Alan Miyatake | Interview 1 | February 13, 2023

Oral History Center, UC Berkeley
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00:00:00 - Moving from LA to Montebello, California

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Keywords: Boyle Heights; Japanese American community; Montebello, California; United States; childhood; ethnic enclave; land development; migration; realtor; Los Angeles, California

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:03:20 - Holidays with maternal grandparents / Mixing Japanese and American cuisines

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Keywords: Ba-chan; Buddhism; Buddhist church; California; Christmas; Issei; Japanese American community; Japanese American cuisine; Japanese language school; Japanese school; Ji-chan; New Year's; San Fernando Valley; Thanksgiving; United States; World War II; church; family business; gardener; holidays; home life; housewife; maternal family; mochi; mother; multiculturalism; Takeko Maeda

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:08:19 - Growing up in Montebello, California and ties to Little Tokyo

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Keywords: Archie Miyatake; Boy Scout; Buddhist church; Cub Scout; Gary Miyatake; Japanese American sports league; Japanese language school; Little Tokyo; Montebello, California; Saturday school; Southern California; United States; baseball; basketball; brother; church; family business; photography; playing catch; work; sports

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:16:28 - Visiting Japan as a Boy Scout

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Keywords: American flag; Boy Scouts; Hawaii, United States; Hiroshima, Japan; Imperial Palace; Issei; Japan; Japanese countryside; Japanese language; Montebello, California; Nisei; United States; baseball; camping; countryside; drum-and-bugle competitions; emperor of Japan; father; grandparents; hiking; hobbies; junior high school; maternal family; model trains; mother; parades; rice fields; rural Japan; slot cars; visiting Japan; hobbies

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:24:59 - Japanese American church community / Language barriers in the family

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Keywords: English language; Japanese language; church; grandparents; religion; Buddhism

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:27:30 - Grandfather's background in photography / Opening the Toyo Miyatake Studio

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Keywords: 1923; 1926; California, United States; Chicago, Illinois; Edward Weston; Great Depression; Harry Shigeta; Japan; Japanese bakery; Little Tokyo; London International Photography Exhibition; Los Angeles, California; Paris Studio; Shakudosha; Toyo Miyatake; Toyo Miyatake Studio; arts; business; family business; gallery show; manju shop; photography; photography classes; pringint; rice broker; studio; paternal family

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:35:27 - Learning photograhy from father and grandfather

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Keywords: Archie Miyatake; Little Tokyo; Los Angeles, California; Toyo Miyatake; Toyo Miyatake Studio; business; business community; darkroom; father; grandfather; social skills; photography

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:43:33 - Dynamics of the family photography business

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Keywords: Archie Miyatake; Japanese tradition; Nisei; Petersen's car magazine; Richard Miyatake; Robert Miyatake; Takeo Miyatake; Toyo Miyatake Studio; art center school; aunt; business techniques; career development; color photography; commercial photography; eldest son; family; gendered work; oldest son; real estate; secretary; uncles; weddings; family business

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:52:52 - Grandparents' marriage

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Keywords: arranged marriage; color photography; colorizatino; drugstore; grandmother; grandparents; milkshake; photo editing; soda fountain restaurant; Hiro

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

00:56:20 - Incarceration of paternal family at Manzanar

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Keywords: Ansel Adam; California; Edward Weston; Japanese markets; Little Tokyo; Los Angeles, California; Manzanar; Miyatake family; Poston, Arizona; Ralph Merritt; San Fernando Valley; Sierra Club; Toyo Miyatake; United States; World War II; incarceration; incarceration camp; internment camp; interviews; niece; photographs; prison camp; visa sponsorship; Japanese internment

Subjects: arranged marriage; color photography; colorizatino; drugstore; grandmother; grandparents; milkshake; photo editing; soda fountain restaurant; Hiro

01:02:51 - Parents meeting during incarceration at Manzanar

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Keywords: DJ; Manzanar High School; concentration camp; incarceration; jazz; parents; photographs; Manzanar

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

01:05:31 - Maternal family's reaction to Executive Order 9066

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Keywords: California; George Maeda; Japanese American language school; Pearl Harbor; San Diego Valley; San Fernando Valley; Shizuko Maeda; Tuna Canyon Detention center; United States; cameras; guns; treasurer; uncle; Executive Order 9066

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

01:13:20 - Maternal family's switch from farming to gardening post-incarceration

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Keywords: Azusa, California; Hiroshima, Japan; Japanese American Gardeners Association; Japanese American internment; Manzanar; San Fernando Valley; San Gabriel Valley; farm; gardening; high school; incarceration; lease; maternal family; prison; tomatoes; farming

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

01:19:06 - Sneaking a camera into Manzanar

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Keywords: Ansel Adams; California Hardware; Dorothea Lange; Johnny Weissmuller; Toyo Miyatake; camera film; cameras; concentration camp; incarceration; injustice; makeshift camera; muckraking; photography; Manzanar

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

01:29:45 - Toyo Miyatake becoming the official photographer of Manzanar

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Keywords: Ansel Adams; Ralph Merritt; The Two of Views of Manzanar; Toyo Miyatake; UCLA; concentration camp; incarceration; official camp photographer; photography; photography studio; Manzanar

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

01:35:45 - Parents' marriage after release from Manzanar

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Keywords: 1949; Azusa, California; Boyle Heights; California; Manzanar High School; United States; White Memorial Hospital; concentration camp; displacement; family business; incarceration; marriage; reunions; Manzanar

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity

01:42:31 - Individualism and identity within the family

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Keywords: Boy Scout; Cub Scout; Japanese internment; Little Tokyo; Manzanar High reunions; family identity; identity; incarceration; individualism; visiting Manzanar; Manzanar

Subjects: Japanese American Intergenerational Narratives Oral History Project; Community and Identity