AKIKO VO: IT MAY BE THEIR LUNCH
SPOT OR THEIR FISHING HOLE OR
THEIR SOCCER FIELD WHERE THEY
VISIT THE KING KAMEHAMEHA
STATUE. FOR SOME, THOUGH, THE
PRESENT-DAY SITE OF WAILOA STATE
PARK IS SHINMACHI, WHICH MEANS
"NEW TOWN" IN JAPANESE, A
THRIVING BUSINESS DISTRICT OF
THREE CITY BLOCKS ON THE HILO
WATERFRONT WHERE THEY LIVED
THEIR FONDEST CHILDHOOD
MEMORIES.
RAMON GOYA: WE USED TO PLAY
FOOTBALL, SOFTBALL, BASEBALL ON
THE STREET·
JUNE SHIGEMASA: WE DID GET VERY
CLOSE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS. WE
SUPPORTED EACH OTHER. WE HELP
EACH OTHER IN DAILY LIVING.
YOSHINOBU TERADA: AND THE
POPULATION WAS LIKE NINETY FIVE
PERCENT JAPANESE· CARPENTERS,
STEVEDORES, FISHERMEN.
RAMON GOYA: AND ALSO THERE WERE
MANY BUSINESSES, COCA-COLA AND
ALSO ALL THE SMALLER BUSINESSES
LIKE GOYA BROTHERS, I KITAGAWA·
DONALD IKEDA: AND THEN ALL THE
PEOPLE WOULD LIVE AROUND AND
THERE WOULD BE LIKE A COURTYARD
AND HAD A COMMUNITY BATH AND
COMMUNITY BATHROOM·
KENNETH KAMEOKA: THAT YOU WOULD
SEE THERE ALL THE PEOPLE WALKING
WITH UNDERWEAR, TOWEL, SOAP,
TARAI. THEY'D ALL GO TO THE
PLACE.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: THAT'S WHY
WE WERE JUST SAYING THIS IS WHAT
WE USED TO CALL CHAWAN CUT --IT
MEANS "BOWL" IN JAPANESE AND
THIS IS HOW THEY USED TO CUT OUR
HAIR.
AKIKO VO: ON THE MORNING OF
APRIL 1ST, 1946, A TSUNAMI
DESTROYED DOWNTOWN HILO,
REDUCING SHINMACHI'S THREE SOLID
BLOCKS OF SMALL BUSINESSES,
TEMPLES, SHRINES AND FAMILY
HOUSEHOLDS TO RUBBLE. AT LEAST
38 PEOPLE DIED THAT DAY, AMONG
THEM MANY CHILDREN.
MASAKO ODACHI: AND I HAD A
SPECIAL FRIEND AND HER NAME WAS
SADAKO, AND I STILL MISS HER,
BUT I LOST HER IN 1946 TIDAL
WAVE.
AKIKO VO: ALTHOUGH THE TSUNAMI
ALMOST DESTROYED SHINMACHI, IT
WAS NOT THE ONLY IMPORTANT EVENT
TO HAPPEN IN THIS PLACE WHERE
HUNDREDS OF LIVES HAD BEEN LIVED
FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES.
AKIKO VO: BEFORE THE WAVE, THE
PEOPLE OF SHINMACHI WORKED
TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO FORGE
THEIR INDEPENDENCE FROM THE
ECONOMIC DOMINANCE OF HAWAII'S
SUGAR COMPANIES. TOGETHER,
SHINMACHI'S CLOSELY KNIT
BUSINESSES, FAMILIES AND SOCIAL
ORGANIZATIONS, POOLED THEIR
RESOURCES AND THEIR EFFORTS.
TEMPLES, SHRINES AND OTHER
PLACES OF WORSHIP HELD THEM
TOGETHER. THEY WANTED TO ENSURE
THAT THE NEXT GENERATIONS WOULD
NEVER KNOW THE GRUELING LABOR
AND THE WORLD OF UNCERTAINTIES
THAT THE FIRST GENERATION
OVERCAME IN HAWAII.
AKIKO VO: WE KNOW THE TSUNAMI
GRABBED A HOLD OF SHINMACHI AND
STOLE IT AWAY. BUT WHAT DID IT
TAKE? AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING,
REMAINS?
AKIKO VO: MOST JAPANESE MEN WERE
BROUGHT TO HAWAII AS CONTRACT
LABORERS FOR THE FIVE MAJOR
SUGAR COMPANIES. THE CONTRACTS
BOUND WORKERS TO THE PLANTATION
FOR THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WHERE
THEY WORKED LONG HOURS UNDER THE
STRICT SUPERVISION OF CAUCASIAN
OVERSEERS. WORKERS LIVED IN
COMPANY HOUSING THAT WAS OFTEN
IN DISREPAIR AND THE ONLY MARKET
AVAILABLE WAS THE COMPANY STORE
WHERE THE SUGAR COMPANIES
DETERMINED WHAT WOULD BE ON THE
SHELVES. THE COMPANIES WOULD
PROFIT FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO
HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO SHOP. MANY
JAPANESE PLANTATION WORKERS
FOUGHT AGAINST THE SYSTEM WITH
STRIKES AND OTHER FORMS OF
PROTEST. SOME WORKERS TOOK A
DIFFERENT PATH: THEY LEFT THE
PLANTATION TO CREATE BUSINESSES
OF THEIR OWN, TO PROVIDE FOR
THEMSELVES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS
AND TO ULTIMATELY BUILD A STRONG
ECONOMIC FOUNDATION FOR THEIR
CHILDREN. AS INDEPENDENT
BUSINESSPEOPLE, THEY WOULD NOT
BE LIMITED BY THEIR NATIONAL
ORIGIN, BY THEIR WORKING CLASS
STATUS OR BY RACIAL
DISCRIMINATION. IN JANUARY 1913.
A GROUP OF JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN
FORMED THE HILO SHINMACHI
ASSOCIATION, THE GROUP ORGANIZED
AS A KUMIAI -- AN ASSOCIATION TO
ASSIST WHEN THERE WAS A DEATH IN
THE FAMILY. THE KUMIAI WOULD AID
THE PEOPLE OF SHINMACHI BETWEEN
PIOPIO STREET AND THE WAIAKEA
BRIDGE.
AKIKO VO: THIS PARTICULAR KUMIAI
ALSO BECAME A COMMUNITY OF
MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE
ENTREPRENEURS.
AKIKO VO: ONE SHINMACHI
ASSOCIATION MEMBER, KAMETARO
FUJIMOTO, CAME TO HAWAII IN 1894
AT AGE 16 TO WORK ON A
PLANTATION. HE LEARNED CARPENTRY
AND BUILT HOUSES FOR PLANTATION
WORKERS. HE LEFT THE PLANTATION
AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY TO
STRIKE OUT ON HIS OWN AS A
GENERAL CONTRACTOR CONSTRUCTING
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND HOMES
IN HILO'S UPSCALE NEIGHBORHOODS.
BUT EVEN AS A SUCCESSFUL
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, FUJIMOTO
COULD NOT ESCAPE THE CONSTRAINTS
OF THE SUGAR COMPANIES WHO
CONTROL THE SUPPLY CHAINS AND
PROCESSING OF LUMBER, FUJIMOTO
MADE A BOLD DECISION. HE BECAME
HIS OWN SUPPLIER AND IN DOING
SO, FOUNDED WHAT BECAME ONE OF
HAWAII'S LEADING BUSINESSES.
MICHAEL FUJIMOTO: IN 1921 OR
EVEN A LITTLE BIT BEFORE '21 HE
AND HIS FRIENDS CREATED HAWAII
PLANING MILL LIMITED, AND THIS
WAS A COMPANY THAT WAS DESIGNED
TO SUPPLY LUMBER TO THE
COMMUNITY.
AKIKO VO: SUMIE TOKUNAGA ALSO
FORGED A PATH FROM THE
PLANTATION TO PRIVATE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SHINMACHI BY
TURNING HIS PASSION FOR FISHING
INTO ANOTHER OF HILO'S CENTURY
BUSINESSES. HE CAME TO HAWAII AT
AGE 19 TO WORK ON THE
PLANTATIONS BECAUSE AS THE STORY
GOES, HE DID NOT WANT TO BE A
SHINTO PRIEST. AT THE END OF HIS
CONTRACT, HE LEFT THE PLANTATION
TO WORK AS AN ACCOUNTANT IN A
GENERAL STORE IN SHINMACHI. HE
WAS GOOD AT BUSINESS, BUT HAD A
PASSION FOR FISHING. HE MERGED
THE TWO IN 1920 WHEN HE OPENED
HIS S. TOKUNAGA STORE WHERE
CUSTOMERS CAME FROM MILES AWAY
TO BUY THEIR FISHING SUPPLIES.
