Kawaguchi, Kayoko (6/2/2021)

Emma Lincoln (EL): Today is June 2nd, 2021, and this oral history is being recorded at the Japanese American Service Committee Building at 4427 North Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois. The interviewer is Emma Saito Lincoln, and the interviewee is Kay Kawaguchi. This interview is being recorded by the JASC Legacy Center in order to document the experiences of Japanese Americans in the Chicago area. Thank you for joining us today.

Kay Kawaguchi (KK): You're welcome.

EL: To get us started, could you please state your full name for me?

KK: Kayoko Kawaguchi.

EL: Okay, and what is your year of birth?

KK: 1942.

EL: And where were you born?

KK: Osaka, Japan.

EL: And is that also where you grew up?

KK: Uhh, partially. I went to Wakayama, my mother's hometown, because of the war and came back to Osaka again, so yeah, mostly.

EL: And were your parents and grandparents also born and raised in Osaka or Wakayama?

KK: My father's side, and my mother's side is Wakayama.

EL: And when people ask what generation are you, how do you answer?

KK: Shin-Issei.

EL: Okay, and when did you come to the U.S. yourself?

KK: 1970.

EL: Okay, and who were the first people in your family to come to the U.S.?

KK: My grandparents is Issei, so actually I'm a Issei, Shin-Issei, but it 00:02:00skipped. Because my mother is Japanese, because she was born in Japan, and my grandparents was born in Wakayama and immigrated to the U.S. And later, before the war started, they went back to Japan. My two uncles was born in U.S. so they are American citizens.

EL: So your maternal grandparents immigrated, do you know approximately when that was?

KK: I don't exactly know.

EL: Maybe early, early 20th century? Maybe?

KK: Right.

EL: And had some children in the U.S., and then returned to Japan, and then your mother was born in Japan, right?

KK: Ah no, it was real funny story. My grandmother had 5 children, first 3 was the girls. Every time she was--got pregnant, she went back to Japan, and had the 00:03:00baby in Japan. Then left with the grand--her parents, and came back to U.S., that she did it for 3 times. Then last 2 was the boy, and I guess she was tired, going back and forth so, she had 2 boys in U.S.

EL: I see. That's very interesting that she was able to go back and forth--

KK: That's right--

EL: --between the U.S. and Japan multiple times. So do you know much about what your grandparent's life was like, on the West Coast?

KK: Not much, but I think my grandfather was a fisherman in Terminal Island, and my grandmother was working at the cannery at that time, that's only I know.

EL: And were they still alive when you were born?

KK: Yes.

EL: When your family returned to Japan before you were born, do you know wh--why 00:04:00they chose to move back?

KK: Oh that--that was original plan, well they immigrate here, they work hard, save money, and going back to Japan, and live in Japan.

EL: I see.

KK: But my um--one of the uncle, the oldest son returned to U.S., before war started, so he's the one called, I don't know, kibei? So he's only one came back, then war started.

EL: Okay, so when the war started, that uncle, was he living in the exclusion zone? Was he sent to a camp?

KK: No, he was drafted after the war started, he was living with the, his uncle and cousins the time, then war started and he was drafted. And younger brother 00:05:00in Japan was also drafted in Japanese army.

EL: Did that cause pain for your family?

KK: Probably, but I was too young, so I don't remember. But I know the grandmother was always worried about both side.

EL: Right. So I'm going to shift gears a little bit, and talk about your husband's family. And can you tell me a little, whatever you know, about your husband's family's experience during World War II?

