Guide to the Yamashita Family Papers MS.411
Alix Norton, Anny Mogollón, Jacob Stone
University of California, Santa Cruz
2023
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz 95064
speccoll@library.ucsc.edu
Contributing Institution:
University of California, Santa Cruz
Title: Yamashita Family Papers
Creator:
Yamashita (Family: Yamashita, Karen Tei,
1951-)
Identifier/Call Number: MS.411
Physical Description:
68.1 Linear Feet
55 boxes, 1 map-case drawer
Date (inclusive): circa 1880-2015
Date (bulk): 1942-1995
Abstract: The Yamashita Family Papers include
correspondence, writings, photographs, photograph albums, genealogical research, and other
family documents and belongings spanning over a century and including three generations of
the Yamashita family. The collection covers the initial immigration of Kishiro and Tomi
Yamashita from Japan to California to raise a family, through the generation of their
grandchildren in the mid to late 20th century. Part of the Issei generation, Kishiro and
Tomi had seven children, all of whom were born in Oakland between 1901 and 1921. Materials
from these seven children—Kimi, Susumu, Chizu, John, Iyo, Kay, and Tom—make up the bulk of
the collection showcasing the experiences of the Nisei generation growing up in California,
including the exclusion and incarceration legislation that impacted the family during World
War II. Materials from the children of the Nisei generation (the Sansei generation) are also
included.
Language of Material:
English , Japanese .
Conditions Governing Access
Collection open for research. Audiovisual media is unavailable until reformatted. Digital
files are available in the UCSC Special Collections and Archives reading room. Contact
Special Collections and Archives in advance to request access to audiovisual media and
digital files.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for the items in this collection is owned by the creators and their heirs.
Reproduction or distribution of any work protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair
use requires permission from the copyright owner. It is the responsibility of the user to
determine whether a use is fair use, and to obtain any necessary permissions. For more
information see UCSC Special Collections and Archives policy on Reproduction and Use.
Preferred Citation
Yamashita Family Papers. MS 411. Special Collections and Archives, University Library,
University of California, Santa Cruz.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gifts of Karen Tei Yamashita, 2015-2021.
Biographical / Historical
The Yamashitas are a Japanese American family who were mainly based in California during
the 20th century. The first generation of the Yamashitas who immigrated to the United States
(called the Issei generation) were Kishiro (1873-1931) and Tomi (née Murakami, 1882-1972),
who arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area from Japan around the turn of the 20th century.
Kishiro and Tomi had seven children after settling in the United States, who comprise the
Nisei generation: Kimi (born 1902), Susumu "Sus" (1905), Chizuru Dorothy "Chizu" (1908),
Hiroshi John (1912), Iyo (1915), Kiye "Kay" (1918), and Isao Thomas "Tom" (1921). The
children of the Nisei members, called the Sansei generation, were born throughout the 1920s
to the 1950s. During World War II, members of the Yamashita family were forced to leave
their homes after President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. They were
incarcerated first at the Tanforan Assembly Center in San Bruno, California, before being
moved to the Central Utah Relocation Center, more commonly known as Topaz. After the war,
some Yamashita family members returned to the California Bay Area, and others moved to New
Jersey, Chicago, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Ohio, Philadelphia, and New York.
Scope and Content
The Yamashita Family Papers include correspondence, writings, photographs, photograph
albums, genealogical research, and other family documents and belongings spanning over a
century and including three generations of the Yamashita family. The collection covers the
initial immigration of Kishiro and Tomi Yamashita from Japan to California to raise a
family, through the generation of their grandchildren in the mid to late 20th century. Part
of the Issei generation, Kishiro and Tomi had seven children, all of whom were born in
Oakland between 1901 and 1921. Materials from these seven children—Kimi, Susumu, Chizu,
John, Iyo, Kay, and Tom—make up the bulk of the collection showcasing the experiences of the
Nisei generation growing up in California, including the exclusion and incarceration
legislation that impacted the family during World War II. There are a number of materials
related to the children from the Nisei generation as well, especially Karen Tei Yamashita, a
professor at the University of California Santa Cruz and one of the main contributors and
researchers responsible for collecting these materials from her family.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in six series:
- Series 1: Issei generation
- Series 2: Nisei generation
- Series 3: Sansei generation
- Series 4: Incarceration experience
- Series 5: Correspondence
- Series 6: Photographs and audiovisual media
Materials within each series or smaller component are arranged chronologically by
date, unless otherwise specified.
Processing Information
The Yamashita family stewarded this collection of family archives before its accrual by UC
Santa Cruz University Library Special Collections & Archives. This stewardship work
included but was not limited to collecting, organizing, labeling, transcribing, digitizing,
cataloging, and preserving documents from generations of the Yamashita family. Several
people worked on this collection, including Karen Tei Yamashita, Lucy Asako Boltz, Martha
"Marty" (Ono) Uyeki, Eugene Uyeki, Ann (Tamaki) Dion, Ken Yamashita, Susan (Kimiko
Yamashita) Bowers, Kix Kitow, Hisaji Sakai, Jane Tomi Yamashita Boltz, Mary Jane Tomi Boltz,
Jonah Stuart-Brundage, Sebastian Honnef, and Michael Jin, as well as the named Yamashita
family members in this collection. After the collection was donated to Special Collections
& Archives in the 2010s, the collection was processed by Anny Mogollón, Jacob Stone, and
Alix Norton in the Center for Archival Research and Training (CART), 2022-2023. Most titles
in this collection were derived from the original folder titles as received from the family.
Digitized copies of physical materials in the collection were not retained by Special
Collections & Archives.