MICHAEL TOKUNAGA: MY
GRANDFATHER'S CUSTOMER BASE,
DURING THE YOU KNOW EARLIER
TIMES, I HEARD STORIES OF PEOPLE
DRIVING IN FROM PUNA, DRIVING IN
FROM KAU OR EVEN DRIVING IN FROM
THE HAMAKUA COAST, YOU KNOW, I
GUESS THIS WAS A BIG TREAT FOR
FAMILIES TO, YOU KNOW, DRIVE
INTO TOWN AFTER WORK FRIDAYS OR
FIRST THING SATURDAY MORNING,
SPEND THE TIME IN HILO TOWN, YOU
KNOW, DO THE GROCERY SHOPPING
AND DO WHATEVER SHOPPING.
AKIKO VO: SHINMACHI
ENTREPRENEURS WERE GOOD AT
DIVERSIFICATION, MEETING THE
NEEDS AND SATISFYING THE TASTES
OF THEIR COMMUNITY. THE IKEDA
FAMILY STARTED A VARIETY OF
BUSINESSES AT THE TURN OF THE
20TH CENTURY WHEN TATSUNOSUKE
IKEDA ARRIVED FROM HIROSHIMA.
DONALD IKEDA: BUT HE WANTED THE
ADVENTURE SO HE CAME OVER. AND
SO HE CAME OVER AS A LABORER AND
HE WAS AT KUKUIHAELE BUT HE
WOULD NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THE
COMPANY, YOU KNOW, THE
PLANTATION STORE. HE WOULD GO
FISHING. AND MY GRANDMOTHER
WOULD RAISE VEGETABLES AND
SOMEHOW HE GOT INVOLVED WITH
HORSE AND BUGGY. I DON'T KNOW
HOW. AND HE RAN THE
TRANSPORTATION STORE.
AKIKO VO: AFTER SUCCESSFULLY
STARTING A TRANSPORTATION
BUSINESS BETWEEN HILO AND
HONOKAA, IKEDA ESTABLISHED THE
FIRST SHOYU AND MISO FACTORIES
ON HAWAII ISLAND. HE HAD A
REPUTATION FOR HARD WORK AND FOR
MAKING PERSONAL VISITS TO
CUSTOMERS IN HIS TRUCK--A RATHER
BIG DEAL IN EARLY SHINMACHI.
TATSUNOSUKE'S SON, SHIRO IKEDA,
MOVED INTO NOODLE MANUFACTURING.
THIS ENDEAVOR EVENTUALLY BECAME
HILO MACARONI COMPANY. THE LOCAL
JAPANESE PRESS CELEBRATED SHIRO
AS "FLUENT IN BOTH ENGLISH AND
JAPANESE" AND "SHARP-WITTED."
HE WAS CONSIDERED A SHINING
EXAMPLE FOR THE SECOND
GENERATION, WHERE HIS FATHER WAS
KNOWN AS STEADY AND AMBITIOUS.
SHIRO WORKED LIGHTNING-FAST TO
BUILD A $30,000 SODA WORKS,
OUTFITTED WITH THE LATEST
TECHNOLOGY. HE BECAME KNOWN AS
"THE MAN WHO BROUGHT 7-UP TO
HILO."
AKIKO VO: INNOVATION AND
EXPANSION REQUIRED CAPITAL AND
THE BANKING SYSTEM SERVED THE
INTEREST OF THE SUGAR PLANTERS,
NOT THEIR FORMER LABORERS WHO
WERE VIEWED AS COMPETITION.
ISOJIRO KITAGAWA WAS ONE SUCH
COMPETITOR. HE PAID HIS OWN WAY
FROM JAPAN TO THE CANE FIELDS OF
HAWAII. BEFORE THE END OF HIS
FIRST DAY AT WORK, HE HAD ENOUGH
OF PLANTATION LIFE AND TURNED IN
HIS CANE CUTTER. HE HEADED TO
SHINMACHI TO MAKE HIS LIVING AS
A FISH PEDDLER.
BRIAN KITAGAWA: SO THAT'S WHY,
YOU KNOW, MY GRANDPARENTS WERE
VERY GOOD, COULD CLEAN FISH
FASTER THAN YOU COULD EVEN
IMAGINE.
AKIKO VO: THOUGH GIFTED IN
CLEANING AND SELLING FISH, THE
KITAGAWA'S REAL TALENT WAS IN
FORESEEING CUSTOMER DEMAND IN
SHINMACHI--STARTING WITH THE
FISHERMEN.
BRIAN KITAGAWA: THEY SUPPLIED
THE BOATS, THEY SOLD GAS. AS I
SAID, THEY SOLD GAS FOR THAT.
THEY HAD ONE-CYLINDER ENGINES.
SO THEY USED TO...GOING OUT...
"PUTT PUTT, PUTT PUTT PUTT PUTT,
PUTT PUTT." YOU KNOW, REALLY OLD
SAMPANS. AND THE SAMPANS WERE
BUILT LIKE THE JAPANESE SAMPANS.
AKIKO VO: SELLING GASOLINE FOR
THE FISHERMEN'S ONE-LUNG ENGINE
SAMPANS LED TO SELLING CARS. I.
KITAGAWA MOTORS BECAME ONE OF
SHINMACHI'S MOST IMPORTANT
BUSINESSES. KITAGAWA WAS ALSO A
PARTNER IN NIPPON SHOJI KAISHA,
ONE OF A NUMBER OF HOMEGROWN
INVESTMENT AND LENDING AGENCIES
THAT SERVE JAPANESE BUSINESSMEN.
THIS WAS NEEDED SINCE THE
BANKING ESTABLISHMENT ALMOST
ALWAYS REFUSED LOANS TO JAPANESE
CUSTOMERS.
BRIAN KITAGAWA: IF YOU DIDN'T
HAVE THE MONEY TO START A
BUSINESS, YOU'D HAVE TO, YOU'D
HAVE TO FIND A WAY OF GETTING
THEM READY TO START A BUSINESS.
SO THEY GO TO THEIR FRIENDS AND
ASK, "NOW I GOT THIS IDEA. I'M
GOING TO DO THIS BUSINESS. SO,
YOU KNOW, I NEED YOUR HELP."
THEY GOT TOGETHER AND DECIDED
WHO HAD THE BEST IDEA TO DO A
BUSINESS AND THEY ALL PUT MONEY
IN. WHEN I CAME HERE, WE HAD
STOCK IN SUISAN, AND WE HAD
STOCK HILO RICE MILL, WE HAD
STOCK IN AMERICAN TRADING, AND I
DIDN'T REALIZE WHERE ALL THESE
STOCKS CAME FROM, BUT THEY DATE
FROM THE TIME MY GREAT
GRANDFATHER INVESTING IN
BUSINESSES.
AKIKO VO: STEADY, HARD WORK,
GENEROSITY TOWARD NEIGHBORS AND
A GUTSY SPIRIT TRANSFORMED
SHINMACHI FROM A GROUP OF NEW
BUSINESSES INTO A NEW TOWN.
IN SHINMACHI, OVER A THOUSAND
RESIDENTS WORKED TO CREATE
STABLE, PROSPEROUS FUTURES
FILLED WITH POSSIBILITIES FOR
THE GENERATIONS TO COME.
THE GOAL WAS NOT TO BE THE
RICHEST PERSON IN SHINMACHI, BUT
TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC
GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY AS A
WHOLE.
AKIKO VO: IN JUST A FEW SHORT
YEARS, SHINMACHI'S MUTUAL
SUPPORT NETWORKS TRANSFORMED A
GROUP OF JAPANESE BUSINESSES
INTO A THRIVING COMMUNITY OF
SHOPS, TEMPLES AND NEIGHBORS WHO
WERE LIKE AN EXTENDED FAMILY.
RAMON GOYA: AND THE GOOD PART
ABOUT SHINMACHI WAS EVERYBODY
SORT OF HELPED EACH OTHER OUT.
THEY REALLY LOOKED AFTER EACH
OTHER. I DIDN'T SEE TOO MANY
COMPETITIVE TYPE OF BUSINESSES
WITH EACH OTHER. THEY ALL, YOU
KNOW, HELPED EACH OTHER WHENEVER
THEY COULD.