KK: My father-in-law, I never met him before I married, he passed away, but he was born in Niigata, Japan, and somehow moved to Wakayama, and lived there. And 00:06:00one day I guess he decided to come to the U.S. when we young and he, I think it was California, in San Francisco area? And he was doing school boy and going to school and working for the family, American family. And their family was, those days, governor or mayor's brother's house? And when he grew up, um--I think that master told him "You better get married". So he wants to marry some Japanese woman so went back to Japan and married to the, my husband's mother, and came back. In that time, that's the way before the war started, and my husband's mother and father was 22 years different in age--almost like father and 00:07:00daughter. But I guess it's everything went well, then one day young...his friend, his friend wants to rent farm, to start farming. But he was not Japanese--I mean American, so he couldn't rent a place. Then my husband's father was uh, "OK, I think I can do that for you" so he went to the master and ask for it, and this one is I just hear, I don't know if it's truth or not. Master wrote the letter to the officials, "this boy was born in U.S. and I know his parents was. He grow up here and went back to Japan, so he was American citizen", and he 00:08:00got the paper and also um he can help the friend to rent the farm. But after that, we found out it was not true, because he had Japanese passport. My husband asked me one day, "Why did my father have a Japanese passport when he was a U.S. citizen?" then I found out that, that wasn't true. Then--

EL: So, the whole, the whole time your husband thought that his father had been a U.S. citizen, and then how old was he when that passport was discovered? How was your husband when the passport was discovered and he learned his father was not a U.S. citizen?

KK: That passport was, he is in, if it's not mistake, probably he was late 20s, 00:09:00so um his real age was different.

EL: So what happened to your husband's family then? When the war started?

KK: So living, my husband was born in, um, whoops, Downey, California. And I think he went to school there, and grammar school. So, so he have uh, three sisters, and he was the last one and it was boy, so father was really happy. Then when he was seven-years-old, the war started. No wait, maybe the war started...10 I think went in camp, and there was, Rohwer, Arkansas. The whole 00:10:00family went in there, so my sister-in-law went to high school in that camp. This maybe half year or one year before war ended, they came, got out the camp, went to Michigan. They had a farming job, they're looking for the season labor, so the whole family went there.

EL: I see, did they talk much about the camp experience when you met them?

KK: Mmm, a little bit. But my husband had some good time when he was young, some older people there it's like uh, maybe teenager, or 17-18 years old friend, the 00:11:00couple people had a duty there going to a town once a week or something to pick up a mail in the post office and bring to the camp. So he wants to go out the camp, I mean city. Then friend said, "You wanna go?", he says "Yes". They put him into the bag, the mail bag, tied the top, put him in a car, and drove out the gate and went to pick up a mail and peek a little bit, and outside the town and again he's in the bag and come back to the camp. [Laughs]

EL: And he didn't get caught?

KK: Didn't get caught. [smiles]

EL: Having grown up in Japan yourself and not having come to the U.S. until much later after the war, were you aware of the history of incarceration of Japanese Americans?

KK: I heard about it but I never thought that bad, because in Japan a lot of people had difficult time those days. No meal. But those days I hear that they had enough meal. Well I don't know the truth or not but that's what I hear it. And American government took care of them, but in Japan it's all country but most of people they have enough to eat and they always have to escape from the bombing. So there was a hard time.

EL: You were very young during the war. Do you, do you have clear memories of the hardships that you experienced during the war?

KK: Mmm, my father went to the war, drafted. So my mother and myself went to 00:13:00mother's hometown it's a village rural area and lived there with a grandmother. And I was small, and those village, didn't have much childrens because young man is all went to the war, and not many young, small, kids there. So I walk around the neighbors, and I always get treat, they was so happy, and I didn't have much memory of that hard time.

EL: How about during the occupation period?

KK: That time, I was back to Osaka. Then father came back from the war, and we lost the house and everything else. So we rent the friend's house or whatever. 00:14:00Even that, they probably, adult had hard time, all the mothers and other people. But I don't have much memory of that. And few year later, my uncle in Japan, contact to us, "War is ended" so he sent us, once a month? Maybe every other month? Small package from Japan. I was looking forward to it. [Smiles] There's lot of candies in there. [laughs]

EL: He was sending from Japan or from the U.S. to Japan?

KK: From U.S. to Japan.

EL: So this is your uncle who stayed in the U.S. and served in the U.S. military. Okay, what was in those packages?

KK: Packages is candies, coffee, and I remember the Crisco? And the funny thing 00:15:00is uncle sent to grandmother, to his mother, he said, "What you want?" well we didn't have much things here, but food didn't taste good. So what he sent to her is little packages of Aji-no-moto. [laughs] It's really funny in U.S. they had Aji-no-moto! [laughs]

EL: It's a Japanese product!

