The House in Mill Camp: Pu‘unene, Maui

The House in Mill Camp

M E M O I R S of the S H I R A M I Z U F A M I L Y

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A T R I BU T E TO Masajiro and Koma Shiramizu

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Our Origin Story From Fukuoka, Japan to Pu‘unene, Maui

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This book is a tribute to a family rooted in Fukuoka and nurtured in the plantation fields of Pu‘unene—the lives and legacy of ‘Otosan’ Masajiro Shiramizu and ‘Okasan’ Koma (Shimomura) Shiramizu.

Since little can be unearthed about our enigmatic Shiramizu heritage, this pictorial is primarily focused on what we do know: the matrilineal Shimomuras.

In the early 1900s, Koma’s parents, Shigejiro and Tame Shimomura traveled from Japan to Hawai‘i seeking a better life. Years passed before they summoned 15-year-old Koma to join them. Less than two years later, she met and married Masajiro Shiramizu, coincidently also from Fukuoka. The couple raised six precocious children—three girls and three boys—while living in Mill Camp and laboring at the Sugar Mill in Pu‘unene.

A compilation of personal photos, accompanied by people’s stories from fading memories, and ambiguous history translated from ancient gravestones, this book is not intended to be factual documentation. Rather, the purpose of this memoir is to share the extraordinary Shiramizu family experience as they lived on the plantation. The love and caring instilled by Masajiro and Koma created a familial bond that will endure for generations to come.

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C O N T E N T S I

Early History in Japan | Page 4 • The Shimomura & Shiramizu Family Lineage • The Shimomura Clan

– Immigration From Japan to Hawai‘i – The Shimomura Kamon or Family Crest

II A Lasting Legacy | Page 12 • The Shiramizu Story – Memoirs and photos from the late 1910s to 1960s

III Remembering Mill Camp | Page 58 • Recalling Memories of Mill Camp – Sue Masue Lau – Mildred Shizue Watanabe – Harriet Tamiyo Nakayama – Pepper Tatsuki Shiramizu – Hiromi Shiramizu – Jimmy Fujio Shiramizu

IV Building a Life Together | Page 76 • Cherished Work by Koma • Furnishings by Masajiro V Snapshots in Time | Page 78 • The Following Generations • Closing Sentiments • Acknowledgements

Photo of Pu‘unene, Maui Sugar Mill, early 1900s.

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The Shimomura & Shiramizu

Sue ( Masue)

Family Lineage

Mildred (Shizue)

Masajiro Shiramizu Shigejiro Shimomura

Tame Nakamura

Harriet (Tamiyo)

Pepper (Tatsuki)

Koma Shimomura

Hiromi ( Mousie)

Jimmy (Fujio) 4

E A R L Y

Bunji Shimomura Take Yano

H I S T O R Y

Michael Lau Wade, Jason & Tamie Hondo

Alan Lau Corinne Kubota

Jonathan, Erin & Travis Lau

Jeffrey Watanabe Lynn Manildi

Michael, Molly, Katie & Bobby Watanabe

Lois Nakayama Rod Itatani

Emily Itatani

Apr. 5, 1894 — Sept. 26, 1982

Paula Nakayama Glenn Murakami (m. 1980s) Chuck Totto (current)

Elizabeth Murakami & Alec Totto

KOMA SHIMOMURA

Curtis Shiramizu Faith Tamura

Ty Shiramizu Robin Lore (1st son of Faith)

Carl Shiramizu

Caylie Shiramizu

Mildred Shizue Shiramizu Bob Watanabe

Aug. 4, 1901 — Mar. 16, 1987

Harriet Tamiyo Shiramizu Harry Nakayama

Pepper Tatsuki Shiramizu Sachiko Sumida

Hiromi Shiramizu Joan Togo

Buemon Shimomura

Jimmy Fujio Shiramizu Mae Hadano

Busaburo Shimomura

Megumi Shimomura Misao Uchida

Miriam Masami Shimomura Tommy Atsushi Seo

Elsie Junko Shimomura Manabu Kimura

Cheryl Shimizu

Neal Shiramizu Yuni Pak

Christopher & Sean Shiramizu Harold (1st son of Yuni)

Kevin Shiramizu Mike Kerkman

Rina Shiramizu

Carrie Shiramizu Marlon Wedemeyer

Lauren Wedemeyer

(m. 1988–d. 2005)

Lei Ann Shiramizu Tom Kleifgen Alane Shiramizu Dennis Moran (m. 1990) Phil Crocker (current)

Denise, Molly & Samantha Moran

Lillian Yuriko Shimomura Paul Kawamura Melvin Seo Joyce Kotake Aya Shimomura

Kinue Shimomura Shigeharu Kimura

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Thomas, Alex & Jennifer Lau

Christine Lau Mike Hondo

MASAJIRO SHIRAMIZU

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June Yooko Shimomura

Sue Masue Shiramizu Thomas Lau

Shigejiro Shimomura Tame Nakamura

J A P A N

David Shigeto Shimomura Yaeko

Lot Lau Ashley Stevens (m. 1972) Peggy Lau (current)

Ihei Shimomura Hirayama

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Yumiko Shimomura Masaaki Nishi Atsuko Shimomura Yusuke Ogawa

Naoto Yamada

Chio & Michihiro Yamada

Takashi Shimomura Nanae Morise

Kyohei, Daisaku, Shinta Ogawa

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THE

SHIMOMURA

CLAN

The first known ancestor of the Shimomura Clan, a samurai warrior named Sakon, hailed from Saga, Hizen, a southern province of Kyushu.

Widely respected, Sakon possessed the traits of a dignified character and a sharp mind.

He left Saga and traveled to Fukuoka to aid peasants suffering from famine, flood and other disasters in the surrounding area of Chikushi-gun by teaching efficient farming techniques. After a brief time, Sakon called his family to join him, and moved to Higashioda, Yasu-machi, Asakura-gun, a neighboring Fukuoka Prefecture. This took place in the Genwa Period (1615 – 1623 A.D.), during the Second Dynasty of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Sakon continued to spend much of his time helping farmers improve their methods and in turn, earned honors from the government for supporting those in need.

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E A R L Y

H I S T O R Y

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J A P A N

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Sakon died on March 15, 1652 at age 80, during the fifth year of the Keian Era. His son, Jiroemon succeeded him and continued his efforts in assisting the country folk. Zenroku, the 17th direct descendant in the lineage and most recent head of the Shimomura Clan, carried on the work of his predecessors.* Apparently, a fire destroyed many of the family records stowed in a Buddhist temple. As a result, large gaps exist in Shimomura history, primarily between Jiroemon, the second heir in the lineage, and Zenroku, the seventeenth heir.

Seven Shimomura families descended from Sakon still live in the Higashioda area, with the majority of the clan engaged in farming. Once a year, they host a reunion to commemorate their ancestry and to strengthen family ties.

*The above information is a rough translation by Bunji Shimomura, from words etched on a stone monument constructed during the early Meiji Era and found in the Shimomura Clan cemetery.

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The Shimomura Home

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The Shimomura home in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan. Photo taken in 1954.

E A R L Y

H I S T O R Y

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Tame Shimomura

Immigration from Japan to Hawai‘i Shigejiro and Tame Shimomura immigrated to Maui, Hawai‘i in 1902 from Fukuoka, leaving behind their two young children, Bunji and Koma. Four-year-old brother Bunji and oneyear-old sister Koma went separate ways — he, to live with Grandpa Ihei and she, to be raised by a foster mother. Eventually, Bunji moved in with cousin Katsutaro. When Koma reached school age, she joined the Goto family, relatives of her maternal grandmother.

Back in Maui, the Shimomura family grew with the birth of two more children: son Megumi and daughter Masami.

Upon Bunji’s completion of grammar school, Shigehiro and Tame wanted their two older children to make the journey from Fukuoka to Pu‘unene. However, Bunji and his foster parents thought it best to wait until after his high school graduation. So, in 1916 after he received his diploma, the two teenage siblings set off for Maui to reunite with their parents and meet their new family members.

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L e f t t o r i g h t : ( t o p r o w ) M a s a j i r o S h i r a m i z u, M e g u m i S h i m o m u r a , B u n j i S h i m o m u r a , a n d Dav i d S h i m o m u r a . ( b o t t o m r o w ) Ko m a S h i r a m i z u, M a s a m i S h i m o m u r a , Ta m e S h i m o m u r a , S u e M a s u e S h i r a m i z u, S h i g e j i r o S h i m o m u r a , H a r r i e t Ta m i yo S h i r a m i z u, M i l d r e d S h i z u e S h i r a m i z u, a n d Ta k e S h i m o m u r a , c . 1 9 2 6 .

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E A R L Y

THE SHIMOMURA

H I S T O R Y

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J A P A N

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KAMON

T h e S h i m o m u r a fa m i ly c r e s t i s a s s o c i at e d w i t h a n c i e n t a n d v e n e r a b l e h i s t o r y. O n e o f t h e t o p t e n m o ns u t i l i z e d by t h e wa r l o r d c l a ns , t h e S h i m o m u r a K a m o n f e at u r e s t h e d i s t i n c t i v e t h r e e - p r o n g e d l e a f o f t h e “ o m o d a k a , ” a f l o w e r i n g w at e r p l a n t t h at g r o w s i n p o n d s o r n e a r t h e e d g e s o f r i c e f i e l d s . Pat t e r n s b a s e d o n t h i s l e a f b e c a m e fa s h i o n a b l e d u r i n g t h e l at t e r pa r t o f t h e H e i a n p e r i o d a n d r e m a i n e d p o p u l a r t h o u g h the end of the Edo period (1600 - 1867 ad). One possible r e a s o n i s b e c a u s e t h e a lt e r n at e n a m e f o r t h e p l a n t i s “ s h o g u n s o” (v i c t o r y p l a n t ) , d u e t o i t s r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h e t i p o f a n a r r o w.

