<Begin Segment 7>

TI: Okay, so you're a senior at Richmond Union High School, so December 7, 1941, why don't you describe that day for me.

KY: Well, we were in Japanese school, that was a Sunday. And one of the parents came and picked us up and told us what was happening and I guess the first reaction was disbelief. I mean, it was just a shock and disbelief. And I think it took a while before it really sunk in that this is for real.

TI: And when you got home, any reaction from your parents or your sister about what just happened?

KY: I get the sense that it was just disbelief, it took a while for us to really integrate the whole event.

TI: Okay, so this is a Sunday, the next day is a school day, what were your thoughts about going to school the next day?

KY: I guess maybe we were hesitant but we went to school, we went to school, and I think my father went to work. But it was, well, you can imagine it was a very anxious period of time.

TI: So were there any incidents or anything at school the next day or the days following?

KY: No.

TI: Was there any mention or discomfort that you felt at maybe what a teacher said or at assembly or anything about the war and Japan bombing Pearl Harbor?

KY: You know I don't remember that anything was said. It just... school just went on as it was. Nobody said anything.

TI: So one way or the other, like a friend maybe acknowledging what happened and saying to you, "Kiyo, everything's going to be okay," or anything like that?

KY: I don't remember anyone saying that to me so it's just like... but I don't remember anyone saying anything. My civics teacher didn't say too much but I really felt she was very supportive to us, to me.

TI: Now as the weeks went by and the Japanese started getting the orders to leave the area, did you -- well, actually before we go there, I just remembered something. So you lived in Richmond and so which was very close to the oil refineries.

KY: That's right.

TI: So tell me what happened because of that I mean.

KY: Well, as a result of that, I had to move from Richmond to somewhere and we moved to Berkeley. So we moved earlier and then we moved to Berkeley and stayed with a family until we were sent to Tanforan Assembly Center.

TI: Okay, so how close was your house to the oil refineries and when you were moved?

KY: Well, it wasn't close but it was close enough. I mean, it's right there in town, I mean, not town but outside of town. So it was close.

TI: And were you able to see the refineries from your house or anything like that?

KY: No, that we couldn't do.

TI: And so when your family was moved, I'm assuming that all the Japanese families in Richmond were moved also?

KY: Right.

TI: And do you remember how that happened? Did they come to your door or did they send you a letter or how did you know you had to leave?

KY: You know, I don't remember if we got a notice or how we found out that we had to move. I don't remember.

TI: Okay.

KY: But we knew that we had to leave our house and move from Richmond.

TI: And was it the type of movement that had to be done quickly? I'm trying to think about the house and all your belongings, did you have the time to dispense with those things in a, I guess in a logical manner?

KY: Well, actually what happened is that we were able... we left everything, we just, as you know, we could only take what we could carry. So we left most of the things in the house and we left our home in the hands of a real estate agent. And we never received any of the rent but they just took care of it for us and after the war we were able to sell the house.

TI: Okay, so the house was owned by the family. And do you know how that worked in terms of who the house was under?

KY: Since my parents were not citizens, it was in my name.

TI: So it sounds like, so your family made arrangements with this realtor to rent the house out while you were gone and then but the house would remain yours. But he just kept the rent it sounds like. When you went to Berkeley, who did you live with in Berkeley?

KY: Well, somehow we had a family friend who said they would take us in temporarily and so that's where we stayed.

TI: And so when you went to Berkeley, did you continue your studies at Richmond Union?

KY: Yes, I commuted from Berkeley to Richmond until we had to leave.

TI: And as you got closer to the time you had to leave for Tanforan, any comments or discussions, you mention your civics teacher and here you're a United States citizen, and in civics class you learn that U.S. citizens have certain rights, sort of due process things like that, any discussion?

KY: No, there wasn't. I think we just followed... we were supposed to do this and so we just did it, right.

TI: Okay, so before we go to Tanforan any other memories or thoughts we should talk about either at Berkeley or Richmond?

KY: No, I don't think so.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.