KK: It is!

EL: So your, your uncle living in the U.S. was sending a Japanese product from the U.S. back to Japan.

KK: Yeah, just Aji-no-moto, all other stuff is--

EL: Was American?

KK: Mhmm, and that, I remember the spam, the can of spam he sent us. That was a treat for me. It's meat, which usually we don't eat much. But I had uh fish, a 00:16:00lot of fish, living in, near the ocean in Wakayama, but that--and Lipton's chicken noodle soup, in the dry package? That I loved, those days. And because other, other families don't have those things, so when every time package come, mother and grandma cut up the paper, and put the candy in so many different papers and wrap up, and they give to the neighbor's kid. So I was watching this, is that my candy gonna be here, left, when it's end of the day? I would worry about it! And it's about, I was uh three, four, four years old? But I said, we didn't have much rice but we had plenty of seafood. And one things when I think 00:17:00about now was that actually, after the war ended, no more bombing, fishermen went out to the ocean, and they found a lot of lobsters there living under the, you know ocean. And they caught a lot! So that was, they provided us this, replace the rice, the big lobster in our house, and we can't eat it up right away, so grandmother wrap up the lobster in the cloth, and keep 'em in under the tatami, the ground. They live in there for a while, there's no refrigerations, and sleep, at night time, I hear the noise, 'gigigigi', it's you know the, they 00:18:00rubbing their, you know? Body? There was uh--big lobster, they called it ise-ebi in Japan, delicious. And after I grew up, I didn't have much chance to eat that! So expensive! [laughs]

EL: So you were rice poor but lobster rich at that time.

KK: Mhmm! [laughs]

EL: I'm curious, and maybe, maybe you don't know because you were a child then, but during the war especially, but also after the war, were your grandparents able to stay in communication with their one son who was serving in the U.S. military?

KK: Yes, that letter they sent back and forth, yeah.

EL: Skipping forward a little bit, to the point in your life where you left Japan and came to the U.S., and what year was that in again?

KK: Excuse me, what was that?

EL: What year was that in?

KK: Oh I came here in 1970, but before that when I was a 4th grader, my grandpar--, --mother, --father, grandfather, passed away. And grandma and one of the uncle discharged from the Japanese military, he said I'm a American citizen, I'm taking my mother to, back to U.S. And brother is there, so he applied for that, and it took a few years because he went to the war in Japanese military, 00:20:00they didn't okay right away. And um, when they went back to U.S., I went to the Kobe, the harbor, the big ship was there, called the President Wilson, the huge boat those days to me. And they went back to Japa--I mean U.S. with that boat. And since that, I was always thinking about, if I am going to U.S. someday, I want to go with that boat. So, when I was 28, the dream come true. Those days, already the airplane was available, but I want to get on that boat, and I found 00:21:00out the boat is almost end of the duty, last couple trip and going to uh military or something. So I got on and that time, they says, "There's no space left for you" but then, they call me and they say "One cancellation, you want to go?" I says "Yes". So I got on there.

EL: So you chose to go on a boat even though you could have gone on an airplane?

KK: Right.

EL: And at that time there was your one uncle who had been in the U.S. the whole time, and the-and also the uncle and your grandmother who had already left Japan and went back to the U.S.

KK: Grandmother that time she went back to Japan, she said "I'm too old, live in America". And I think this country is for the young people, so she came back by 00:22:00herself and end her life in Japan.

EL: I see.

KK: After I came to here. But when I want to go, she said "You may and you have to go 'cause you're young, you should experience the U.S."

EL: So she encouraged you to go.

KK: Yes.

EL: Did you go by yourself?

KK: Here?

EL: Yeah, on that boat.

KK: Yes.

EL: Were you excited?

KK: In a way, and also a little bit afraid of it, going to the new place. That's another reason I took a boat. That's 14 days in the ocean with other people, and many of them Americans. So I said, "Oh maybe I get used to a little bit" so...

EL: That was very wise for you at age 20 to recognize you would need that slower transition.

