ITO​,​ Itsuma

We got married to come to America, so we looked around a lot, but I guess I liked it. I was 23 or 24 years old, and we came here right after we got married. When we moved to California, it was tough, wasn't it? A lot of Japanese people worked in packing houses. I handled lemon packing. It was tough, but when I think of Japan at the time, this country was better. The Japanese people who came for picture weddings had a hard time, but we were lucky because we were already married and brought here from Japan. During the war, I was in Camp Poston. There were two camps, Camp 1 and Camp 2, and I was in Camp 1. I didn't think it was too hard, but the facilities were gradually being built. I entered in May 1942 and stayed for about two or three years until 1945. But we left early. My boy was in the military, so I joined. If you're born in this country, you have to be useful to it. I don't know which unit I was in. There were no differences of opinion. They had been taking care of us since we were little, and this country took good care of us while our children were in school. I'm grateful for that. However, when the war broke out, it was the hardest time because we had to get rid of everything we owned. This country took good care of us. I'm grateful for that. However, when the war broke out, it was the hardest time because we had to get rid of everything we owned. My husband was taken away by the FBI. And with two children and a baby in my womb, I had to go into the camp on my own, and I was quite sad. Apparently Japan has changed a lot too, and although I left, I never went back. I had the chance to go back, but I guess I really didn't have the strength to do so. I just wanted to visit my parents' graves, and didn't think about much else. My parents and all my siblings were gone. This interview is part of the DMHJNY's new exhibit Issei: Portraits Of The First-Generation Japanese New Yorkers which is on view here: https://www.historyofjapaneseinny.org/issei/