<Begin Segment 3>

BH: Then your family moved to the coast. Where did you move to?

AK: Nahcotta, Washington. My father bought an oyster land, and we started an oyster farm.

BH: Do you know how he came to decide, to move from working in lumber to oysters?

AK: Well, I think that when he was in Japan, he was near the water, so he may have had something to do with the oysters, though I never did ask him.

BH: Now, due to the alien land law act, Isseis weren't allowed to have, own their own land.

AK: It was in my name.

BH: It was in your name, okay. All right. So tell me about the oyster farm. Tell me about oyster farming.

AK: Well, I don't know much about it. [Laughs] It was mostly in my name only, you know. I do remember when we used to get the oyster seed from Japan, it would be on the bateau, and my dad would drive around, and then I would be on the back shoveling the oyster seed on the oyster bed.

BH: How old were you then?

AK: Oh, gee, I must have been about fifteen or sixteen.

BH: And were there certain times of year that you did this?

AK: I can't remember. It would be in the springtime. I think the reason why I had to do this was because when I drove the boat, I couldn't go straight enough. I'd go to the same place over and over again while, you know, you had to spread the oysters all over. And so I know that I was in trouble. [Laughs]

BH: It sounds like your parents placed a lot of trust in you to have you try to drive the boat, and I understand you were also driving at a young age.

AK: Yeah, at fifteen. Well, I had to learn how to drive or we wouldn't get anywhere.

BH: Did your parents drive?

AK: No. Well, I think my dad tried to drive, but he gave up on it.

BH: Now there weren't very many Japanese families in Enumclaw if any. How about in Nahcotta? Were there...

AK: No. There was just only one family that I know of.

BH: Do you remember their names?

AK: Odois.

BH: And did they have children your age?

AK: Yeah, there was Masaru and Hiroshi and Hisako and Marian, I think.

BH: Did you keep in contact with them after the war?

AK: No, I didn't. I think they went back east. I did see Masaru, he was in Portland for a while, and he looked me up, so I saw him. It was good to see him.

BH: What do you remember about working with the oysters? You spread them out, did you ever have to string them up or anything?

AK: No. Well, when... well, we used to, it was an experiment, and so they used to take these oyster shells and string 'em. That's after they were taken out, you know. And then they would put a pole in the sea and hang the shells. I don't think it was too much of a success, though. I think they still got it from Japan. But they did get some.

BH: Do you remember the name of the oyster company?

AK: That we had? Stagpole Oyster Company.

BH: And did your mom work, too?

AK: No. Well, she worked in the oyster plant where you open the oysters.

BH: That's hard work.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.