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TI: Okay, so we're going to start the interview, Sho. So today is Tuesday, November 18, 2008. It's the afternoon, and we're in Watsonville, in Kizuka Hall. On camera is Dana Hoshide, and I'm interviewing, and my name is Tom Ikeda. And so Sho, we're just going to start at the very beginning. Can you tell me where and when you were born?

SK: I was born in Watsonville. And I don't know for sure, but I was born on a ranch up there, Taylor Ranch. But that's where I grew up 'til six years old. And that's when my...

TI: Right, so before we go on there, so what was the date of your birth?

SK: That's April 23, 1922.

TI: Okay. So that makes you, what, ninety-six?

SK: Eighty-six.

TI: Eighty-six years old. Okay, eighty-six. And so when you were born, and you thought maybe Taylor Ranch, so that's not a hospital. Would that be like a midwife that delivered you?

SK: Probably, because I don't, never heard my parents... but those days, I don't think hardly anybody went to a hospital. So I'm pretty sure it must have been midwife.

TI: Good. And how about siblings? Did you have...

SK: A sister and a brother.

TI: And are they older or younger?

SK: Younger.

TI: And what were their names?

SK: Sayoko and Yoshimi. Yoshimi changed his name to Rod, he didn't like Yoshimi.

TI: Okay. Sayoko and Rod. And how much younger were they than you?

SK: They were about fourteen months apart, I think. We're pretty close.

TI: Okay, so each, like, fourteen months, then the next one, then fourteen months...

SK: Yeah.

TI: And who was the second oldest?

SK: My sister Sayoko.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright ©2008 Densho and the Watsonville - Santa Cruz JACL. All Rights Reserved.