MASATOSHI ABE

Mr. Abe was interviewed in Japanese by Mary Tsukamoto at age 92. The book consists of 32 pages in English and 34 pages in Japanese text, one photo of Abe and Mrs. Schulzeís letter. The transcription and translation was under direction of Dr. Kobashigawa of San Francisco State University. Son James assisted with the editing. Mr. Abe was able to recall coming to America at age 18 and working with his father in Utah copper mines with several hundred other Japanese. He talks about prewar anti-Japanese feelings in the Sacramento area, working hard for $1 a day for John Davis growing berries and grapes, and sending any savings back to relatives in Japan. The post-war years were spent farming in the Elder Creek area, cared for by son James until his death in 1991. James now operates the farm.

ONATSU AKIYAMA

There is a lot of material in the 59 pages of text out of the total 67 pages of this Oral History of Mrs. Akiyama (89), a widow. The interview took three sessions and was in Japanese with some comments from the interviewer and son Ryozo. She talks of doing many kinds of work, in many places in Japan, Jerome Relocation Center, with husband in Crystal City, Texas, and around Sacramento for very low pay, and pooling of resources among relatives and friends. As her four sons became older, they were a big help as the family tried to cope and survive in Japan and Sacramento, especially in her retirement years. The eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren bring satisfaction, as well as various religious literature. Living in Hiroshima after the atom bomb, defeat of Japan and resultant hardships were ìthe saddest time of our entire life.î

BUNZO AND HARUYE ASOO

Bunzo Asoo was 86 and Haruye Asoo was 80 when interviewed in Japanese and both are now deceased. They migrated to California as young adults due to hard times but returned in 1919 to Okayama to get married. They felt America offered the best for their seven children but returned to Japan frequently, often to study. The war years were spent in Tule Lake, California and Topaz, Utah camps. In 1945, they returned to Sacramento and Bunzo worked as a gardener from 7 a.m. at 25 cents an hour with a push mower. The temperature rose to 105 degrees at times. After retirement at 65, he engaged in yoga exercises, enjoyed all kinds of food, and did much volunteer work for the Adventist Church. The appendix of the book contains many prewar and wartime documents, passports, travel permits, immigration forms, evacuation claims forms, personal property listings and family trees. 

LARSON AND BUTLER

This brief oral history is about two Non-Nikkei friends of Japanese Americans of the Florin area, especially of Mary Tsukamoto. There are two photos--one each of Larson and Butler; twenty pages of text (two devoted to Butler). Some Japanese names are misspelled. Both spent their childhood and later life as friends of the Nikkei. Larson mentions association with Hawaiian Nisei in his military service of two years. Butler was a life-long friend of education and there is Arthur C. Butler Elementary School in his honor.