KK: Well, no I am 28 at that time. [laughs]

EL: 28, still very wise!

KK: Yeah. [smiles]

EL: Do you remember the boat ride?

KK: Mhmm, yes. That time, yes Yokohama. Then um, to the Hawaii is 10 days and from Hawaii to San Francisco was 4 days. And all the--really smooth trip, that crossing oceans. And Hawaii we get off for one day, and they had a, like a tour, but also you can go your own. And I think it was ju--partially took a tour, and first time start walking ground, it little bit funny because it's 10 days in a 00:24:00boat you know move you know? But it was hot too and dry. And uh, I remember the first time I had a really, really, tasty pineapple. The place they, you know demonstration and cut up and serving to the people and um first time I found out you have to pay tax every time you buy something. And also, if it's a restaurant you gotta give them a tip, which in Japan I never give to them, so it was real funny st--. "Oh maybe I wonder I have enough money for end of the trip?".

EL: How had you saved up enough money for your, your boat fare?

KK: After high school I graduate, I start working, I don't know what is college 00:25:00too but I think about it and I went company a small company I was start working there. And I also did a little bit for invest money. Then at night time I went to school, it's not the regular college but for writing poems and novels, but my job got really busy and I have to give up because I couldn't keep my eye open anymore! [laughs] So I quit the school, and time being I save money.

EL: So when you arrived in the U.S., what was your intent? Were you planning to stay long term?

KK: No, I just wanna see--meet every relative in the U.S. Because I have cousins 00:26:00and uncles. And cousin is previously visit to Japan once before I leave there so I knew them. Then um so I have a relative in California, L.A. and San Jose and uhh some in Chicago. So I says I would like to have one year to experience living there and meet the relatives. But they only give me 6 months. 6 months? It's okay. So I came here and I want to do something, so, but, language is barrier. So I was taking a little class in Japan for flower arrangement, in Western style. And that school have a connection in Chicago's flower arrangement school, so I registered for that, and they have some special class for us in 00:27:00Japanese. So I just did that, and that was a good thing because I paid in Japanese yen to tuitions, so I don't have to spend my precious dollars. Only 1000 dollar I can have it, exchanged in those days. So I went to school a little bit in Japan and came here, and that was Chicago, so before the school start in September, I stay with my two uncles, one in San Jose and one in L.A.

EL: When you say they only gave you 6 months, do you mean the government, the U.S. government, only gave you a 6 month visa?

KK: That's right, yes, passport, visa.

EL: And you came to Chicago because of this connection between your flower arrangement school in Japan and--

KK: And my relatives.

EL: --And the school here and your relatives here.

KK: It was funny, day before the school start, my cousin took me to downtown, 00:28:00there was a school there, aba--uh Wabash. And I have to get off at the Van Buren to go into the school. And my cousin told me you get on, I think she told me "Blue". And it's "B", don't get on "A", it's a blue train and B. "Okay". And I was, next day I was waiting in the station, blue train it never come, it's all greens. And I look at the sign, and I saw that sign background was blue, and that "B" and I says "OH, that was--I was waiting for about 30 minutes in the station!". [laughs] So I get on there and I was keep my ear open and looking outside, I will miss the station, and I didn't know what the conductor saying, 00:29:00announcing. And I look at conductor and he was chewing gum and saying the same time. I says, "No wonder I can't hear well because he chewing gum". Then, after that he was stopped chewing gum still don't--I don't understand what he saying! [laughs] So, and anyway I catched the station and got off, then next day, same thing, but I don't want to miss it because announce their way, it's, they don't say "next is where" and "Belmont, next". So next always comes at end of it. So when said next, that means I missed the top, the beginning, the name of a station. So I count the station next day, and every time stop, 1, 2, 3! [laughs]

EL: So that was how you figured out not to miss your station.

KK: That's right, so my ear was not used to English, and the pronunciation is different too.

EL: Did you speak any English before you came here?