Related Materials
Karen Tei Yamashita's personal and professional papers are available in UC Santa Cruz
Special Collections & Archives: MS 465 Karen Tei Yamashita Papers
Original versions of copied materials in the Incarceration series can be found at the
following institutions:
- The U.S. National Archives
- Hoover Institution, Stanford University
- Peace Collection, Swarthmore College
- Quaker & Special Collections, Haverford College
- American Friends Service Committee Archives, Philadelphia, PA
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Japanese Americans -- Forced removal and
internment, 1942-1945
World War, 1939-1945 -- Japanese
Americans
Oakland (Calif.) -- History
Concentration camps -- United
States
Japanese Americans
Slides (photographs)
Personal correspondence
Photograph albums
Yamashita (Family: Yamashita, Karen Tei, 1951-)
Issei generation
1880-1980
Biographical / Historical
The Issei members of the Yamashita family were Kishiro and Tomi Yamashita. Kishiro was
born in 1873 in Japan, and immigrated to Alameda, California in 1897. He worked for a
doctor offering domestic services before moving to New York to study tailoring. Kishiro
then moved to Oakland, California, and opened the Yokohama Tailor Company. In 1901,
Kishiro returned to Japan and married Tomi Murakami (born in 1882), the daughter of a
sword-making samurai family. Together they returned to the United States, settling in
Oakland, where Kishiro worked as a tailor until his death in 1931. After Kishiro's
death, Tomi opened Mayfair Cleaners in order to support herself and her family. Tomi
also invented and patented a design for a pregnancy girdle. Having converted to
Christianity after immigrating to the U.S., Tomi was very involved in the Oakland
Japanese Methodist Episcopal Church, later known as the West Tenth Methodist Church.
Tomi passed away in 1972.
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials created by and about the Issei generation of the
Yamashita Family, Kishiro Yamashita and Tomi Murakami. Included are photographs,
correspondence, personal belongings, and genealogical research.
Historical note
The term Issei originates from the Japanese language term for "first generation" and
refers to Japanese immigrants to the United States. This term usually applies to those
who migrated to the U.S. after 1885 and before the Immigration Act of 1924. (From
densho.org)
Box 1
Photographs: Portraits of Sadashige (Hikota) Yamashita and Fumi
Hayashi
circa 1880
Scope and Contents
Two large portraits of Kishiro's parents, Sadashige (also known as Hikota) and
Fumi.
Box 2, Folder 1
Yamashita family archive research materials
1890s-1930s
Box 3, Folder 1
Tomi and Kishiro personal documents, Yamashita family archive research
materials
1900-1955
Box 2, Folder 2
Photograph album
1890s-1960s
Scope and Contents
Materials collected and described by Chizu. Album traces the Yamashita family history
from the early 1900s to the 1960s, including information on the Issei, Nisei, and
Sansei generations.
Box 2, Folder 3
Photographs
circa 1900s, 1970s
Box 4
Woven box
circa 1920s
Scope and Contents
A woven box belonging to Tomi with some personal items inside, including white
gloves, coins, pen, and two leather portfolios.
Box 2, Folder 4
Photograph album
1930s-1960s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Tomi in Japan.
Box 5
Photographs: Kishiro's funeral
circa 1931
Scope and Contents
Contains four panoramic photographs of family and attendees at the funeral and burial
of Kishiro Yamashita.
Box 2, Folder 5
Photograph album
1940s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Tomi with her children and grandchildren.
Box 2, Folder 6
Photographs
circa 1950s-1960s
Scope and Contents
Contains group photographs including Tomi, collected by Tom Yamashita.
Box 2, Folder 7
Correspondence: Tomi, Chizu, Eugene
1965-1970
Nisei generation
1900-2015
Biographical / Historical
Kishiro and Tomi Yamashita had seven children who make up the Nisei generation of the
Yamashita family, all of whom were born in Oakland, California. Kimi was born in 1902,
Susumu "Sus" (Wilfred) was born in 1905, Chizuru Dorothy "Chizu" was born in 1908,
Hiroshi John was born in 1912, Iyo (Grace) was born in 1915, Kiye Kay (Carolyn) was born
in 1918, and Isao Thomas "Tom" was born in 1921.
Scope and Contents
This series contains photographs, correspondence, and other materials created by and
belonging to the seven children in the Nisei generation of the Yamashita family: Kimi,
Susumu, Chizu, John, Iyo, Kay, and Tom. Also included are materials from the spouses and
families of the Nisei Yamashitas. Subseries are named for the Nisei member of the
Yamashita family, with the name of their spouse in parentheses.
Arrangement
This series is arranged into subseries in birth order of the seven Nisei children of
the Yamashita family.
Historical note
The term Nisei originates from the Japanese language term for "second generation" and
refers to the children of Japanese immigrants to the United States (Issei generation).
This term usually applies to those who were born in the United States, and therefore
U.S. citizens. (From densho.org)
Kimi Yamashita (and Tokiro Robert Ono)
1910-1977
Biographical / Historical
Kimi Yamashita was born in 1902, the first of the Nisei children of the Yamashita
family. She married Tokiro Robert Ono (1888-1971) and lived in Berkeley, California.
Their children were Theodore "Ted" (born 1921), Masako (b. and d. 1928), and Martha
(1930). Kimi passed away in 1980.
Box 6
Photograph album
1910s-1920s
Physical Description: 1 black album
Box 7
Photograph album
circa 1940s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of many Yamashita family members.
Box 6
Photograph album
1977
Physical Description: 1 tan album
Scope and Contents
Album made by Chizu, with photographs and itinerary of Kimi's 1977 trip to
Japan.
Box 8, Folder 1
Photographs of Kimi and Robert
1910s-1920s
Scope and Contents
Includes Kimi in group photograph at Tokyo Shiba school and Robert at Young Men's
Bible Class.
Box 2, Folder 8
Robert Ono Oregon Agricultural College Graduation
1916
Box 2, Folder 9
Wedding Invitations to Kimi/Robert Ono Wedding and Martha/Eugene Uyeki
Wedding
1920, 1956
Box 2, Folder 10
Correspondence between Robert and Eugene/Martha
1957-1970
Biographical / Historical
Eugene Uyeki was the husband of Martha Ono, and Kimi's son in law.
