Densho Digital Archive - Jim Tsugawa Interview (denshovh-tjim

<Begin Segment 23>

AC: So now looking back upon it, you practiced dentistry for thirty-two years? And so now you're retired. Looking back upon your entire life, is there any sense of anything about how your wartime experience affected your sense of being a Japanese American at all?

JT: No.

AC: And what about your older siblings? Did they talk about that experience at all, what happened to them?

JT: Not really. I think George goes out, my brother George up in Woodland, Washington. I think he goes and talks to Woodland High School about his experience in the intern camp.

AC: Do you know what he says?

JT: No.

AC: What about, do you think that whole experience, the time you spent in Minidoka, did it have any effect upon you in your life?

JT: No, I don't think so.

AC: But now, I guess in our conversation, you've made reference to at the time you didn't know this, but now you've done more research and now you understand a little bit more. What do you think, now that you, that perspective of having been a child when all this was going on, and done research as an adult looking back, what do you think, did you feel that you learned anything about that whole experience about being a Japanese American during World War II?

JT: I don't think so. I think I just am a very lucky individual, ran across people that had no prejudice against me, and I just feel like we fit in to the community. And people have accepted Amy and I and have wonderful friends. And I think sometimes that... no, I don't know. I don't know.

AC: No, I guess having, we just reviewed your entire life, if there's something that you wanted to say to pass on to your grandkids, what would that be?

JT: Well, let's see. I would say work hard, study hard, 'cause you can attain anything you really want if you want it bad enough. That we live in a great nation, and I feel like I'm the luckiest guy in the world, I do. I just, everything I felt, I'm lucky.

AC: What's the most important thing in life to you?

JT: Most important thing in life is for our families to stay healthy. That's a big factor, is health, especially when I get to my age. I'm an old farmer now. [Laughs]

AC: How old are you now?

JT: Eighty-one. I don't feel eighty-one, still feel like a kid.

AC: And I guess one last question. If your mom was still alive today and she just listened to this whole interview, what do you think she'd say?

JT: I think she's day, "Jimmy, I'm so proud of you," and I think she would be so happy with the grandkids and our family. But I'm sure she'd say, "Oh, Jimmy, you became a doctor." [Laughs]

AC: Thank you very much.

JT: I enjoyed it very much, and I hope we covered everything that we were supposed to cover.