KK: Not much, "hello","how are you?", and "thank you", and "what is this", few words. But I live with my cousin's house, and my cousins speak little Japanese, with most English, my aunt and uncle speak Japanese fully, so that was help. But the flower arrangement school, th--it--cousin took me to one day before, and its, "Oh good, because it's full of students, all Japanese, okay I can go with 00:31:00them, maybe I don't understand, but I can ask them." The day the school start, I went there, I am the only one Japanese. So I ask the secretary, "What happened to the other Japanese girls?" And she said, "Oh, they finished the course, and they went back to Japan." [laughs] That was the last day I went there, and I was only one. But most bo--arrangement things by hand, so I catch up.

EL: So if your original intent was to stay for a year, but you were limited to six months by your visa, what changed?

KK: Umm, I was, after the school training was, 4 weeks? When I finished that, 00:32:00the secretary told me, "One of the flower shops need of somebody help, so if you want to train, working there as a trainee, you can go there". I said, "Okay, I learned something, so school is maybe not enough for it", so I said okay, and also downtown. Right across the street, of--I mean a river of the merchandise mart, a small shop, I went there, and start working. Somehow, boss likes me. And of course the Japanese they work hard. And then um, I can't get salary because I'm training, but he bought me lunch, and he gave me the bus fare. And so I was working, sometimes he pick me up too, and I was working there, and pretty soon I 00:33:00have to go back to Japan because my visa expired. Boss says, "Well, I need you here". Cheap labor right? [laughs] Lunch and car fare! So he said, "My son is a lawyer so let me see if he could do something about it." Then, few weeks, just few weeks, he extended, another one year.

EL: What was that boss' name?

KK: Mike Kaplan. He passed away.

EL: And what was the name of his flower shop?

KK: 'Mike's Floral Shop'. [smiles]

EL: So, so Mike Kaplan's son helped you extend your visa by another year, and then after that did you go back to Japan, or did you stay?

KK: No, in time--in between I met my husband, and married.

EL: And how did you meet your husband?

KK: He was my auntie and uncle's sister-in-law's friend. They were in same camp, in Rohwer. And they was talking about it and I didn't know. They said "One boy is out from camp in Chicago here, but he still single yet."

EL: So they introduced you?

KK: Mhmm, and he came to my, my uncle's house, and the first time I met him, the first things he asked me, he tried to speak in Japanese, so he said, "Sakana suki desu ka?" [laughs] "Do you like fish?" I says, "The fish to eat, or fish in general?" I didn't know his hobby was tropical fish and aquariums, so he 00:35:00explained to me, he says "I don't know I like it or not, I never think about it" but I says "maybe". [laughs]

EL: What was your first impression of him?

KK: Uhh, you know, the age difference was about 10 years, I know he was 10 year older than me, said "oh, a little bit too old for me" but then he looks young, and I didn't make any decision, but I, and he's nice, nice guy, seems honest. He look a little bit shy, but I start going date.

EL: What kind of places did you go on your dates?

KK: It was funny too, he said "You wanna go miniature golf?" He took me to golf, miniature golf course, and he drove all over, couldn't find the place and he say, "I knew that was here, what happened to it?!" "You came before?" he says, "Yes!" "How long ago?" "10 years". I says "10 years?! Maybe they are out of business or moved to some place!" [laughs] So that, you could tell what kind of, you know, person he is. And we went to Michigan for tulip festival, Wisconsin Dells, something like that. But mostly, just drive around here.

EL: And at what point did you get married?

KK: Between, I lost my grandmother. She passed away in Japan. I feel like I want 00:37:00to go back to Japan. Then, my mother told me, "Remember Grandma want you to live in the U.S., and she passed away already, and we finished the funeral, if you come back here maybe you cannot go back." So I decided here in that time, and he proposed me before, I says I wasn't really ready, but that time I says, I decided. And I wasn't young either, I was 29 already, so that's what happened. [laughs]

EL: And what was your early married life like? Where did you live?

KK: Um, one things my husband was worried about, he asked me before I married, 00:38:00"If we marry, can't you live with my mother?" That's his mother, so my mother-in-law, and in a way, in Japan, usually that happens when husband is oldest son or something. So I says, "I don't know why he is asking me, yeah, okay." And I think he met a couple other girls before me, they both said no, so he couldn't get married! [laughs] So that's what--we lived with his mother, and second floor, my sister-in-law's living there with family, that's what my American life actually started there. And I was sta--still working at the flower 00:39:00shop, and soon I got permanent visa.

