Search Results | Densho Digital Repository

img Japanese Americans waiting for buses (ddr-densho-151-181)

Original caption: Centerville, California. Early comers arrive at evacuation meeting place in this Alameda County farming community. Farmers and other evacuees will be given opportunities to follow their callings at War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-181/

img Loading baggage onto truck (ddr-densho-151-180)

Original caption: Centerville, California. Piling baggage of evacuees from this Alameda County farming community on the day before evacuation to assembly centers. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be transferred later to War Relocation Authority centers where they will spend the duration.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-180/

av Anna Towata (ddr-ajah-8-10)

Anna Towata was born on November 10, 1916, in Sonoma, California. Her mother was of German descent and her father was born in Japan. During World War II, was sent to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. After the war, returned to Alameda and eventually opened a flower shop.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-8-10/

img Men shoveling snow from roof of barracks (ddr-ajah-2-782)

Caption: Snow makes life for Army soldiers difficult. Location is either Belden, in Northern California, or somewhere near Reno, Nevada. The U.S. Army sent Joe Iwataki ad his outfit to this area of California to guard trains, tracks and tunnels. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. January 1942. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-290 with additional notes.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-782/

Narrator Jean Shiraki Gize

Nisei female. Born June 16, 1938, in Alameda, California. Was age three when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Removed with family to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. While in camp, father volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Mother answered an ad in the camp newspaper and …

https://ddr.densho.org/narrators/571/

av Keith Nomura for Kiyosuke Nomura (ddr-ajah-8-6)

In this video, Keith Nomura talks about his father, Kiyosuke Nomura. Kiyosuke grew up in the Bay Area and met his wife, who was born in Alameda, California. During World War II, they were removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Kiyosuke wasn't able to graduate from the University of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-8-6/

img Small portrait of Taiji Mashihara (ddr-ajah-6-23)

Caption below photo: Issei Taiji Mashihara, of Alameda, CA., He was a dentistry student at the University of California at Berkeley, then moved to Massachusetts. On July 15, 1920, he was granted a certificate from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to practice dentistry and dental surgery. He died of Tuberculosis on January 10, 1927. Photo by Mataichi …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-23/

vh Kenji Tomita Interview (ddr-ajah-1-3)

Nisei male. Born August 25, 1924, in Alameda, California. Grew up in Alameda, where father ran a food wholesaling business. Was in high school when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, California, and the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Left Topaz on student leave to attend the University of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-1-3/

av Shigeki Sugiyama (ddr-ajah-8-7)

Shigeki Sugiyama grew up in Alameda, California. During World War II, he and his family were removed to the Manzanar concentration camp, California, then transferred to the Topaz concentration camp, Utah. Shigeki left Topaz for Ann Arbor Michigan, to attend school. In 1946, he was drafted and attended Officer Candidate School, then served overseas for twenty …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-8-7/

img Mother with two young children waiting for bus (ddr-densho-151-200)

Original caption: Centerville, California. Members of farm family await evacuation bus. In March they came from Santa Barbara County to Alameda County, so that all members of the family could be evacuated together. Evacuees of Japanese ancestry will be housed in War Relocation Authority centers for the duration.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-200/

doc Reproduction of movie poster in Japanese and English (ddr-ajah-6-175)

Caption below photo: 1969 movie poster made by Matao and Shigeko Koga. The Koga's two person business, Koga Kogyo Bu, showed Japanese movies to the Japanese born (Isseis) and Japanese American (Nisei) audience throughout California from 1939 to at least 1969. the Kogas were from Alameda, CA. Original size: 13x17"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-175/

doc Reproduction of movie poster in Japanese and English (ddr-ajah-6-176)

Caption below photo: 1969 movie poster hand made by Matao and Shigeko Koga's two person business, Koga Kogyo Bu, showed Japanese movies to the Japanese born (Isseis) and Japanese American (Nisei) audience throughout California from 1939 to at least 1969. The Kogas were from Alameda, CA. Original size: 13x 17"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-176/

img Men playing cards in barracks (ddr-ajah-2-784)

Caption: Joe Iwataki (taking the photo) and his U.S. Army pals relieve the boredom with a poker game in their barracks near Belden, which was in the Feather River Canyon of Northern California, February 1942. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-376 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-784/

img Wedding party for Kenji Tomita and Mary Nakata's wedding (ddr-ajah-6-46)