AKIKO VO: BUILDING AND
TRANSPORTATION BUSINESSES
FLOURISHED IN SHINMACHI. HAWAII
PLANING MILL, KNOWN TODAY AS
HPM, EXPANDED FROM A SMALL
LUMBER YARD TO BECOME A MAJOR
PLAYER IN THE LOCAL CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY. ENTREPRENEUR GUNJI
KONO BROUGHT TRUCKING TO HILO
WHEN HE FOUNDED HILO
TRANSPORTATION COMPANY, OR HITCO
FOR SHORT. VERY FEW PEOPLE IN
SHINMACHI OWNED CARS, BUT PEOPLE
CAME FROM MILES AWAY TO PURCHASE
FROM I.KITAGAWA. AND SHOPS LIKE
QUALITY AUTO, NICK'S GARAGE AND
GOYA BROTHERS MADE SHINMACHI A
DESTINATION FOR PARTS, SERVICE,
AND REPAIR.
AKIKO VO: BEFORE THERE WAS GOYA
BROTHERS, THERE WAS AIZO GOYA'S
HORSE AND BUGGY TAXI SERVICE.
AIZO STARTED OUT AS A MULE
TENDER FOR THE PUNA SUGAR
COMPANY AFTER IMMIGRATING FROM
OKINAWA IN 1909. HE FOUNDED HIS
TRANSPORTATION BUSINESS TO
SUPPORT HIS WIFE HARUKO AND
THEIR GROWING FAMILY. HARUKO
CAME TO HAWAII AS A PICTURE
BRIDE. AIZO CLOSED THE TAXI
SERVICE IN 1933 TO OPEN GOYA
BROTHERS GAS STATION AND GROCERY
WITH HIS SONS, RONALD AND
TOSHIO, KNOWN TO MOST AS "HICK"
AND "SQUARE," AND ELLEN'S
LIQUORS WITH DAUGHTER ELLEN
HIROKO. THE FAMILY'S WARM
HOSPITALITY MADE CUSTOMERS MORE
LIKE GOOD FRIENDS.
RAMON GOYA: MY FATHER WAS MORE
LIKE, WELL, HE WAS A FATHER TO
SOME OF THE GUYS, BUT MORE LIKE
A FAVORITE UNCLE. HE LIKED TO
JUST BE ONE OF THE GUYS ALWAYS
TALKING STORIES, GOING OUT,
GOING MOVIES WITH THEM AND DOING
THINGS WITH THEM.
AKIKO VO: BY THE 1930S NO ONE
HAD TO LEAVE SHINMACHI TO HAVE A
DRESS MADE, OR TO BUY FISHING
SUPPLIES, OR HAVE A SIGN
PAINTED. IT WAS THE PLACE TO GO
FOR FRESHLY MADE BREAD, SUSHI,
NOODLES, ICE CREAM, SAKE,
PASTRIES AND FISHCAKE MADE FROM
THE CATCH OF THE DAY. A PERSON
COULD GET A HAIRCUT, SEE THE
PHARMACIST, HAIL A TAXI, OR SEE
THE MOVIES AT THE ROYAL THEATER.
SHINMACHI HAD EVERYTHING.
AKIKO VO: AND THERE WERE NEW
BUSINESSES EVERY YEAR. RAYMOND
MASATO ATEBARA WAS A FAMILY
BREADWINNER AT AGE 16 WHEN HIS
FATHER BECAME VERY ILL. HE
WORKED AS A BUTCHER, A SAMPAN
DRIVER, ANY JOB THAT WOULD
SUPPORT HIS PARENTS AND FIVE
SIBLINGS. TO MAKE ENDS MEET
DURING HIS STUDENT DAYS AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII, MANOA, HE
DELIVERED GROCERIES TO
HONOLULU'S LUXURY HOTELS. ON
THOSE RUNS RAYMOND DISCOVERED A
MAINLAND DELICACY, THE POTATO
CHIP. WHEN HE RETURNED TO HILO
TO CARE FOR HIS FATHER, AN AD IN
POPULAR MECHANICS FOR
CHIP-MAKING EQUIPMENT CAUGHT HIS
EYE. IN 1936, WITH LITTLE MORE
THAN SHEER DETERMINATION TO WORK
WITH ATEBARA'S POTATO CHIPS
OPENED IN ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION
ON EMMA STREET. THE FIRST MONTHS
WERE HARD. NO ONE IN SHINMACHI
HAD HEARD OF POTATO CHIPS, AND
HILO'S HUMIDITY SOMETIMES MADE
THEM SOGGY. WITH A FEW
ADJUSTMENTS, ATEBARA'S TOOK OFF.
MANY YEARS LATER, WHEN HIS
CHILDREN ASKED RAYMOND WHY HE
WENT INTO THE POTATO CHIP
BUSINESS, HE SAID SIMPLY, "I
LIKE THEM."
AKIKO VO: SHINMACHI WAS NOT THE
FANCIEST PART OF TOWN, BUT ITS
RESIDENTS WERE PROUD OF ITS
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WHEN PRESIDENT
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT STOPPED IN
HILO DURING HIS 1934 TOUR OF THE
U.S. TERRITORIES, SHINMACHI
BUSINESSES AND THE JAPANESE
IMMIGRANT NEWSPAPERS EXTENDED
ALOHA AND HIGHLIGHTED THEIR
ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE
DEPTHS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION.
KANGO KAWASAKI, PRESIDENT OF THE
HILO JAPANESE ASSOCIATION,
GREETED ROOSEVELT AS "THE CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OF THE LAND," "CREATOR
OF THE NEW DEAL," AND "THE
APOSTLE OF NEW DEMOCRACY."
AKIKO VO: ALTHOUGH MOST IN
SHINMACHI ADMIRED THE NEW DEAL,
THEY STAYED FOCUSED ON THE
NEIGHBOR-TO-NEIGHBOR
RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAD SUSTAINED
THEM FOR TWO DECADES, SHINMACHI
FAMILIES HAD ALWAYS KNOWN
STRUGGLE AND SACRIFICE SO THE
HARDSHIPS THAT CAME WITH THE
DEPRESSION WERE ALREADY
FAMILIAR. MERCHANTS EXTENDED
CREDIT WHERE THEY COULD. NIPPON
SHOJI KAISHA WROTE OFF SOME OF
THEIR LOANS AND NEIGHBORS SHARED
WHAT THEY HAD WITH ONE ANOTHER.
AKIKO VO: THE ECONOMY HAD
SLOWED, BUT EVERYBODY IN
SHINMACHI, THE MEN, WOMEN AND
CHILDREN WORKED AS STEADILY AND
SKILLFULLY AS EVER.
YOSHINOBU TERADA: YOU KNOW, MY
FATHER WAS A CARPENTER, BUT HE
WAS ALSO THE HANDYMAN FOR THE
SHINMACHI, THE WOODEN BUILDINGS.
AS A YOUNG MAN I WENT ALONG WITH
MY FATHER TO THE VARIOUS
BUILDINGS TO REPLACE LIKE FOUR-
BY-FOUR, TWO-BY-FOURS.
RAMON GOYA (VO): WE SPENT MOST
OF OUR DAY AT THE SERVICE
STATION-RESTAURANT AREA. AND MY
MOM AND DAD WORKED THE WHOLE
TIME FROM 8:00 IN THE MORNING
WEEKDAYS, EIGHT TO 10:30 AT
NIGHT.
YOSHINOBU TERADA: MY MOTHER
WAS...I HATE TO SAY, TYPICAL,
BUT TYPICAL HOUSEWIFE. SHE HAD
SUCH A BIG FAMILY.
YOSHINOBU TERADA: SHE COOKED IN
THE MORNING, COOKED AT LUNCH AND
COOKED THE DINNER. EIGHT BOYS
AND ONE GIRL.
AKIKO VO: PEPPERED AMONG
SHINMACHI STOREFRONTS WERE A
NUMBER OF SMALL HOUSES OF
WORSHIP, LIKE SUITENGO SHRINE,
WHERE SERVICES WERE CONDUCTED IN
MINISTER JUNGO TSUTSUMI'S FAMILY
HOME. THE TENRIKYO MISSION OF
JAPAN SENT KINZAEMON AND KAMEKI
ODACHI TO HILO TO ESTABLISH
THEIR HOME CHURCH IN SHINMACHI.
AKIKO: THEIR DAUGHTERS, JUNE
AND MASAKO, RECALLED THEIR
PARENTS' DEEP COMMITMENT TO
THEIR DAILY MUSIC AND HEALING
MINISTRIES.