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A Lasting 12

Pepper, Jimmy & Hiromi

Legacy

The S H I R A M I Z U S T O R Y

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Masajiro Shiramizu and Koma Shimomura were married on January 18, 1919. Koma wore a beautiful traditional Japanese wedding kimono with her family's kamon.

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A

LASTING

LEGACY

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Born in Fukuoka, Japan in 1894, Masajiro Shiramizu immigrated to Maui, Hawai‘i in 1913 at age 19, accompanied by older brother Mataro. An older sister migrated to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a brother, Naonoshin, also ventured to Maui, but returned to Japan where he later passed away.

An enterprising sort, Mataro established a taxi company, hiring Masajiro to drive a cab.

Then, he opened a fish market in McGerrow Camp, Pu‘unene, supplying the surrounding area with fresh catch from the late 1930s through 1950s. Around the same time, Masajiro became a carpenter for the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S), building homes, storage areas, shops, and more, a job he held through the late 1950s. On the side, he made "ofuro," Japanese-style wooden bathtubs, for camp families looking for a soothing soak at the end of a long day in the fields.

Family members believe that Koma first met Masajiro as he drove a taxi, shuttling passengers from the Japanese boat in Kahului Harbor to the plantation. She was about 17; he around 24 when they married. Koma gave birth to baby girl Masue on July 31, 1920.

Five other children followed: Shizue, Tamiyo, Tatsuki, Hiromi, and Fujio.

Like other young migrant couples working for HC&S, Masajiro and Koma lived on the plantation. They struggled, doing their best on the meager pay of a carpenter and what little she brought in washing laundry for the single Filipino laborers. The fact that the sugar corporation provided company stores, hospitals and clinics, transportation, and most importantly housing and utilities for their employees helped immensely. Despite limited money, life on the plantation was simple and secure. Public schools and free recreational facilities also made it possible for a plantation family to live on minimum wages. In the words of youngest, "Jimmy" Fujio, “everyone was poor, so it didn’t matter… we were happy.”

The Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Mill in Pu‘unene, Maui.

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Masajiro and Koma Shiramizu with their first born child, Sue Masue, c. 1921.

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L A S T I N G

L E G A C Y

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Plantation Days The Model T family car and Masajiro's Waterfront Pass for the Port of Kahului. He would take passengers from the boat docked in Kahului Harbor to the Sugar Mill Plantation in Pu‘unene.

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1930-1940

The Shiramizu children with Koma Top row: Mildred (Shizue), Koma Shiramizu, Sue (Masue), and Harriet (Tamiyo).

Bottom row: Pepper (Tatsuki), Jimmy (Fujio), Hiromi, c. 1935.

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L A S T I N G

L E G A C Y

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Opposite page: Hiromi in front of their Mill Camp house with little brother Jimmy sitting on his tricycle.

Sister Harriet stood by with her ball, c. 1934.

Left photo: Big brother Hiromi took care of Jimmy as most older siblings were encouraged to do in the Shiramizu family.

Right photo: Koma loved spending time tending to her Honohono orchid plants. She spent much time working outside, and often had a pot of soybeans cooking on an outdoor stove, a treat for the family.

The Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. in Pu‘unene, Maui opened its Meat Market in 1926 to service the plantation community.

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Masajiro and Koma were hard working people. Masajiro did a variety of jobs including carpentry for people in the plantation community. Koma washed and ironed clothes for the single Filipino workers and the military men that worked at the Sugar Mill.

During World War II, each family in Pu‘unene had a "Victory Garden." The Shiramizu's garden was next to the Pu‘unene Theatre.

Masajiro grew all types of vegetables and was responsible for daily watering. The Shiramizu boys also helped water the garden.

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Tamiyo and Her Teammates

Pictured above is the “Three-Year Swim Club” girls team at the Camp 5 pool, March 1939, on the Pu‘unene Sugar Mill Plantation. Tamiyo Shiramizu (back row, third from left) was one of the "Sugar Ditch Kids" who trained intensely with Coach Soichi Sakamoto, along with other Japanese American students. Despite great odds, a few members of the team became international Olympians, shattering records and making headlines from L.A. to Nazi Germany. Pictured left is the irrigation ditch.

Courtesy of the Alexander and Baldwin Sugar Museum and The Three-Year Swim Club

by Julie Checkoway.

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1940-1950

Pepper was an outstanding quarterback at Baldwin High School on Maui, c. 1946.

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The Beautiful Shiramizu Sisters Left to right: Harriet, Mildred, and Sue each pursued a professional career and raised a family of successful children.

1948 Territory of Hawai‘i American Legion Baseball Champions.

Jimmy Shiramizu played 3rd base with his team from Maui (mostly from Pu'unene and Baldwin High School). They won the right to represent Hawai‘i at the National Quarter Finals in Ogden, Utah, and did well to make Maui proud of their accomplishment.

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Below: Koma and Masajiro stood next to their new 1948 Chevrolet with their grandson, Lot Lau.

Above: Koma and Masajiro shared family time with Megumi, Misao, Lillian, and their young nephew, Melvin Seo and his paternal grandparents, c. 1949.

Below: Masami (Miriam) Shimomura (Koma's younger sister) married Tommy Atsushi Seo. Their young son Melvin Seo is front and center, in the photo above.

Left: Many special occasions continued to bring family members together with the Shimomura, Shiramizu, and Seo family during the late 1940s and '50s.

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Left to right: Masajiro, Pepper, Koma, Jimmy, Harriet, and Hiromi Shiramizu stand in front of their home, c. 1947. Lot Lau is standing in front of Harriet.

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1950-1960

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Opposite page: Traditional New Year's Day feast with family and Hiromi's college friends, c. 1950. Koma stands next to Masajiro's brother Mataro Shiramizu, while Christine peeks out in front of her. Michael Lau and Jeffrey Watanabe clown around, while Hiromi and Masajiro look on from behind.

Below: Hiromi and Masajiro enjoyed a toast together!

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Clockwise: Koma embraced her grandchild Christine Lau, c. 1950; Mildred spent time with her niece Christine; Lot on his porch steps in Maui; Harriet with her niece Christine, c. 1948; Koma and Masajiro together as they visited their children.

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Left: Mildred's son, Jeffrey Watanabe with Koma and Masajiro in Pu‘unene, Maui, c. 1958.

Below: (Left to right) Mildred Watanabe, Masajiro, Koma, Sue, and Christine Lau in Maui, c. 1962.

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Hiromi visited his home in Mill Camp during college semester break. His cousin Lillian (Yuriko) Shimomura is in the background, c. 1950.

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Pepper and Hiromi both received their Bachelor's Degree in Socialogy from the University of Hawai‘i, 1952 Left to right: Pepper and Sachiko Shiramizu, Hiromi Shiramizu, Koma, and Masajiro Shiramizu.

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Pepper's first born son, Curtis Shiramizu is carried by Masajiro. Jimmy was home from college on a semester break and joins in on the picture, c. 1953.

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Curtis Shiramizu was born in 1952 and is Pepper and Sachiko’s first child. As a young couple, they would later have two more boys named Carl and Neal.

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Left: Masajiro and Koma, with lei in hand, stand in front of Bachman Hall on the University of Hawaii campus, awaiting Jimmy's graduation ceremony.

Right: Masajiro carries grandson, Curtis, while Koma stands with Harriet's daughter Lois after the ceremony.

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Jimmy received his bachelor's degree in Secondary Education at the University of Hawai‘i in 1954.

He later recieved his master's of Systems & Logistics Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio in 1967.

Left to right: (top row) Yaeko and David Shimomura, Jimmy Shiramizu, Harriet Nakayama, Sachiko Shiramizu; (bottom row) Bunji Shimomura, Masajiro Shiramizu, Curtis Shiramizu, Koma Shiramizu, and granddaughter, Lois Nakayama.

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Hiromi received his master's degree in Social Work at the University of Hawai‘i, 1956.

Left to right: Tatsuki Shiramizu, Mabel and Rinjiro Hadano, Lois Nakayama, Koma Shiramizu, Curtis Shiramizu, Hiromi Shiramizu, Masajiro Shiramizu, Bunji Shimomura, Take Shimomura, and Harry Nakayama.

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Hiromi was on U.S. Army active duty during the Korean War. While on leave from Korea, he visited Koma's birthplace in January 1954. He wanted to see his grandmother Tame Shimomura, Auntie Kinue Shimomura, and her 3-year-old daughter, Yumiko.

Hiromi's next visit was to be in 2019, 65 years later.

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Koma and Masajiro give their blessings to Jimmy and Mae, who were married in November, 1955.

