<Begin Segment 6>

AL: Did your, did your family have any sort of religious identification? Did they...

EO: Yes. In Japan, of course, I guess Dad was a Buddhist or Shinto. That was the main religion. I have to assume that. But since he came to this country, to the United States, and we were born, he wanted us to be Americans. So he would send us to any kind of a Christian church. It was usually nearest church that he sent us to. I remember in Tacoma we were too young to go to the church. But after we moved to Vashon Island after the Depression, I remember going to Methodist church, I remember going to a Baptist church. And I don't know what other churches we may have gone to. But it was a Christian church, and that's how we were raised. Dad said, "You're American. You're going to be going to a Christian church."

AL: Did your father or your mother, also attend Christian church? Or just the boys?

EO: Dad would, would take us a few times. But in church, we were still young so we were going to Sunday school. And Dad was also too busy to be going to church on Sunday. He was working on his farm. So... and like in Tacoma, we were a little too young to know about church, the benefit from it. So in Tacoma I do not remember going to a church. I don't think we did.

AL: What about your grandparents, were they Buddhist or Christian? Do you know?

EO: I don't know. I never noticed them going to a Buddhist church, but they would have, Issei people, the first generation, they would have various different annual meetings and things. And it was... usually it would be hosted by the Japanese Buddhist groups. Like New Year's get together, New Year's celebration. Things of, things of that sort.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.