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TI: So today is Thursday, September 18, 2014. We're in the Densho studio. On camera is Dana Hoshide, I'm the interviewer, Tom Ikeda, and we also have in the room Yoko Yamashita, Eiichi's wife, who's watching. So, Eiichi, I'm going to start first by just asking, so give me your birth date. When were you born?

EY: I was born January 27, 1923.

TI: And where were you born?

EY: In Seattle.

TI: And what was the full name given to you at birth?

EY: Eiichi Yamashita.

TI: Okay, so next, can you tell me your father's name?

EY: Masahide Yamashita.

TI: And tell me your mother's name.

EY: Masako Ogura Yamashita.

TI: Okay, Ogura. And while we're talking about the family, tell me the name of your younger brother.

EY: Masao Yamashita.

TI: And he was about five years younger than you?

EY: Yes, that's right.

TI: And then your youngest...

EY: My sister was a couple years younger than my brother.

TI: Okay, and her name is?

EY: Fumiko.

TI: Good. Okay, so we got all the names out.

EY: Yeah. And she, her married name was Murai.

TI: Good. Okay, so next I'm going to focus now on your father, because I'm really curious about your father. So first, tell me where was your father from?

EY: Tokyo.

TI: Okay. And do you know what part of Tokyo?

EY: Hmm?

TI: Do you know what part of Tokyo?

EY: Oh, I think someplace around Aoyama.

TI: And then what kind of work did your father do, your father's family, what kind of work did they do?

EY: My paternal grandfather worked for, he was a samurai, and he worked for Ito Hirobumi.

TI: Explain that to me, what is that?

EY: Ito, he was... he was the author of the Japanese constitution, Ito Hirobumi, and later he was, I don't know what they call it, but I always assumed that it was the governor general. He was in Korea for a number of years.

TI: So this is your grandfather you're talking about?

EY: Grandfather's employer.

TI: Okay, employer, okay. But your grandfather worked for this man, who was a very important person.

EY: One as a bodyguard, and then my uncle, my father's elder brother, worked for this man when he was in Korea. And he was the author of the Japanese constitution.

TI: Okay, so your family had some really high-level connections.

EY: Some connection, yes, uh-huh. And my maternal grandfather was a... not too active, but was active in politics. He was a lumberman, but he also was interested in politics, and he was a member of the, I think Mother said, I think, Seiyukai.

TI: So given that your father's family had such good connections, why did he decide to leave Japan and come to America?

EY: (Seeking his fortune in a new environment). I think the most compelling reason was that at that time, people were being drafted to fight in the Russo-Japanese War. And he said that had he been in the army, why, he would have died in that, the battle over there where they were, there was a... what was it? (Nihyaku San Kochi).

TI: Manchuria?

EY: Yeah, yeah.

TI: Well, isn't that interesting -- I mean, so how did your grandfather react? So here he is, someone who is trained to fight, and your father decides not to?

EY: My grandfather went into battle, first battle at the age of sixteen, and he was on the Tokugawa side. And I think... why my father chose that, I don't know. Perhaps... maybe he had his reasons, but I really don't know.

TI: And how well educated was your father in Japan?

EY: Oh, he, I think he finished high school, and then after that he came over here. So after that, he was pressed for making a living, and so he struggled a little bit. But then he was able to, with the connection that his paternal...

TI: Okay, so we'll get to that later, I want to go step by step.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright © 2014 Densho. All Rights Reserved.