Susumu Yamashita (and Kiyo Kitano)
1940-2000
Biographical / Historical
Susumu Yamashita, also known as Sus, was born in 1905. He married Kiyoko Kitano
(1916-2005) and lived in Oakland before moving to New Jersey after World War II. They
had five children: Kimiko (born 1941), Evelynn (1944), Kenneth (1945), Michael (1949),
and Alan (1950). Susumu passed away in 1989.
Box 9, Folder 1
Photograph album: Susumu and Kiyo wedding
1940 August
Physical Description: 1 red album
Box 2, Folder 11-13
Diaries, notes, addresses
1940s
Box 10
Photograph album
1940s-1990s
Physical Description: 1 small green album
Chizuru Dorothy Yamashita (and Edwin Kitow, George Togasaki)
1900-1998
Biographical / Historical
Chizuru Dorothy Yamashita, known as Chizu, was born in 1908. She married Edwin "Ed"
Kikutaro Kitow (1899-1964) and had one son, Edwin Kikuo Jr., known as Kix, in 1934.
Chizu worked as a nurse and established the hospital at the Topaz concentration camp
during World War II. After the war, Chizu moved to the Chicago area, where she became
the directing nurse at Cook County Hospital. Her husband Edwin was a first generation
Japanese American (Issei) and graduated with an Engineering degree from Stanford
University. He ran a lucrative agricultural distribution business in the Imperial
Valley before passing away in 1964. Chizu married her second husband George Togasaki
in 1973, with whom she moved to Tokyo and traveled often. After the death of her
second husband, Chizu moved to Rossmore, California, where she passed away in
1998.
Box 11
Photograph album
1900-1980s
Physical Description: 1 blue album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of the Kitow family.
Box 2, Folder 14
Chizu and Edwin personal documents
1911-1981
Scope and Contents
Includes Edwin's 1911 passport, 1933 marriage license, identity cards, and Edwin's
1955 naturalization certificate.
Box 12
Photograph albums
1920s
Physical Description: 1 black album, 1 brown
album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of travels to Asilomar and Carmel.
Box 10
Photograph album
1920s-1970s
Physical Description: 1 orange album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Asako and Kimi.
Box 2, Folder 18
Nursing school yearbook
1928
Box 2, Folder 19
Photographs: Chizu and Edwin Kitow
1928-1970s
Box 2, Folder 20
Kix's baby book made by Chizu
1934
Box 2, Folder 21
Kix's baby photograph album made by Chizu
1934
Box 2, Folder 22
Chizu passports and vaccination cards
1937-1997
Box 2, Folder 23
Photographs: Kitow family
circa 1930s-1980s
Box 2, Folder 24
Photographs from album
circa 1930s-1970s
Box 10
Photograph album
circa 1930s
Physical Description: 1 small red album
Box 2, Folder 25
Photograph album
circa 1930s-1960s
Physical Description: 1 white album
Box 9, Folder 2
Photograph album
1930s, 1964
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Box 2, Folder 27-30
Photographs
circa 1940s-1950s
Box 13, Folder 1
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1960s
Physical Description: 1 red album
Box 13, Folder 2
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1970s
Physical Description: 1 white album
Box 13, Folder 3
Photograph album
1960s
Physical Description: 1 blue album
Box 13, Folder 6
Edwin's personal papers
circa 1960s
Box 13, Folder 7
Correspondence notebooks
circa 1960s
Box 13, Folder 8
Hospital get well cards for Edwin Kitow
1964
Box 13, Folder 9-12
Condolence letters, obituary for Edwin Kitow
1964
Box 13, Folder 13
Edwin Kitow funeral album, burial site photographs
1964, circa 1990s
Box 13, Folder 14
Nursing documents
circa 1960s-1970s
Box 13, Folder 15-16
Photographs: Holiday cards
circa 1960s-1990s
Box 8, Folder 2
Photographs: Chizu and George Togasaki
circa 1940, 1970s-1990s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Chizu and George's wedding.
Box 13, Folder 17
Chizu and George wedding ceremony notes
1973
Box 10
Chizu and George wedding album and guestbook
1973
Box 13, Folder 18-19
Photographs: Chizu and George wedding
1973
Box 14
Photograph album: Chizu and George
1970s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Box 15, Folder 1-2
Chizu and George wedding telegrams
1973-1974
Box 15, Folder 3
Chizu's estate
1973, 2018
Box 15, Folder 4
Photograph album: Japanese American Citizens League Japan Tour
1974 October
Physical Description: 1 red album
Box 15, Folder 5
Photographs: Togasaki and trip to Germany
1977
Box 15, Folder 6
Photographs: Togasaki family and weddings
circa 1970s-1980s
Box 10
Photograph album
circa 1970s
Physical Description: 1 green album
Box 15, Folder 17-18
Photographs: Family and events
circa 1970s-1990s
Box 16, Folder 4
Photograph album: Emily Shingo wedding
1982
Box 16, Folder 10
Photographs from album: Children
circa 1980s-1990s
Box 16, Folder 11
Photograph album: Welcome Home
1990
Box 9, Folder 3
Photograph album: Chizu's 88th birthday
1996
Physical Description: 1 red album
Box 16, Folder 19
Photographs: Negatives
undated
Hiroshi John Yamashita (and Asako Sakai)
1912-2015
Biographical / Historical
Hiroshi John Yamashita, known as John, was born in 1912. John was allowed to leave
the Topaz concentration camp in 1942 to attend Garrett Biblical Institute in Evanston,
Illinois, continuing education he had begun in 1941 at the Pacific School of Religion
in Berkeley. At the end of World War II in 1945, when many Japanese Americans were
released from the concentration camps, John operated a relocation service and hostel
at the West Tenth Methodist Church in Oakland, California to provide food and shelter
to those returning to the Bay Area. He married Asako Sakai (1916-2015) in 1948 and had
two children: Karen (born 1951) and Jane (1953). Reverend John Yamashita was a pastor
of the West Tenth Methodist Church in Oakland, before moving to Los Angeles to lead
the Centenary Methodist Church. He and Asako raised their children in nearby Crenshaw
and Gardena. John passed away in 1984.