JUNE SHIGEMASA: OUR FATHER, I
BELIEVE, HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY
OF DOING THE EVANGELICAL WORK.
AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT HE
TRAVELED BY FOOT AND I DON'T
KNOW WHAT ELSE, BUT HE WENT
SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE CITY LIMITS
AND THAT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY
TO ESTABLISH TENRIKYO IN THE
CITY OF HILO. AS BOTH A MINISTER
OF THE CHURCH AND WOMAN OF THE
HOUSEHOLD, KAMEKI ODACHI HAD
MANY DUTIES.
MASAKO ODACHI: SHE WAS QUITE
BUSY BEING A HOUSEWIFE AND SHE
DID PARTICIPATE IN THE SERVICES
AND KEPT THE ALTAR.
JUNE SHIGEMASA: SHE WAS VERY
QUIET AS A MINISTER'S WIFE. SHE
WAS VERY STOIC. BUT SHE HAS THIS
SENSE OF HUMANITARIANISM, YOU
KNOW, AND SO MANY OF THE WOMEN
PARISHIONERS LOOK TO HER FOR
GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION. AND I
CAN, I MAY NOT HAVE UNDERSTOOD
EVERYTHING, BUT I COULD SENSE
THAT PEOPLE WERE DRAWN TO HER
BECAUSE OF HER ABILITY TO
MINISTER TO ESPECIALLY THE WOMEN
THAT CAME WITH THEIR CHILDREN.
AKIKO VO: SHINMACHI KIDS LEAD
BUSY LIVES, MOST WORKED IN THEIR
PARENTS' BUSINESSES BEFORE
MEETING THEIR FRIENDS TO WALK TO
PUBLIC SCHOOL. EDUCATION WAS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING TO
SHINMACHI PARENTS, SO AFTER
ENGLISH SCHOOL, SHINMACHI KIDS
WENT TO JAPANESE SCHOOL FOR
LANGUAGE AND CULTURE CLASSES.
AFTER THAT WAS ANY COMBINATION
OF WORK, PLAY, OBLIGATIONS AND
ADVENTURES.
JUNE SHIGEMASA: WE WERE EXPECTED
TO SIT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE
SERVICE TWICE A DAY.
DONALD IKEDA: EVERY CHURCH HAD
JUDO. SOME OF THEM USED TO HAVE
KARATE AND SOME WOULD HAVE
KENDO, BUT DIFFERENT MARTIAL
ARTS. SO WHEN WE WERE FIVE YEARS
OLD, WE WOULD GO TO JUDO. WITH
NO QUESTIONS ASKED -- YOU HAD TO
GO.
AKIKO VO: AND WHEN IT CAME TO
MAKING THEIR OWN FUN, THE
SHINMACHI KIDS WERE AS INVENTIVE
AS THEIR PARENTS.
DONALD IKEDA: WE NEVER BOUGHT
ANYTHING. WE MADE EVERYTHING
OURSELVES. BUT I THINK ABOUT IT
NOW, I WOULDN'T LET MY
GRANDCHILDREN PLAY WITH IT.
RAMON GOYA: WE USED TO SET
LITTLE OIL CANS SO THAT THE OOPU
OR THE GOBI FISH WOULD SWIM IN
AT NIGHT. AND THE NEXT DAY AND
ALL THE BOYS WOULD DIVE AND THEN
WE WOULD RETRIEVE THOSE CANS
WITH THE FISH IN IT. AND, YOU
KNOW, THE FILIPINO MEN REALLY
LOVE TO EAT THAT OOPU. SO WE
USED TO SELL THE FISH TO THEM
AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT OUR
MONEY FOR CANDY, SHAVE ICE, BUT
OUR FAVORITE WAS THE DRIED
ABALONE. THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE
ALWAYS WANTED TO BUY WITH THE
MONEY.
AKIKO VO: THERE WAS LOTS OF
SWIMMING DOWN GATES IN THE
WAILOA RIVER. SEVERAL SHINMACHI
KIDS BECAME CHAMPION SWIMMERS
DESPITE THE LESS THAN IDEAL
CONDITIONS THAT LED THEM TO CALL
IT KUKAI RIVER.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: AT THAT
TIME, THERE WAS NO SEWER SYSTEM
SO EVERYTHING WAS GOING INTO THE
RIVER, RIGHT? YEAH. AND THAT'S
WHERE WE LEARN TO SWIM IN THAT
RIVER. OH, YEAH.
AKIKO VO: SHINMACHI ATHLETES
ALSO COMPETED IN FOOTBALL,
BASEBALL, TENNIS, BADMINTON, AND
SUMO ALL ACROSS WHAT WAS AT THAT
TIME THE TERRITORY OF HAWAII.
ALTHOUGH THEIR WORK SCHEDULES
WERE DEMANDING SHINMACHI
RESIDENTS MADE TIME TO TRAIN,
COMPETE, CHEER -- ANYTHING THEY
COULD DO TO SUPPORT THE HOME
TEAMS. TEAM SPIRIT, COMMUNITY
CELEBRATIONS, AND THEIR DREAMS
FOR THEIR CHILDREN STRENGTHENED
SHINMACHI FAMILIES IN GOOD TIMES
AND BAD. SHINMACHI'S TEMPLES,
SHRINES AND CHURCHES WERE THE
PILLARS OF THIS SUPPORT SYSTEM.
DONALD IKEDA: MY MOTHER USED TO
GO THERE AND MY FATHER. IN FACT,
YOU KNOW THE BIG URN WHERE YOU
OFFERED INCENSE, MY GRANDFATHER
BROUGHT THAT BACK FROM JAPAN. TO
US ALL THE CHURCHES WERE HOLY
PLACES. IT'S A SAFE REFUGE. WE
WERE BROUGHT UP LIKE THAT.
AKIKO VO: AS TODAY, EVERY
SUMMER, SHINMACHI FAMILIES
CELEBRATED THE RETURN OF THEIR
ANCESTORS FOR OBON. THEY FILLED
THEIR HOME SHRINES WITH FRESH
FLOWERS, INCENSE, AND FOOD.
BUDDHIST TEMPLES HELD THEIR
SPECIAL OBON SERVICES AND A BON
DANCE TO ENTERTAIN AND HONOR
THOSE WHO HAD PASSED AWAY.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE & JOAN
GOODALL PUAKELA: AT THE TIME WE
ALL HAD TO WEAR ONLY KIMONO. YOU
HAD TO WEAR A KIMONO. YOU
COULDN'T WEAR ANYTHING ELSE. YOU
HAD TO WEAR ALL KIMONO. MY MOM
WOULD HAVE HAD ME MADE ONE.
YEAH. AND EVERY SUMMER WE PICKED
IT OUT WE'D GO TO EVERY BON
DANCE WITH THE SAME KIMONO.
KENNETH KAMEOKA (VO): BUT THEY
HAD THEIR BON DANCE AND THEY'D
HAVE ALL KIND OF FOOD, YOU KNOW.
DONALD IKEDA: YEAH.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: THEY MUST SPEND
A LOT OF MONEY. THEY HAD
BARBECUE STICKS.
DONALD IKEDA: NOT ANY MORE.
EXPENSIVE -- TOO EXPENSIVE.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: SHAVE ICE.
THEY HAD MUSUBI.
AKIKO VO: BON DANCES WERE ONE OF
THE MANY WAYS THAT PEOPLE IN
SHINMACHI RENEWED THEIR STRONG
CONNECTIONS WITH ONE ANOTHER,
BUT FOR SOME IN SHINMACHI, THE
JAPANESE CULTURE PUT THEM ON THE
MARGINS. EVERYDAY INTERACTIONS
BETWEEN SHINMACHI'S JAPANESE
MAJORITY AND THEIR CHINESE,
FILIPINO, PORTUGUESE AND
CAUCASIAN NEIGHBORS WERE
FRIENDLY. YET INTERMARRIAGE WAS
UNCOMMON AND INTERRACIAL
FAMILIES WERE HELD AT A
DISTANCE. JOAN GOODALL'S MOTHER
WAS JAPANESE AND HER FATHER, A
PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTOR, WAS
FROM ENGLAND. HER MOTHER MOVED
JOAN AND HER BROTHER FREDERICK
TO SHINMACHI AFTER THE GOODALL'S
DIVORCED IN HONOLULU.
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: I GREW UP
HALF, HALF HAOLE, HALF JAPANESE.
AND I COULD FEEL THE DIFFERENCE
IN THE OLDER GENERATION. THERE
WAS AN AWKWARD FEELING, AND I
DIDN'T LIKE IT.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: AND YOU
DIDN'T KNOW WHY, TOO.
