Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1363/

Living in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor

I was born on October 21st, 1934. I was born in Honolulu at the Kapi’olani Hospital. My father came here when he was about eighteen years old, from Hiroshima. My mother was, you know, bi-educated here and she graduated high school in Iwakuni, Japan.

It was on a Sunday that they bombed…you know, I was fishing. But I see all the anti-aircraft fire, they all were blank white spots Everybody thought it was strange. But nobody believed that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor, you know.

People used to call us "Jap", you know, and we used to get in a fight, and they used to have small gangs in all different districts, you know...that were created because of this thing, you know.

Everybody painted their windows black, right? So you couldn't see even if you had the light on. There was a curfew. Adults, neighbors would come to the house, or you go to another neighbor's house and they make coffee, serve pastries, or something. This is in the evening, after dinner...you know. Or play cards, you know...play trumps or hanafuda or whatever. I remember that.


curfews Hawaii musicians United States World War II

Date: August 2012

Location: Hawai`i, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

78-years-old, is known by ukulele fans in Japan and around the world as "Ohta-san." Ohta-san is a master ukulele player who learned to play the instrument from his mother in the pre-World War II era in Honolulu. He played a major role in popularizing the ukulele in the 1960s and 70s, expanding the repertoire of the instrument beyond Hawai`ian songs to include international pop and jazz. In his interview, Ohta-san vividly demonstrates his stylistic development by playing excerpts from songs that were significant to his career. (June 2014)

William Marutani
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Marutani,William

Recalling Pinedale and Tule Lake concentration camps

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Being called out of Reserves

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

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Fort Snelling

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

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Traveling from Manila to Tokyo

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

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Holly J. Fujie
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Fujie,Holly J.

Camp stories impact on her career

Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

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Daniel K. Inouye
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Inouye,Daniel K.

A story about his mother

(1924-2012) Senator of Hawaii

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Yumi Matsubara
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Matsubara,Yumi

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

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

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Kay Fukumoto
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Fukumoto,Kay

The multicultural perspective

(b.1960) Third-generation taiko drummer, leader of Maui Taiko

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Stan Sakai
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Sakai,Stan

Influence as a youth

(b. 1953) Cartoonist

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Stan Sakai
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Sakai,Stan

Culture as a child

(b. 1953) Cartoonist

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Masao Kinoshita
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Kinoshita,Masao

Makegumi - Movement to regognize the defeat of Japan (Japanese)

A central figure for the “Makegumi” (defeatists)

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Cedrick Shimo
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Shimo,Cedrick

Strictly American, but sympathize with Japan

(1919-2020) Member of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. Promoted Japan-U.S. trade while working for Honda's export division.

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BJ Kobayashi
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Kobayashi,BJ

Never feeling discriminated against in Hawai‘i

Hawaiian businessman, developer.

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Terry Janzen
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Janzen,Terry

Father's Service in WWII

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

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Terry Janzen
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Janzen,Terry

Moving to Upland Post-Camp

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

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