<Begin Segment 6>

AI: Well, I'm wondering about the Japanese American community. Did you feel there was much of a community? Were there community activities?

KM: Yeah. There was lot of community. Uh-huh.

AI: What types of things do you remember?

KM: Yeah, well we had bon odori and they had judo group and judo competition, and kendo. Very much in attraction to the, some of 'em that come, Caucasians even joined. And I don't know, oshogatsu was one of the highlights. Everybody in Japanese school, you know they had a long table. They would decorate it with matsu and take and ume. That's shochikubai.

AI: Maybe, for people who don't know that, could you explain that a little bit?

KM: Yeah. Well matsu (pine, sho) and take (bamboo, chiku) is longevity, and then ume (plum blossom, bai) is supposed to be fragrance. And it is one of the earlier blossoms. And so those three put together, they always get a little flower arrangement. And every table would have that arrangement. And we would all meet in our Japanese school. And the Japanese school would have American flag and a Japan flag. And then we would start with a ceremony of worshipping emperor in Japan. They had a picture of the emperor with a little sheet over it. It's all covered. And the teacher would say, "Saikeirei," (utmost form of bowing in respect) that means to bow your head. And we were never allowed to see the emperor's picture, 'cause that was very sacred. There was supposed to, it was, he was supposed to be treated like a god. And so we would have a one-minute saikeirei, and then (look) up. And then when they put this curtain back on -- the two PTA fathers would do that. They would have white gloves on, and very, very, you know, very right. Everything was -- and so we learned all these, how, the ways of Japan. But now I heard that it's all gone now, after the war. But it's amazing that I still remember all those things because it's, we were made to do it. I mean that was the only way to do it.

AI: And did you, did you ever wish that you didn't have to do that?

KM: No. Well, that part I didn't mind. But I didn't like going to Japanese school, or going to Saturday school because I, when I got into junior high school, I wanted to be active in athletics and after-school activities so that I could earn letters, and get my name in the school paper, and so forth. But I had to sacrifice a lot of that. But somehow toward the end I made all that up. I mean I finally got all the points, and 'course I had to be the highest, you know I'm always striving -- [Laughs] -- 'cause my parents always said, "Do the best and excel above the, your Caucasian friends." So I had a lot of competitive spirit. [Laughs]

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 1999 Densho. All Rights Reserved.