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: WELL,
THOSE DAYS I DIDN'T KNOW. BUT AS
I GREW OLDER, I KIND OF KNEW AND
I KIND OF UNDERSTOOD THE
LANGUAGE, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD
KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: THIS
GRADUATING CLASS OF YOUNG
AMERICAN EAGLES ARE NOW READY TO
MAN THE FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE
ARMY AND NAVY AIR CORPS·
AKIKO VO: AND AS THE WAR IN THE
PACIFIC DREW CLOSER TO HAWAII,
MORE AND MORE PEOPLE IN
SHINMACHI WOULD EXPERIENCE WHAT
IT MEANT TO BE AN OUTSIDER IN AN
AMERICAN TERRITORY. BUT FOR AS
LONG AS THE UNITED STATES
REMAINED AT PEACE, THE COMMUNITY
OF SHINMACHI CONTINUED TO WORK
EVERY DAY TOWARDS A FUTURE WITH
ABUNDANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
GENERATIONS TO COME.
KGU RADIO BROADCAST: HELLO, NBC.
HELLO, NBC. THIS IS KGU IN
HONOLULU, HAWAII. I AM SPEAKING
FROM THE ROOF OF THE ADVERTISING
PUBLISHING COMPANY BUILDING. WE
HAVE WITNESSED THIS MORNING THE
DISTANT VIEW, A BRIEF BOMBING OF
PEARL HARBOR BY ENEMY PLANES,
UNDOUBTEDLY JAPANESE. ONE OF THE
BOMBS DROPPED WITHIN FIFTY FEET
OF KGU TOWER. IT IS NO JOKE. IT
IS A REAL WAR.
AKIKO VO: THESE FIRST WORDS
DESCRIBING JAPAN'S ATTACK ON
PEARL HARBOR CHANGED LIFE FOR
EVERYONE IN THE HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS. WITHIN HOURS OF THE
UNITED STATES' FORMAL
DECLARATION OF WAR, HAWAII
GOVERNOR JOHN POINDEXTER
DECLARED MARTIAL LAW, PLACING
HAWAII UNDER MILITARY CONTROL.
AKIKO VO: FOR NEARLY THREE
YEARS, THE ARMY AND NAVY SEIZED
CONTROL OF HILO BAY. SHINMACHI'S
CHILDREN REMEMBER IT THIS WAY:
KENNETH KAMEOKA: DURING THE WAR,
WE COULDN'T GO ACROSS THE STREET
BECAUSE OF BARBED WIRES.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: ALL I
REMEMBER WAS BLACKOUT BECAUSE WE
USED TO LIVE FRONT STREET.
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: THE GUY
WOULD, THE SOLDIER WOULD KNOCK
ON THE DOOR AND SAY THEY GOT
LIGHT COMING THROUGH, GOT A
PUKA, YOU GOT TO GO COVER IT.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: DECEMBER THE
7TH: STILL MORE DIFFICULT TO
EXPLAIN THE NEED FOR THESE
MONSTROUS LOOKING THINGS.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: I WAS PROBABLY
IN ABOUT THE THIRD GRADE WHEN
THEY ISSUED EACH ONE OF US A GAS
MASK. SO WE JUST STRUNG IT OVER
OUR SHOULDERS WHEN WE WENT TO
SCHOOL CARRYING A BOOK BAG, PLUS
THE CASE WITH A GAS MASK.
AKIKO VO: OCCASIONALLY,
SOLDIERS CAME TO SCHOOL TO HOLD
GAS MASK DRILLS. WHEN THE
SCHOOLCHILDREN RECEIVE THE
SIGNAL, THEY WERE TO PUT THEIR
MASKS ON QUICKLY AND RUN INTO A
TENT FILLED WITH TEAR GAS. THE
FACT THAT THEY WERE LOOSE,
ADULT-SIZED GAS MASKS CREATED A
PROBLEM.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: AS SOON AS WE
WALKED IN THERE WE COULD FEEL
THE EYES BURNING, YOU KNOW, THE
NECK, THE SKIN BURNING. SO WE
JUST WENT RIGHT OUT. EVERYBODY
CAME OUT CRYING BECAUSE ALL THE
GAS MASKS WAS TOO BIG, TOO
LARGE.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: DECEMBER THE
7TH: JUST VIRTUALLY OVERNIGHT,
THE ISLAND SCENE CHANGED. WAR
HAD COME TO AMERICA'S TROPICAL
SUBURB.
AKIKO VO: THE NEW MILITARY ORDER
ALTERED THE FLOW OF LIFE FOR
EVERYONE IN HAWAII, ESPECIALLY
THOSE OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY WHO
CAME UNDER HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY
AFTER THE EMPIRE OF JAPAN
ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR. IN THE
PROPAGANDA FILM DECEMBER THE
7TH, THE "VOICE OF REASON" WARNS
UNCLE SAM THAT THE JAPANESE IN
HAWAII COULD NOT BE FULLY
TRUSTED.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: DECEMBER THE
7TH THEY EXPRESSED THEIR LOYALTY
AND NO DOUBT, WILL THEY SEND
THEIR CHILDREN TO AMERICAN
PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE THEY PLEDGE
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND SING
PATRIOTIC AMERICAN SONGS. BUT
THEY ALSO SEND THEM TO THEIR OWN
LANGUAGE SCHOOL, WHERE THEY ARE
TAUGHT JAPANESE LOYALTIES,
CULTURE, AND MORALS.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: I REMEMBER
WE HAD SOME JAPANESE KIMONO AND
SWORDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
YEAH, I THINK MY FATHER FOLKS
THEY BURNT IT ALL.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: THAT'S WHY
WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING FROM
JAPAN THAT THEY HAD.
AKIKO VO: IN 1942, THE HILO
JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
PETITIONED THE HAWAII COUNTY
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CHANGE
THE NAME OF SHINMACHI TO
HANAKAHI, THE HAWAIIAN WORD FOR
"PLACE OF WORK." THE JUNIOR
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SAID IT WAS
"UNFITTING FOR ANY PART OF HILO
TO HAVE A NAME DIRECTLY
ASSOCIATED WITH A NATION WITH
WHICH WE ARE AT WAR."
AKIKO VO: THE COUNCIL DISMISSED
THE PETITION, BUT THE
CONTROVERSY REFLECTED THE
REALITY. THAT SOME HILO PEOPLE
SAW SHINMACHI AS A HAVEN FOR THE
ENEMY, WHILE OTHERS WERE READY
TO STAND UP FOR THEIR NEIGHBORS.
THE JAPANESE IN HAWAII WERE NOT
SUBJECT TO THE MASS REMOVAL AND
INCARCERATION THAT WAS CARRIED
OUT ON THE WEST COAST OF THE
MAINLAND. BUT THE FBI MAINTAINED
A LIST OF JAPANESE INDIVIDUALS
TO BE ARRESTED IN THE EVENT OF
WAR THAT INCLUDED SOME IN
SHINMACHI. THE ARRESTS WERE NOT
MADE FOR ANYTHING THAT THEY HAD
DONE, BUT FOR WHAT THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT WANTED THE PUBLIC TO
BELIEVE THEY MIGHT DO. THESE
ARRESTS WERE ORDERED BY
PRESIDENT FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
ONLY SIX YEARS HAD PASSED SINCE
THE JAPANESE COMMUNITY WELCOMED
HIM TO HILO AS "THE APOSTLE OF
NEW DEMOCRACY."
AKIKO VO: BUDDHIST AND SHINTO
PRIESTS WERE PRESENTED AS
SHADOWY FIGURES WHOSE MISSION IN
HAWAII WAS TO FOSTER LOYALTY TO
JAPAN,.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: DECEMBER THE
7TH SHINTOISM EMBRACES MANY
DOCTRINES. IT PREACHES HONOR OF
THE ANCESTORS, THEREBY KEEPING
ALIVE THE FIRES OF NATIONALISM
AND PRESERVING A RACIAL AND
SOCIAL BOND. WITH THE UNBROKEN
AND DIVINELY DESCENDED IMPERIAL
DYNASTY.
AKIKO VO: ACROSS THE ISLANDS,
JAPANESE SCHOOLS WERE SHUT DOWN
AND TEMPLES AND SHRINES
CONFISCATED FOR MILITARY
PURPOSES. BECAUSE HE WAS A
MINISTER, CAN KINZAEMON ODACHI
WAS ARRESTED AND HELD AT KMC,
KILAUEA MILITARY CAMP OUTSIDE OF
HILO, BEFORE BEING TRANSFERRED
TO A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
INTERNMENT CAMP IN LORDSBURG,
NEW MEXICO.