Left to right: (top row) Pepper Shiramizu, Hiromi Shiramizu, Jeffrey Watanabe, Jimmy Shiramizu and bride, Mae (Hadano) Shiramizu, Mildred Watanabe, Bob Watanabe, Sue Lau, and Harry Nakayama; (bottom row) Curtis Shiramizu, Sachiko Shiramizu and young son, Carl Shiramizu, Christine Lau, Masajiro and Koma Shiramizu, Lois Nakayama, Harriet Nakayama, and Paula Nakayama.

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Junko Shimomura and Manabu Kimura's Wedding Day, c. 1955.

Left to right: Bunji Shimomura, Take Shimomura, Masajiro Shiramizu, Misao Shimomura, Koma Shiramizu, Lillian (Yuriko) Shimomura, bride Elsie (Junko) Shimomura, Manabu Kimura, Megumi Shimomura, Sue Lau, and Tommy Lau.

Sue Lau and Mildred Watanabe share sister time together, c. 1955.

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Left to right: Masajiro Shiramizu, Bunji Shimomura, Koma Shiramizu, Jimmy Shiramizu, Misao Shimomura, and Megumi Shimomura in Maui, c. 1957. The Shiramizus and Shimomuras loved beautiful orchid flowering plants.

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During the 1960s, Koma and Masajiro traveled to Oahu, the mainland, and Japan.

With camera in hand, Masajiro enjoyed taking photos of his family.

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1960-1970

Omiyage!

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Opposite page: Koma Shiramizu always brought "omiyage" (gifts and snacks) for family and friends when she flew inter-island or overseas to Japan.

Right: Koma visited her family and friends in Fukuoka, c. 1962.

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Koma and Masajiro had visited Jimmy's home in Washington state where he was stationed as a young U.S. Air Force pilot.

Left to right: Harriet Nakayama smiles while her daughter, Paula holds on to cousin Carrie. Koma looks at Masajiro and her granddaughter, Lei Ann, c. 1961.

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Left: In Tacoma, Washington, Koma watched over Carrie and Lei Ann as they rode their bikes.

Harriet lived in San Jose, California with her husband and two young daughters, Lois and Paula. Harriet and Lois still live in the same community today.

Below: Koma with granddaughters, Paula and Lois Nakayama in California, c. 1961.

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Koma and Masajiro looked quite westernized while traveling in California, c. 1963. Masajiro liked to wear a sports jacket and white hat .

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Top, clockwise: Sue Lau's second son Michael visited his grandparents and Uncle Jimmy; Koma, Harriet, Lois, Paula, and Carrie went sightseeing together; Lois, Koma, Masajiro, and Paula drove through Chandelier Tree Underwood Park, California; Masajiro, Carrie, and Koma enjoyed sightseeing in California, c. 1962.

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Left to right: (standing) Kinue Shimomura, Shigeharu Shimomura, Masajiro Shiramizu, (woman unknown); (seated) Koma Shiramizu and her mother, Tame Shimomura, Atsuko Shimomura and Yumiko Shimomura in Fukuoka, Japan c. 1964.

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The land surrounding the Shimomura family farm in Fukuoka, Kyushu, Japan was vast and beautiful. The Shimomura farmhouses can be seen in the background. Koma was happy to revisit the place where she was born and raised until she was 15 years old. Koma's younger hanai sister, Kinue, and her two children, Atsuko and Yumiko are pictured above.

Jimmy Shiramizu visited the Shimomura family in 1965.

(Left to right) Shigeharu Shimomura, Yumiko Shimomura, Jimmy Shiramizu, Atsuko and Kinue Shimomura.

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Koma visited her grandson, Lot Lau, while he was attending Stanford University. Koma and Harriet Nakayama with daughters Lois and Paula stand in front of the Memorial Chapel on Stanford's campus, c. 1961.

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Left: In 1962, Jimmy Shiramizu was stationed at Mather Air Force Base, Sacramento, California. Through the '60s and early '70s he was the lead pilot on many missions during the Vietnam War. Right: Masajiro sits in the cockpit of Jimmy's KC-135 Jet Refueling Stratotanker and smiles for the photographer.

Pepper and Sachiko Shiramizu traveled with their three sons to Sacramento, California to visit Jimmy and his family. Harriet and her family drove from San Jose to join them.

Left to right: (top row) Pepper Shiramizu, Harriet Nakayama, Lois Nakayama, Harry Nakayama, Jimmy Shiramizu, and Sachiko Shiramizu; (bottom row) Carl Shiramizu, Carrie Shiramizu, Paula Nakayama, Lei Ann Shiramizu, Curtis Shiramizu, and Neal Shiramizu, c. 1963.

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th

A N N I V E R SA RY C E L E BR AT I O N

The family celebrated Masajiro and Koma's 50th wedding anniversary at their Kahului home in 1969. Most of their grandchildren were able to attend.

Left to right: (top row) Alan Lau, Curtis Shiramizu, Neal Shiramizu, Paula Nakayama, Lois Nakayama, Christine Lau, and Lot Lau; (bottom row) Alane Shiramizu, Masajiro and Koma Shiramizu, Carrie Shiramizu, and Lei Ann Shiramizu.

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Family gatherings were always a special celebration.

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Recalling Memories of Mill Camp Masue's firstborn son, Lot Lau, wisely initiated a series of interviews with his mother and her siblings, to record their recollections and memories. By capturing personal reflections of Sue, Mildred, Harriet, Pepper, Hiromi, and Jimmy Shiramizu, he preserves a glimpse of what life was like in Mill Camp on Pu‘unene's Sugar Plantation during the 1930s, '40s and '50s.

Lot Lau, age 3

Remembering 58

Mill Camp

Harriet (Tamiyo), Mildred (Shizue), and Sue (Masue), early 1940s.

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Sue

MASUE LAU

Interview: October 11, 1982 | Lakewood, Colorado

LOT: What early memories would you like to record?

SUE: I was a sophomore in high school when my grandfather and grandmother decided to return to Japan because they had a property there.

Uncles Pepper and Hiromi both saw them there. I don’t remember if Uncle Fujio was able to see them.

I was born at home. My birth was assisted by a midwife. We lived in Mill Camp, near the mill at first. I remember well when Aunty Harriet was born there.

I remember midwife Kuwada coming to the house. I was in the eighth grade when we moved to the next house.

At Pu‘unene School, I had Miss Andrade for a first grade teacher. My second grade teacher was Mrs. Glick, a beautiful woman and wife of the Mill Engineer.

Evidently she must have thought I was smart because she moved me to third grade after one semester. Miss Yuen was my third grade teacher. She later married McGerrow, a name well known in Pu‘unene.

She was really strict. In the fourth grade we learned Hawaiiana and sang a lot. My teacher was Miss Ho, who later married Sakae Mukai. In fifth grade, I had Mrs. Johnson. I won a spelling bee in the fifth grade. I remember Mrs. Johnson scolding me in front of the class. She said, “Masue, I am ashamed of you. You are so good at spelling and arithmetic. Why don’t you like world history?”

I guess I just wasn’t interested. Till today, I don’t like world history.

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R E M E M B E R I N G

My sixth grade teacher was Tamotsu Omoto. I remember him coming to talk to my parents. He wanted to put me in the eighth grade. I think it was a mistake. When I went to high school, I was only twelve years old, just too young to be with the older kids. I used to hear, “Who’s that tiny baby coming to high school?”

I feel that if I had stayed with my regular class, I would have gone to college. (I would have been) mature enough to really work at it. But I did feel I had to go away to prepare myself, so I talked my mother into letting me go to cafeteria management school. At that time, we didn’t have money for me to go to college, but the reason why I think my parents didn’t do anything was because I didn’t know what I wanted.

I took business courses, not college prep, in high school. By the time I reached graduation I knew I didn’t want to stay at home and work in Kress or other store. So I told my parents that I wanted to go away to Honolulu. They didn’t want me to go because I was so young. But mother talked my father into letting me go to a cafeteria management class at McKinley.

I had to stay with a family, the Clevengers who lived on Lunalilo Street, as their maid. She taught me a lot of American cooking, baking ham, roasts, mashed potatoes. I didn’t have any money, so we used to go to Kapiolani Park to listen to the Royal Hawaiian Band, or to the beach. I remember the 1937 earthquake happened when I was at a UH dance. It was severe and panicked people.

M I L L

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LOT: What adventures, excursions, mishaps or funny tales that happened to you and/or your parents, brothers and sisters would you like to record?

SUE: Iao Valley was an excursion in my father’s Model T. One incident I remember was when we were on our way to a picnic and my sweater flew away. My father got so angry that he just turned the car around and went home. My grandfather grew ferns, so my family would go gather them in Iao. (At this point, Jennifer had been listening attentively, but interrupted to ask, “Grandma, how old will you be when I am 12?” Grandma said, “I don’t want to tell you how old I will be. I’m going to stay young forever.”)

My father was a sumo wrestler. Because he didn’t have boys in those days, he would take me along to march around the sumo ring.

"My father’s brother had a few cars, so he was a cab driver when he first came to Maui."

I didn’t like cafeteria management, so I enrolled in night business school that used to be across Punahou School.

Before I finished the cafeteria management, I was offered a position in Keokea School in Kula. Then I moved to Makawao School where I met (Tommy Lau).

LOT: What family stories would you like to tell? Try to identify places, dates and names in each story.

SUE: My mother said she had a hard life as a foster child.

She grew up with Dorothy Yasuoka’s family.

My father’s brother had a few cars, so he was a cab driver when he first came to Maui. His father was a gambler. I don’t know how my parents met, but they did live in McGerrow Village.

