Densho Digital Archive
Watsonville - Santa Cruz JACL Collection
Title: Eiko Nishihara - Yoshiko Nishihara Interview
Narrators: Eiko Nishihara and Yoshiko Nishihara
Interviewer: Tom Ikeda
Location: Watsonville, California
Date: November 19, 2008
Densho ID: denshovh-neiko_g-01-0002

<Begin Segment 2>

TI: So let's... you gave me a list, before this interview started, of all your siblings. And there were thirteen kids, and so rather than have you try to go down the list, I'll read the list and when they were born. And as I do each one, I'll pause just a little bit. So if you have any thoughts or memories of any of the siblings, let's go ahead and talk about that now. So the oldest was Fumio, and he was born March 26, 1924. So any thoughts about Fumio?

EN: Well, being the oldest one, he had to help the family, especially my father when he was farming.

TI: Okay, so Fumio was the oldest, the oldest son. And Yoshiko, what was his personality like? If you had to describe Fumio, what was he like?

YN: He was quiet, but he treated us so well. He used to take us to the movies or, you know, put us to school.

TI: So he sounded like a very kind, kind person.

YN: Yes.

TI: Okay, so after Fumio came Eiko, and you were born, as you said, June 1926. So I'll ask Yoshiko, what was, Yoshiko, what was Eiko like?

YN: Oh, she was always nice to me and the best friend I ever had. She did everything for me, and she's kind of like a rock in our family, I think. Our mother really looked up to her.

TI: That's sweet. Okay, so after Eiko, then Yoshiko, you came next. You were, as you said, born in August 1927. So Eiko, I'll ask you, what was Yoshiko like? How would you describe her?

EN: I guess I pulled her everywhere. [Laughs] Wherever I go, she came with me. And even now, she takes me everywhere. We go together to church or parties or whatever.

TI: So it's like this really strong partnership between the two of you.

EN: Yes.

TI: So I'm glad we're interviewing both of you at the same time. It's fitting that we do that. So Yoshiko, after you came Katsuji, and tell me about Katsuji. I'll ask Yoshiko first.

YN: We weren't too close because he was so shy. But he was really intelligent, I thought, because he did so well at school.

TI: Eiko, anything else about Katsuji?

EN: Well, he liked to invent things. So he worked at FMC in San Jose.

TI: FMC, is that, what kind of company, what kind of product do they have?

EN: They have... what was it? Tractors and things, and equipment. He kind of invented the tomato picking machine. They beat it, so I told him, "If you beat the tomato, it doesn't come out very well." But he did it anyway. I guess for canning it's all right.

TI: Oh, so he was kind of an inventor type.

EN: Yeah.

TI: Was he, like, did he have an engineering background? Did he get an engineering degree or just, he just could figure these things out on his own?

EN: On his own, more or less. I guess he graduated from Berkeley.

YN: At his wedding, his boss said that, "If you ever have tomato soup," he says, "remember Kats." [Laughs] 'Cause he invented that machine.

TI: Well, did he get a patent on it or anything, or the company probably got a patent?

YN: Probably the company.

TI: Okay, so after Kats, Noboru was born in June 1931. So Eiko, I'll ask you first. What was he like?

EN: He was real quiet and kept lot of things to himself. He's the one that got married to my husband's sister.

TI: Okay. Good, so we'll get into that, because again, an interesting thing where the three siblings from your family got married to three siblings from the Nishihara, Nishihara family. Yoshiko, anything about Noboru that you wanted to add?

YN: I guess about the same. He was quiet, but he was a hard worker in the lettuce fields, farming.

TI: Okay, good. So next, born in December 1932, is Sumako.

YN: Uh-huh, Sumako.

TI: And so tell me about Sumako. I'll ask Yoshiko first..

YN: Oh, she was always smiling and really jolly. And she turned out to be the best manju maker.

TI: In the family or just the whole community?

YN: In the community. She was really a perfection in manju-making.

TI: Okay, so a happy manju maker. [Laughs] Eiko, anything else about Sumako? Okay, next, born in March 1935, is Satoshi. So tell me about Satoshi.

EN: Well, he was farming with my brother for years. But after my brother quit farming, he went to do a lot of outdoor work for UC Santa Cruz in...

YN: Landscaping.

EN: ...landscaping, I guess.

TI: And Yoshiko, what was Satoshi like? How would you describe him?

YN: He was more outgoing, I think.

EN: Bonsai maybe.

TI: What was that, bonsai?

EN: He likes bonsai, work on that.

YN: He was really good at it. He still is.

TI: Okay, then after Satoshi, born in January 1937, was Wakako. So Yoshiko, I'll ask you, what was, tell me about Wakako.

YN: Oh, Wakako is real, she's almost the same as my mother, real thrifty and smart. I can still see her, she survives. She's a survivor.

TI: And anything else?

EN: Well, she was kind of weaker than the rest of the family, but now she's the stronger one. [Laughs] Her health wasn't that well when she was younger, I had to take care of her more than anyone else in the family.

TI: And what kind of health problems, when you say your health wasn't very good?

EN: I don't know. She was weak, I don't know why.

YN: Mom was saying that... what do you call that? "Blue baby" or something?

EN: Yeah.

YN: She said that the doctor said that she won't survive. But Mother raised her just like a normal person.

TI: And now you're saying that she's strong? It's interesting how that works out.

EN: And she's thrifty, too. [Laughs]

YN: That's how our mother raised us. Because there's so many children, that she has to put food on the table, and really knew how to do it.

TI: So after Wakako, born in October 1938 is Ben. So Yoshiko, what was, tell me about Ben.

YN: Oh, I can remember him always with Eiko, even, she put him to bed. That's the way he was raised. And now he's real... he joined the Navy and really turned out great. He used to cry a lot. [Laughs] So Eiko used to comfort him and help my mother out. So he married somebody from Japan and they had the best family, I think.

TI: Oh, good. So Eiko, it sounds like you had a special relationship with Ben. So tell me, what was Ben like?

EN: Well, he was shy, too, and when he first, his first grade in camp, he would go to school, I would take him to school, but he would, I don't know how he got to know which house we lived in. Because the barracks were all the same, but he happened to come back home. Then I would take him back to school, I don't know how many times.

TI: Oh, so he would, you'd take him to school and he would not like it and come home. And then you had to keep bringing him back?

EN: Yes. [Laughs]

TI: [Laughs] Did you ever find out why he didn't like school?

EN: He was shy, I guess, with all the people. It was his first time going to school in camp.

TI: That's funny, when you say "shy," I mean, you're such a big family, how can you be shy? [Laughs] There's so many people.

EN: Well, that's the trouble. I guess we were close-knit in our family, and then when we start school, then we're, it's different, you know, in going to school.

TI: Oh, that makes sense. Okay, so we still have four more names on this list. And so born on October 1940, Akiko. So Eiko, tell me about Akiko.

EN: Well, we were married already when she was born, 1948, was it?

TI: She was born 1940, so...

EN: '40.

TI: So she, this was right before the war started, the year before the war started.

EN: Yeah. So I don't really... well, we went to camp together, anyway. I didn't get to spend too much time with her.

TI: And Yoshiko, any thoughts about Akiko?

YN: She had a real tragedy happen to her. I'm really proud of her because she put herself together and got better. I don't know if we should mention that.

TI: Well, maybe not on camera. We can maybe keep that private.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright ©2008 Densho and the Watsonville - Santa Cruz JACL. All Rights Reserved.