AKIKO VO: THIS LEFT HIS WIFE,
KAMEKI, WITH THE CHURCH AND FOUR
CHILDREN TO CARE FOR ALONE. WHEN
ASKED IF SHE WANTED TO BE
REUNITED WITH HER HUSBAND,
KAMEKI, LIKE MANY WIVES OF THE
INCARCERATED, JUMPED AT THE
CHANCE.
JUNE SHIGEMASA: TWO VERY LARGE
CAUCASIAN MEN. I REMEMBER
LOOKING UP AT THEM BECAUSE THEY
WERE SO TALL AND THEY CAME TO
ASK MY MOTHER THROUGH THE
INTERPRETATION OF ELDEST SISTER
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
ENGLISH, AND THE QUESTION WAS,
"WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE WITH YOUR
HUSBAND?" AND MANY OF THEM SAID,
"OF COURSE, YES." AND THAT'S HOW
IT STARTED, THAT WE HAD TO PACK
OUR THINGS. AND I REMEMBER GOING
IN A BIG ARMY TRUCK OVER WAILOA
BRIDGE AND GOING TO THE WHARF.
AKIKO VO: THE ARMY PUT THE
ODACHIS ON A SHIP TO SAN
FRANCISCO. JUNE WAS SEASICK THE
ENTIRE CROSSING.
AKIKO VO: IT TURNED OUT THAT
THEIR MAINLAND DESTINATION WOULD
NOT BE NEW MEXICO, BUT A FAMILY
INCARCERATION CAMP IN JÉROME,
ARKANSAS. IN ADDITION TO RAISING
HER CHILDREN IN A STRANGE PLACE
AMONG PEOPLE SHE DID NOT KNOW,
KAMEKI HAD RECEIVED WORD THAT
HER HUSBAND WAS GRAVELY ILL.
JUNE SHIGEMASA: WHILE MOTHER
WENT OUT TO WORK IN THE PX, I
MEAN, DOING KP DUTY, THE OLDER
CHILDREN HAD TO LOOK AFTER THE
YOUNG ONES. AND WE COULD TELL
HOW DISTRAUGHT AND HOW BURDENED
MY MOTHER WAS FEELING AT THAT
TIME.
AKIKO VO: AFTER NUMEROUS APPEALS
TO THE WAR RELOCATION AUTHORITY,
THE ODACHIS RECEIVED WORD THAT
THEY WERE TO BE REUNITED AS A
FAMILY IN THE SAME CAMP BUT
DRIVEN ODACHI PASSED AWAY AT
LORDSBURG BEFORE THE TRANSFER
TOOK PLACE. HIS DAUGHTER,
MASAKO, HAS NO ANGER OR
BITTERNESS WHEN SHE TALKS ABOUT
THE CAMPS, BUT STILL FEELS
DEEPLY ABOUT THE LOSS OF HER
FATHER.
MASAKO ODACHI: I WAS NOT BITTER
ABOUT WHAT WE WENT THROUGH, BUT
I DO FEEL SORRY FOR MY MOTHER
BECAUSE HER HUSBAND, YOU KNOW,
WHO SHE REALLY LOVED WAS NEVER
TO COME BACK TO US.
AKIKO VO: BACK IN HILO, CHILDREN
HAD A VARIETY OF ENCOUNTERS WITH
THE STRANGERS WHO LANDED IN
THEIR CITY.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: WELL, WE SAW A
LOT OF MILITARY TRUCKS, MILITARY
PEOPLE GOING UP AND DOWN THE
STREET, AND WE ALWAYS SEE THEM.
WE ALWAYS GIVE THEM THE V FOR
VICTORY SIGN. EVERYBODY DID THAT
WHEN YOU SAW START MILITARY
TRUCKS COMING IN.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE & JOAN
GOODALL PUAKELA: I REMEMBER THE
SOLDIERS COMING FROM THE FROM
THE SAND BEACH. RIGHT. I
REMEMBER THAT THEY HAD SPAM AND
VIENNA SAUSAGE.
AKIKO VO: THE FONDNESS BETWEEN
THE SOLDIERS AND THE CHILDREN OF
SHINMACHI WAS HEARTFELT, BUT
TINGED BY THE FACT THAT THEY
WERE CHILDREN OF THE SO-CALLED
"ENEMY RACE."
YOSHINOBU TERADA: PRETTY NICE TO
TO US AS KIDS. THEY LET US ROAM
AROUND THE CANNONS, THE MACHINE
GUNS AND SO ON. BUT THEY ALWAYS
TOLD US THAT IF THEY'RE HAVING
AN INSPECTION COMING, THAT WE'D
BETTER LOSE OURSELVES FOR THE
DAY.
AKIKO VO: JOAN GOODALL, WHOSE
MOTHER WAS JAPANESE AND FATHER
ENGLISH, SOMETIMES DREW UNWANTED
ATTENTION FROM SOLDIERS WHO MISS
THEIR OWN DAUGHTERS.
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: YOU KNOW
WHAT THE GUYS WOULD GRAB ME AND
THEY WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS
LOOKS TO ME LIKE MY CHILD, YOU
KNOW, BECAUSE HALF, EH, THEY'RE
ALL HAOLES. AND I REMEMBER THAT
I USED TO BE SO SCARED BECAUSE
THEY WOULD HUG, EH.
AKIKO VO: FOR MANY IN SHINMACHI,
THE INFLUX OF MILITARY PERSONNEL
WAS ALSO AN INFLUX OF NEW
CUSTOMERS FOR THEIR GOODS AND
SERVICES. THE KIDS EVEN GOT IN
ON THE ACTION.
YOSHINOBU TERADA: SO I RECALL
THIS ONE TIME WHEN I THINK WAS
AN ENSIGN OR WHATEVER IN THE
NAVY AND THEY SAID, "I'LL GIVE
YOU FIVE BUCKS IF YOU GO DOWN
AND GET MY UNIFORM." SO I SAID,
SURE. SO I RAN DOWN, GOT THE
UNIFORM AND THAT WAS THE BIGGEST
PAYDAY FOR ME, FIVE DOLLARS!
AKIKO VO: THE WAR EXPANDED
WOMEN'S WORK INTO AREAS OUTSIDE
OF THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES.
THE LOSS OF BUDDHIST CLERGY TO
INCARCERATION AND THE ARRIVAL OF
SOLDIERS FROM THE MAINLAND
PLACED MULTIPLE BURDENS ON
SADAKO HARA'S MOTHER, KIYONO.
HER HUSBAND, REVEREND TETSUO
HARA, HAD BEEN THE MINISTER AT
HILO MEISHOIN PRIOR TO HIS DEATH
IN 1940. WHEN THE PRIESTS WERE
INCARCERATED, MRS. HARA WAS ONE
OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO KNEW THE
CORRECT SUTRAS FOR FUNERAL
RITES. SHE WENT ON CALLS WITH
MR. DODO, THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR,
WHENEVER SHE WAS NEEDED.
AKIKO VO: HER SPIRITUAL LABORS
SUSTAIN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THEY
DID NOT BRING A WAGE TO FEED HER
FAMILY. FOR THAT, MRS. HARA,
LIKE MANY WOMEN IN SHINMACHI,
TOOK IN LAUNDRY FROM THE
MILITARY PERSONNEL. IT WAS NOT
EASY WORK.
SADAKO HARA IWASAKI: OH, THEY
WERE SO LARGE AND SHE WOULD
STARCH AND IRON AND SPRINKLE.
HOW DID SHE DO IT ALL? WE ALL
USED TO HELP I GUESS. I USED TO
PUT BLANKETS ON THE BENCH AND
IRON BECAUSE THEY'RE SO TALL AND
WE'RE TINY AND TRYING TO IRON.
AKIKO VO: THE WAR BROUGHT MANY
HARDSHIPS, BUT IT ALSO BROUGHT
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHINMACHI
TO SHOW ITS INVENTIVENESS. WHEN
POTATOES WERE RATIONED,
ATEBARA'S INVENTED TARO CHIPS.
HILO MACARONI'S EXPERIMENT WAS A
BLAND GERMAN HARDTACK CRACKER
RECIPE CREATED HAWAII'S BELOVED
SALOON PILOT CRACKER. AND AT
GOYA BROTHERS, HUNGRY NEWCOMERS
WERE EXPANDING THE MENU.
