Interviews

1. Family nursery business

2. Living through the Great Depression

3. Hearing about Pearl Harbor

4. Traveling to Manzanar

5. Jobs in Manzanar

6. The riot in Manzanar

7. Sugar beet and potato farming in Idaho

8. Sugar beet farming process

9. Being inducted into the army

10. Being called out of Reserves

11. Fort Snelling

12. Traveling from Manila to Tokyo

13. Serving in Tokyo

14. Visiting Hiroshima

15. After being discharged and returning to the nursery business

16. Meeting his wife, Eileen

Jimmy Ko Fukuhara

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

Sugar beet and potato farming in Idaho

In camp? Let’s see, it was 1942 we went in. Almost to the month, March, four of us brothers left the camp. And we signed a contract to go on the farm in Shelly, Idaho. To take care of the beets, sugar beets. And then harvest them. And the same thing with the potatoes. And we came back about Thanksgiving, back into camp. So were gone from March to November.

I*: Was that kind of a group decision? That you all…?

Well, Henry wanted to go, and so I guess he talked to dad and says, “Four of us would like to go out of camp.” He said no in 1942, Henry wanted to go out. Even in ’42 because they were asking for help, as soon as we got into camp. But they weren’t set up for that yet. We wanted to go in ’43 so we went in ’43. Just to see what it was like.

*“I” indicates an interviewer (John Esaki).

agriculture farming potato growers sugar beets 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)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Terry Janzen

Moving to Upland Post-Camp

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

Harunori Oda

Early impression of America

(1927-2016) Shin-Issei businessman

Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura

Kindergarten in Davao, Philippines

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura

Family was shipped back to Japan after the war

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

Herb Ohta

Living in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura

Move to Los Angeles

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

Harry Schneider

Coming to California

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura

Life in the Philippines

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

Harry Schneider

Learning Japanese with the MIS

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

Iwao Takamoto

Camouflage Net Weaving in Manzanar

Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)

Harry Schneider

Miscommunications

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

Harry Schneider

Writing Letters

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

Iwao Takamoto

Developing Art Skills in Camp

Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)

Iwao Takamoto

Return to Los Angeles

Japanese American animator for Walt Disney and Hanna Barbera (1925-2007)

Francis Y. Sogi

Meeting Japanese Americans from the mainland in MIS

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

Discover Nikkei Updates

SAVE THE DATE

Discover Nikkei Fest is on February 8! Join us for a community fair, workshops, a panel discussion, and much more. Sign up now for virtual or in-person tickets.

NIKKEI NAMES 2

The Editorial Committee and Nima-kai Community Favorites have been announced! Find out which stories are this year’s favorites 🏆

PROJECT UPDATES

New Site Design
See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!

Interviews

Watch more clips

Jimmy Ko Fukuhara

Sugar beet and potato farming in Idaho

Explore More Videos

Discover Nikkei Updates