Discover Nikkei Logo

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1508/

Traveling to Manzanar

They didn’t tell you a thing. In fact, I don’t know if the bus driver even knew, until he got on the bus. And then he must, he could have asked, “Where’s Manzanar?” They must have pulled out the oldest buses...they had these municipal buses in Santa Monica.

And you know how many hours it took to get there? Today, I just went up and back and, an easy, comfortable four hours. Each way. But that’s all, practically all freeway now. But I think...say we boarded the bus at 9 o’clock, it was almost dusk, dark when we got to Manzanar. And that was in April. 


buses California concentration camps imprisonment incarceration Manzanar concentration camp United States World War II World War II camps

Date: February 6, 2015

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

Jimmy Ko Fukuhara was born on September 21, 1921 in Los Angeles, California to Japanese immigrants, Ume and Ichisuke Fukuhara. In 1927, his father moved the family to Santa Monica, California, and got started in the nursery business. After graduating from Santa Monica High School, Jimmy worked at the nursery, until 1942, when he and his family were sent to the Manzanar concentration camp.

Jimmy was able to leave camp early, and moved to Pennsylvania with his younger brother, George. Within sixty days, Jimmy was drafted into the army, and volunteered to serve in the Military Intelligence school. After going through basic training, Jimmy was sent to Tokyo, Japan. There he worked for the labor department in General MacArthur’s headquarters. Before leaving Japan, he visited Hiroshima in hopes of connecting with his parents’ relatives. After being discharged, Jimmy returned to Santa Monica and the family nursery business. Jimmy continued to work in the nursery with his four brothers, until he retired in 1986. (May 2016)

George Ariyoshi
en
ja
es
pt

Prom during the war

(b.1926) Democratic politician and three-term Governor of Hawai'i

en
ja
es
pt
George Ariyoshi
en
ja
es
pt

Influence of veterans

(b.1926) Democratic politician and three-term Governor of Hawai'i

en
ja
es
pt
Jean Hayashi Ariyoshi
en
ja
es
pt

Day Pearl Harbor was bombed

Former First Lady of Hawai'i

en
ja
es
pt
Kazuo Funai
en
ja
es
pt

Japan vs. the United States (Japanese)

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

en
ja
es
pt
Kazuo Funai
en
ja
es
pt

Company in Tokyo burned down (Japanese)

(1900-2005) Issei businessman

en
ja
es
pt
James Hirabayashi
en
ja
es
pt

Life in camp as teenager

(1926 - 2012) Scholar and professor of anthropology. Leader in the establishment of ethnic studies as an academic discipline

en
ja
es
pt
Robert Katayama
en
ja
es
pt

Being ordered to keep a diary that was later confiscated, ostensibly by the FBI

Hawaiian Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

en
ja
es
pt
Barbara Kawakami
en
ja
es
pt

Bombing of Pearl Harbor

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

en
ja
es
pt
Barbara Kawakami
en
ja
es
pt

Helping soldiers

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

en
ja
es
pt
Barbara Kawakami
en
ja
es
pt

Brother leaves for war, survival

An expert researcher and scholar on Japanese immigrant clothing.

en
ja
es
pt
Yuri Kochiyama
en
ja
es
pt

Didn't have rights that whites had

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

en
ja
es
pt
Yuri Kochiyama
en
ja
es
pt

Californians didn't know about evacuation

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

en
ja
es
pt
Yuri Kochiyama
en
ja
es
pt

The day Pearl Harbor was bombed

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

en
ja
es
pt
Yuri Kochiyama
en
ja
es
pt

Father as prisoner of war in hospital

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

en
ja
es
pt
Yuri Kochiyama
en
ja
es
pt

Patriotism versus loyalty

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

en
ja
es
pt

Discover Nikkei Updates

NIKKEI CHRONICLES #14
Nikkei Family 2: Remembering Roots, Leaving Legacies
Baachan, grandpa, tía, irmão… what does Nikkei family mean to you? Submit your story!
SUPPORT THE PROJECT
Discover Nikkei’s 20 for 20 campaign celebrates our first 20 years and jumpstarts our next 20. Learn more and donate!
SHARE YOUR MEMORIES
We are collecting our community’s reflections on the first 20 years of Discover Nikkei. Check out this month’s prompt and send us your response!