I think he moved to Hawai‘i around the age of 19.

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Mildred

S H I Z U E WATA N A B E

Interview: March 7, 2007 | Honolulu, Hawai‘i

LOT: What early memories would you like to record?

MILDRED: We used to do a lot of swimming at the ditch across Pu‘unene School. I used to babysit Uncle Hiromi, and my mother used to say, “If you don’t take Hiromi, you can’t go swimming.” He was about 2 then. I was 9. Those days were so different from now. I would never let a 9-year-old take a 2-yearold anywhere now. I used to tell him, “You sit down here and don’t move.” And many kids drowned in that ditch. My mother must have trusted me. Uncle Hiromi was a very good baby.

I don’t remember ever having a problem with him. So, when I was through, I’d pick him up and go home and feed him.

We used to look for mangoes, because the trees around our place were too young (to bear fruit.) We used to go by the haole camp by the post office. We went during the day and picked up the fruit from the ground.

I remember, for some reason, being the only one to go to the meat market. Your mother and Aunty Harriet never had to go.

One thing stuck in my mind up to my adult years. We go in the store, and the guy could be taking my order, but if the haole wife, the big boss’s wife came in, you just step back, and they wait on her first. I used to think, why do we have to do that?

It bothered me.

I went to the post office to pick up our mail and my grandfather’s mail and dropped it off to him at the warehouse.

I loved to do it because every time he would give me 10 cents.

I don’t remember what his first name was anymore. They lived in McGerrow Camp, we lived in Mill Camp. Grandpa’s brother who was in the U-Drive business lived in McGerrow Camp.

He’d rent U-Drive cars to factory reps who were visiting.

Those days, the kids who were extra skinny used to have cod liver oil and milk every day from the teacher, and the plantation paid. I had 8 years of that. Your mother and Aunty Harriet didn’t have to because they were roly-poly when they were young. My mom gave me salt to (chase) the cod liver oil.

Uncle Bobby (and Uncle Puukolii) were gamblers those days.

During the time your father was in the hospital your mother 62

used to tell me that “Uncle Bobby made money today.” He always gave your mother money. She told me that she’ll never forget because she was having a hard time.

LOT: What family stories would you like to tell?

Try to identify places, dates, and names in each story.

MILDRED: In those days, the plantation used to deliver kiawe wood for us to use in the furo. One time, when the wood came, Uncle Pepper, you know him, he was the oldest and the pet, told the two younger boys to bring the wood in. Grandma saw that and said, “You go help the boys.” He made a sassy remark, so Grandma went like this (pinching her cheek). And he said, “Oh the good feeling, try do it again.” Grandma said she couldn’t help laughing because he was such a character.

Speaking of Uncle Pepper being the oldest of the boys: When the three brothers reached the age where they all drove, because Uncle Hiromi and Fujio kind of ran around together, they would clean and wash the family car because they were going out that night. Uncle Pepper would be in the house resting and the minute the 2 boys go to the shower to get ready, Uncle Pepper would jump on the car and leave.

I remember how upset the boys were, but apparently no one said anything because Uncle Pepper was never disciplined.

After all, Uncle Pepper was the fourth child but first son and in an oriental family especially, that was quite a tradition to have boys in the family.

LOT: What adventures, excursions, mishaps or funny tales that happened to you and/or your parents, brothers, and sisters would you like to record?

MILDRED: Every Sunday we went to my Grandma’s house for dinner. When we came home, she always gave us an orange or something. Grandma used to tell me the story that your mother would beg to let her eat the orange. But Grandma would say, “No, you just had dinner. Wait till tomorrow.” But your mom would pester Grandma, and Grandma would say, “Look at your sister, she doesn’t say anything, she doesn’t bother (me).” Then I threw the rind away after quietly sucking out the orange.

We had an open car Model T Ford convertible (probably the touring car). Every 4th July Uncle Megumi would come over to help Grandpa work on the car, then after they were through, they would go to the polo game in Hailimaile. This was a yearly ritual.

The plantation also sent a visiting nurse around. We didn’t pay rent for the house. Every family could have a room added to the house for (an expanded family). They planted and

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maintained the hibiscus bushes around the house. We had a free hospital and dispensary. We weren’t fearful of the plantation. The Filipino men around our house were very nice.

We never had problem with them. We used to go next door to watch every time they roasted a pig. And grandma used to take in laundry for them. That’s one of the reasons that no matter what time we got up in the morning, Grandma would be ironing laundry that she took in to help the household financially.

Because grandpa was a carpenter, he made a toilet in the house. Other people only had an outhouse. That was quite a change because we didn’t have to go outside in the middle of the night.

Growing up, sometimes we mixed up languages and didn’t give it a thought. My father got confused sometimes thinking a word was English. He used to tell us, “Don’t go by the alanui (big road). There are too many cars there. I used to think it was a Japanese word. I found out later that was a Hawaiian word. Hawaiian was used mixed up with Japanese. One summer, Grandpa and Grandma visited the Nakayama’s in San Bernardino. Lois and Paula would run outside and leave the door open. Grandpa said, “Hana pa‘a (close) the door,“and the girls wondered, “What is grandpa saying?"

Grandpa had his moments, quick-tempered. Grandma told me the story of my father getting into a fight and tearing his silk shirt. He took it to a neighbor, Mrs. Hatanaka, to be mended.

The neighbor called and asked what to do. Grandma just asked her to bring’em back.

Towards the end, when I would visit him at Kuakini, he always said “Your mother was such a good person.” I think he regretted being hard on her and the family.

LOT: What do you cherish most about where and when you grew up?

MILDRED: In spite of no money, I don’t think we were unhappy. I feel like I had everything I wanted. I know we in Pu‘unene were struggling, but I don’t remember feeling that somebody had more than we because our parents were so good to us. Grandma was one of the greatest people. I don’t remember wishing I had something.

The different kids in camp always seemed like they had much much more, but I never felt deprived. Do you know of all the families in the (Mill) camp, our family was the only one that all the kids went to high school? After 8th grade, most just went to work in the plantation. Grandpa was adamant about the

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boys going to school; he wasn’t so about the girls because they had families to raise, but when the boys were at the university, plantation had a strike. I went to him and offered help. He said, “I’m okay, but I’ll let you know.” But (despite the hard times) he couldn’t stop smoking. So, he would cut the regular cigarette in half and use a holder.

I cherished the closeness of the family. I never had to go to a friend because I had a problem. I always had my mother.

Before your mother died and now with Aunty Harriet, I talk to her 2-3 times a week.

With 6 children in the family, someone always had a cold or plain running nose. Grandpa always watched, and the minute he noticed someone was bothered with those symptoms, he piled us on his Model T Ford to go to Kahului Beach for a swim. Grandpa’s belief was that all the salt water unknowingly swallowed cleared the cold symptoms. If I remember correctly, it did. Thus swimming at Kahului Beach was pretty often.

LOT: Achievements, accomplishments, contributions you would like to record.

MILDRED: I had no special training after high school. I was lucky because after I left Fuller (O’Brien), I had learned a lot of things there. I used to be sent to San Francisco for training, and the girls there would say, “I wish you would come more often because that’s the only time they take us out for lunch.”

I went to City & County because they had a retirement plan.

Fuller was a good company, but they had no retirement plan.

I worked for them 12 years. I was told there was a buyer opening and I showed up for the exam. I hesitated because I had to take a big pay cut, but I thought I had to sacrifice because of the benefits I will have upon retirement from the City and County. Although my first job at the City was as a buyer, I was later approached by Barry Chung, Prosecutor that an administrative assistant position was available in his office and since I qualified, he offered me the position. That was a nice promotion for me salary-wise. I went through a total of four Prosecuting Attorneys until my retirement in 1984.

LOT: Other information, advice, or recollections you would like to record?

MILDRED: I remember after Japanese school, some of the boys would hide by the hibiscus bush and say they would give the girls licking. My mother, who knew what they were doing, would come out and say, “What you boys doing here?

Get going!"

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Harriet T A M I Y O

N A K A Y A M A

Interview: May 15, 2019 | San Jose, California

LOT: What early memories would you like to record?

HARRIET: I recall, there was a period of time when there was always a Shiramizu brother playing sports at the high school.

When Fujio left Baldwin, there was a nice article in the paper that read, “Thus ends the saga of the Shiramizu brothers.” It was very complimentary, recounting the athletic and academic accomplishments of my three brothers. Many years later, I ran into someone who asked where I was from and what my maiden name was. When I told him, he asked if I was related to the famous Shiramizu brothers. I was very proud of my brothers’ accomplishments and happy to be recognized as being related to them.

On December 8, 1941, the principal of my school—I think his name was Acklin—called an assembly and told the student body that the country was at war. Later, I was walking down the hallway and called to my friend Emmaline, who was Chinese. I kept calling her, but she kept on walking, and when I caught up to her I asked why she didn’t stop. Emmaline turned to me and said, “Don't talk to me. You are my enemy.” After awhile, the principal called another assembly where he reminded us that we were all in it together… this helped. Emmaline eventually started talking to me but never mentioned or apologized for what she had called me. There were other neighbors, Filipino and Portuguese, who also stopped talking to our family. Mother and father got together and discussed the behavior of neighbors and people who they thought were their friends, but agreed to just bear it — that there was nothing to be done about it.

