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RP: Your mother, was she a "picture bride" or did your...

MN: No, she was... well, my father had, he was married once before, before my mother came. But it didn't work out and he had a daughter. And he sent them back to Japan. And then he married my mother, and that was... she came in nineteen... they were married in 1919, I think.

RP: Did he go back to Japan to bring her to America?

MN: Probably, probably. I think so.

RP: What about the other daughter from the previous marriage?

MN: She... well, I didn't find out 'til I was well in, well into my adulthood. I had always assumed that she was with her mother. But later I found out that no, she was not with her mother, but she was with my father's parents. And they raised her until she was about eleven, I think. And she came, she was brought to Montebello. And hers is an interesting story, too. Because, so she was like eleven but she didn't speak English. So she went to grammar school. She went to first grade. She jumped to like third and then sixth grade, to get caught up to where her age level was. But, she left when she was, you know, some years older than we were. So I didn't... I was fairly young yet when she left. But she ended up with, in Poston, with three children and her husband had been taken. Her husband, who was born in Japan, was taken to Crystal City until he was released and then joined them in Poston. And from there they went to Seabrook and spent the rest of their lives there. And they raised five children total, yeah.

RP: What was your relationship with her like?

MN: Well, the early years were like I said, you know, she was Neesan. And, but she left when I was... I can't figure out how old I was. But anyway, she left when I was less than ten, I think. And then, so then I didn't get to really know her until I was in my, I think in my late, in my twenties I (went to) visit her in Seabrook. And then after that we were, you know, kind of visited back and forth or corresponded.

RP: Tell us about your parents a little bit, the personal side that you experienced growing up with them, certain characteristics or features that you always remember. Maybe also you can share with us what they passed on to you in terms of values and kind of shaped your life, your future life.

MN: Well, in general I guess they were old traditional, you know, honesty, respect for your elders, responsibility, and one thing was, about discipline, my father was the type that would, you know, yell at you. And, so we weren't so afraid of him. But my mother, all she had to do was give you a look and, you know, you knew you were in trouble. But, I don't know, it was a pretty normal, easy-going life.

<End Segment 2> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.