American consulate said I better get home. I says, “Why?” He says, I better get home. I knew something was happening cause you can tell. Even on the train, these soldiers would come. They were rough, these Japanese soldiers. I mean, they weren’t kind at all. To me, the American soldiers were really nice. But no, not these Japanese soldiers. They were almost frightening…It was 1938, 39. I think…You know, I didn’t sense anything like that but when the American Consulate says, “You better get home,” you kind of feel that. Just lucky I came on the last ship that came in safe in the harbor.
Date: May 24, 2011
Location: California, US
Interviewer: John Esaki
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
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