RAMON GOYA: PEOPLE NOT ONLY CAME
TO EAT, BUT A LOT OF THEM HUNG
OUT THERE AND BECAME GOOD
FRIENDS. AND MY MOM LEARNED A
WHOLE LOT OF DISHES AND THINGS
FROM THEM BECAUSE THEY CAME FROM
THE MAINLAND. MY MOM NEVER KNEW
WHAT GRILLED CHEESE WAS ALL
ABOUT, WHAT KIND OF SANDWICH IT
WAS. SO SHE ASKED THAT PERSON,
PLEASE COME INTO THE KITCHEN AND
SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT. AND HE
BECAME A REGULAR, YOU KNOW. YOU
KNOW, THAT'S THE THING. THEY
PERSONALIZED THEIR BUSINESS.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: IMPORTANT AND
DECISIVE BATTLES, AND EACH TIME
THESE MEN OF THE 100TH INFANTRY
BATTALION AND THE 442ND COMBAT
TEAM HAVE BEEN RIGHT OUT IN
FRONT.
AKIKO VO: AS SOLDIERS FROM THE
MAINLAND BECAME FIXTURES IN
HILO, SECOND-GENERATION MEN FROM
SHINMACHI AND ACROSS THE
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS JOINED THE
ARMED FORCES WHEN THE ARMY
FORMED THE ALL JAPANESE FOR
442ND REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM,
THE FOUR FOUR TWO, IN EARLY
1943. THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO
SOLDIERS FROM EACH BLOCK IN
SHINMACHI ON THE FRONT LINES IN
EUROPE. RONALD TAKAHATA, WHO
GREW UP HELPING HIS FATHER RUN
QUALITY AUTO IN SHINMACHI, WAS
ALREADY A TRANSLATOR IN THE
MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE
FOR THE DURATION OF THE WAR.
AKIKO VO: WATARU KOHASHI LEFT
HIS JOB AT HIS FATHER'S FISHCAKE
FACTORY TO ENLIST IN THE 442ND.
LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF HIS FELLOW
SOLDIERS OF JAPANESE DESCENT,
KOHASHI HELPED TO LIBERATE ITALY
AND TO RESCUE THE TEXAS LOST
BATTALION. HE LOST MANY FRIENDS,
INCLUDING ONE WHO DIED IN HIS
ARMS.
AKIKO VO: AT THE END OF THE WAR,
WHEN MARTIAL LAW WAS LIFTED, THE
BEACHES WERE FREED OF THE BARBED
WIRE, MOST OF THE SOLDIERS AND
PEOPLE IN INCARCERATION CAMPS
CAME HOME, AND ALL OF THE GAS
MASKS WERE RETURNED TO MILITARY
STORAGE. THERE WAS EVERY REASON
TO BELIEVE THAT LIFE IN
SHINMACHI WOULD SETTLE INTO A
STEADY RHYTHM OF WORK, PRAYER,
NEIGHBORLINESS, AND PLAY. FOR
EIGHT MONTHS. SHINMACHI'S MODEST
WISH WAS GRANTED.
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: UNITED
NEWSREEL INTERNATIONAL: THE
PACIFIC OCEAN ON THE RAMPAGE,
SWIFT, TOWERING WAVES
ORIGINATING IN THE ALEUTIAN
ISLANDS, SPREADING OUT FOR
THOUSANDS OF MILES TO BATTER
SHORELINES FROM HAWAII TO SOUTH
AMERICA. ONE OF THE WORST TIDAL
WAVES ON RECORD TAKES ITS TOLL
AS MAMMOTH WAVES BEGAN TO BREAK.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: MY GRANDFATHER
WAS LIVING HERE IN SHINMACHI. I
WAS PROBABLY IN FIFTH OR SIXTH
GRADE. IN THE MORNING, WE'D
USUALLY GO TO SCHOOL ABOUT 6:45
IN THE MORNING. YOU COULD HEAR
PEOPLE SCREAMING AND YELLING
LIKE, "HEY! TIGER WAVE!" WE
THOUGHT IT WAS "TIGER WAVE" BUT
THEY WERE PROBABLY SAYING, LIKE,
"TIDAL WAVE." AND THEN THEY'RE
ALL STANDING ON THE ROOFS OF
HOUSES. SO WE JUST THOUGHT "EH,"
AND JUST YELLED BACK, "APRIL
FOOL! APRIL FOOL!"
AKIKO VO: IT WAS LESS THAN A
YEAR AFTER THE WAR ENDED THAT A
TSUNAMI TURNED SHINMACHI INTO A
SWIRLING CHAOS OF SPLINTERED
BUILDINGS, SCATTERED OBJECTS OF
EVERY KIND, BROKEN TREES,
PANICKED PEOPLE AND LIFELESS
BODIES. THAT MORNING, THE OCEAN
RECEDED, ODDLY, AND THE FEW WHO
WERE FAMILIAR WITH TSUNAMIS
SHOUTED WARNINGS ABOUT THE FIRST
TWO WAVES. WHEN THE POWERFUL
THIRD WAVE HIT SHINMACHI, MOST
COULD ONLY REACT TO SURVIVE, IF
SURVIVAL WAS EVEN POSSIBLE.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE & JOAN
GOODALL PUAKELA: DURING THE
TIDAL WAVE WE WERE HIGH UP HERE.
YEAH, YOU GUYS SAW ALL THE THREE
WAVES? OH YEAH. DOWN ON THE
THIRD WAVE. BUT MY MOTHER KEPT
TELLING US, GO UNDER THE BED, GO
ON TOP OF THE BED. AND I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY TIMES, UP AND
DOWN. UP AND DOWN BECAUSE SHE
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. RIGHT.
RIGHT.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: SO MY
UNCLE HAD PEOPLE COME AND HELP
ME AND THEY TORE OFF THE ROOF TO
GET US OUT OF THE HOUSE. THEN WE
ALL GOT SEPARATED FROM THERE,
WHOEVER HAD TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: HOW DID
YOU GUYS END UP?
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: THE THING
IS, MY MOTHER HEARD THE NOISE,
SO SHE OPENED THE DOOR, THE
WATER CAME RIGHT IN THE HOUSE,
SUCKED ME RIGHT OUT TO THE
FRONT, AND THEN I MYSELF JUST
GAVE UP BECAUSE THE BOARDS WERE
ALL HITTING ME AND I DIDN'T HAVE
ANYBODY BY ME. SO I KIND OF
REMEMBER I WAS RECEDING OUT. AND
THIS MAN PICKED ME UP.
YOSHINOBU TERADA: THEN I FELT
THAT THE HOUSE WAS STARTING TO
SINK. AND I SAID, WELL, YOSHI IF
YOU'RE GONNA STAY HERE, THAT
HOUSE GOING TO COVER YOU WITH
THE ROOF AND THAT WILL BE THE
END OF YOU. SO I LOOKED IN THE
BACK AND I SAW MY BROTHER'S
SURFBOARD THAT HE BUILT IN HIGH
SCHOOL. AND WHEN I HOPPED ONTO
IT AND THE WAVES STARTED TO, OR
SHOULD I SAY THE WATER, AND ALL
THAT DEBRIS, SEEMED TO PUSH ME
TOWARDS THE SUGAR MILL.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE: SO YOU
FOLKS WAS SEPARATED. WE WERE ALL
SEPARATED. AND YOUR YOUR MOTHER?
YOUR BROTHER WAS?
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: MY MOTHER
WAS TRYING TO HANG ON TO HIM.
SUSAN YOSHIMI ROSETE & JOAN
GOODALL PUAKELA: HER BROTHER IS
THE ONE THAT WAS LOST IN A TIDAL
WAVE. NEVER FOUND.
AKIKO VO: THE TSUNAMI TOOK THE
LIVES OF 159 PEOPLE IN THE
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS, OVER ONE
HUNDRED WERE KILLED IN HILO
ALONE, THIRTY-EIGHT FROM
SHINMACHI. IT WAS CLEAR RIGHT
AWAY THAT THE RECOVERY WOULD BE
LONG AND ARDUOUS FOR THE
THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS WHO LOST
THEIR HOMES, BUSINESSES,
SAVINGS, HEIRLOOMS AND PEOPLE
THEY LOVED DEARLY. AS BEFORE
SHINMACHI RESIDENTS WORKED WITH
WHAT THEY HAD IN ORDER TO
REBUILD. THE SALVATION ARMY
HELPED MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF
THOSE WHO HAD NOTHING BUT WHAT
THEY WERE WEARING. THE LOCAL BOY
SCOUTS HAD THE TERRIBLE TASK OF
LOOKING FOR BODIES. MOSTLY,
NEIGHBORS HELPED NEIGHBORS BY
TAKING TSUNAMI REFUGEES INTO
THEIR HOMES, WORKING TOGETHER TO
SALVAGE WHAT COULD BE SALVAGED
AND TO REBUILD AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
AKIKO VO: THE ARMY AND NAVY WERE
PREPARING TO LEAVE THE ISLAND IN
JUST FIVE MONTHS, BUT THERE WERE
STILL ENOUGH SOLDIERS REMAINING
TO LEAD SEARCH AND RESCUE
EFFORTS. THE NAVAL AIR STATION
BARRACKS, LOCATED NEAR HILO'S
7
LYMAN AIRFIELD, BECAME THE NEW
HOME FOR HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES
WHO LOST EVERYTHING.
