<Begin Segment 11>

MN: Now after Pearl Harbor, did the FBI take away any of the Japanese American leaders in your community?

KI: They did but I didn't know who they were. I didn't know who they were because I didn't know who the leaders were. But I think I heard them saying they took our Japanese school teacher. I remember hearing that but they didn't... I don't think they took away our minister because he was Christian. 'Cause I remember going to church until we were evacuated.

MN: Then you mentioned that Berkeley instituted a residential restriction?

KI: The war did, yeah.

MN: For Japanese aliens? Now how did this affect your family?

KI: It didn't affect us at all because we were in an area where it was still okay to live.

MN: Now is this when another family moved into your --

KI: Well, I think it was just at night they would come and sleep because the hours, it was something like after eight o'clock they couldn't be out. That doesn't make sense.

MN: Something about University was the dividing line.

KI: Yeah, University was the dividing line on the south side of Berkeley and anything on the north side was restricted. Although people were living there, there were several families living all the way up University on the other side up to Vine Street and things because I used to go play with them. And I don't know what the other families did but since the Kamis were right across the street and the mother and father and the two youngest came and stayed with us at night. But I don't remember anything about it, isn't that funny? I remember them saying that they came and that they were coming but I don't remember where they slept, if they ate with us, or it's just a complete blank. I should ask my girlfriend 'cause my girlfriend and I still, 'cause we're, classmates we still keep in contact. I should ask her 'cause she's the one that reminded that her parents used to come to my house. (Narr. note: I have since found out that the Kami family parents stayed at our house the duration of the restriction. They only went home a week prior to being illegally evacuated to pack and prepare for the move. The restricted are was north of University Avenue like I said, and also west of Grove Street. That explains why my mother friends and their families probably remained in their homes until evacuation.)

MN: So technically they would sleep over at your house.

KI: And then go back during the day.

MN: And go back across the street during the day so they were legal.

KI: Yeah, I'm sure they didn't stay with us all day 'cause I would've felt that. I would have felt it and would've seen them so they must... I have a feeling just because of what I just said that they came, they ate, they did everything at home during the day, they ate their dinner and then they came over and slept at our house and in the morning went back. But I will have... just out of curiosity I will have to research that more.

MN: Well, let me ask you though, they had also American-born children right?

KI: Yes.

MN: Now did they stay on the other side?

KI: The older, yeah. Well, even the young ones, all the kids were American-born, but I guess they didn't want the two younger ones staying at the house.

MN: So the American-born older ones stayed on the north side of University 'cause they were --

KI: American citizens.

MN: But their parents and the youngest ones had to come over because of --

KI: The youngest ones didn't have to because they were American-born, but I think the parents just wanted them to come with them.

MN: Now did your family participate in those blackout drills?

KI: Oh, yeah.

MN: What did you do?

KI: My father... I remember my father putting up some kind of dark curtains on the window but that's all I remember. And then I remember also we would hide under the table, make a game out of it, yeah. And we didn't think anything bad about it, we were kids and we just thought it was kind of fun, I guess. I remember laughing and doing things under the table. But I remember very definitely the sirens and the putting up the curtains.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.