Uncle Bunji (grandma’s brother) was principal of the Japanese school and was interned after December 7. But, Mr. Kaiser intervened and vouched for him and he was released. Because no Japanese schools were allowed, he then worked in the grocery store.

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When I was in elementary school, I had a teacher who was an exchange teacher from the mainland who couldn't pronounce my given name, so she decided that my name would be Harriet.

I started at Wailuku High School, and then Baldwin opened and the students and parents helped move the furniture and boxes from one high school to the other.

I learned to drive in the Model A on a deserted airfield, which was where everybody learned to drive. I had to remove the front seat of the car to start it.

I remember I made my clothes, including my dress for the junior prom. All the students had to wear gas masks to the prom, as we had to carry them everywhere.

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LOT: What do you cherish most about where and when you grew up?

HARRIET: My parents always expressed how grateful they were to have such wonderful children. My mother was wonderful, she could explain things so well to me that it all made sense. I wanted to go to college but mother explained to me why it was necessary for me to work and for my brothers to go to college—it all made sense. Mother was so kind that she made everything better.

I became close to Sue because when we were teenagers, Shizue wouldn't let me accompany her and her friends. Sue always told me I could come along with her and her friends.

We always had a dog named Buster because father loved dogs.

Alan Lau was so rascal that when Grandma’s friends were visiting her, he would mix mud and put it in their shoes on the porch.

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PEPPER TAT S U K I S H I R A M I Z U Interview: June 29, 2007 | Honolulu, Hawai‘i

LOT: What early memories would you like to record?

PEPPER: My fondest memory of my youth was the house that I grew up and lived in for so many years. It was a typical plantation house, three bedrooms, a living room, and a family room. However, we did not have any inside toilet at first. We had an outhouse and a bathhouse which my father built. He was a carpenter, so he really fixed up our house, including building a bathhouse for my three sisters. All the neighbors used a camp bathhouse, but my father did not want my sisters there. I remember my Mother washing laundry for the Filipino laborers who did not have spouses. My father raised chickens so that we could have eggs for breakfast and my favorite chicken hekka for dinner. This house was not our first home. My first recollection is of a different house 3-4 streets away next to a family named Funayama, good friends of my parents.

Our home that I grew up in was located near the congregational church, the English school and the Japanese language school. So, we were fortunate because we didn’t have to walk long to go to school. We went to the congregational church since my uncle was a lay minister. My father and mother were members of a Buddhist church located 3 or 4 streets away from our home.

I thought I was a pretty good student at Pu‘unene grammar school. I remember my teacher wanted to promote me to a higher grade. My parents objected to this since my sisters Mildred and Sue had also jumped grades and my parents felt they were too young and immature to face the challenges of society. They were more comfortable with their children graduating with peers of their age.

When I went to high school, I thought I was a good student until I began to play sports. Playing took a lot out of me, and my grades started to go downhill. I remember getting a call from the University of Hawai‘i asking whether I would be interested in playing there. I declined because I thought I was too small to play football. I also wanted to join the service following high school graduation. I volunteered after graduation and served in Japan as a member of the occupation forces. I was fortunate to be stationed near my grandmother in Fukuoka. I saw her several times, met my relatives and buried my grandfather’s ashes.

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Many of my good memories are about my mother. She was such a wonderful mother, always cheerful, positive and loving.

I always hoped I would grow up to be like her, caring for others, giving of herself and being positive even though it was difficult to raise kids during that time. She always stressed education and I still can’t believe that she sent 3 boys to college with the meager pay my father received from the plantation. She did a good job in raising all her children.

Growing up in the plantation, life I thought, was a pretty good life. We had a free home, free schooling, and medical care.

There wasn’t too much stress for the children, but my parents must have had a stressful life, with so many kids and so few dollars. The haole executives were pretty nice since they were well educated. My standard joke to my friends is that I thought all the haole’s first names were “Mister.” I found out different when I came to Honolulu.

My nickname “Pepper” was given to me by a person named Tanaka, an older guy who lived in Pu‘unene and who was a sports buff. He named me after a baseball player called Pepper Martin who was a star for the St. Louis Cardinals.

LOT: What do you cherish most about where and when you grew up?

LOT: What family stories would you like to tell? Try to identify places, dates, and names in each story.

PEPPER: While we were growing up in Pu‘unene, we did not spend much leisure time with our parents. They were too busy making a living and caring for us, so we mostly played with our friends and siblings. I don’t recall too much of my sisters Mildred and Sue since they were out of the house when we were in our teens. I remember going to McGerrow Camp to visit our relatives, the Shiramizus and Shimomuras. I remember spending summers in Puukolii in West Maui. My uncle was principal of a Japanese school in Puukolii, and I guess my mother sent me there to discipline me since I must have been a rascal. I remember my father’s look when I did something wrong. My mother always tried to protect me from my father, but I guess she couldn’t at times, because I remember getting spanked by my father a number of times.

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PEPPER: I must give credit to my parents for what I am today, especially my good sides. They gave me love, support, and encouragement to make me persevere through life’s ups and downs. You do not realize the influence our parents have until you get to their age and understand what they went through to raise a family, especially during those difficult years.

I think a lot about my biggest regret in life, that I couldn’t take care of my parents when both got sick. We had our own family to take care of, but I feel I should have done more for them, in return for all the years they cared for us. Both ended up in a care home. They must have been hurting because they couldn’t see their children and grandchildren. I hope my parents, wherever they are, realize that their love and teachings have helped us live our lives. They should be proud for giving us a good foundation to raise our own families.

My own future plans are for my wife and I to continue to travel and see as many places as we can.

LOT: What adventures, excursions, mishaps, or funny tales that happened to you and/or your parents, brothers, and sisters would you like to record?

PEPPER: During the war years, 1941 to 1945, we were asked to work in the cane fields to help the war effort. Since many young men were at war, the plantation needed workers. I worked on weekends with fellow students. The supervisors were usually grammar school or high school teachers. I was fortunate to have my high school basketball coach as my luna.

He gave me the easiest job and the best pay. One summer, I went to Lanai to pick pineapples. That was a tough job. My mother did not want me to go. She had a feeling that I would not be a good worker. She was right. I came back from Lanai in a month and a half when I should have stayed three months.

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HIROMI "MOUSIE" SHIRAMIZU Interview: March 15, 2007 | Honolulu, Hawai‘i

LOT: What early memories would you like to record?

MOUSIE: I think my family life was kind of simple and uneventful. We were a typical plantation family. Father was a carpenter. Mother was a housewife.

We used to do a lot of activities, kind of confined to the camp and the playground in the schoolyard about a quarter mile away doing our own thing. Those days we got a ball, other makeshift items and made do. During the summer, the church had a daily vacation bible school for young kids, and we used to do craft work which I enjoyed very much. I think even as I grew older, my interest in craft work seemed to carry over by me getting involved in minor carpentry work around the house.

Father just cautioned us to be careful about using his sharp tools, chisels and such. He never discouraged us about cutting wood or using the hammer and saw. Maybe I was influenced by what he was doing. It’s hard to say. Perhaps by watching him do certain things, I found it enjoyable and picked it up.

We used to really look forward to the annual Christmas program at the Pu‘unene Congregational Church. They gave us packages with apples, Christmas candy, and I don’t remember what else. This was a big treat for us, and to see the decorations was a bonus.

I remember vividly Mother getting up early every morning and making lunch for my father — bento and brewing coffee. There was a strong coffee smell. I enjoyed getting up, sitting by the kitchen door and smelling the coffee. I was always impressed

by Mother’s warm feelings toward the children. She was always very supportive and had nice things to say about people.

I think I learned quite a bit from her about relationships. Father, on the other hand, was a strict disciplinarian. I saw him as someone who made sure we toed the line, especially the boys, 68

giving us an occasional conk on the head. We were somewhat afraid of him. I was not happy when he got drunk. He would throw things around and say very nasty things to Mother. That influenced me in the way that I thought I would never treat my family in that manner when I grew up. And limit my alcohol intake. He was mainly the provider and we didn’t have a close relationship as youngsters. But our relationship with Mother was very special. I used her as a role model in judging other people. It’s not fair, of course, but Mother was a very special person. I always think of her.

I sometimes felt we didn’t have some of the things to have a full rich life. I used to enjoy Andy Hardy movies, with Mickey Rooney. They had a nice big white house, nice cars, and dressed nicely. I was envious of that, and maybe that’s why I have a white house now. I remember coming home from a movie, and Mother was in the room ironing clothes for the Filipino workers. She was working hard, ironing the stiff fully starched pants. It was discouraging to me to see her working so hard. I asked her, “Why can’t we move elsewhere? Why can’t we have our own house and live in a better place?” I don’t know exactly what she said. She gave me a reasonable answer, and kids being kids, it passed. Andy Hardy movies remind me that there was a better life for material things. But we managed and moved on. I did think it wasn’t fair for me to be pressing my parents to better our lives because I knew they were doing the best they could to provide for us.

We were not too close to Father’s brother because we didn’t socialize much. He came to visit occasionally at the end of the day, and they would get drunk together. One good thing was because he was drunk, he couldn’t drive home and Mother would tell me, at 13 or 14, to drive the car to McGerrow Camp.

And, that’s the way I learned to drive. I had to go back home via the cane fields, and it was dark and spooky. I ran really fast

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through the cane fields. I looked forward to my uncle’s coming in spite of the usual chaos.

