Taking her father’s ashes, going back to Japan, learning the koto and culture

Her early memories before the war Learning English Taking her father’s ashes, going back to Japan, learning the koto and culture Sensing the war was coming Coming back to America from Japan before the war Working at the family flower shop, meeting Greta Garbo Her experience of Japanese American Evacuation Memories of Manzanar Working in the camp hospital Wind in camp Her grandfather and Dr. Thompson Her grandmother comes to Manzanar Experiencing prejudice after the war

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Well, I didn’t know how long, but I thought at least two, three years, you know, to learn. I learned the koto, and I learned the calligraphy. First of all your manners, which was very important. My aunt taught that. You have to hold your hands a certain way. Your feet have to, with a kimono, walk with a pigeon toe like this. It’s not for me. But that aunt, she was brought up that way. Even her language was altogether different. It’s a language, I guess that’s the way they talk in the palace. Many things, I didn’t understand what she was saying.

Date: May 24, 2011
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

calligraphy Japanese culture koto