<Begin Segment 3>

MN: Now your family lived downtown and were scheduled to go to Manzanar, but your wife's family's from Hollywood. Were you two able to go to the same camp?

JK: No. Hollywood group went to Santa Anita. And so we had trouble going to the same place. But since my mother had signed up for Manzanar, we ended up there, because we had more freedom to try to transfer later.

MN: So Masa was able to go with you directly to Manzanar?

JK: Yes.

MN: How did you prepare to go to camp?

JK: Well, we heard all kind of stories about snakes and bugs and things. So we tried to prepare for it with boots and high top shoes and things like that. We did a lot of unnecessary shopping for boots and things like that.

MN: Were there things that you treasured that you couldn't take with you?

JK: No, not much. But when you think of just suitcases.

MN: I know you loved music.

JK: Yeah. Well, I was into collecting jazz music. And in fact, I had a whole collection of swing music that we just had to give up. Yes, this was a waste of money because we used to go to, oh, Al Jarvis, he was a disc jockey who played all the songs that we liked over the radio. And we used to just adore his style.

MN: So you had to leave all those behind?

JK: Yes, I left them with my friend who took over our little mama and papa store. And, oh, I guess he made money. But...

MN: So you said you left it with a friend that took over the Gary Street Store?

JK: Yes.

MN: And did you leave all your furniture in there, too?

JK: Oh, yes.

MN: What did you do with all the Japanese books and the records?

JK: Well, our family didn't go in for too much of that. We had, well, flag and something from the records and things like that. But since Mother was all alone, I guess she used to listen to records. We, the second generation, didn't have too much art-wise, because I was out playing sports and the others were kind of young.

MN: Now, the day you left for camp, do you remember the day and the month?

JK: Well, it was April. It was, I think, Mother's Day, yeah.

MN: Where did you gather to go into camp?

JK: I know we were on... oh, on the train. We were on a station on Third Street, Third and, just east of Alameda.

MN: Third Street? I know they had a Fifth Street. Before the war there was a Fifth Street.

JK: Yes... I know because we were warned to keep the blinds down with the army MPs walking patrol and inside a car. Cautioned to keep our eyes closed inside the window. Then we had a tragedy. Somebody in San Fernando had a heart attack and they stopped the train and they had to take him off. So...

MN: How did you feel when you saw all these army people?

JK: Just disgusting. Well, they had their job to do, but it was a boring ride anyway.

MN: Did you get sick on the train?

JK: No.

MN: How long was this train ride?

JK: Oh, wow. Gee, I would say five, six hours. I remember going by the road, desert, and my gosh, what a forlorn place to go to. It was not a pleasant trip.

MN: And then where did the train stop?

JK: I know we stopped outside of San Fernando, and that's when they took the person off the train. And the last time was when we hit Manzanar, I guess.

MN: And then you got off, and did you get on a bus?

JK: I think it was a truck.

MN: Was it a army truck?

JK: It looked like it.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.