<Begin Segment 9>

[Ed. note: This transcript has been edited by the narrator]

VY: Tell me more about the group names, the group names that you had. So there was the group of girls had a name and the group of boys had a name? What were those names?

YY: The boys found a nice name, the Barons. But the girls had a difficult time finding one, so they just had a temporary name, but it never changed. [Laughs] We just couldn't decide what to call ourselves, so anyway, it stayed with us all this time.

VY: What was the name?

YY: It's the Stinkers.

VY: The Stinkers? Do you know why that particular name?

YY: No, I have no idea how it came up, anyway.

VY: But it just stuck with you, it never changed after that. Were there any other names? Were there any other groups?

YY: Yeah, they had the Links and Jinx... let's see, what are some of the other group names? Anyway... [Narr. note: These groups gave us opportunities to meet new friends, have new experiences, new knowledge, support. Several organizations such as the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Ballet, provided free tickets to their performances occasionally, which was the first experience for most of us who grew up in camp.]

VY: So what were these groups? Were they just groups of kids?

YY: Groups that were about the same age. (...) Most of them were in high school (but there were junior high age groups and college age groups as well. Groups got together and sponsored picnics, dances or in smaller groups for bicycling, roller skating. We had fund raisers, learned to bake, none of us had a kitchen in camp so we never had that kind of experience before.)

VY: And you just got together and did activities together and that sort of thing?

YY: Yeah, and we had a leader, like Yori Wada for the boys, and Toshi Koba (...) for the girls, but there were (other leaders and groups, too. Some groups focused on sports, athletics, for example, basketball teams.)

VY: Do you still stay in touch with any of those friends from that time?

YY: We used to, a lot more (before). Now, everyone's pretty scattered, and several live in L.A. So when we were, used to get together every now and then, but it's been a long time now. We're all in our late eighties, so it's hard, but I think we're still saying one last time we should. So maybe next year or so.

VY: Where do you think that would be? Would it be in San Francisco?

YY: What was that?

VY: Do you think that would be in San Francisco, to meet up again? What city?

YY: Sorry.

VY: That's okay. I was just wondering, if you all meet again, where that would be?

YY: Oh, it would probably be in San Francisco, because most of them live there still.

VY: Let's see. So, okay, it's postwar, and you're growing up in the same neighborhood. And I'm wondering what your parents are doing during this time as all of your siblings have kind of left, so it's just you and your parents. Is your mom working more than she used to at this time?

YY: She was working several days a week, but there were activities for their age group, too, after the war, more so than before. [Narr. note: She had paid off her debts by then, and she was now in the senior age group and attending senior activities.]

VY: What was your house next to?

YY: What?

VY: The location of your home, what was it next to? What was next door?

YY: Location of the home?

VY: Yeah, do you remember what was next door to your home?

YY: Yeah, well, there was a Filipino family next door, and they were still there when we went back. And the other side, they had a little shop (or a small pool hall), but they were more the (homes for the) Black families, and across the street, too.

VY: So you lived on Sutter Street, so I'm wondering if you were near the YWCA?

YY: Yeah, that is still there, too. And our house, our house and the house next to us, they were, eventually the city bought it and they tore it down, and that's where the Japanese Cultural Center is now (newly built). (That building was closer to Buchanan, and our house was near Webster).

VY: Right, so that came later, like in the 1950s?

YY: Yeah.

VY: I'm just curious about the YWCA. Did your mom go there?

YY: (I heard, recently, that a group of parents of nursery school children were demonstrating to save the YWCA building from being demolished. They want to continue with the nursery school, whereas the other group plans to replace the building with their planned project.)

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 2021 Densho. All Rights Reserved.