Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Yuriko Yamamoto Interview
Narrator: Yuriko Yamamoto
Interviewer: Martha Nakagawa
Location: Los Angeles, California
Date: April 24, 2012
Densho ID: denshovh-yyuriko-01-0014

<Begin Segment 14>

MN: So how long were you at Santa Anita?

YY: God, I don't know. For a fairly short time, because soon after, we all separated and we went to Heart Mountain. Lot of Spokane people and Mountain View people, so they thought I was one of (them).

MN: So then did you know you were going to Heart Mountain?

YY: Well, we were told that. I didn't know where Heart Mountain was, Wyoming, but I didn't know what kind of a place it was.

MN: Now how long did you say the train ride was?

YY: I would say about three days, I don't know. But they closed the shades. I don't know where we're going, you just hear the train going. But it was very, it was boring.

MN: Did you get motion sickness?

YY: No, I didn't.

MN: Where did you sleep on the train?

YY: On the seat you're sitting on.

MN: So you couldn't lie down.

YY: No.

MN: Did people, like, lie down in the aisles?

YY: Not that I know of, because people have to walk to the bathroom or whatever.

MN: What did you eat on the train?

YY: Mostly sandwiches.

MN: What kind of sandwiches?

YY: I don't recall. Just plain, you know.

MN: So was there a separate dining car?

YY: No, they just passed it out to you.

MN: Who were passing out the sandwiches? Were they African American porters?

YY: I don't recall that. They might have been, or some Caucasian people, but it wasn't Japanese. We just sat there and they just served us.

MN: How would you describe the train ride?

YY: Tedious. Can't see anything.

MN: Were there soldiers on the train?

YY: I'm sure there were, but I wasn't noticing anything like that.

MN: Did the train stop near Heart Mountain or did you have to take a bus from wherever...

YY: I think we did have to take a bus. Because it's a very remote place, I think.

<End Segment 14> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.