EL: How much longer did you continue to work at the flower shop?

KK: Not too long full time, because year after that I got pregnant, I was kinda sick. But I was still going there until I had baby, or maybe a couple months before, I quit. But often the boss called me, and he wants to--you know help, on a holiday or something.

EL: And where was your husband working during that time?

KK: That time, he was working at a Medical, this company called Medical Chemical? They make medication for the government.

EL: Do you happen to know, when he came out of camp, and his whole family came 00:40:00out of camp, they went to Michigan first farming, and came to Chicago, how did he go about finding employment?

KK: In Michigan, he was still going high school that time. After graduated, his oldest sister found job in Chicago, she came by herself, start working, and telling the parents, "Why don't you come to Chicago, there's a lot of, uh you know, jobs?" and over there in winter time, no jobs. So they were working at restaurants in the Michigan, South Haven. So the whole family moved to Chicago. And that time, my husband went to school for two years with accounting or 00:41:00something, which he never finished it, he didn't like the numbers. [laughs] Anyway, that was uh--no wait a minute, that's I'm sorry, that's mistake. He came here and he work different places, then he got drafted. Went to war, two years, came back, that time still the mother and father, and sister was living in the apartment. Then he decided, talked to father, "Let's buy the apartment." And he was sending the money to parents from the military. He never went overseas, was saving money for the down payment. And came back, and Papa put some money in too, and bought apartment. Only two flat, but that's enough for living 00:42:00themselves, and one of the sister's and family. So that time, mother and father was working at the hotel.

EL: Do you know which--

EL: Okay, I think we were talking about your husband's family, and they moved from Michigan to Chicago and bought a two flat, and your in-laws were working at a hotel.

KK: That's right.

EL: Which hotel was that?

KK: Edgewater.

EL: And I know your father-in-law passed away before you became part of the family, but did you ever hear your mother-in-law talk about that experience?

KK: That working?

EL: Working at the hotel?

KK: Yeah I think she was um, maid, cleaning the room and the sheets and things. 00:43:00She didn't say much about it, but um my husband every day drop her off at the hotel and pick her up, then he went to work and whatever, so um. Yeah he told me, yeah Mama didn't tell me much but my husband, that time, he had one regular job, and one part time job, and one weekend job. And he paid off the apartment in six years.

EL: By working 3 jobs.

KK: Mhmm right.

EL: And at that time, you were raising your children, and working sometimes with 00:44:00the flower shop?

KK: Mhmm right, right.

EL: That two flat, that, that his earnings from the military, and then his earnings from working three jobs helped pay for, where was that located?

KK: 3642 North Wilton. Right next to uh Wrigley field. [laughs]

EL: And that property has, has stayed in the family hasn't it?

KK: Hmm?

EL: That property is still in the family, correct?

KK: Right, right.

EL: So that has been your home, here in Chicago ever since you were married.

KK: That's right, so I never pay rent. [laughs]

EL: How was it living with your mother-in-law, that can be challenging sometimes.

KK: Mhmm, first things I tell her, "Oh, it's nothing" but it was something! 00:45:00[laughs] Because we grow up in totally different environment and different family, and uh generation is different too. But every time I think about it, it's my husband's mother, if we both had problem, he's in between, so we tried not to. Then, I think I handled it pretty good. [laughs]

EL: And eventually as your children got older, did you start working again?

KK: Right, my um, the son, is youngest one, start going kindergarten. I, I decide to work, because I need a little bit more extra money to make things easier. So I was looking for the job, and one day I see that, a small ad in the 00:46:00Chicago Shimpo. They are looking for somebody, and for newspaper I have experience in Japan, maybe I will write article or something, so I called them, I say, "Anything I can do at home?" Writing article and send to them, I can do that. And they said, "No, we want somebody come to the office everyday." So I asked them, if I can start working after the kids go to school, and I can come home before kids come home? And they said okay. So I start working part time in the Chicago Shimpo this 1982.

