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BN: Maybe this a good time to talk about Aala, which was kind of a Japanese retail cluster. I know you have a lot of fond memories about...

JK: Oh, yes. I like to argue with... and I've argued with people from Moilili (who used to say) that they were the business, Japanese business community. I said, "Uh-huh, Aala was the central focus." People would come to Aala to shop for their bigger purchases, more expensive purchases. At that time people used to give New Year's gifts. So, oh, we were busy then. They would come by taxi. The rural runs had taxis for fifty cents a ride, and they would park on Aala Street and then they would walk across. Well, they would come to Aala to go to the movies because there were, at one time, two theaters, and they were both on Aala Street. But when they come out, it's not often that they came out, they made their purchases, (bought) chestnuts at Amaguri Taro and take that into the movie house. And then the train from the Waianae coast would come in; here again we have that influx. The windward people came to the taxi stand on Pauahi Street adjacent to River Street. So it was a convenient meeting place for people from all over the island to come to shop. So I think we were, to me -- this is prejudicial -- but we were the shopping center. And one of the persons who lived there and whose father had a store there, Mrs. Uyeda of Uyeda shoe store, says we were the first shopping center before Ala Moana came up.

BN: So what was it like as a child growing in this kind of busy...

JK: Yeah, it was a very cohesive community. Everybody cared for everybody else's children. For example, we never had a car, but the Awamuras of Heiwa-do, Maggie Inouye's father, had a car. And so when it poured and rained, the car would come, and automatically we'd jump in the car. And my mother would know that Awamuras went to pick up the kids at Japanese school. So that kind of community spirit. We (played) at each other's houses, we ate in the storage areas of each other's houses, upstairs of the store. And oh, it was a thrill to be asked to go to the furoya, bathhouse, which was located on Beretania Street. The Iwaharas did that, so we'd each get this (little) tub, soap, and towel, and change of clothes and walk to the furoya when asked. The rest of us had bathtubs at home.

BN: So all of these families pretty much are merchants who had the store...

JK: They were all merchants, yeah.

BN: ...the family lived above or behind. These are the kids that you...

JK: And then they took care of all of us. I think there was a great spirit of community. And for me, I never felt, "Oh, I don't have a father."

BN: You had a lot of fathers.

JK: Yes. And they really took good care. I'm grateful for that.

BN: Were all the families Japanese?

JK: There was one family that was Chinese, and that's the Hong family that ran the candy shop. We played together, but outside of just playing together, when they talk about Aala Rengo, that store was never included. They made their candies upstairs, and you'd get to taste them when you go upstairs, or even when you go in the store, (we'd) open the bin. [Laughs]

BN: What were some of the other businesses in Aala Rengo?

JK: Okay, we had Amaguri Taro, which had roasted chestnuts. They roasted them in the back of the store, they had a big (equipment), I don't know what you'd call it, it turned over black sand. And so we would help to wash the chestnuts, which had been stored in cold storage someplace nearby, and wash those and dry them, and then put them into the black sand. And the thing would churn. And then you put ame on it. And they had these cute little bags, red cross stitch, and with a boy coming out of a chestnut, and it's a string thing. It was fun helping. It was also filling. [Laughs]

BN: So they were able to survive? That was basically all they sold?

JK: Well, they sold other Japanese goodies like osenbe and things. And then there was... well, first, coming from my side, which was closer to the river, this Nuuanu stream, was the drugstore on the corner, Akahoshi Drug. And they sold not only drugs, but they sold liquor, and they sold newspapers. Most of us didn't subscribe to the Star-Bulletin (although we) advertised, but (did not). And then (our store) and we had a double store. Other people had one, but we had double. And then next door, everybody bought shoes at Lion shoe store, which changed ownership many times. Sato Clothiers, who also lived upstairs, Kobayashi dry goods, and they sold yardage like we did. But Mrs. Kobayashi also ran a sewing school. So the upstairs was partly a sewing school, and the girls would come down and buy things. And then we had Pacific Woolen, which used to be the Okazaki Tailor. And Toshiko Okazaki who's gone now, but she helped work on this (JCCH) gallery, too. And her sister, and they were much older than us. And then the Pacific Woolen took over. (Later) the Kandas (took) over. I believe there is a store someplace in Pawaa (now) that used to be Morikubo Tailors, Pacific Woolen. But I don't know whether it exists today. And then there was the candy, Hong's candy shop, and then an alleyway. In the back of the stores, the whole length of the building, the same width, was the Aala Market (with) the Otanis... this was all Oahu Railway land. So the buildings were leased, both ours and the back. And then Amaguri Taro, and then next to that was Heiwa-do Jewelry, Maggie Inouye's family, and they sold jewelry and pens and (those kinds of things). And next door was Aloha Curio, Kawanos. And Hideo Kawano later became independent, he became a stockbroker. And then a store next to that which changed hands many, many times. A Chinese family at one time had it, they sold dry goods, and then it became a shoe store, Takara-san. And Takara-san also manufactured shoes and slippers on site. He later took over our (space) when Hawaii Importing quit. He took over that double space to do the manufacturing. And then the Iwaharas' store, which (...) at one time even had groceries. They had hardware. It was during the war a very good location because the people from Pearl Harbor would come by train, and (when) they needed something, they stopped there. And then around the corner was Haseyama Tailor, which came in very late. And beyond that, in a separate building was Asahi Furniture, and that's where my husband's family had their business.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.