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JK: Today's date is Sunday, November 10, 2013. This interview is taking place at the residence of Albert and Masuko Oyama in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Todd Mayberry and Betty Jean Harry from the Oregon Nikkei Endowment are observing this interview, and Ian McCluskey from NW Documentary is the cameraman. I am the interviewer, Janet Kakishita, and I will be interviewing my aunt Masuko Oyama. This project is part of the Minidoka Oral History Project by the Oregon Nikkei Endowment. Auntie Masuko, we're going to find out about you first. So can you tell us where you were born and when you were born?

MO: Portland, Oregon, February 21, 1927.

JK: And where were your family or parents living at this time?

MO: Southwest Taylor Street.

JK: Okay, and was that a hotel?

MO: A hotel.

JK: And the name of the hotel was?

MO: Hachi Hotel.

JK: Hachi Hotel, and that's interesting, 'cause that's your last name, your maiden name. So who named the hotel?

MO: I think my father.

JK: Oh. And he was able to even though he was leasing it?

MO: I think so.

JK: That's interesting. Is there any significance to the name that they gave you at birth?

MO: I don't think so.

JK: So you don't, "Masuko" has no special meaning.

MO: No.

JK: Okay. Let's find out more about your dad. What was your dad's name and where was he born?

MO: He was born in Japan but I don't know where exactly.

JK: Uh-huh. And his name was?

MO: Shonosuke Hachiya.

JK: Okay. And what kind of work did your father do before he came to America, or was his family in any kind of business?

MO: No, I'm not sure about that. But when he came to the U.S., he found a job as a cook.

JK: Okay, and do you remember where he was cooking at? Is it the Arlington?

MO: Arlington Club.

JK: Okay. And that turned to be very helpful during the time of the Depression, didn't it?

MO: Oh, yes.

JK: And how did it help your family?

MO: He had a job, so we were able to eat. At this time, my mother was running the hotel that they were renting. We were lucky.

JK: And so your family were able to do fine during the Depression and after Depression years. How many siblings did your dad have, do you remember?

MO: No, I don't know.

JK: Okay. And what was his rank in the family order of siblings?

MO: I just really don't know for sure, but he just, I know he had a brother, but that's all I would know. And his brother was older.

JK: Oh, so he had an older brother.

MO: Uh-huh.

JK: How did, how did your dad decide to come to the United States? He just came, came and worked, and it was just in the hotel business or did he have other jobs, too?

MO: He worked at an Arlington Club as a --

JK: Okay, as a cook.

MO: Cook's helper.

JK: And then in the hotel, okay.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright © 2013 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.