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TI: And so in 1907 when he came to the United States, what did he do?

TO: He was a schoolboy, what do you call, worked for an American home at first, and tried to learn his English.

TI: And then what did he do?

TO: And then he lived with his uncle Takeuchis.

TI: And where was this? Where he live? Where did the uncle live?

TO: In Dominguez Hill.

TI: Okay. And so after being a schoolboy for a while, what did he do?

TO: He went back and helped, Takeuchis had a farm, so he worked with him. But he was not a farmer, so he had a very difficult time, he told me. [Laughs] He never farmed in Japan.

TI: So how long did he farm?

TO: Oh, it was quite a few years.

TI: Okay, so even though you said he wasn't much of a farmer, he farmed a long time.

TO: And then he opened up a tofu factory in Gardena.

TI: Okay. Do you know about what year he did this?

TO: I don't know just when it was.

TI: Like was this after, after you were born?

TO: Yeah, it was after, but I can't remember just when. About 1923, I think, around 1923.

TI: And so at that point, he stopped farming and did the tofu factory. How did your father meet your mother?

TO: In Japan, they were married in Japan.

TI: And so was this before he came?

TO: Oh, yes, before he came.

TI: Okay, so let's talk a little bit about your mother. What was her name?

TO: T-O-M-E, Tome. Maiden name's Takeuchi.

TI: And do you know what her family, what kind of work her family did in Japan?

TO: They did the diving for abalones, they were shipping it to China.

TI: Okay, so they were, so is it kind of like a lot of families in that village did the same kind of work?

TO: That's, well, farm was very, the land was not suitable for farms, so there was not too many farms up there.

[Interruption]

TI: So do you know about when your mother and father got married? You said your father came in 1907, so they got married before then?

TO: Before that, yes. A few months before, I guess.

TI: And so your father came over first, or did both --

TO: Yes, that's right. And my mother came about five years later.

TI: And so for a few years, they were both farmers, then, they farmed.

TO: Yes, they did.

TI: Good. So do you have any brothers and sisters?

TO: Yes. Well, my sister just recently passed away, and I have a brother in Seattle, Washington.

TI: So can you, can you tell me your brothers and sisters kind of in birth order? Like who was the oldest?

TO: Oh, Masako, and she was born 1914. And I'm next.

TI: So Toyo in 1916.

TO: '16. And then my sister Miye, 1919, and then my brother Osamu, 1925.

TI: 1925. And so four of you.

TO: Yes, that's right.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.