When the war started, there were inspections by so-called “boy scout groups,” consisting mainly of Portuguese and Filipino boys. They would search the houses for short wave radios and look for other enemy items. I know they used to steal valuables, but in those days, we knew better than to complain. We lived with the threat of going to a relocation camp and didn’t want to be subject to that.

As kids, we used to smoke the dry fern root at our house.

Kids don’t mention that these days. Father used to smoke bull durham. When we knew he wasn’t around, we used to smoke his tobacco playing around. I was 10-12 years old. The fern was hot and porous. You could just get a few puffs.

We went to the movie theater occasionally. It cost about 15 cents. When the movie was ready to start, they would pull chains to close up the sides. The middle part of the theater was reserved for haoles, the supervisors. They had white sheets over those seats. The show would never start until they knew the haoles had sat down in their seats. It was accepted as part of life, when you look at it, it was the way society was structured, peons and bosses. We weren’t resentful. That was how life was and you accepted it.

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a nurse, haole lady, ama-san, to check us. We were generally healthy. Fujio used to get into trouble with broken bones and stuff, but mostly, we were healthy.

We had an outdoor toilet. We only had newspapers to wipe.

I’m sure it (okole) was black from all the ink, but nobody looked.

At night when we were young, instead of going all the way to the toilet, the boys used to urinate from the porch because there was something scary over there. Next morning there would be puddles on the ground and Mother would be very upset. The indoor toilet was installed sometime when we were in high school. That was an advantage to Father being a carpenter. I didn’t know anybody else who had indoor toilet at that time. He also made our beds and furniture.

LOT: What adventures, excursions, mishaps, or funny tales that happened to you and/or your parents, brothers, and sisters would you like to record?

MOUSIE: We didn’t travel anywhere except occasionally visiting relatives in Puukolii in Father’s Model T. We visited my maternal uncle, Uncle Bunji, quite a distance to travel in those days. (David Shimomura, June S. Arizumi’s father.) That was quite

"We went to the movie theater occasionally. It cost about 15 cents.

When the movie was ready to start, they would pull chains to close up the sides. The middle part of the theater was reserved for haoles, the supervisors."

We didn’t have phones in the house. The only phone was in the camp fish market. We made do all that time. I don’t remember exactly, but it was in the ''40s, after the war, when a phone was installed.

LOT: What family stories would you like to tell? Try to identify places, dates, and names in each story.

MOUSIE: We listened to the radio as youngsters.

I remember enjoying “The Shadow” once a week. There was also a program called “Everybody’s Hour” from Honolulu with amateur singers. It was everybody’s favorite. Eventually, Father and Mother got their own radio, and they listened to Japanese programs in their bedroom. Later, the older kids weren’t as much interested in the radio and did their own thing, so there were no disagreements about what to listen to.

The plantation delivered kiawe wood to the houses. It was the boy’s job to bring the kiawe wood in and cut into small pieces (for the furo and sentaku fires.) We used the regular carpenter saw, and it wasn’t easy. I remember iceman deliveries. Scrap wood wasn’t as effective as kiawe. I don’t remember if we had to pay for kiawe and ice deliveries. We had regular visits by 69

LOT: What do you cherish most about where and when you grew up?

MOUSIE: We had a reasonably good life. I have absolutely no regrets. We had and have a good family and good siblings.

We have accomplished more than the average family in Mill Camp. We have something to be very proud of. I look back to my life with a lot of fond memories.

an adventure at that time because the Lahaina Pali road was long and winding. You could look over the side and see the ocean. It was scary. I was in kindergarten and first grade.

I really enjoyed going to the pool during the summer in Camp 5. I spent every day at the pool. I remember swimming in the morning, coming back for lunch and then going back. We used to cut short through the cane fields. There was a pigpen there, but the smell didn’t bother us. We went barefooted. There was no such thing as buying lunch, so if you wanted to eat, you had to go home. We played ball at the park. We did these things on our own, without adult supervision.

I looked forward to going to the County Fair. Mother used to give 50 cents for the day. We would go, walk home lunchtime, eat lunch then go back again. We thought nothing of going back and forth. I used to compare that to how much Kevin used to spend at the Iolani Fair.

There was a mango tree by the back porch planted by Father.

One day, the three boys were all swinging back and forth on a branch and the thing broke. I don’t remember if somebody got hurt. We were really scared about how Father would react. He was very angry because the tree gave good mangoes and was his pride and joy.

A severe stroke suffered by Mother had a very significant effect on my parents and the family. She used to do practically everything around the house and this was after they moved to their new home in Kahului. The recovery was an arduous process but with the dedicated and loving care by Shizue, Mother recovered sufficiently. It was a very difficult situation for Father as he now had to do a lot of things that he wasn’t accustomed to. Eventually, that caused an emotional breakdown on his part that led to the decision to have each live separately for the rest of their lives. It was very sad but unavoidable.

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I cherish the family support; I think the siblings got along well. It was Mother who held everything together and made life pleasant for us. For example, I struggled my first year of college. My grades were 1.7 for the first semester. I wasn’t disciplined and focused and I knew it was a financial burden on my parents. I told Mother maybe I should quit and join the army and get the GI bill and start all over. She told me to try, don’t give up, things will get better and don’t worry about financial problems. That encouraged me to go back to school, determined to do better, and my grades improved from then on. It would have been easy for her to say, “OK, do whatever you want.” She knew the value of education and had confidence that I could do it. It very strongly influenced my life. Father never verbalized anything about education. It never occurred to me to go to him. If I had to speculate, I think he would have said, “Do what you want to do.” I do believe that even though he didn’t verbalize it, he wanted us to do well in life. And that influenced us to do our best and to succeed in life. And we have largely fulfilled the expectations of both Father and Mother.

LOT: Achievements, accomplishments, and contributions you would like to record. Try to identify places, dates, and names. A chronology of your life would be welcome. Your education, places visited, special adventures recalled would be welcome.

MOUSIE: In my way growing up, I felt I was not afraid to be a leader, to organize and to take charge. It gave me the strength and will to go forward and accomplish things. I don’t think I contributed anything significant to the family, community, or camp. My contribution would be that I was able to accomplish things that reflected positively on the Pu‘unene community.

My joining the service, becoming an officer is a carryover from not being afraid to be in charge and doing what needed to be done. Military life taught me the importance of leadership and taking care of subordinates, which carried over into my civilian life to advance myself and take on responsibilities. I think I have accomplished as much as I could have.

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Growing up, we shared very little with Father. He seemed only mildly interested in our activities and was more into shogi and tending to his garden. However, as he and we grew older, he seemed to enjoy our company more and conversed more often about things occurring in our lives. When I was vacationing on Maui and already working, I came down with the flu bug and was very sick for about two weeks. Father insisted that I go to the doctor and willingly offered to drive me. He did that for two straight days making sure that I was there at the appointed time. During the two weeks that I was mainly bed-bound, Father showed a compassionate side that I had never known before and my attitude and feeling towards him changed a great deal after that experience.

LOT: Other information, advice, or recollections you would like to record.

MOUSIE: As Father and Mother grew older, they increasingly looked forward to our visits from Honolulu. They were especially delighted when Kevin was born and came to visit as a young boy. We took them shopping, visited old friends and just went sightseeing. It was nice to spend time with them but it was quite difficult when it was time to say goodbye. I guess when one gets older, he or she is of the mindset that they may go at any time and won’t see their loved ones again. But they were comforted by our repeated assurances that we’d be back at the earliest opportunity.

The Model T car held a special fascination for me. I marveled at how the thing operated and got us to places we would not have gone otherwise. I watched Father closely on how he operated the thing, using various contraptions and pedals.

When I was in my teens and had a driver’s license, I asked Father if I could drive it and, to my surprise he said OK but to be careful. I already knew how the Model T operated, having observed Father on numerous occasions. Turn on the ignition, put on the hand brakes, set the spark and gas handles, crank the engine with a bit of choke and it was supposed to start. Three pedals (clutch, brake and reverse) and the gas lever on the handle were used to operate the car. You press the clutch in to go and, after a while, let it go to put it into cruising gear. It was really fun. One time when Fujio and I were driving back from Kahului, we suddenly heard a grinding sound and saw a tire heading toward the cane field. The front right tire had come off and we were riding on the rims. Well, we retrieved the tire, put on the spare and went home. When we told Father about it, we expected an angry reaction but, to our surprise, he laughed and said he’d fix the tire. Father had

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indeed come a long way and seemed to no longer look at us simply as the three kolohes.

LOT: Additional Remembrances MOUSIE: Across the street from our house was a camp of houses for single Filipino workers. There were probably 3 or 4 men living in each house. They were generally quiet, kept to themselves and we noticed them in the afternoons, sitting on the porch, chain smoking, socializing and watching passersby.

Their lives would have made interesting studies, being single, away for many years from their families in a far-away land and living only with men. Their social life seemed limited although there were activities at the Filipino clubhouse up the street.

Early every Sunday morning, without fail, we could hear their band playing. Filipinos enjoyed dancing, singing, and dressing up. I’m not sure if there were women dancing partners, but we heard stories that ladies of the night regularly made their rounds at the Filipino camps on paydays.

