<Begin Segment 5>

TI: So let's go back to your life. I mean, did you do things like Japanese language school?

RH: Yeah, I had to go to Japanese school I think it was every Saturday. Oh, that was tough 'cause... but like I said I'm speaking all this English and then go to Japanese school, that was tough, didn't do very well.

TI: But then probably all the other students in language school were about the same in terms of their ability.

RH: Yeah, there was only about ten families in the town, so our school was on Saturday and Sundays they would have Japanese school for the church people. Well, church people because they would come in from the country and go to church and then go to Japanese school afterwards.

TI: So the kids who were out in the country, the farmers, they would have a double dose of both church and language school.

RH: Yeah.

TI: Now how did the city kids get along with the country kids?

RH: We got along okay. They were mostly, they went to the Christian church and us guys in the city mostly went to the Buddhist church which was a different church. Anyway, the same place as the Japanese school.

TI: That's interesting, why would the farmers be more Christian than the Modesto families?

RH: I don't know.

TI: Yeah, I'm trying to think about why that would be. That's interesting. So how about you for, so the Buddhist church, was that like every Sunday you would have service?

RH: Yeah, so one day I went to the priest and I says, "You know, I'd rather go hunting than come to church." [Laughs] He says, "Alright, if it's okay with your dad it's okay with me."

TI: So he knew your dad and so he knew that you probably wouldn't ask him.

RH: Yeah, so I went to my mom and my mom went to my dad and asked if it was okay and he says, "Yeah, it's okay." So I went hunting every Sunday after that, never went to church.

TI: And you were like how old then, twelve, thirteen years old?

RH: Yeah, probably thirteen.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.