THE HAWAI'I NISEI STORY
Americans of Japanese Ancestry During WWII

[I met Takashi Kitaoka] at the University [of Hawaii]. We had gone on a YMCA [Young Men’s Christian Association] camping trip. I was a freshman at the college and he was a sophomore. And I’m almost sure that’s how we met.

I don’t remember too much [about our courtship], except that we were in school together and somehow we got to like each other.

Of course, he claims I made the first move. (Laughs)

But you know, at that age, he was cute. They used to call him “baby face,” of course. He was very, very nice.

[We used to] go to shows. We used to like to play bridge. That’s how I learned how [to play]. I recall him saying that he used to play quite a lot of bridge at the dorm that he was staying in. So I got interested and I’ve been playing bridge every since.

[Takashi graduated from the University of Hawaii and went to Baylor Law School from 1937 to 1940.]

At that time, we wanted to get married but I had a very stubborn father who refused to give his blessings. So he came back during the summer and soon after that, he graduated. And I really don’t know what transpired with him and myself. I really can’t remember too much of that.

[We were married in December 1940.] We lived on Pensacola [Street] in a rented home. I think we stayed there for about two, three years.

From [19]40, I can’t even remember what I did, except that I was still working for the [territorial] land office and I worked until I went up to the Mainland [to join my husband].