Partial Transcript: Lillian Aiko Inouye Matsudaira is born June 8, 1925, in Seattle, Washington. Her parents are from Senkaku, Japan, and immigrated to the United States. Lillian's father goes to school to learn English and open a restaurant in 1925. The restaurant serves American dishes.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; education; employment; family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Seattle; travel

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian's father is Tsuyoshi Inouye. She describes him as quiet, intelligent, tall, handsome, and well-dressed. Lillian's mother is Yayoi Inouye and is a picture bride. When Lillian's mother comes to the United States, she did not know much. With the assistance of Mr. Kabota, he teaches Lillian's mother housekeeping and gardening.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei; picture brides; wedding

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian talks about the dynamics of the household relationship. Lillian's mother is friendly, and her circle of friends is in the Japanese Community. Mrs. Inouye also works at the restaurant with Mr. Inouye. The restaurant is downtown, and the Inouye home is further away. Due to the distance, the relationship with the customers is only business.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: employment; friendship; Issei; Seattle

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian discusses her neighborhood demographic growing up. The neighborhood is mainly Japanese and Chinese. In the summertime, Lillian has friends to go swimming with her. In the wintertime, there are no friends. Her friends are children in the neighborhood, and their favorite activities include baseball, dodge ball, and hide-and-see. Lillian lists her childhood friends - Willie Okata, S. Nakagawa, Kimiko, and Steve's wife.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; childhood activities; children; friendship; Japanese Americans; Nisei; sports

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian's husband is John Takehisa Matsudaira. He is born November 26, 1922, in Seattle, Washington. John's father is Tokohisa Matsudaira, and his mother is Hatori Umeda Matsudaira. John's parents are from Kanazawa, Japan.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Seattle

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian met John's parents at Minidoka. Lillian says John's mother is a devoted Catholic. John's father's hobby is photography, and every summer goes to Alaska to work at a cannery. At a previous job, John's father lost his eye. There are 14 children in the family. One died as an infant, and another child dies at the age of seven. John is the oldest, Michael (passed away 20 years ago), Akira, Pauline, Frances "Tebo," James, Sappo, Martin, Ida, Joseph, Theresa, Vincent, and Steve.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; employment; family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; siblings

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian discovers before John's passing that his younger siblings do not know John personally. When John was seven years old, he travels to Japan with his brother Michael for a better education. John is in Japan for about five years before returning to the United States. John becomes fluent in Japanese but not in English. At the age of 12 years old, John starts at the first-grade level. Eventually, John becomes proficient in both Japanese and English. He can read a Japanese book with no issues.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; education; family; Japanese Americans; Nisei; travel

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian says John is a person who keeps to himself, but he can get along with everyone. The age gap between John and his siblings is 1922 to 1948. Lillian says she is closest to Tebo but gets along with all of John's siblings. All the siblings live nearby except for Tebo, Sappo, and Vincent.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: friendship; Japanese Americans; Nisei; siblings

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian has six siblings in her family - Besty, Ruby, Frances, (Lillian), Howard, and Lloyd. Lillian is closest to Fran because they are close in age, and both are tomboys. Fran excelled in sports, especially basketball. Fran and Lillian both helped at the family restaurant and would walk home together after their shift. Lillian started helping at the restaurant at the age of 14 years old. She starts off washing dishes and then waiting on tables. After high school, Lillian would go directly to the restaurant to work. She says there is no free time for herself.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: childhood activities; employment; family; Japanese Americans; Nisei; sports

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian is not good at sports, but she enjoys attending school football games. After school, Lillian goes to Japanese School every day for six years. Lillian speaks Japanese at home. However, her mother passed away in 1989, and Lillian does not speak Japanese anymore.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: education; high school; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian says John is a loner during his school years. John has many interests and reads many books. While living in Japan, John would go to his Grandfather's room first thing in the morning to greet him. John is also an artist and started his artwork in Japan.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: education; family; Japanese Americans; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian says her mother is the disciplinarian in the family. Lillian says she would always discipline Fran and herself. She shared a story about hooks in a kitchen. Besides having a picture of the Emperor of Japan, there is not much Japanese cultural decor. Once in a while, Lillian's father would take trips to Japan. In 1970, Lillian travels to Japan for the first time and meets family relatives.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei; siblings; travel

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: At the Inouye home, they would celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Lillian recalls her mother cooking and preparing for New Year. Lillian says they typically do not eat much Japanese food at home, but New Year is an exception. She fondly remembers the family sitting near the stove and eating mochi (glutenous rice cakes).

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian says both John and her family are more westernized. Lilian's home is a block from the Baptist church, and they attended this church at an early age. After the war, Lillian's mother becomes a Baptist. Lillian's father is an Atheist. In 1943, Lillian graduates from High School in Minidoka. Lillian recalls the day of the Pearl Harbor bombing. There are no customers that day.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; family; Issei parents; Nisei; Pearl Harbor; post-war; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: At the time of the Pearl Harbor bombing, Lillian is 15 years old. She does not remember any comments made by customers who come to her family restaurant. At school, she recalls being treated equally like everyone else after the bombing. Her parents take turns being at the restaurant; therefore, she did not hear them discuss war issues or concerns. During this time, Lillian has two sisters who are attending the University of Washington. If they had to go camping, Lillian thought someone from their family would be able to keep their restaurant operating.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; employment; Executive Order 9066; higher education; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; primary school; World War Two

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian says when their Grandfather in Japan is ill, their father left her sister there to care for their Grandfather. Lillian's sister returns to the United States in 1935. Lillian recalls their plan of managing the restaurant if there is an evacuation. The Japanese Baptist Church the Inouyes attend is mainly a Japanese congregation. The Rev. there is Rev. Andrews.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: Lillian recalls posters for evacuations. She never read it, but she knows there is an order to evacuate. The Inouye family lives a mile and a half away from their restaurant. Lillian discusses the preparations her father makes for their family business to evacuate. Each person is allowed to carry one suitcase "what you can carry." Lillian says she is taught to be good Americans, good citizens at an early age. Therefore, when Executive Order 9066 (EO9066) happened, they followed orders.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; discrimination; Executive Order 9066; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Nisei; racism; World War Two

Subjects: