Densho Digital Archive
Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community Collection
Title: Taketo Omoto Interview
Narrator: Taketo Omoto
Interviewer: Frank Kitamoto
Location: Bainbridge Island, Washington
Date: October 22, 2006
Densho ID: denshovh-otaketo-01-0008

<Begin Segment 8>

FK: So as far as retirement now, what type of things are you involved with?

TO: Well, I have been involved in Keiro nursing home. I served there twelve years as chairman of the facility committee. And I had church, Japanese Baptist Church, I was a property there, many years. And in between, I did, you know, helping people. I think we brought onto ourselves somebody every year. And I had a few talent that I thought people recognized and I were to... take care of it.

FK: Is there, is there anything else you would like to tell us about as far as your experiences on the island as a Bainbridge Island Japanese Islander, or anything about your life you'd like to follow up with?

TO: Well, I found out, you know, in the army, that in the Midwest, people were more friendly. I thought they were nice. They never encountered a Japanese before, I guess. Especially in Missouri where I was staying for many years, it's kinda hillbilly people there. And they don't... they didn't associate us with the enemy or anything. I was treated real well. In the operating room I was pretty fortunate to, you know, be second in command there during the, assisted in the operation and everything. And that's about the only thing. It was really something that I didn't experience before. I never traveled out of, other than in Seattle. And on Bainbridge... as far as Bainbridge, I hadn't been here, livin' on the island, so other than what I hear from other people, I've noticed it's grown considerably and people were gettin' Japanese community involved in more, more the community than before.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.