The Filipinos were very hard workers and did most of the dirty work in the cane fields. No doubt, the plantations could not have survived without them, especially in the earlier days when much of the fieldwork was done by hand. As kids, we kept our distance from the Filipino singles mainly because of rumors that they had violent tempers and were quick to use their pocket knives or cane knives when angry. This caused concern about Mother who did laundry for a few of them and she had to go by herself to the houses pushing her little wagon. But she did not seem worried and in fact, had kind words about their behavior and promptness in paying their laundry bills.

Maybe the rumors were not true.

Labor on the plantations was generally divided along racial lines. The Filipinos worked the fields; the Japanese were carpenters, mechanics, plumbers, mill hands; the Portuguese drove trucks, ran the trains, operated the heavy equipment, were most of the lunas (supervisors), and the haoles were the big bosses. There were only a few Chinese, Koreans or Hawaiians on the plantation. One haole that stood out in my memory was “Chu Baldwin,” the plantation manager. He was well-liked and respected. He freely associated with everyone, treated everyone well and had a special interest in baseball.

So, the better players on the company baseball team enjoyed higher-paying jobs on the plantation. Even if he was partial to the ballplayers, Chu Baldwin was a rare enlightened haole boss during a time of separate social and economic levels on the plantation.

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JIMMY FUJIO SHIRAMIZU Interview: July 1, 2007 | Honolulu, Hawai‘i

LOT: What early memories would you like to record?

JIMMY: I have many good and bad memories of my childhood days while living in Pu‘unene, Maui. I was considered “kolohe” (rascal) and “gasa-gasa” (restless) when I was a youngster because I did many mischievous and reckless things while I was growing up.

I broke my ankle when I was about four years old trying to jump from the mango tree in our yard. A few years later, I broke my left wrist while falling from a tree near the Japanese School. All these things I did when my parents told me not to. My father was so mad at me for disobeying his orders that instead of being sympathetic, he hit me saying “bakatare” after I broke my arm. What made it worse was when my father was taking me to the hospital, Pepper told me that it’s going to hurt when the doctor resets the fracture and that they were going to operate on me. I cried all the way to the hospital. I never did learn anything from that experience because about a year later, I jumped on Morio Takahashi’s bicycle while he was riding it and caught my big toe in between the spokes and almost cut it off.

Another unpleasant memory I recall was when “Buster” our dog got run over by a vehicle and died. If I recall I was only about 3 or 4 years old when we had already moved into the house in Alabama Camp from another house closer to the sugar mill. We were on the only paved road in the camp. Buster was a big friendly poi dog and I loved him dearly. He used to chase after the cars and buses every time one passed by our home. I used to worry about him getting hit. Sure enough, he got run over by a bus. It was a sad day for everyone in our family.

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After a while, I wanted another dog but my parents wouldn’t get one, so Mr. Ogata, a teacher at Pu‘unene Japanese School, let me play with his dog named “Bingo.” Bingo became my buddy and followed me wherever I went and even followed me to school. We were so close that my mother told me that Bingo got the mumps from me when I had mumps. I also befriended Mr. Ogata who used to take me to the Kihei beaches like Kalama Beach Park to catch “puhi” (eel) for bait.

As I grew older, I remember going to Pu‘unene Elementary School and the Japanese School doing fun things. This was one of the best times of our lives because we had a lot of freedom. We went to Pu‘unene School to play softball, touch football, basketball, and other games. The Japanese School was closed when the U.S declared war against Japan. The school was made into an army camp. The principal and his wife (Mr. and Mrs. Maehara) were sent to the relocation camp on the mainland. As I recall the Buddhist minister (Reverend Miura) and his family were also sent to camp. The community families were very sad to see them go.

One of the few Japanese educators who was not sent away was Uncle Bunji Shimomura (my mother’s older brother) who lived in Puukolii near Lahaina. He was a Japanese school principal, but he was also a devout Christian so the influential Caucasian people who lived in Puukolii vouched for him. The school was shut down, but he worked for the sugar plantation as a laborer (poison gang) until the war was over. After the war, he moved to Oahu.

The war started when I was in the fourth grade. The thing I remember the most about the war was that we had to carry gas masks wherever we went. We would have periodic drills where everyone would have to wear the masks while simulating an air raid. At home we had blackouts where we could not show any lights at night. We also had a bomb shelter at home.

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they wouldn’t be mistaken for Japanese. When we went to the movies, at times we would be called derogatory names like “Jap.” Most of our classmates of different nationalities were nice to us because we knew them as friends. We generally got along well and continued to play together at school and out of school.

When I was in the sixth grade, I got my English name, Jimmy, from Soichi Sakamoto, who became a world-famous swimming coach and ended up as a swimming coach at the University of Hawai‘i. He told me one day while we were in class, “You should have an English name…from now on your name is Jimmy.” Later, I had it legalized.

Speaking of names, my nickname “Balance” was given to me by Susumu (Jimmy) Ono, our gang leader when I was growing up.

He was about Pepper’s age, but he always played with younger kids. One day we were playing at his house when he told me that I was always falling down while playing. Uncoordinated, I guess. He said, “You always off-balance when you are playing.”

Hence the name “Balance.”

My brother Tatsuki and Hiromi also had nicknames. In fact, 90% of the boys in our age groups in Pu‘unene seem to have had nicknames or derivatives of their real name. My friends had names like “Monkey-tail, Dopey, Goobers, Kusham, Lefty, Swifty, Mechanical, Satch, etc.” I believe that Tatsuki was nicknamed “Pepper” after a major league baseball player, Pepper Martin, because he was a good baseball player himself. I think that Hiromi was named “Mousie” because of his jutting ears.

I also remember instances of discrimination in Pu‘unene during the war. The plantation workers had our own playground, Baldwin Park, separate from the upper management people (haole) and their families, who went to the exclusive Pu‘unene Club near the sugar mill. But at the time we didn’t feel that it was discrimination because we had our own park. Then, when the war started, people started calling the Japanese people certain derogatory names. Some Chinese and Filipino people used to identify themselves with signs or name tags so that

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Although I got hurt a lot as a youngster, I was a happy person.

I had a lot of good friends and enjoyed school and extracurricular activities. My mother was an especially nice person and made my younger days pleasant. She was always warm and very understanding. I remember being in the third grade when one guy told me, “You got buck teeth.” I came home dejected and told my mother that I look ugly and that my lips jut out further than my short nose. My mother told me,” Fujio, you are not ugly, you are a nice-looking boy, and you are going to look nicer as you get older. Don’t take what others tell you as truth; it’s how you feel that is important.” Mother was a special person.

On the other hand, Father was standoffish when we were growing up. (When we were adults, he got much better.) It was difficult to communicate with him. He was strict and sometimes unreasonable. I remember an incident when in anger he rejected food on the table. We were afraid of my father.

I guess he thought his role was to be a disciplinarian and make the money. The only thing I remember doing with my father was going to the victory garden to help him.

One of the things I enjoyed doing with my mother was to help her make saimin. She would roll it, roll it, roll it, and then cut it. Later on, I think she had it motorized. She made plenty to give to others, she didn’t sell it. Her saimin was “ono.” She also made her own “dashi.”

LOT: What family stories would you like to tell? Try to identify places, dates, and names in each story.

JIMMY: Although my mother did laundry for the Filipino men, I didn’t help her because she started so early in the morning. Later, during the war, men in the army camp used to give her their laundry. She got up about 4 o’clock to start the fire and boil the clothing. Then she would make breakfast for Father about 5:30 in the morning.

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distribute and get food at the community center, the former Japanese School. While our parents didn’t make much money, my mother was always very resourceful. We always had food on our table, and she made our clothing. Our neighbors would tell us that my mother was a special person.

LOT: What adventures, excursions, mishaps or funny tales that happened to you and/or your parents, brothers, and sisters would you like to record?

JIMMY: We didn’t go out as a family. Once in a while we’d go to Puukolii in our model T. That was a long trip in those days; it used to take hours going on the winding road. I used to stay with Uncle Shimomura (by myself) during the summers. I had friends there, so I wanted to go. We did many fun things like swimming in the punawai to catch fish and smoking fern shoot stems like a cigarette.

We were a big family (three girls and three boys), so people went their own way. I was four years old when my oldest sister Sue (Masue) went away to Honolulu for schooling and got married soon thereafter. So, I really don’t remember much of her while I was in grade school. I remember Mildred (Shizue) scolding us boys because we would come in with dirty feet after she mopped the house. Mildred also worked at the cannery and I used to look forward to having her bring back pineapple cores. I remember Harriet the most because she was still at home when I was in high school. She used to help me get corsages or leis for school dances.

I had (more) interaction with my brothers. At home, I played more with Uncle Mousie. However, I do remember several (now funny) incidents with Uncle Pepper. He used to get comic books, and I wanted to read them. So, I asked him, and he said, “Before I say yes, you have to say, ‘I beg of you, I beg of you.’”

“OK,” I said, “Ni-san, I beg of you.” (I used to call my older sisters and brothers: Ne-san (sister) or Ni-san (brother) out of respect. For the longest time and I had difficulty calling them by their first names even later in life.

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Another incident I remember. We used to have to go to the outdoors bathroom. In the morning the floors were really cold, so he used to tell me, “OK, you opa (carry) me. I don’t want to get my feet cold or dirty.” I was about 7 or 8 years old.

The third incident I remember was about pomade. It was thick and sticky. My brother used to say, “Get the pomade. Rub your hands like this; put it in my hair.” Because he didn’t want to get his hands sticky.

