<Begin Segment 7>

FK: Now one of the things I remember someone talking about was having dinners or something for people that were gonna go into the service. Did that happen with you, too?

TO: Oh, yeah. I remember my own, my brother, they had a community, Japanese community... there was four Japanese that... my brother and Okazaki, and Yamashita, and Nishi. They all... I wasn't drafted then but I went to them. You know, the Isseis get up, you know, made a speech, "Don't shame your family. Do your best, gaman," you know, things like that. I remember my brother, brother gave a speech thanking them. But when I went, I was only one, I was, I left from Seattle on the Kalakala. Early in the morning, went to Port Orchard. From there I got, went to induction center.

FK: That, those sending away parties and things, were they held in the... where were they held?

TO: In the Japanese Hall there, in... I don't know, Grow Avenue or somethin'. Remember that?

FK: Yeah.

TO: Yeah, they... that was held there. But it wasn't for me. I was the only one that went by myself.

FK: Do you remember anything about the Japanese Hall as far as how that happened, or...

TO: Japanese what?

FK: The Japanese Hall. Do you remember anything about that?

TO: Yeah, I remember my father workin' on it. All the community got together and built it. Mr. Chihara, he was the lead carpenter, and I remember they dug a well there for Ohtaki, Mrs. Ohtaki. She was a Sunday school -- I mean not Sunday, Japanese school teacher. And we, whole community helped to get the building going.

FK: Now I know, I know transportation wasn't that easy in those days, but did Japanese families socialize together or get together to do things?

TO: Yeah. They had things at the Japanese Hall, shibai, you know, plays. And I remember they come, people from Japan coming showing these war movies. At that time, Japan invaded China, they showed a picture of, movies, they called it, you know, in war in China. That, I guess, I think they were hinting that we should go back, you know. Go back to Japan, your mother country, and help fight, I guess. They were kind of propaganda, I thought.

FK: Did that move you to do anything? [Laughs]

TO: Well, it's... I didn't think much of it, you know. I thought it was propaganda, mostly. You know, "You should go back to your mother country," or something like that.

<End Segment 7> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.