Kibei male. Born November 9, 1919, in Thomas, Washington. Went to Japan at age twelve, attended school, and returned to the U.S. as a high school student. Enlisted in the army just prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and was eventually recruited for the Military Intelligence Service. Selected as one of fourteen Japanese Americans to …
Nisei male. Born May 19, 1917, in Eastport, Idaho, and spent childhood in Spokane, Washington. In 1933 traveled to Japan with family where father became ill and died. Attended school in Japan for three years and then returned to Spokane in 1936 and worked on a farm. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, volunteered for military …
Nisei male. Born May 15, 1921, in Seattle, Washington. Spent much of childhood in Japan, returning to the U.S. at the age of fifteen. Began attending the University of Washington before being removed to Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. Created a series of art pieces depicting camp life. Moved to Spokane, Washington, …
Nisei female. Born April 11, 1923, in Seattle, Washington. Grew up in Seattle, where parents ran a hotel. Went to live in Japan for several years prior to World War II. During the war, removed to the Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and the Minidoka concentration camp, Idaho. While in Minidoka, recruited to teach elementary school, and …
Nisei male. Born February 7, 1925, in Sacramento, California. At a very young age, sent to Japan for several years. Returned at age six and lived with family in Loomis, California. During World War II, removed to the Arboga Assembly Center, California, and the Tule Lake concentration camp, California. Transferred briefly to the Amache concentration camp, …
Kibei Nisei male. Born October 4, 1915, in Stockton, California. As a young child, sent to Japan to live with grandparents and attend school. Returned to California at age eighteen, and drafted into the U.S. military. Discharged from the army after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Removed to the Tanforan Assembly Center, Washington, and the Topaz concentration …
Nisei female. Born December 5, 1930, in Gardena, California. Grew up in Gardena where parents ran a restaurant. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, father was arrested and taken away by the FBI. During mass removal, family was sent to the Manzanar concentration camp, California, and reunited with father. Following the Leave Clearance questionnaire in 1943, …
Arranged marriage; system of inheritance in Japan (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese and was translated so as to convey Mrs. Terao's way of speaking as closely as possible. For example, there are instances in which she makes some grammatical errors. These mistakes are conveyed through similar grammatical errors in English in order to …
Receiving a formal note of appreciation from the Emperor of Japan for work following the atomic bombings
In this interview Mr. Schmoe refers to Aki Kurose, a former employee, fellow Quaker, peace activist, and long-time friend. At the time of this interview, Ms. Kurose had recently passed away after a long struggle with cancer. At the …
Anticipating war between the U.S. and Japan (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese and was translated so as to convey Mrs. Terao's way of speaking as closely as possible. For example, there are instances in which she makes some grammatical errors. These mistakes are conveyed through similar grammatical errors in English in order to …
Corresponding infrequently with family in Japan (Japanese language)
This interview was conducted in Japanese and was translated so as to convey Mrs. Terao's way of speaking as closely as possible. For example, there are instances in which she makes some grammatical errors. These mistakes are conveyed through similar grammatical errors in English in order to recreate …
Being asked to go to Japan to conduct a research study after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do …
Memories of mass removal: traveling to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, becoming head of the "vegetable department" at Santa Anita
Although Mr. Matsumoto does not identify himself as a Kibei (American-born person of Japanese ancestry sent to Japan for formal education and socialization when young and later returned to the U.S.), some of his life experiences …
The mental strain of being surrounded on Nhpum Ga hill; sent on a mission to secretly try to overhear enemy plans
Although Mr. Matsumoto does not identify himself as a Kibei (American-born person of Japanese ancestry sent to Japan for formal education and socialization when young and later returned to the U.S.), some of his life …
Description of relationship between Kibei and Nisei at Camp Savage, Minnesota; thoughts on the level of Japanese language education at the language school
Although Mr. Matsumoto does not identify himself as a Kibei (American-born person of Japanese ancestry sent to Japan for formal education and socialization when young and later returned to the U.S.), some of …
Frustration with the registration questions involving renouncing allegiance to Japan
This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not life histories, …
Family background: born in Japan; father's unorthodox arrival in the United States
This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not …
Description of siblings in Japan; working as a schoolboy in Pocatello, Idaho
This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not …
Family background: growing up in Hawaii, going to Japan as a child
This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not …
Photocopy of a declassified report on Keizaburo Koyama. A bench warrant was issued for Koyama for disregarding a signal, but no disposition was noted in his records. The files in the Multnomah County Jail did not show any information on Koyama's arrest or warrant on the matter. A report from the Credit Reporting Company from Rose …
Term paper by Mitsuko Mitsui for Social Problems class taught by Mr. Harry Bentley Wells, a teacher at Manzanar High School. Mitsuko is very aware of the discussions of whether to return to Japan or stay in America and plans for what "girls" should be doing with their lives. Mitsuko wants to remain in America. She …
A letter from Masao Okine, who is stationed in Japan as a Nisei soldier to his parents, Seiichi and Ayame Okine. This letter is mailed via San Francisco, California by the U.S. Army Postal Service. In the letter, Masao writes about his visit to Hiroshima during the vacation. He meets Naoji Okine, Jokichi Yamanaka, Mr. Sasaki, …
A letter from Masao Okine to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine in Hawthorne. This letter is written in Japan where Masao is currently stationed as a Nisei soldier and mailed via San Francisco by the U.S. Army Postal Service. In the letter, Masao describes his work as a US Army solider in Japan: He has …
A letter from Megumi and Yukie Sasaki in Hiroshima, Japan to Seiichi Okine. It appears to be written by Yukie Sasaki. She informs that she has received his letter on June 18 and package on June 21. She lists the items received including pairs of pants, shirts, shoes, socks, candles, sugar, threads, a comb, and white …
A letter from Jokichi Yamanaka in Hiroshima, Japan to his brother-in-law, Seichi Okine. Jokichi Yamanaka updates on his family noting that his his daughter Tomomi graduated from school and works as an interpreter at the U.S. military camp, Camp Kure. Mr. Nakano's house construction starts on April 14 and 15 and he is going to help …
![Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. S. Okine, September 12, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-160)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/08/9e/089e14d0745e8d4873311c8aab6a61cf.jpg)
![Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, January 10, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-121)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/98/5a/985a9e384e81da3476dcd4c2284e90e7.jpg)
![Letter from Megumi Sasaki to Seiichi Okine, June 21, 1948 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-245)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/b7/76/b7764f88b6bd7597de1dc49ee96f939c.jpg)
![Letter from Joikichi Yamanaka to Mr. S. Okine, April 13, 1948 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-242)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/30/62/30620885d5cc7bee854070a5c04bd5a0.jpg)
![Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. S. Okine, September 12, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-160)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/96/d6/96d638e1560b47cd51c4da27e183bb3c.jpg)
![Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, January 10, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-121)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/b0/08/b008621cc4cbd7352bdd5ce9a5199fc8.jpg)
![Letter from Megumi Sasaki to Seiichi Okine, June 21, 1948 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-245)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/15/d5/15d53566a077c704cbecaba67fb0cdc6.jpg)
![Letter from Joikichi Yamanaka to Mr. S. Okine, April 13, 1948 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-242)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/d6/0c/d60c5e2a64bc9fe33741531ddc0fa2b2.jpg)