<Begin Segment 3>

SY: And so your mother, when she came to this country, she had never met your father?

NS: No, no.

SY: But they had a mutual friend.

NS: Yes, yes, yes.

SY: And so he's the one that recommended your father to him. And so was there any objection from either family?

NS: I guess not. And then evidently they got married and they had all the children, twelve children. I mean, you know, she had a lot of miscarriages, and nine lived through all these years. Of course, we lost so many brothers and sisters.

SY: So your mother had twelve children altogether?

NS: Uh-huh.

SY: And who, can you tell us who the oldest one...

NS: Yes, his name is Harold Inatomi. My sister was the oldest, her name was Fusako, but later on, as we went on, got older, she had American name Jean.

SY: So all your sisters and brothers have American names?

NS: Yes, yes.

SY: And I'm sorry I forgot to ask your father's name and your mother's family name. Your father's full name?

NS: My father's full name is Kametaro. Kametaro Inatomi.

SY: And your mother's full name?

NS: My mother's name is Misao... oh, gosh, her family name... what was their last name? I can't remember.

SY: Do you know how long it was before they actually got married after they'd moved to this country?

NS: Well, I guess it was arrangement, so they got married right after that. When she came to America she got married right away because she wouldn't know where to go otherwise. So my father picked her up and came to...

SY: Did your mother talk to you about the...

NS: Oh, yes, uh-huh. Often, she often talked about it. She didn't really like it; she didn't like America. She said she wanted to go back, she cried. [Laughs] She was scared, more or less. And then my father was good to her, so I guess right after that they got married and look how many children she had. So must have loved each other.

SY: So she didn't say anything about your father being...

NS: No. Yeah, my father was good to her, I guess, and had all the children, and they were happy.

SY: She didn't say anything about it being difficult not knowing him?

NS: Oh, yes. First she was scared, she said, but then he was good to my mother, so I guess they loved each other. After all, she wouldn't have all those children. [Laughs]

SY: And did she have any friends when she came?

NS: No.

SY: She was totally by herself.

NS: By herself.

SY: She came over all by herself.

NS: Uh-huh.

SY: So I'm assuming they met in San Francisco.

NS: Yes, yes.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.