Bunro Sakaino Concentration Camp Diary

Transcript

398

July 3 (Friday)

It was cloudy all day, and it was comfortable without the horrible high temperature. Rules are set to take our beddings out to air them out under the sun every Friday, and they were reannounced several days ago. I do not like such housework activities more than I dislike bugs, but I took my beddings out first this morning and realized it was unfortunately cloudy. It is rather ironic that I was the only one who took the beddings out in the sixth unit. It naturally started to rain before sunset.

I heard the kiosk is stocking beer and getting ready to sell it. I would rather have ice cream than beer.

Supply distribution coupons are being printed, but it is going so slowly, and the administration is asking us to wait as it will take several days to have them ready. We are allowed to use two to ten dollars per week out of cash owned by each of us and held by the administration, and we were told to submit a withdrawal request.

I decided a few days ago to take a walk for about 20 minutes within the facility after taking a shower in the morning, and I am doing it every morning. I think it is about 2.44 miles of walking. It is helping my gastrointestinal issues, and I think my stomach ache is gradually decreasing. I do believe that such experience is essential to recover my health. I am also doing sit ups in my bed following advice given by Mr. Usuta. It is good exercise for the digestive system equally important to walking, and I have been continuously doing it.

Departure for Japan is approaching, and mixed feelings are coming up inside of me, keeping me somewhat restless.

Transcript

399 131

Mr. Takaoka said that It is a shame to be detained and aimlessly spending everyday. He thinks we should record all the details that have happened to us since we were sent to Missoula, wait for a peaceful time to come back to put them together and commemorate the records as a piece of history outside of the mainstream war record for the future. For example, we have numerous situations such as the meeting with the Consul General of Spain and negotiations with the military administration. However, representatives we elected sometimes do not show approval of such ideas of ours, and I don’t understand how they truly feel about it. He thinks the people from the Northwest, or Oregon State, should act independently and come up with some plan, and he shared his ideas and asked for my opinions. I am absolutely in agreement with him. We should come up with plans and start working on it right away. Both of us agreed to hold a meeting with Oregon people and others soon.

I don’t know who caught it, but someone showed me a beautiful snake in the bottle this morning. According to a soldier, it is called coral snake and one of the most dangerous poisonous snakes. It is said that once you get bitten, you would lose your life within about six minutes. I thought all snakes were scary looking, but as the name indicates, the coral snake is truly coral colored adorned with black rings, just like coral decorations Japanese ladies tied to their hair a long time ago.

Transcript

400

The other day, I spotted a damselfly flying in front of me while lying down to cool off a bit in a shady spot of the barrack. It is a very rare species of dragonflies, and I haven’t seen one for decades. I suddenly remembered my childhood thinking about Ueno Park and the Dokanyama area, filled with yearnings for my hometown. When you are in a continent, you get to see many different things every time you travel to a different place. I would have to say this is one of the byproducts of a war.