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KL: Yeah, I remember when you and Alisa and I were walking around together, you were talking some about the history of Buddhist Churches of America, and I wanted to ask you if you would repeat that for the recording.

SK: Well, for example, our church doesn't look like a church unless you look up, you know. And they purposely made it, in fact, the Catholic church across the street looks more like a temple than ours. And that was kind of a camouflage, not to make ourselves too obvious, conspicuous. And much of the pews and choirs and things like that was adapted for survival sake. Didn't want to be too different.

KL: Do you think that started before the U.S. entered the war, or do you think that's something that happened after World War II ended.

SK: Probably started before, but it really intensified after the war.

KL: Were Buddhist services in Tule Lake very similar to what you remember Buddhist services like in 1947 or '48 after you came out?

SK: Uh-huh.

KL: They were very similar?

SK: Ones that we did, the chants we did was called juunira, and did that in camp.

KL: What is its meaning?

SK: Twelve... juuni is twelve.

KL: I always think those ministers were in a hard position to be having to provide guidance and encouragement in those circumstances. Do you remember anything that your minister said or did?

SK: Uh-uh. I remember one minister, Naito-sensei was in our block, and he was the one who named my sister Shinobu. In fact, his daughter lives over in Japantown. But he was separated from his family, so he was in a bachelor quarters.

KL: What was he like, his personality or his values or his demeanor?

SK: He was always a nice man, I remember, yeah, very gentle.

KL: Are there any other Buddhist leaders or ministers from Tule Lake that stand out?

SK: I remember... I want to say Fujimoto, but no, it isn't. Nagafuji, Nagafuji.

KL: What do you remember about him?

SK: Again, very gentle, softspoken.

KL: Why was Reverend Naito asked to name Shinobu?

SK: Again, probably when my father asked her, and again, the importance of our environment, he wanted that reflected in her name. And so Shinobu means to endure. But as I say, she may have endured for a while, but not anymore, she's very outspoken. [Laughs]

KL: She made it. Well, that's a means of affecting your environment.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 2015 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.