<Begin Segment 11>

BH: What are your feelings about redress?

HI: Well, I think it was too late for our parents. Because our dad was... he died in January, and the redress went through in April or so, wasn't it? April or May? (He had died), so he didn't get it, but my mother did. I don't think it was in time, should have been earlier, or more maybe, to our Issei parents.

BH: Have you ever visited Japan?

HI: Oh yes, about three times. I really enjoyed it. And the last was in 2006, and we took our whole family, fourteen of us. Our own tour group. I was afraid the kids were going to get lost, but they did very well. Of course, they were taller, you know, and they kind of stood above everybody. Then they wore the red baseball caps. They did very well. They want to go back.

BH: It must have been very meaningful.

HI: (It was) because we had a lot of cousins, and at that time we had some aunts. It was a lot of fun. (Our children and grandchildren want to go back).

BH: Have any of your kids or grandkids learned the language?

HI: Yes, Justin and... (...) Rob's middle boy took it in high school and a little bit in college. And then he went to Japan for one summer to work through the Oregon State program (...). But he ended up on an American base, so he didn't get much experience speaking.

BH: Looking back, how did you balance being of Japanese descent while growing up in America?

HI: Well, it was hard sometimes, because people look at you differently. Sometime it wasn't friendly, and other times they were (not). Of course, the people we knew were very friendly. So I felt inferior in that respect. That's why I took public speaking.

BH: How do you think their wartime experiences affected your parents?

HI: Oh, I think they took it in stride. What else was there to do? What can you do?

BH: How do you think your life changed because of the war?

HI: Well, I don't know. I wouldn't be married to the person I am now. (I felt a lot of prejudice I had to overcome).

BH: What can we learn from what happened to Japanese Americans during World War II?

HI: Well, I hope that never happens to any other nationality, such prejudice. I hope people can get along a little better.

BH: What are your hopes for your grandchildren and future generations?

HI: Well, I just hope that they're good citizens, and work hard and get an education, for one thing. Because I think that's very important.

BH: What do you see... you've talked about education and being good citizens. Does that kind of sum up what's important in life to you?

HI: I think so. (You) have a good life if you have a good education, (parental support and good family life).

BH: What did your parents do after they retired from the farm?

HI: My dad played golf. They moved to Seattle because my brother was up there, and he had an apartment for them in downtown Seattle someplace. So my mother worked in a greenhouse; she loved plants and things and worked at Columbia Greenhouse, it was a Japanese-owned greenhouse. My dad did for a little while, and then he played golf.

BH: When we talked earlier, during the pre-interview, you talked about some practical classes that you were able to take at Russellville like home ec. and shop. What do you remember about that?

HI: I enjoyed those because it was hands-on stuff. Back in shop, we made wooden shoes, made an ashtray, and we used a lathe to get the stand, and made a tray, and then we wove the edges with a reed, (it was fun), and the wooden shoe came in handy in camp, 'cause it was so muddy. They didn't have sidewalks or anything, so it was very muddy on rainy days, and that wooden shoe came in handy.

[Interruption]

BH: Anything else you'd like to add, any other comments?

HI: I think the Legacy Center is doing a wonderful job in doing all this (...) and I praise them for that. (It takes a lot of people to coordinate something like this. A job well done.)

BH: We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experiences.

HI: What little I can offer.

BH: No. Everybody's story is different, and since it isn't always taught, and some people don't share very many details with their families, it's nice that we're able to capture these stories for your future generations of your family as well as researchers who want to learn more about what it was like.

HI: Well, I think that's a wonderful part of the Legacy Center, while (the Niseis are) still living.

BH: Thank you very much, Heidi, we really appreciate this.

HI: You're welcome, thank you.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.