EL: And what kind of work did you do at the Shimpo?

KK: Except typing, those days use cold type and we have 3 typists, they type it. 00:47:00That I couldn't do that, because I never try, but other than that, I contacted people, and I went in interview, write article, take a picture, decide to take a picture because until that, the Chicago Shimpo not many pictures in, in the newspaper. The one picture could say 10 page of the, you know, articles, so I start taking picture. Then I went to get advertising, and sometime make artwork for the ad, clean up the place, I--I did almost everything, except the typing.

EL: And how long did you work there?

KK: 13 years.

EL: Did you enjoy your work?

KK: Uh yes, yes I really enjoyed it. [smiles] Because it's connected to people, so...

El: How do you think the Chicago Shimpo is different now, from how it was when you were working there?

KK: Totally different, because when I was working there, I want to focus on the community. So I cover the community news, even small or big, big New Year party and some banquet for--or little things happen in some families. Now, and on top 00:49:00of that, it's--we used to use the cold type to type the article, news, and cut up, cut and paste. Now, it's everything by computer, so that's makes a lot of difference. And those days, big things was the president bought fax machine, its not many place had it. So we get the news from Japan every morning, making big noise "dududududududu" news come out with the paper. And sometimes that paper thing catch the character, couldn't read it. But that's latest news. Now, you just open up the computer you could see everything is there. Totally different, and today, I think they're focusing more for Japanese companies, and people who came from Japan, because subscribers changed too. And sometime when I was 00:50:00working, it was "Oh I don't read much article, but I never miss the obituary, and we depending on that." I said "Okay, how about other work I am doing?" But I think that was really important for the community.

EL: And then after you left the Shimpo, where did you work after that?

KK: Uhh, there was not, I plan it originally, so I was unemployed for a while, then one of the um professors, University of Chicago. He was Mr.--uh Dr. Fujita. He is the expert of the tornados. They called him Mr. Tornadoes. He ask me, if 00:51:00you can help me, my research? So I went to his office, and help him the research, put together the information, it wasn't that hard, I did it for about 1 year, then only report to the place it's, maybe twice a month, no--yeah, twice a month, and most of work I can do at home, so that was about 1 year, and after that? I start going to school, in City College in Washington, in downtown? And I was there for about half a year, one semester maybe? One semester, and law firm, the person I know, "Would you like to come and help us?" So I wasn't really keen 00:52:00on it, I don't know, what can I do? But I went there, and they have a Japanese department, so I work there for 10 month, and I still think it's not my job, so uh I quit. At that time, Chamber of Commerce, Japanese Chamber of Commerce, it not far from the place, they ask me to come, I says "Okay", I don't know what kind of job, but I went there. And about two and a half years I worked there, but I still missing something, and um, I was still working there, then the JASC's pres--not the president, the CEO and assistant CEO came to JAS--I mean 00:53:00JCCC, Chamber of Commerce, for monthly for meeting, CJAC meeting. And every month they come, I just prepare for the tea for them, and whatever they need the copy and things, and one day, Jean Fujiu, and Sharon Harada was there. She just come to me and whispered me, "Would you like to come to JASC?" I says, "Huh, maybe that's community things." So I quit Chamber of Commerce and came to here. This 1999, May.

EL: Had you been involved with JASC before that?

KK: Not really, when I was working in Shimpo, the English section editor was the 00:54:00president of the board here, JASC, for I don't know how many years, Arthur Morimitsu. And from that, with--through him, I know that activity is, and he always bring article, so I translate to Japanese and put them in Japanese section, so in a way I knew, but, and sometimes I take a picture and gave to them, so that was it.

EL: So your, your family, you and your husband and your children, or maybe your husband's family, had not been actively participating in activities at JASC?

KK: Not much, maybe just one, Kenjinkai, the Wakayama Kenjinkais, they were a group, and run picnic or a New Year's Party or something like that. [smiles]

EL: So in all these years that you've worked here at JASC, what do you think are some of the most important ways in which JASC has served the community?