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains two main components: materials related to Reverend John
Yamashita's career as a pastor, and John's personal materials. It first includes
materials directly related to his professional practice, including his initial studies
at Garrett Seminary and years of writings and research on the topic of theology. The
personal component includes photographs, correspondence, and writings. The subseries
also includes materials from John's wife Asako Sakai (1916-2015), and some materials
from Asako's sister Fusako Sakai (1914-2013).
Reverend materials
1930-1984
Box 17, Folder 1-4
Pastor manuals, workbooks, record books
1930s-1960s
Scope and Contents
Contains books with records of weddings, services, community outreach, etc.
Box 17, Folder 5-7
Pacific School of Religion
1938-1940, 1950
Box 17, Folder 8-11
Howard Thurman notes and correspondence
1940s-1970s
Box 17, Folder 16-20
Garrett Seminary coursework and correspondence
1942-1957
Scope and Contents
Contains research and papers John wrote during his education, and additional
correspondence he had with Garrett Seminary after graduating. Also includes
letters John wrote to be admitted to the seminary while he was incarcerated at
Topaz.
Box 17, Folder 21-24
Garrett Seminary papers
1943-1944
Box 17, Folder 25
Methodist Church Elder certificate
1945
Box 18, Folder 1-17
Notebooks
1945-1970s
Scope and Contents
Contains John's notebooks labeled as Oakland funerals, Weddings, Prayer file,
Children funerals, Nisei funerals, Funeral files and notes, as well as unsorted
notes.
Box 19
Daily Prayer Cards
circa 1950s
Scope and Contents
Contains two catalogs of daily prayer cards.
Box 18, Folder 18-19
Correspondence: Weddings
1970s
Box 18, Folder 20-24, Box 20, Folder 1-17
Notebooks
1950s-1970s
Scope and Contents
Contains John's notebooks labeled as Family, Friends, Love; Outside talks;
Religious Lit. Biography; Prayer, Missions, Peace; Nature, Motive; Holidays;
Bible, Disciples, God; Sermons-Advent; Lent-Easter; Communion Baccalaureate;
Church - XN Nurture; Jesus, Parables; Unlabeled; and Post-Stroke.
Box 20, Folder 18-19
Correspondence: Methodist Church
1950s-1970s
Box 20, Folder 20-21
Correspondence and notes: Weddings
1950s-1970s
Box 20, Folder 22
Ministry work and correspondence
1950s-1980s
Box 3, Folder 2
Ministry work and correspondence (legal sized)
1950s-1980s
Box 20, Folder 25
Essays: "What I believe"
1940s, 1970s
Personal materials
1912-2015
Box 21, Folder 1
Photographs
circa 1912-1970s
Box 21, Folder 2
Fusako Sakai autograph notebooks
1929, 1939
Biographical / Historical
Fusako Sakai was the sister of Asako Sakai, wife of John Yamashita.
Box 21, Folder 4
UC Berkeley studies
1930s
Box 21, Folder 5
Memory book, writings, collected documents
1940-1980
Box 21, Folder 6-7
Correspondence
1940s-1980s
Box 21, Folder 8-9
Correspondence: Alma Gloeckler
1945-2000s
Box 21, Folder 10-12
Correspondence: Japan
1948-1974
Box 21, Folder 13-15
Annual Japanese Provisional Conference journals
1948-1963
Box 21, Folder 17
Sakai family documents
1940s-1960s
Box 21, Folder 18-19
Photographs
circa 1940s-1960s
Box 22
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1950s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
Most likely created by Asako.
Box 23
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1950s
Physical Description: 1 brown and green
album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of John and Asako.
Box 23
Kanji flashcards
circa 1950s
Box 21, Folder 20
Correspondence: Family
1950s-1960s
Box 21, Folder 21
Correspondence: Frank Herron Smith
1954-1965
Box 21, Folder 22
Travel diary
1958-1983, 1990s
Scope and Contents
Possibly created by Asako. Contains correspondence between Chizu and Kay, and
some loose photographs from the 1990s.
Box 24, Folder 1-2
Correspondence: Asako
1950s-1990s
Box 24, Folder 3
Photographs: Yamashita/Sakai family
1950s-1960s
Box 22
Photograph album
circa 1950s-1960s
Physical Description: 1 red album
Scope and Contents
Most likely created by Asako.
Box 25
Scrapbook
circa 1950s-1980s
Scope and Contents
Most likely created by Asako.
Box 3, Folder 3
Frank Herron Smith clippings
1961
Box 24, Folder 5
Stroke documentation journals
circa 1964
Biographical / Historical
John Yamashita experienced a stroke in January 1964 and kept notes and writings
about his experience.
Box 24, Folder 6-7
Thoughts and studies post-stroke
1964-1980s
Box 24, Folder 8
Writings: Family; "Recollections as to Evacuation and
Resettlement"
1966-1975
Box 24, Folder 9-10
Retirement gifts and correspondence
1960s-1970s
Box 24, Folder 11
Photographs: Tire park, Japan
circa 1960s
Box 8, Folder 3
Photograph: John portrait
circa 1970s
Box 24, Folder 12
Sakai family research notes
circa 1972
Box 23
Howard Thurman clippings
1978
Box 24, Folder 13
Ritual book with baptism notes - Jon Lopes de Oliveira
1970s
Box 24, Folder 14
Travel documents
1970s-1980s
Box 24, Folder 15
Writings: Laughter
1976-1980
Box 24, Folder 17
Karen and Ronaldo wedding
1977
Box 24, Folder 20
Writings sent to Karen Tei
1970s-1980s
Box 24, Folder 22
Correspondence, clippings
1981-1982
Box 24, Folder 23-24
Haiku Images
1980s
Scope and Contents
This folder contains drafts and work related to the publication of his book
Haiku Images before and during the publication process.
Box 24, Folder 25
Haiku Images: Copyright
1981
Box 24, Folder 26
Haiku Images: Invoices
1980s
Box 24, Folder 27-30, Box 26, Folder 1-4
Haiku Images: Correspondence
circa 1982
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence addressed to John concerning his book
Haiku
Images
.
