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Felt no hostility in Los Gatos, California after the war

Los Gatos in San Jose was a lot friendlier to the Japanese so we didn’t feel any prejudice at all. We were there after camp in 1944. The war ended in 1945. When the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945, August of 1945, we still remember the fact that after all it was our relatives, my grandfather’s family who were in Hiroshima. And so we had great concern over what happened to them. Of course, here was no news from Japan at that time. We were very concerned about…my grandmother definitely was.

In 1945 when the war ended, my grandmother and I were in downtown San Jose shopping. When the war ended all the confetti dropped from the ceiling and I remember the day when the war was over. I didn’t know what was going on, my grandmother did, so immediately we came home not knowing what’s going to happen to us. So I do remember the day that the war ended. Our friends were very sympathetic, there was no hostility. The people of San Jose and Los Gatos were very kind to us, so we were very lucky.


atomic bomb California Hiroshima (city) Hiroshima Prefecture Japan Los Gatos postwar racism United States World War II

Date: March 22, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Tom Yuki was born on June 29, 1935, in Salinas, California. His father belonged to a farming partnership before World War II and was able to continue the business while incarcerated at Poston, Arizona, with the help of his business partner via telephone and telegram. After returning from Poston, the family moved to Los Gatos, California, and continued with their business. Tom went to the University of Santa Clara and joined the military, assigned to France as a Quartermaster officer. He was working as a contract administrator in a corporation when his father died, leaving Tom to take over the business as managing partner of Yuki Farms. Tom has served as board member to many organizations including his current role for the Japanese American National Museum. (December 2018)

William Marutani
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Marutani,William

Challenges of finding a summer job

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Basic Training

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

Do it for all Asians

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Sakaye Shigekawa
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

Traumatic experiences before camp

(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California

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Sakaye Shigekawa
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Shigekawa, Sakaye

“Everybody went in like sheep”

(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California

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Henry Suto
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Suto,Henry

The horror of Hiroshima after the atomic bombing (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Terry Janzen
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Janzen,Terry

Postwar school-life

(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.

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Hachiro Ohtomo
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Ohtomo,Hachiro

Facing discrimination in America (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

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Jean Hamako Schneider
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Schneider,Jean Hamako

On international marriages (Japanese)

(b. 1925) War bride

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Family nursery business

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

After being discharged and returning to the nursery business

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Hachiro Ohtomo
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Ohtomo,Hachiro

My daughter couldn’t fit in Japan, so I decided to go back to America (Japanese)

(b. 1936) Shin-issei welding business owner

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Michelle Yamashiro
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Yamashiro,Michelle

Okinawan Americans

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

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Takayo Fischer
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Fischer,Takayo

Being Confused about Racial Identity in Postwar United States

(b. 1932) Nisei American stage, film, and TV actress

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Holly J. Fujie
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Fujie,Holly J.

Becoming first AA State Bar President in California

Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

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