LOYAL JAPANESE RETURNING 'HOME'

Seattle Won't Buy From Him, Nisei Gardener Discovers

By DOROTHY BRANT

Off came the shutters, up went the signs, and Seattle's "Little Tokyo," now open for business, was flourishing yesterday for the first time in more than three years.

For several months, loyal Japanese have been filtering back "home" but with news of the Japanese surrender life in the section south of Jackson Street has quickened almost to the tempo of the years before the spring of 1942.

Fields, untended since their owners were evacuated, bag and baggage, from this area, now wave with corn, and the tomatoes are ripening on the vine.

Vegetables Spurned

But life isn't so simple as hoeing a row of corn or picking a bushel of tomatoes, at least for Hideo Yabuki and his parents, owners of the Hunts Point Greenhouse.

In a city hungry for vegetables, Hideo is having trouble disposing of because he is a Japanese gardener.

Hideo came back in February to the house in which he was born 23 years ago. He came back to the woods-surrounded five acres, to the long rows of greenhouses with their 20,000 feet of glass.

The Yabukis were the first of the Japanese farmers on the East Side to come back. Since then, others have come.

"They waited to see how we would get along," Yabuki said. "Well, we knew we were taking a chance, but didn't think we'd have this much trouble getting rid of our produce."

Hideo specializes in hothouse cucumbers, which bear eight months out of the year. He has 1,200 plants, that will produce through November. When they were ready for market, he contacted a commission house with which he had dealt before the war, one which has an outlet for hothouse cucumbers even when the outdoor cucumbers are ready for market at a lower price.

"I took my stuff in four times in my own truck," Hideo recounted. "On the fourth trip, the commission-house manager told me it didn't look so good and I would have to send it in my common carrier. So I had a produce hauler take it in up to Tuesday, and then the manager telephoned not to send any in at all.

"He said a union official had threatened to take the men off the floor and it would be easier if they would just stop handling my produce."

Hideo went to the War Relocation Authority office with his troubles. The W.R.A. telephoned produce houses out of town -- "but some were handling only outdoor cucumbers. Others said they were pretty well supplied and would let me know if they needed any, but they haven't.

"And another house said they would not accept my stuff unless all houses would agree to handle Japanese produce."

There used to be six Japanese commission houses here before the war, but there are none now, Hideo said.

Another Japanese farmer was told, according to Hideo, that his produce must be brought in after 9 o'clock at night so that he would "not be so conspicuous."

Still another Japanese friend of Hideo, when told that string beans are selling as high as 20 cents a pound, said that Western Avenue commission houses had told him there was no lack of green vegetables in Seattle.

"I remember when string beans sold for four and five cents a pound," he said.

Helping Hideo is his brother. Pfc. Kayoshi Yabuki, 22, while he is home on furlough.

Both of Kayoshi's legs were broken by shrapnel in France, where he served with the 442nd Infantry, but a dry cleaner in Seattle refused to accept his uniform, Hideo said.

"That's the only trouble we've had, though," he said philosophically.

Both boys went to high school in Kirkland and Bellevue.

Among the most prominent Japanese returned are Dr. and Mrs. Paul Shigaya, who have opened an office at 318 Sixth Ave. S. While they were at Minidoka, Dr. Shigaya was staff physician and surgeon for two years. His wife was head X-ray technician. He is a graduate of Kent High School and the University of Washington and a member at King County medical Association. Three nephews of the Shigayas went to war and one gave his life.

Jeweler Opens Shop

Seattle-born Frank Y. Kinomoto has returned to open a public accountants office, now temporarily in the Seattle Hotel, Formerly with the State Tax Commission, Kinomoto volunteered for Army duty and ended up teaching Japanese language for the Army.

Jack Chikata is opening a drug store at 114 12th Ave. He, too, was born in Seattle, was graduated from Lowell Grade School and Broadway High School and the University.

T. Uji has operated a barber shop at 314 Sixth Ave. S., for the past month, since his return from Hunt, Idaho.

An expert at repairing jewelry and watches, Frank Kitamoto has opened a shop at 314 Sixth Ave. S.

Many Still Afraid

Many Seattle Japanese never will return. Some are lying in soldiers' distant graves. Others are staying on in W.R.A. centers, afraid to come home. Still others have spread out, tilling Midwest soil.

Hideo Yabuki ran the loam through his fingers, looked up at the towering green firs.

"There is no soil like ours, no greenness, no scenery, like Washington's," he said.

[Photo caption]: Jack Chikata, returned Japanese, has reopened his drug store at 114 12th Ave. S., in Seattle's flourishing "Little Tokyo." Chikata, born in Seattle, is a University of Washington graduate. He is one of a number to return "home."

[Photo caption]: FRANK Y. KINOMOTO. He's a busy accountant

[Photo caption]: FRANK KITAMOTO: He'll repair Japanese watches

[Photo caption]: Hideo Yabuki (left) and his brother, Pfc. Kayoshi Yabuki, who have opened their greenhouse next door to the Hunts Point Grocery Store, wonder "who'll buy our beans," as they discuss trouble selling produce to commission houses because they are returned Japanese. Both were born in the Bellevue area residence to which they returned. Kayoshi is on furlough from France and Italy, after convalescing from having both legs broken by shrapnel.

[Photo caption]: Among the most prominent of Seattle's Japanese colony to return from relocation camps are these residents, Dr. and Mrs. Paul Shigaya. Dr. Shigaya, former physician here, has opened an office at 316 Sixth Ave. S. The doctor was staff physician and surgeon at the Minidoka Relocation Center, and his wife was head X-ray technician.