Box 26, Folder 5
John funeral documents
1984
Box 26, Folder 6
John funeral correspondence
1980s
Box 26, Folder 8
Asako driving test notes
1980s-2000s
Box 26, Folder 10
Asako birthday celebration
2004
Box 26, Folder 11
Asako funeral correspondence
2015
Box 26, Folder 12
Craft rose, origami crane, lace cross
undated
Iyo Yamashita (and Minoru Tamaki)
1973-1991
Biographical / Historical
Iyo (Grace) Yamashita was born in 1915. She married Minoru Tamaki (1918-2004) and had
three children: Ellen (born 1946), Ann (1948), and Donald (1951). They lived primarily
in Oakland, California. Iyo passed away in 2004.
Box 26, Folder 13
Iyo and Minoru marriage ceremony
1973 September
Kiye Kay Yamashita
1936-1995
Biographical / Historical
Kiye Kay (Carolyn) Yamashita, known as Kay, was born in 1918. During the time of
Japanese American incarceration in World War II, Kay traveled across the country to be
a witness in a treason trial called by the federal government. After the war, she
moved to Chicago, and worked for the Japanese American Student Relocation Council
which assisted over 4,000 Nisei students in attending and paying for college after
incarceration. Kay also served on the board of the Nisei Student Relocation
Commemorative Fund when it was established in 1979. Kay passed away in 1995.
Box 26, Folder 15-18
Correspondence and pamphlets
1936-1969
Physical Description: Originally in Notebook
A.
Scope and Contents
Mostly includes correspondence with people outside the Yamashita family, pamphlets,
other saved documents and some photographs of Kay.
Box 26, Folder 19
Anthropology course notebook
1941
Box 26, Folder 20
Photographs
circa 1940s-1950s
Box 27
Photograph albums
1966-1972
Physical Description: 2 white albums
Box 26, Folder 22
Dream journals
1978, 1994
Box 28
Photograph album and travel scrapbook
1980
Scope and Contents
Includes materials from travels to Spain and Portugal.
Box 26, Folder 23
Photographs
circa 1980s-1990s
Box 26, Folder 24
Oral history interview
1991
Box 26, Folder 25
Photographs: Framed portrait
1994
Box 26, Folder 26
Funeral album, photographs, program
1995
Isao Thomas Yamashita (and Carol Osaba Shinsato)
1940-1990
Biographical / Historical
Isao Thomas Yamashita, known as Tom, was born in 1921. He married Carol Osaba
Shinsato (1921-2011) and had three children: John (born 1952), Lynn (1956), and Robert
(1957). After World War II, Tom and his family lived in Hong Kong. Tom passed away in
1990.
Box 26, Folder 27
Photographs and cards
circa 1940s-1980s
Scope and Contents
Includes 1966 portrait of Tom.
Sansei generation
1934-2013
Scope and Contents
This series contains materials from some members of the Sansei generation of the
Yamashita family. The majority of the materials are photographs, with some
correspondence and personal documents included.
Related Materials
Refer to the Nisei series for additional materials about members about the Sansei
generation, e.g. the Nisei series on John and Asako Yamashita includes some materials on
their children Karen and Jane.
Historical note
The term Sansei originates from the Japanese language term for "third generation" and
refers to the grandchildren of Japanese immigrants to the United States (Issei
generation) and children of the Nisei generation. The vast majority of Sansei were born
after World War II. (From densho.org)
Theodore Ono
1939-1943
Biographical / Historical
Theodore Kiyoshi Ono, known as Ted, was born in 1921 to Kimi and Robert Ono. He
joined the U.S. Military Intelligence Service and worked in Japan in the years after
World War II. Ted married Barbara Fumiko Yamamoto (1918-1998) and had four children:
Carole (born 1946), Kathryn (1951), Peter (1956), and Nancy (1957). Ted passed away in
2015.
Box 8, Folder 4
Diplomas: Fresno High School, Washington University
1939, 1943
Martha Ono
1948-1952
Biographical / Historical
Martha Chizu Ono, known as Marty, was born in 1930 to Kimi and Robert Ono. She
married Eugene Uyeki (1926-2014) and had two children: Timothy (born 1959) and Robert
(1961). After World War II, Marty volunteered to dig ditches in Germany with the Red
Cross, earned a master's degree in social work, and settled in Cleveland, Ohio with
her family.
Box 29, Folder 1
Correspondence, photographs
1948, 1952
Edwin "Kix" Kitow Jr.
1934-2000
Biographical / Historical
Edwin Kikuo Kitow Jr., known as Kix, was born in 1934 to Edwin and Chizu Kitow.
Box 29, Folder 2-3
Photographs of Kix
1930s-1950s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographic prints, negatives, and slides.
Box 29, Folder 4-5
Correspondence and cards
1940s-1970s
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence primarily between Kix and his mother Chizu.
Box 8, Folder 4
Photograph: Tau Kappa Epsilon, Knox College
1954
Box 29, Folder 6
Photographs: Unmounted slides
circa 1970
Box 29, Folder 7-10
Photographs: Japan
1992-1993
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Nagano, Sensoji Temple, Tokyo.
Box 29, Folder 11
Photographs of Kix
circa 1990s
Karen Tei Yamashita
1952-2013
Biographical / Historical
Karen Tei Yamashita was born in 1951 to John and Asako Yamashita. Karen is a
novelist, short-story writer, playwright, and professor emerita of Literature at UC
Santa Cruz. She married artist and architect Ronaldo Lopes de Oliveira, with whom she
has had two children.
Box 29, Folder 12
Photographs: Slides
1952-1971
Box 29, Folder 14
Karen/Ronaldo wedding invitation
1977
Box 29, Folder 15
Writings: "A Mission in Burajiru"
1977
Box 29, Folder 16
Correspondence
1982, 2013
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence primarily between Karen, Ken, Iyo, and Min.
Jane Tomi Yamashita
1950-1980
Biographical / Historical
Jane Tomi Yamashita was born in 1953 to John and Asako Yamashita.
