment 4>

TI: So let's go back to now California and what are some just... so describe the house you grew up in.

RY: Well, we lived in a couple of houses, rental houses. And what I can think of, they were pretty old homes like one house was in the back by the garage from what I can remember. But we did have a regular Japanese furo and that's about all I can say for the houses there.

TI: But then like generally did you have your own room? Did you sleep with anyone else? How did that work?

RY: I don't really remember whether I shared it with my sister. I had my own room, I think I had my own room but I'm not sure.

TI: And you mentioned the bath, the furo, so do you remember is that kind of a nightly ritual?

RY: Oh, yeah.

TI: Every night you would do that. And how would the family do that was there a certain order in terms of who took the bath?

RY: Yeah, my father first, and then we'd go in and then my mom would always be the last. I think that's typical for the Japanese.

TI: And to heat up the bath was it... how did that... was it wood or was it oil?

RY: I think it was wood.

TI: And so who had to start the fire? Was it your father or did you do it?

RY: I think my mom did.

TI: Oh, your mom did.

RY: Yeah.

TI: So how about things like Japanese school? Did you have to go to Japanese school?

RY: Oh, yes that was one of my pet peeves.

TI: That and violin lessons. [Laughs]

RY: Yeah, well going to school all week and then going on a bus early in the morning and going to Japanese school all day Saturday, it got to be pretty much of a... I wouldn't say hassle but all my friends are all out there playing on Saturday, right, the weekends, I'm going to school on Saturday. And it was something that my parents insisted I do so I had to do it. Get a touch of the Japanese teaching methods, the ruler. [Laughs]

TI: Now when you said you had to take a bus so where did you bus to?

RY: It must have been about, well, probably about ten miles down.

TI: So where, was that like in little Tokyo?

RY: No, it was off of... if I remember right it was off of Vermont.

TI: Okay, Vermont and I'm trying to think, Vermont goes so long.

RY: Yeah, Vermont goes from the hills down to the beach just like Western Avenue.

TI: Okay, you mentioned your other friends in Hollywood didn't have to go to Japanese school.

RY: Oh, no they were Caucasians.

TI: Oh, okay. So that's why I was going to ask when you go to school how many other Japanese were there?

RY: Oh, there were a lot of other kids there because we picked up a lot of kids and the classroom was full. And I usually went with my sister.

<End Segment 4> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.