Densho Digital Archive - Minoru J. Shibata Interview (denshovh-sminoru-01-0012)

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KL: Did you ever visit Japan when you were living on Terminal Island, when you were growing up?

MS: Terminal Island, not in Terminal Island. When I returned with my -- not returned, when I went to Japan with my mother when my grandfather passed away, that was the only time up to that time.

KL: And when was that?

MS: When I was four years old, so about 1932.

KL: Do you have memories of that trip at all? You were little.

MS: [Laughs] Beth is laughing because I told her many times. On the Japanese ships, the baths were like Japanese baths, big, big tubs. And while I was taking a bath with my mother at that time, I think my sister was there, too, I fell overboard into the water, into the bath. And I do remember floating around. It was a good feeling, as a matter of fact. But what shocked me was I was fished out, because everybody was worried that I was drowning. [Laughs] But I do remember. But while I was in the water, I was feeling good. Well, so I suppose I wasn't trying to breathe or anything. I think babies and kids naturally hold their breath when they're underwater, and I must have been doing that because it didn't bother me at all. I wasn't choking or anything when I came up.

KL: Just floating in your own little ocean?

MS: But everybody was worried and making a fuss, so that's when I started crying to join the excitement. [Laughs] That's what I remember about that trip. And I think that was when we were going to Japan.

KL: And you said you took the trip because your mother's father had died and she wanted to be part of...

MS: She wanted to go back so she took Bessie, my sister, and I with her.

KL: Do you know what your activities were on that trip or how it was for her? That sounds like maybe it was kind of emotional.

MS: I don't even remember attending any funeral or anything. But another thing I do remember about that trip is that I saw one, what is it, somebody dressed up to be something that really scared me in a store or somewhere where my mother took me. So something exciting or unusual is the only thing I remember about my trip.

KL: How long did you remain?

MS: It was maybe a month, I don't know. Oh, one other thing was I was told that I used to poke holes in the shoji screens that Japanese had, even the doors. I was told I did that while I was in Japan. Because out here we don't use or have shoji screens. [Laughs] I'm not sure if I would have done the same if we had it out here.

KL: What did your mother do during that trip?

MS: I think she went basically to visit relatives and attend the funeral.

KL: After she came back, while you were living in Terminal Island, did your folks communicate with their families or did they keep up with events in Japan?

MS: Yes, they did. Because like I said, my father was very responsible in maintaining contact with all the relatives in Japan.

KL: What were their thoughts as Japan and the United States started to be more confrontational toward each other? How did they react to that or what was their response?

MS: I didn't feel any kind of a strong expression one way or the other from my parents or my uncle. It's one of those things that said, "Oh, okay, it happened, shou ga nai." Have you heard that term before? Shou ga nai. And that type of an attitude sort of was contagious to some of us kids also. When something happens, you can't do anything about it, you just say, oh, you can't do anything about it so go on your way to other things, and you have to do whatever you have to at that time.

KL: There's a man who was important in events at Manzanar who was on Terminal Island, and I wonder if you ever knew him or knew anything about him, Joseph Kurihara? Joe Kurihara?

MS: I'm afraid I don't know him.