Box 29, Folder 17
Photographs: Slides
1953-1968
Box 29, Folder 18
Photographs
circa 1950s-1970s
Incarceration
1941-2015
Scope and Contents
This series contains copies of family correspondence during the time that members of
the Yamashita family were incarcerated at the Tanforan and Topaz concentration camps
during World War II, files from a relocation hostel that John Yamashita operated
immediately after the war, and research done by the family on the incarceration
experience.
Historical note
Members of the Yamashita family experienced forced removal from their homes in
California and incarceration in concentration camps after the issuance of Evacuation
Order 9066 during World War II. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941 and under the
guise of military necessity, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the order which
authorized the secretary of war and any military commander designated by him "to
prescribe military areas...from which any or all persons may be excluded." Beginning in
1942, American citizens of Japanese descent living on the West Coast of the U.S. were
forced to leave their homes and belongings, first being transported to temporary
detention centers, then moved to one of ten concentration camps where they primarily
remained for the extent of World War II. Read more about Japanese American incarceration
during World War II on Densho at densho.org.
Correspondence during incarceration
1941-1945
Box 29, Folder 19-22
Family correspondence
1942-1945
Related Materials
Originals of many of these copied letters are located in the Correspondence series
of this collection.
Box 29, Folder 23
Outside correspondence, reports, pamphlets
1941-1945
Physical Description: Originally in Notebook
M.
Scope and Contents
Contains copies of materials from the Hoover Institution at Stanford University,
the Swarthmore College Peace Collection, the Haverford College Quaker and Special
Collections, and the American Friends Service Committee Archives in
Philadelphia.
Hostel files
1945-1947
Biographical / Historical
Beginning in 1945, John Yamashita operated a relocation service and hostel at the
West Tenth Methodist Church in Oakland, California to provide food and shelter to
those returning to the Bay Area. He worked alongside Lee Mullis, Alma Gloeckler,
Ichiro Isokawa, and Margaret Utsumi to care for returnees and reunite them with their
belongings and homes.
Scope and Contents
This subseries contains John's files from the hostel that he helped manage at the
West Tenth Methodist Church in Oakland, including correspondence, research on other
hostels, and planning records. Administrative files include financial records and
information on rationed food allotments, laundry, linen, cots, stored items, and WRA
licenses.
Box 29, Folder 24-31
Correspondence
1945-1946
Scope and Contents
Topics and correspondents include job offers, relocating, storage units, Ichiro
Isokawa, Topaz, obtaining housing in Bay Area from eastern United States, Tule Lake,
and Rivers, AZ.
Box 29, Folder 32
WRA correspondence and notices, beginning of hostel
1945-1946
Box 29, Folder 33-34
Thank you letters, incoming and outgoing
1945-1946
Box 29, Folder 36
Returnee correspondence
1945
Box 29, Folder 37
Bank statements, financial reports, insurance
1945
Box 29, Folder 38
Committee meeting notes, information on other hostels
1945
Box 30, Folder 1-2
Storage, equipment, financial records
1946
Box 30, Folder 3
Office of Price Administration (OPA) food rations
1945
Box 30, Folder 4
Hostel property, linens, laundry
1945-1946
Box 30, Folder 6-12
Family files
1945-1946
Scope and Contents
Contains correspondence from Ish Isokawa with displaced families who were
relocating after being incarcerated during World War II. Letters mainly discuss
shipping of household goods either from the church or from WRA warehouses. Families
represented in the files include Akagi, Akita, Aoki, Fujie, Fujikawa, Furuda,
Harada, Hashimoto, Hayakawa, Hayashi, Hirano, Hoshizaki, Hotta, Iijima, Isaki,
Isokawa, Iyeki, Kagami, Kajiwara, Kasai, Katsu, Kimura, Kitamura, Kiuchi, Kiuchi,
Komatsu, Kondo, Korekiyo, Kuwamoto, Maruyama, Mitani, Miyake, Momono, Morita,
Morizono, Murota, Nabeshima, Nagai, Nakamura, Nakashige, Nakayama, Narahara, Nerio,
Nishioka, Nishioka, Nishiyama, Nomura, Ogawa, Oishi, Oka, Ono, Onuma, Orimoto,
Oshima, Ota, Saito, Sakada, Sano, Sasaki, Shijo, Shimada, Shiozawa, Shiraki, Suzuki,
Takahashi, Takaki, Takeshita, Takezaki, Takizawa, Tanaka, Taniguchi, Tsubamoto,
Tsuchihashi, Utsumi, Uwaizumi, Uyeda, Yabuki, Yamada, Yamanashi, Yamane, Yamashita,
Yamauchi, Yasuda, Yoshizawa.
Family research
1942-2015
Scope and Contents
This component contains research done by the Yamashita family on their ancestors,
mostly having to do with the family's experience while incarcerated, with some other
research outside of this time period. The research was mostly conducted and compiled
by Karen Tei Yamashita, as well as Lucy Boltz, Jane Tomi Boltz, Pat Boltz, Mary
Marquardt, Ken Yamashita, and Jonah Stuart Brundage. It includes photocopies of files
from the War Relocation Authority (WRA) and FBI at the U.S. National Archives, notes
from the Yamashita family archive database that family members created, genealogical
research, newspaper clippings, reports, and information on concentration camps and
incarceration.
Box 30, Folder 13
National Archives WRA/FBI files: Research request forms
circa 2015
Box 30, Folder 14-19
National Archives WRA/FBI files
1942-1945
Scope and Contents
Contains photocopies of research files on various members of the Yamashita, Ono,
Kitow, Sakai families, circa 2015.
Box 30, Folder 20-21
Family archive database notations
circa 2000s
Scope and Contents
Contains work done by members of the Yamashita family to inventory letters and
other documents in the family archives, circa 2010s.
Box 30, Folder 22
Incarceration order: Instructions to All Persons of Japanese
Ancestry
1942 May 3
Physical Description: Photocopy of original
document.
