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TI: Okay, so going back to your father, he came to America when he was seventeen, he was working as, kind of, this laborer and farmer.

TH: (...)

TI: And then how did he meet your mother?

TH: They met in Japan. They knew each other -- well, didn't know each other, but he met her in Japan. But I don't know the extent of that part.

TI: So they met in Japan. So let's go to your mother. Tell me about her family. What do you know about your mother's family?

TH: The Maruyama family lived about seven miles out of the city. She was the eldest of the, all the children, three girls and two boys.

TI: Okay. And in the same way, did she ever tell you any stories about her growing up?

TH: I never have. I wish I would have asked more questions.

TI: Or any stories about any of her siblings? Do you know anything about her siblings? Do you know anything about her siblings and what they were like?

TH: I met them. I mean, the parents gave them all musical lessons, you know, kotos and shamisen or whatever. They never got very good at it, but they had experience of being spoiled in that way, but I don't know too much.

TI: Okay. So let's go back. I forgot to ask, so what was your mother's name? You mentioned the last name Maruyama.

TH: Shigeko.

TI: And do you know when she was born?

TH: 1900.

TI: Okay. So that puts the difference between your father and mother at about fifteen years age difference?

TH: Exactly.

TI: And it sounds like, you mentioned, they knew each other, the families knew each other? So were they, did they kind of live in the same area, same village?

TH: No. His parents lived in the Hiroshima (city). (...)

TI: So tell me again, what kind of connection between the families? Do you know of any connection?

TH: I don't, other than Hiroshima.

TI: And do you know if, like, a baishakunin was involved?

TH: That I don't know either. Probably was, I would think.

TI: So I'm curious, so your mother was the eldest of five children. Did she ever tell you what it was like for her to come to America? Was she excited, was she afraid?

TH: She never talked about that, never did.

TI: Or anything about, like, how the trip was when she came on the ship?

TH: I know it was a rough boat ride, fourteen days in a ship. Those days, they didn't ride in airplanes.

TI: Any other stories that you recall from that fourteen-day trip?

TH: Well, when I went, I got the measles on the ship. So they were going to let us off in Vancouver, Canada, but I was well enough to come on into Portland. But we were quarantined for that entire trip, in a dark room.

TI: Okay, so this is a trip when you were...

TH: Six or seven.

TI: Six or seven. You went to Japan with your mother, and then this is on the trip back, you're talking about.

TH: Yes. It cost ninety-nine dollars, it was, a ticket.

TI: Oh, so how do you remember that?

TH: (...) I asked my mother, "How much did it cost to go to Japan?"She said, "For you it was ninety-nine dollars." I didn't ask her how much hers was.

TI: Interesting. But that was a lot of money back then.

TH: Yes, it was. To save that much, growing flowers and little vegetables, yeah, it was a lot.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2022 Densho. All Rights Reserved.