When I think about the camp days, I – I’m always grateful to my parents for shielding me. For letting me be a child and run around and have a good time with young people, not to – I don’t forget the barbed wire. I remember the barbed wire. I remember trying to crawl back in the barbed wire. I remember the kind guard, you know, who helped me climb back into camp, telling me not to get caught by the mean guards with the guns pointing at me in camp. It’s – I don’t know how other young people feel about it, but I’m emotional. I don’t talk about it with – I don’t talk about it. My sisters and I never talked about it, we never – never discussed camp once we got out of camp. I never really talked about it with my children. I think I would have a difficult time.

imprisonment incarceration World War II World War II camps

Date: Nov 8, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: June Berk

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

Interviewee Bio

Takayo Fischer, born in November 1932, is a Nisei American stage, film, and TV actress. During World War II, as a young child, she and her family were forcibly evacuated from the West Coast and spent time in the Fresno Assembly Center before being relocated to Jerome and Rohwer concentration camps. Fischer later lived in Chicago, Illinois, where, as a young adult, she won the crown of “Miss Nisei Queen.” She has appeared in dozens of major Hollywood films, including Moneyball (2011), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). She also appeared in the stage production of The World of Suzie Wong in New York in 1958 and many productions with East West Players in Los Angeles. (June 2018)

Explore More Videos

Interviewee

Tag

Keywords

Interview language

Yumi Matsubara

Concentration camp from a Japanese mother’s point of view (Japanese)

Shin-Issei from Gifu. Recently received U.S. citizenship

Henry Shimizu

Sneaking out of the Hastings Park camp during World War II

(b. 1928) Doctor. Former Chair of the Japanese Canadian Redress Foundation.

Venancio Shinki

Hiding out to avoid the concentration camps (Spanish)

(b. 1932-2016) Peruvian painter

Venancio Shinki

Closing the Japanese school and deportation (Spanish)

(b. 1932-2016) Peruvian painter

George Abe

Realizing Importance of Birthplace

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

George Abe

Honing Artistic Talent at Camp

(b. 1944) taiko and flute performer

Ryoichi Kodama

Affect of the World War II (Japanese)

Kasato-maru immigrants

Gordon Hirabayashi

A Dutiful Son

(1918-2012) Fought the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.

Gordon Hirabayashi

Bypassing the Constitution

(1918-2012) Fought the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.

Fred Korematsu

Manhunt

(1919 - 2005) Challenged the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.

Fred Korematsu

The Final Verdict

(1919 - 2005) Challenged the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.

Cherry Kinoshita

Erasing the Bitterness

(1923–2008) One of the leaders behind the redress movement.

Bill Hosokawa

A Reporter’s Responsibility

(1915 - 2007) Journalist

Peter Irons

Lesson to be Learned

(b. 1940) Attorney, Coram nobis cases.

Chiye Tomihiro

Too Ashamed to Tell

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

Discover Nikkei Updates

NIMA VOICES

Episode 19
Guest host Tamlyn Tomita chatted with actor Christopher Sean in the latest episode of Nima Voices about his background, acting, and community involvement.
WATCH NOW!

NIKKEI CHRONICLES #14

Nikkei Family 2: Remembering Roots, Leaving Legacies
Find out which stories were selected as the Editorial Committee and Nima-kai Community Favorites!

SUPPORT THE PROJECT

Discover Nikkei’s 20 for 20 campaign celebrates our first 20 years and jumpstarts our next 20. Learn more and donate!

Interviews

Watch more clips

Takayo Fischer

The Emotional Toll of Being Incarcerated in Camp during World War II

Explore More Videos

Discover Nikkei Updates