Box 3, Folder 4
Copies of legal files on Ralph Townsend
1942
Box 30, Folder 23-27, Box 31, Folder 1-2
Newspaper clippings and notes
1970s-1990s
Scope and Contents
Contains clippings collected on topics labeled Redevelopment of Little Tokyo,
Articles relevant to Japanese/Asian Americans, JACL, Evacuation, Relocation,
Reparations.
Box 31, Folder 3-8
Karen's research
1970-2014, undated
Scope and Contents
Includes Karen's journals, planner, Japanese literature, writings, art, and
postcards. Research is primarily about incarceration, with some general research on
the Yamashita family.
Box 31, Folder 9
Yamashita Kakei (family tree and genealogical research)
circa 1970s
Box 31, Folder 10-11
General family research notes
circa 1970s
Box 31, Folder 12-13
Japanese language and culture
circa 1970s
Box 31, Folder 15
E.O. 9066 Inc. (JACL) Reparations questionnaire
1975
Box 31, Folder 16
JACL: Lim report
circa 1989
Box 31, Folder 17
Outside research texts
1990s-2000s
Box 31, Folder 18
"Across Ryukyu Waters", A.Y. Tamaki Dion
circa 2003
Box 31, Folder 20
Camp and relocation center museums
circa 2010s
Box 31, Folder 21
Individual record forms WRA 26
undated
Correspondence
1942-2004
Scope and Contents
This series includes correspondence within the Yamashita family during World War II as
well as after the war through the 2000s. In addition to letters, it contains some other
personal documents from the family.
Processing Information
These materials were originally arranged and organized in binders by members of the
Yamashita family in the 2000s, with each binder labeled with a letter (e.g. Notebook B)
that is now written on the folders. The original arrangement of documents was
maintained. The letters were collected, transcribed, and arranged by several members of
the Yamashita family, including Ann Dion from Iyo Tamaki, Marty Uyeki, Ken Yamashita,
Karen Tei Yamashita from John Yamashita, Bob Yamashita, Kix Kitow, Jane Tomi Boltz,
Jonah Stuart Brundage, and Hisaji Sakai.
Box 31, Folder 23-24
1942
Physical Description: Originally in Notebook
B.
Box 31, Folder 25-26
1943
Physical Description: Originally in Notebook
C.
Box 31, Folder 27-28
1944-1948
Physical Description: Originally in Notebook
D.
Box 32, Folder 1-3
1950s
Physical Description: Originally in Notebook
N.
Photographs and audiovisual media
1910-2004
Scope and Contents
This series contains photographs (prints, negatives, slides, and albums) and
audiovisual media (audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS tapes) which document the
Yamashita family across multiple generations.
Arrangement
This series is arranged into components by format: photographic prints and negatives,
photograph albums, slides, panoramic photographs, and audiovisual media. Existing
aggregates of photographic prints were maintained and roughly sorted by date, then
housed in envelopes and folders in groups.
Related Materials
Additional photographs of the Yamashita family can be found in the Issei, Nisei, and
Sansei series of this collection where they are identified as belonging to, featuring,
or created by specific family members.
Photographic prints
1910-2010
Box 32, Folder 23
1977
Scope and Contents
Contains photographic prints removed from an album, maintained and labeled in order
by original album page number. Includes wedding photographs of Alicia and
Robert.
Box 34
Oversized photographs
circa 1910s-1990s
Scope and Contents
Includes portraits and collaged family photographs.
Box 35
Photograph album
circa 1910s-1920s
Physical Description: 1 black album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs possibly collected by Chizu and Edwin Kitow.
Box 36
Photograph album
circa 1920s
Physical Description: 1 black album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Oakland Methodist United Church.
Box 37
Photograph album
circa 1920s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
"From Uncle Henry - Japan, May 1928"
Box 35
Photograph album
circa 1920s-1980s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs possibly collected by Chizu.
Box 37
Photograph album
circa 1930s
Physical Description: 1 black album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of UC Berkeley.
Box 38
Photograph album
circa 1930s
Physical Description: 1 small brown album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Kix, Kay, and Edwin Kitow.
Box 39
Photograph album
circa 1930s-1940s
Physical Description: 1 tan and blue album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Susumu, Kay, John, Kix, and Martha. Labeled as album
1B.
Box 40
Photograph album
circa 1930s-1940s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of John and UC Berkeley.
Box 40
Photograph album
circa 1930s-1940s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
Includes holiday cards and family photographs.
Box 39
Photograph album
circa 1930s-1950s
Physical Description: 1 brown album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Tomi, John, Iyo, Kay, Kix, and small children in the
family.
Box 41
Photograph album
circa 1940s
Physical Description: 1 green album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Kay at UC Berkeley, Yosemite, and John and Asako.
Box 42
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1960s
Physical Description: 1 red album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Kay.
Box 43
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1970s
Physical Description: 1 teal album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Tomi, Chizu, Kix, Kay, Susumu, and small children in the
family, as well as holiday cards.
Box 38
Photograph album
circa 1940s-1980s
Physical Description: 1 album with globe
print
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Susumu.
Box 41
Photograph album
circa 1967
Physical Description: 1 gold album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Asako and Japan travels.
Box 44
Photograph album
circa 1960s
Physical Description: 1 gold album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of John and Asako.
Box 42
Photograph album
circa 1970s-1980s
Physical Description: 1 blue album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Karen's wedding and family members.
Box 44
Photograph album
circa 1970s-1980s
Physical Description: 1 red album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Jane's wedding and family members.
Box 42
Photograph album
circa 1980s
Physical Description: 1 album with birds and floral
prints
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of birthdays and anniversaries.
Box 43
Photograph album
circa 1980
Physical Description: 1 red floral album
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Asako and European travels.
Box 38
Photograph album
circa 1990s
Physical Description: 1 album labeled
"Travels"
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Jane, Karen, and their families.
Box 43
Photograph albums
circa 1990s
Physical Description: 2 brown albums
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of travels.
Slides
1950-1980
Scope and Contents
The 35mm color slides in this component are mostly from John and Kix, and primarily
show photographs they captured of travels and their families.
