Japanese in Minot

My father’s business in America (Japanese) School life in Japan (Japanese) Identity (Japanese) The horror of Hiroshima after the atomic bombing (Japanese) Feelings upon listening to the imperial rescript (Japanese) Returning to America after the war (Japanese) Enlisting in the U.S. Army (Japanese) Working tirelessly after the war (Japanese) What I wanted to pass down to my children (Japanese) Father owned a café in Minot, North Dakota Japanese in Minot Didn’t speak Japanese until moving to Japan Being enlisted into the Japanese Army Wasn’t told he was being trained for kamikaze bombing Experiences in Hiroshima after the A-bomb Reaction to the Emperor’s surrender Worked for the occupation force in Japan after the war Fitting back into American life Speaking about his wife Comparing basic training of US and Japanese Armies Helping youth in the community

Transcripts available in the following languages:

Well, I wouldn’t consider it a community, but there was about 50 Japanese people living in Minot, North Dakota. And it, I remember the house, our house is here and then Mr. Saomura is…it’s about 5 minutes drive down the street and there were some…Toyama, so we’re not live together in the community like what’d you say, but whatever occasion we get together – Saturday/Sunday or Sunday to…I mention about…park, we’d get together…pot luck and then have luncheon at the park, yes. It was a close community, yes, yes…well, yeah, network of people that we – most people is connected to the restaurant or hotel business or some the railroad. Yes and I guess that’s the extent of it, the occupation, yes.

Date: June 17, 2008
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Janice Tanaka
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

community identity minot north dakota