Hiromi and I used to play (fight) a lot together when we were in grade school. My mother used to say, “From the time you get up in the morning until you go to sleep you two are constantly fighting. But when one or the other wasn’t around, you’d always be asking where the other was.”

LOT: What do you cherish most about where and when you grew up?

JIMMY: My parents made us more independent. When we were in high school, I am proud about playing in different sports (baseball, basketball, and football) and doing well academically by maintaining good grades. The only difficult subject I didn’t take was physics because it didn’t fit into my schedule. I was elected to be vice president of the senior class.

I was also in various clubs.

In college, I wanted to be a teacher, so I enrolled in teacher’s college. I was one of the few guys who got into teacher’s college with my good grades. I wanted to teach and eventually be a principal. I enjoyed my college career, especially since I stayed in Nuuanu dormitory (Nuuanu and School) and made a lot of close friends there. I didn’t play collegiate sports and concentrated on studies. While my parents helped me financially, I basically worked my way through college. During the summer, I worked at American Can Company which helped pay for books and tuition. I was also offered the job as a dorm manager my junior and senior year. During freshman and sophomore years, I worked in the university library putting back books. My sophomore year I worked at Hanahauoli School teaching students fundamentals of sports. From my junior year, I also went into and got money from Air Force ROTC. The Korean War was going on while I was in college and I wasn’t really interested in the military. But I applied for Advanced Air Force ROTC because I didn’t want to be drafted.

During my summer training after my junior year, I went to an airbase in California and was taken up in various airplanes for orientation purposes. I went to Eglin AFB in Florida in a C47 to

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see a firepower demonstration by fighters and bombers.

That’s when I got interested in flying.

In the military, when I first went into pilot training, I didn’t think about a 20-year career. In fact, we just wanted to serve our time (four years) and get out. I got married on November 19, 1955 after I graduated from pilot training in Hondo, Texas and Enid, Oklahoma. After that, I was assigned as a third pilot in a B-36 at Fairchild AFB, Spokane, Washington. I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my enlistment, so I went to Mae and said I wanted to go “indefinite” and get other flight training. I was surprised that she said OK, and I signed up for Westover AFB, Massachusetts to fly KC-97s (tanker). We went to March Field in Riverside, California instead as a Strategic Air Command pilot. Then Carrie came along when I started flying KC-97s.

It was difficult for Mae, being by herself while I was gone on long (90 days or more) temporary duties (TDY) in Alaska, Guam or Goose Bay, Labrador. When Lei Ann was born, I was on TDY in Idaho.

In 1959, we went to Merced, California (Castle AFB) for KC-135 (jet tanker) training. We moved to McCord AFB, Tacoma, Washington where we bought a home. But we were there only about a year and a half. We moved to Alabama in the early '60s for Squadron Officer School. The one incident I remember about Alabama is that Mae called me one day while I was in school and told me that Lei Ann had high fever.

I couldn’t leave because I was taking an exam, so I asked her to catch a taxi. At that time facilities were segregated. There were even cabs for blacks and whites. When I got home, she had returned from the doctor. I asked her how she got there. She said she had a dilemma because when I looked at the phone book, I didn’t know what taxi to call. I didn’t know whether I was black or white. So what taxi did you call? She said, “I called the Yellow Cab.” In the City and County—I enjoyed my job with Civil Service as a personnel specialist and the Budget Department as an analyst, but the job I enjoyed the most was head of Management Services for Walter Ozawa, who went from the budget office to Deputy Director, Parks and Recreation and later became Director. He asked me to work for him. At first, I refused but upon his insistence I later accepted and never regretted the decision.

LOT: Other information, advice, or recollections you would like to record.

JIMMY: I never felt (that I was poor). I never felt I wanted this or that.

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A Patchwork Quilt of Love Cherished Work by Koma On the plantation, money and resources were scarce, but love was plentiful, expressed in quiet ways. While raising teenagers, taking care of grandchildren, and supplementing the family income, Koma still found the time to design and create beautiful works of functional folk art from precious fabric remnants. Her eye for design and skilled needlework was evident in her colorful quilts, warming both hearts and bodies on cool nights. Constructed nearly 60 years ago, these thoughtful blankets were crafted to last. We feel so fortunate to be able to continue to feel her love while wrapped in her comforting quilts.

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The Carpenter's Craft Furnishings by Masajiro Masajiro was a self-taught woodworker using his skills to build tables, chairs, benches, and dressers to create a more comfortable home than what was usually offered in camp accommodations. The Shiramizu plantation hale even boasted the rare and modern convenience of a private “furo” (bath) and indoor toilet thanks to Masajiro’s carpentry talents. Below is a photo of a beautiful dresser he constructed 80 years ago.

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Snapshots in Time The Sugar Mill days are long gone with nothing left of the family’s plantation cottage but a photo taken prior to demolition around 1977. However, the seeds planted in Pu‘unene continue to grow and flourish—spreading to Kahului, Oahu, and the mainland.

Second, third and fourth generations carry forth the legacy of love, perpetuating the Shiramizu story. Snapshots from the early 1970s through today are testimony to how much we value our family ties.

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1) Mildred and Jeffrey Watanabe, c. 1956. 2) Family celebration with the Shiramizu siblings and nephew, Jeffrey. 3) Lei Ann and Carrie Shiramizu with Alan Lau and Masajiro in Maui. 4) Jeffrey and Lynn Watanabe's wedding day, c. 1968. 5) Koma and Masajiro Shiramizu with their six children. 6) Neal and Carl Shiramizu share some brother time together. 7) Lot and Ashley Lau with children Jennifer, Alex, and Tommy. 8) Paula Nakayama with Mildred and Masajiro. 9) Kinue Shimomura and Mildred. 10) Carl, Cheryl, and Caylie Shiramizu at a dance recital. 11) Shiramizus and others gathered for the holidays at Alan Lau's home.

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Snapshots in Time 12) Bobby, Mike, Katie, Molly, Jeffrey, and Lynn Watanabe, early '90s. 13) Mildred, Harriet, and Sue, c. 1989. 14) Jeffrey and Mildred hosting one of the many family gatherings at his home.

15) Mildred's birthday celebration in 2017 at Jeffrey and Lynn's home. 16) Alan and Corinne Lau celebrated their grandchild, Reyna's 1st birthday. 17) Lot Lau and son, Alex, gathered with the relatives for Chloe's 1st birthday in 2017.

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18) Jimmy and Mae Shiramizu at Alane and Phil's wedding with Carrie, Lei Ann, Denise, Lauren, Molly, and Samantha.

19) Jimmy and Mae celebrated their 60th Anniversary with family and friends. 20) Harriet is seated next to granddaughter, Emily—Lois and Rod stand behind. 21) Mildred (top center) with Jeffrey and Lynn, their children and grandchildren.

22) Pepper and Sachiko Shiramizu with Neal, Yuni, Faith, and Curtis at a family wedding in 2015. 23) Elizabeth Murakami, Paula's daughter, marries Jon Berne in 2015. 24) Paula Nakayama and her husband, Chuck Totto, with their son, Alec.

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25) Jeffrey and Lynn Watanabe's family in 2018. 26) Faith, Ty, and Curtis Shiramizu. 27) Hiromi Shiramizu with son, Kevin, baby Rina, and Mike at Jeffrey Watanabe's home in 2014. 28) Hiromi and Kevin at the Willows with daughter, Rina, and Mike. 29) Hiromi with the Shimomuras in Fukuoka, Japan in 2019. 30) Pepper and Sachiko Shiramizu and their grandchildren get together in 2019. 31) Lei Ann Shiramizu and her husband, Tom, had gathered for dim sum with Jimmy and Mae. 32) Jimmy, Hiromi, Pepper, Mildred, and Harriet together in 2016.

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Feeling Gratitude Celebrating Masajiro and Koma Shiramizu is essential in honoring their intrepid spirit and dream of creating a better life.

We are grateful for their wisdom and foresight in building a solid foundation of lasting love and family ties, for it is the footing on which descendants build success. The sacrifices they made, and those of generations thereafter, enable future generations to confidently move forward, making a difference in the world. A kind and trusting nature, recognizing the good in others, and appreciating and protecting family—these values are the gifts of Koma and Masajiro that have been passed through the bloodlines.

Traits that cannot be bought with riches, or taught in school.

And for that, we are eternally thankful.

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Acknowledgements

From the Book Designer, Carrie Fujie Wedemeyer I‘d like to express my profound and deep affection to my grandparents, Koma and Masajiro, for their unconditional love, and for instilling strong values in the Shiramizu family.

Thank you to my aunties and uncles who participated in recalling those precious days while inspiring and motivating me. And to cousin Lot Lau for his in-depth interviews and his hard work in transcribing. There’s no better way to tell the story of our grandparents and their amazing life in Pu‘unene, Maui. It’s the reason for this book—love and respect for our family and heritage.

Also, mahalo to my sister, Lei Ann Shiramizu. Her writing and editing help convey the essence of our story. And thank you to Uncle Hiromi, for his fact affirming and patience in being a sounding board. And last but not least, I want to thank my Dad, Jimmy Shiramizu, for his love, support and encouragement in preserving our familial bond.

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“Mother and Father had a hot-house in their yard and used to raise beautiful Honohono orchids.”

— Jimmy Fujio Shiramizu MAY 2019

M E M O I R S of the S H I R A M I Z U F A M I L Y