Caption below photo: Kenji Tomita marries Mary Nakata, June 1957 at North Berkeley Methodist Church in California. Both were born in Alameda, CA. Kenji had known Mary from the time she was a very young child. Names above photo: Maid of Honor Pat Ichioka / flower girl Nancy tomato / Best Man Dan Mashihara

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-46/

av Home movie footage of the Buena Vista United Methodist Church snow trip (ddr-ajah-4-71)

Home movies of the snow trip in Lake Tahoe of the Buena Vista United Methodist Church. Includes scenes of the church's annual Spring Festival or Bazaar, Easter service with an Easter egg hunt, and a church picnic held at Crab Cove, Alameda, California. Home movies taken by Haruo "Howe" Hanamura (April 10, 1919 - August 18, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-4-71/

img Graduation portrait of Taiji Mashihara from Harvard (ddr-ajah-6-24)

Caption below photo: Taiji Mashihara's 1920 Harvard graduation photo. After his arrival from Japan in 1907, he lived in Alameda., CA., and attended the University of California. He moved to Boston to study dentistry and dental surgery, a rare occupation for an Issei in America. Inscription on front: T. Mashihara 1920. Inscription in Japanese on side …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-24/

img Boy in baseball uniform standing in field (ddr-ajah-5-80)

Caption below photo: An early photo of Jimmie Hanamura, who would play for the alameda Taiiku Kai (ATK) baseball team. It is unclear if he is a part of the team in this photo as he appears too young. A youth league did exist in Northern California in this time period, and ATK sponsored a team.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-5-80/

img Japanese Americans inside barracks (ddr-densho-151-330)

Original caption: San Bruno, California. Old Mr. Konda in barrack apartment, after supper. He lives here with his two sons, his married daughter and her husband. They share two small rooms together. His daughter is seen behind him, knitting. He has been a truck farmer and raised his family who are also farmers, in Centerville, Alameda …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-151-330/

img Man standing at entrance to railway tunnel (ddr-ajah-2-779)

Caption: During WWII, U.S. Army soldier Howie Hurst guards a train track and tunnel in January 1942, somewhere in the Feather River Canyon of Northern California. The canyon is located along Highway 70 between Oroville and Quincy. Howie's fellow soldier, Joe Iwataki, is taking the photo. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-315 with …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-779/

img Portrait of Matao Koga (ddr-ajah-6-179)

Caption below photo: Matao Koga as a young man in Japan. He would immigrate to the United State and live in Alameda, CA., where he would eventually make a living as a Benshi, a man who would who Japanese language movies to the Japanese community in California. He was born on May 25, 1892, making this …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-179/

img Woman with flower arrangements inside florist shop (ddr-ajah-6-397)

Caption below photo: Posing inside Date Florist on Grand Avenue in Oakland, CA is Kiyoko Date Abe, circa 1953-1959. Her parents, Hajime and Uchi Date, had returned to California after World War II ended and wanted to start their florist business again. Their son, Akira, found a shop for sale, this time in Oakland. The shop …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-397/

img Large group photo outside church (ddr-ajah-4-57)

Printed on photo front: Japanese Methodist Church "Last Issei Services" Alameda, California, February 15, 1942. Caption below photo: On February 15, 1942, the JME church held a farewell service conducted by Rev. Shigeo Shimada and attended by 120 members and friends, many of whom stepped forward for baptism. Dr. J.B. Cobb and his wife, former missionaries …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-4-57/

img Five adults and a child in open touring car (ddr-ajah-6-958)

Caption below photo: Seated at right are Sadaichi "Sam" Ota and his wife, Asano, of the Morgan Hill/San Jose area of California. They are Lee Ota's parents. Lee would marry Saitaro "Cy" Towata of Alameda, CA. Born in 1876, Sadaichi was a gardener and died in 1967. Asano was born in 1891 and died in 1973. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-958/

img Alameda City Fair Exhibit (ddr-densho-441-42)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-441-42/

img Hayashi Nursery (ddr-densho-441-9)

Black and white photograph of the front of the Hayashi Nursery with a horse and carriage on the far right. Written on the bottom of the image is "First Nursery 1906 Buena Vista & Park St, Alameda" in blue ink.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-441-9/

Filters

Narrator Jean Shiraki Gize