HILO MEISHOIN: (GONG)
AKIKO VO: THE CHURCHES PROVIDED
REFUGE IN THE WAKE OF THE
TSUNAMI, HOLDING THE COMMUNITY
TOGETHER AS THEY HAD SINCE
SHINMACHI'S FOUNDING.
AKIKO VO: THE 1946 TSUNAMI TOOK
EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE BUILDINGS
ON THE CORNER OF KAMEHAMEHA
AVENUE AND BISHOP STREET. THESE
BUILDINGS WERE SHIELDED BY THE
LUMBER AT HPM. GOYA BROTHERS WAS
HIT HARD, BUT THE FAMILY REBUILT
AND OPENED MAY'S FOUNTAIN IN
1946, BRINGING A SPARK OF LIFE
TO SHINMACHI, SERVING EVERYTHING
FROM HAM AND CHEESE AND ROOT
BEER FLOATS TO HILO'S HOMEMADE
DISH, LOCO MOCO.
AKIKO VO: A SECOND TSUNAMI IN
1960 KILLED 61 PEOPLE AND
DESTROYED 530 BUILDINGS,
INCLUDING THE LAST PHYSICAL
REMAINS OF SHINMACHI. AFTER
LOSING EVERYTHING TWICE IN 15
YEARS, MANY SHINMACHI FAMILIES
QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF
REBUILDING. OTHERS SAW NEW
POSSIBILITIES.
MICHAEL TOKUNAGA: YOU KNOW MY
GRANDFATHER AFTER THE 1960 TIDAL
WAVE, HE WANTED TO CALL IT
QUITS. HE REALLY WANTED TO CALL
IT QUITS. BUT THEN MY MOM SAID,
"OH, I'LL RUN THE BUSINESS," YOU
KNOW? AND THEN FOR A FEMALE TO
BE RUNNING A FISHING TACKLE
BUSINESS IN THE 1960S, THAT WAS
PRETTY TOUGH. SHE KNEW HOW TO
FISH. SHE WAS A GOOD ANGLER,
ALSO, SHE PROVED HERSELF. IT
WASN'T A DRESS SHOP. IT WASN'T A
COSMETICS STORE. IT WASN'T A
FABRIC SHOP. IT WAS BASICALLY A
FISHING TACKLE SHOP THEN.
AKIKO VO: SHINMACHI WAS
ULTIMATELY DECLARED AN
INUNDATION ZONE WHERE REBUILDING
IS PROHIBITED. DISPLACED
RESIDENTS FORMED THE SHINMACHI
CLUB, WHICH HOSTED AN ANNUAL
REUNION TO BRING ALL NEIGHBORS
TOGETHER AND TO KEEP THE SPIRIT
OF MUTUAL SUPPORT AND SHARED
RESILIENCY ALIVE.
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA AND KENNETH
KAMEOKA: SEE WHERE YOUR BROTHER.
YEAH. YOUR BROTHER WAS BURIED.
AND WHAT YOU SAID WAS THAT ALL
THE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY
GRAVES, RIGHT, WERE BURIED OVER
THERE?
AKIKO VO: FOR JOAN GOODALL,
SHINMACHI REMAINS A VAST TERRAIN
OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS,
ESPECIALLY ABOUT HER LOST
BROTHER FREDERICK.
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: BECAUSE I
SAW THE MOUNDS.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: AND SOMEBODY
TOLD YOU THAT WAS THE AREA?
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: YET THIS
WAS WHERE THE TIDAL WAVE
VICTIMS, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T
FIND THE OWNERS, YOU KNOW, AND
MY BROTHER WAS SEVEN, I THINK AT
THAT TIME MY MOTHER EVEN CAME
OUT OF THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE
HAD GASHES ON HER HEAD AND SHE
WAS BANGED UP. SO THEY TOLD THE
HOSPITAL SHE GOT OUT TO LOOK FOR
MY BROTHER.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: SO THAT TIME,
THEY NEVER FOUND HIM?
JOAN GOODALL PUAKELA: YOU KNOW,
MAYBE NOT. YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.
JOAN & KEN: AT LEAST HE'S IN THE
AREA. YEAH, SOMEWHERE IN THIS
AREA. YEAH, YEAH.
KENNETH KAMEOKA: YEAH, THAT'S
GOOD. OK, YEAH, HE WILL BE
HAPPY.
AKIKO VO: THE TSUNAMIS DID NOT
TAKE ALL OF SHINMACHI. AT HILO
DAIJINGU, A SINGULAR FEMALE
KOMAINU, A LION DOG STATUE, SITS
NEXT TO THE EMPTY BASE OF HER
MATE, WHICH WAS SWEPT AWAY IN
THE WAVE. TRACES OF SHINMACHI
STILL APPEAR IN THE S. TOKUNAGA
STORE'S ANNUAL ULUA CHALLENGE,
ON THE GROCERY STORE SHELVES,
AND IN THE TEMPLE SANCTUARIES,
AND ESPECIALLY IN THE STORIES OF
THOSE WHO REMEMBER THIS PLACE
BEFORE THE TSUNAMI.
AKIKO VO: OVER MANY DECADES,THE
MUTUAL SUPPORT THAT THE
SHINMACHI ASSOCIATION BROUGHT
INTO BEING IN 1913 REMAINS ALIVE
IN THE JAPANESE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY.
BRIAN KITAGAWA: YOU KNOW, WE CAN
GET MORE DONE TOGETHER THAN WE
CAN DO FIGHTING EACH OTHER. SO
WE WORK TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO
BETTER THE BUSINESS, YOU KNOW,
BETTER THE INDUSTRY. BUT THAT
STILL EXISTS TODAY.
MICHAEL FUJIMOTO: THERE IS NOT
THAT CLASS STRUCTURE THAT YOU
HAVE IN A LOT OF COMMUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HERE JUST... I
THINK BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW WHERE
OUR ROOTS ARE. AND WE ALL CAME
FROM THE SAME PLACE. SOME OF US
WERE A LITTLE LUCKIER THAN
OTHERS. AND THAT'S WHERE THAT
FEELING OF THE KUMIAI IS VERY
STRONG IN HAWAII, BECAUSE YOU
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR
COMMUNITY.
SADAKO HARA IWASAKI: MY FATHER
PASSED AWAY, SO THEY MADE A
SECTION FOR US TO STAY.
AKIKO VO: SHINMACHI FAMILIES
STILL CARRY FORWARD THEIR
ANCESTORS' TRADITIONS FROM THE
PAST AND THEIR DREAMS FOR THE
FUTURE.
DONALD IKEDA & KENNETH KAMEOKA:
IN THE OLD DAYS, I GUESS THE
PARENTS ALWAYS WANTED TO MAKE
THEIR CHILDREN BETTER THAN WHO
THEY WERE.
DONALD IKEDA: WE TOLD THE
PARENTS, IF YOU SEND US TO
COLLEGE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME
BACK AND DO HARD LABOR.
AKIKO VO: THE SUGAR INDUSTRY
BROUGHT JAPANESE LABORERS TO
HAWAII. THE SUGAR COMPANY SET
THE RULES THAT THE SHINMACHI
ASSOCIATION HAD TO WORK BY,
USING THE SKILLS AND VALUES THEY
BROUGHT FROM PLANTATION LIFE AND
JAPANESE CULTURE. THE PEOPLE OF
SHINMACHI CREATED THEIR OWN
FERTILE GROUND OF OPPORTUNITY
AND STABILITY.
AKIKO VO: IN 2016, THE SUGAR
INDUSTRY MADE ITS FINAL EXIT
FROM HAWAII. THE DESCENDANTS OF
THE HILO SHINMACHI ASSOCIATION
ARE STILL HERE, AND THEY
CONTINUE ON.