Box 33, Folder 10
1953-1958
Scope and Contents
Labeled "Yosemite, Tahoe, Lassen, Zion"
Box 33, Folder 11
1956-1973
Scope and Contents
Labeled "Yosemite, Visitors, San Diego Zoo"
Box 33, Folder 13
1958-1976
Scope and Contents
Labeled "Canada, Vancouver, Seattle, Yellowstone"
Box 45, Box 46
circa 1950s-1960s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs from travels to Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico, Germany, Italy,
Québec, Los Angeles, Berkeley, New York, and New Jersey. Also includes souvenir
slides from Japan.
Box 33, Folder 14
1962-1974
Scope and Contents
Labeled "Family, Disneyland, Marineland, Seattle Fair"
Box 33, Folder 15
circa 1960s-1970s
Scope and Contents
Labeled "Relatives"
Box 47, Box 48, Box 49, Box 50
circa 1970s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs from travels to Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Germany,
Holland, Greece, Switzerland), Hawai'i, Mexico, and Tokyo, Japan. Also includes
souvenir slides from Italy.
Box 51
circa 1970s
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs from travels to Japan.
Box 52, Box 53, Map-Case D-14
Panoramic photographs
circa 1920s-1960s
Physical Description: 17 photographs
Scope and Contents
Contains panoramic photographs of large group gatherings, including class
photographs, funerals, church groups, and other organizations. Includes the Pacific
Japanese Provisional Annual conference of the Methodist Church, West Tenth Methodist
Sanctuary, Annual Fresno Sectional Conference, Bay Region Young People's Christian
Conference (YPCC), Gardena High School, and Northern California Intercollegiate
Advance at UC Berkeley. Some photographs are labeled in English and in Japanese.
Audiovisual media
1950s-2004
Box 54
16mm film reels ms0411_vid_0001, ms0411_vid_0002
circa 1950s-1960s
Physical Description: 15 film reels; 2 .mp4
files
Conditions Governing Access
These films were digitized by the Yamashita family. Contact Special Collections for
access to the digital copies.
Scope and Contents
Contains home movies, primarily from the family of Susumu and Kiyoko Yamashita.
Some are labeled "Mike and Al sports".
Processing Information
These fifteen film reels were digitized in 2011 by the Yamashita Family and stored
on two DVDs. UCSC Library copied the DVDs to a Library server in 2023 and named the
resulting digital files ms0411_vid_0001 and ms0411_vid_0002. The DVDs were not
retained.
8mm film reels
circa 1960s
Physical Description: 2 film reels
Conditions Governing Access
Audiovisual media is unavailable until reformatted. Contact Special Collections and
Archives in advance to request access to audiovisual media.
Box 46
Untitled ms0411_vid_0003
undated
Box 46
Trudy's Shower ms0411_vid_0004
undated
Super8 film reels
circa 1960s
Physical Description: 15 film reels
Conditions Governing Access
Audiovisual media is unavailable until reformatted. Contact Special Collections and
Archives in advance to request access to audiovisual media.
Scope and Contents
These film reels were most likely created by Chizu and her immediate family.
Descriptions are derived from the labels on film reel boxes, and include travels to
Mexico, New York, Finland, Taipei, and Russia.
Box 46
Daisan Washu-san ms0411_vid_0005
undated
Box 46
Topiola ms0411_vid_0006
undated
Box 46
Leningrad, Petershof ms0411_vid_0007
undated
Box 46
Departure Leningrad, Moscow ms0411_vid_0008
undated
Box 46
Kremlin, Moscow ms0411_vid_0009
undated
Box 46
Leningrad ms0411_vid_0010
undated
Box 46
Kenji Funaki Lighthouse with Takokaras ms0411_vid_0011
undated
Box 46
Aulanko & boat trip on way to Vinnamimers (?) ms0411_vid_0012
undated
Box 46
Boat trip from Aulanko to Vinnanomers & Outdoor theater in
Tampere
ms0411_vid_0013
undated
Box 46
California '61 ms0411_vid_0014
Sept 1961
Box 46
Taipei - tail end; Trip to Matsue ms0411_vid_0015
undated
Box 46
Bus Trip from Helsenki to Aulanko; Stops at new church, swimming pool,
Hameenlinna birthplace Sibeluis, 16th cent. church, Aulanko
ms0411_vid_0016
undated
Box 46
Nathemelz (?) Sunday boat ride ms0411_vid_0017
undated
Box 46
Day with the Kontiners (?) starting at Sibeluis monument - Eliel
Saarinen's villa
ms0411_vid_0018
undated
Box 46
End of Mexico Trip; Kennedy Airport N.Y., Start of trip to
Helsinki
ms0411_vid_0019
undated
Audio cassettes
1972-2004
Physical Description: 6 audio cassettes
Conditions Governing Access
These audio cassettes have been digitized by the UCSC Library. Contact Special
Collections for access.
Scope and Contents
Contains audio recordings of family meetings during Tomi Yamashita's final days and
of her funeral in March 1972, and oral history interviews of John in 1982 and Asako
in 2004. Titles of audio cassettes were derived from the original labels.
Box 55
Final Illness 2 Tom ms0411_rec_0006
1972 February 17
Box 55
Mama/John ms0411_rec_0002
1972 February 20
Box 55
Tomi Yamashita Illness - Kay, John, Chiz, Kik; John Committal
Service
ms0411_rec_0001
1972 February 25
Box 55
Tomi Yamashita Funeral - Chicago, IL ms0411_rec_0005
1972 March 10
Box 55
Easter 1982 Pat & Dad; San Dimas, CA ms0411_rec_0004
1982
Box 55
Asako Sakai Yamashita, interview/MJB ms0411_rec_0003
2004 July
Box 55
Video cassette ms0411_vid_0020
undated
Physical Description: 1 VHS
Conditions Governing Access
Audiovisual media is unavailable until reformatted. Contact Special Collections and
Archives in advance to request access to audiovisual media.
Scope and Contents
Labeled "Yamashita family tape".