KK: Those days, even now, number one, one thing is, I like it is because it's community, I know the people, we used to work with the Shimpo, I can still meet here and connect with them, and it's really important to keep legacy here in Chicago. And my husband's family went to the camp and worked, come to Chicago, and working with a lot of other people at the hotels or restaurant or whatever. And I thought I have to keep these things here, and same time, Japanese culture, 00:56:00it's important, and I'm honest with it, I start learning Japanese culture after I came to U.S. Before that, I never think about it. It's there, and I never going too far to learn it, more--I think I can learn more in Japan, but which I didn't. So after that, um, the JASC have those things and they are trying, I says this is a good place to work.

EL: What do you enjoy most, about your work here?

KK: People. [nodding] That--those days, Nisei, and a lot of Issei was still here, and I could see that history in each people. Each one different, but it's 00:57:00whole thing in one big container! You know, and they are all, so nice!

EL: As far as Japanese culture is concerned, within your own family, what were some of the aspects of Japanese culture that you wanted to pass on to your own children?

KK: I don't know I could do or not, but uh I don't say that oh flower arrangement, or calligraphy, but one things I regret is the language, I didn't teach them enough. Because I want to learn English first, so I tried talk to 00:58:00them in English. But, I think philosophy, they're Japanese with, with the culture, the spirit, and manners, that kind of things I want them to know.

EL: Do you think you've succeeded?

KK: I don't know, but sometime, I used to tell the kids when they do something, "You're not supposed to do that", and they say "Oh mom so and so does it" "I don't know about so and so, but you are Kawaguchi, and Kawaguchi don't do that." That's, that's what I tell them.

EL: I think we need to start wrapping up, so I just have a few final questions.

KK: Okay.

EL: As someone who has been deeply involved in the Japanese American community for many years, what kind of changes have you seen in the community?

KK: Changes, when I came here, the language here, there was a lot of Japanese still, it's Meiji era language. Yeah that changed, but some Nisei and Sansei is, learn from the grandparents or parents still here, but the family is little bit more together in one bundle, each family used to be. Now it's nuclear. Which is okay, and many Japanese have married to the same nationality, to 01:00:00Japanese-Japanese, but now it's American, maybe they're Caucasian, Black people, Spanish, and other Asians, Koreans, Chinese, pretty soon we are not talking about what your nationality is. So that's a good things, then I hope even then I--I hope they keep up some Japanese heart in there. [laughs]

EL: What direction would you like to see JASC go in, in the future?

KK: Continue th-the way Japanese taking care of the seniors, we always respect 01:01:00the elderly, and their heart. Then um, I think Japanese, it doesn't matter who you marry to, maybe get together a little bit more, because other nationalities like Chinese, Koreans, Filipino, they really keep up their cultures and family together, so if the young people could study a little bit more Japanese, because we missed in between because the war, so catch up a little bit. They can enjoy that culture.

EL: What would you most like for future generations to know about you, and your life, and your husband's life?

KK: My life? [laughs] I don't know, I was just so lucky, no matter where I go, came to this country, 14 days in a boat, and arrived in San Francisco, at cousin's place and moved to Chicago, I went to flower design school, and start work in the flower shop, and all other place I go, I was so, lucky. Somebody always close to me and help me. So I stopped to think, I say, "Oh is that really, life's that hard?" Maybe not, if people help me out, so I can help 01:03:00something, somebody, so that's what, in the community is important. You have to have the feelings to each other and help. I was just really lucky.

EL: You always come to work with a real sense of purpose. And you always have a smile for me, and for our coworkers, and I would like to know, how do you keep yourself motivated even when things are challenging?

KK: No, I just like the people! [laughs] I like dogs too, but I like the people. Yeah, it's so good to communicate, and touch with people. The pandemic has really hurt me, that part. But I'm sure that one year not going to change the people's feelings, I miss them a lot. And uh, no, I just like the people. 01:04:00Because they--they smile at me. I'm always think about it, it's, other side it's a mirror, if I treat them good, they treat me good. And smile, the government not going to tax me! [laughs] It's free.

EL: I think that's a wonderful note to end on, so thank you very much for participating in our oral history project.

KK: You're welcome, my pleasure.