Hiro Takaoka no Fujitsu

My name in Japan means dishonor. Takaoka is a devil of a last name. Because so many generations have joined the enemy or totally abandoned Japan in its many times of need. This one will be another generation that abandons Japan for my shameful families’ sake. I come to America not only to escape my family curse but to also to make sure any of my children would not have to live with the shame of his name. All this business with my family started five hundred years ago when Nakato Takaoka, the equivalent of general in American army today. Took his troops and tried to force them to turn and fight against Japan. Thank goodness mutiny occurred and the army went on and fought for Japan to win the battle and later on the war. My family continued to do so for many more generations until the recent fighting in Manchuria where my dad was found hiding in the civilian bomb shelter. In Japans time of need he deserted his troops and luckily his lieutenant took charge and the division and the division was saved. When they found my father he was kicked out of the army and they made sure that no one from his family could ever again be in the army, or else the story will be told to the public, and then the family would be totally ruined

My First name means hero, my parents named me that because they thought that I would be able to bring the family name back into society. What they hoped I could do is that I could go into the army and bring back the family to society. By becoming such a good soldier that we would be heroes not exiles. But I knew and they knew that I could not and never would do that because it is impossible to do that for I could never get into the army in the first place. My plan was to get a ticket to either Hawaii or San Francisco, most likely Hawaii because the fares are cheaper and the journey not as long, and then work on a farm and get enough money to start one in America. This was the way I will bring back my family, in America, because I would change my name and then, then I would rebuild my family because that is what I wanted and did. I also come to America to save myself from the tarnish my name has already caused me. I also come in the name of humanity so that my children, grand children and great grand children, and so on and so forth. Will not have to be in the same mess that I am currently in, and hopefully they would never have to wear the cowardice name I had to. I would change my name to Hiro Jujitsu so that I can still be a hero to bring back my family but not be a cowardly hero. Well my name was good as gone then for without the cowardly last name of Takaoka I could finally take my dreams into reality.

Angel Island my New Image of Hell

As I marched off into the barracks, where I did not know, I was to be in the same place for two months. As I went in and picked my barrack at the head of the row another man came up and said, “that’s my bed!” in a very rude harsh and bulling tone.

I replied, “I was here first so go to hell, you crazy monkey.” I said in a rush of emotions because he sounded like a little punk with problems, mental ones. Little did I know he was on his knees because of the massive load on his back. He then rose and desperately tried to hit me but right behind his was a gigantic customs officer that put him in a chokehold.

“Now if you two children are done bickering you have new barrack assignments.” He said as he pointed to the detention center. We cowardly agreed and hurried off but he pulled me aside and started talking to me. “How stupid are you, or are you that brave? Mr.… Mr.… Mr. Takaoka.”

“My name is Hiro Fujitsu, Hiro Fujitsu!” I said in an enraged burst. I can’t believe that is down on the form because I had changed my name six years ago in Japan. O well I just feel like that plate I brought. It is of a dragon and a wizard, the history of my last name is the dragon, and the heroic wizard fighting it off as my first name. I just wanted to get into the detention center so that the people would not start thinking of the past. But it is probably too late for almost everyone in the room is thinking, already I have given away my most treasured secret of my name.

As I hurriedly walked away I saw the other men out of the corner of my eye snickering and saying that I was in the family of blue armor, which became a curse word in my family. I thought that I would loose it because I though my dream of my children living a good life in America was over. As I entered the detention center I was assigned a cell with my baggage right after I got my preliminary medical exam. I sat in the brig for two days before I returned and took the bunk that I had originally. I thought that I would fell so bad because the food they gave us was so horrible, a few more days passed and finally I started the immigration process. They took us all into the medical hut again and took a total physical, this took three days until all the men in my room were done because there are 5 doctors and 2 hundred people in my room. Then that mean man came back yet he was forced to the other side of the center. Then we were taken to test our literacy, which was not that hard since my mother home school me, except my hand writhing was so bad that I had to do it again, but I did not mind. Then we waited longer for about four weeks while the blood was screened the information checked with the Japanese and American offices, yet my paperwork was held back because they wanted to make sure that I was relay first Hiro Takaoka and later Hiro Fujitsu. So in total I spent two months in Angel Island yet that was hell. Because the food was atrocious everyone was calling me horrible names like saying that I was in the family of blue armor, and always picking a fight with me because I was seen as the weakest and they thought that I was a coward. Through and through I should have tried first what my mother said and have tried to join the army and bring back the family her way.

America, why so long have I waited?

America how sweet the sound of sweet strawberries and vast fields of sweet potatoes and other crops I never quite new what they were. It took me a long time to get here because first I had to make money in Hawaii so that my friend Chang sing and myself could buy land in America to make more profitable strawberries, rather than waste away in Hawaii for more years. America I heard so much about it from other workers that, would be great for a family to re-grow in. I always had a dream that one day I would get my own farm in America and settle down there to have a better family. I had changed my name from Hiro Takaoka to Hiro Jujitsu, so that I could get along with someone so that I could get a farm of my own quicker. I met another Japanese man wanting to build a farm up in America yet as well lacked the funds necessary to do so. So we teamed up and sold off most of our valuables that we did not need. And we were about half the way there except we still needed a ticket and farming tools. We worked together for about 5 years until we discovered an accounting error, which took our funds up considerably, and the next day we set off.

When we got to America we already had a small cheap plot of land about half an acre that had a barn and house with it as well in Santa Rose, California. When we got there we realized there was a mule in the barn that was not very old and most of the necessary tools were there as well. So we immediately started to rebuild the farm that had been abandoned for only a few months, one of our Hawaiian friends bought it for us right as it went out of business. It took some time to get through Angel island for there were so many immigrants coming in at that time because news had spread that the naturalization bill was passed and that stopped all migrant workers from immigrating to America. We spent the next few months laboring away to get the farm ready for the strawberry-planting season. It was tough trying to get the farm going but soon enough the strawberries came up and we were both elated. A few months after germination the strawberries were ready for harvest, we were even happier when the crop nearly doubled our estimated size and we were able to buy an extra ½ acre of land after the harvest. After the harvest we decided to split up and be on both sides of the road and make the same things and when harvest time came along we were to sell together. Since the road split the two farms but not the barn and house we also decided to stay in the same house but to have to have different mules for each farm so we could be as productive as we could be.

By that time in Japan my mother and father finally found a wife for me and asked for a little money to send her over they also told me to have a house of my own so that they could raise a family. Then I jumped up with glee for it was my youth girlfriend Mira Towasaki my parent picked her because she was probably the only one they could get a dowry from. I then begged my friend to take as much money as he needed for a new house and live they’re instead of in our original house. He agreed since it was my parent’s wishes and wanted the best for me because I normally did more work than he did and had sold crops for higher prices than he did. But then he immediately said that he could be a migrant farm worker that ended up staying on full time so I would only have to have a small bedroom house that could be easily made. We both agreed and made the small room in one day and took his bed and placed it in there. A few weeks later after I mailed my mother and father the money Mira came and we married the same day, of course my parents were not suppose to be there but they came anyway because the extra money was for them to come with her and see the marriage follow through. That was the end of them for they also decided to move further away into America and sell some of the Japanese cultural items that they made. “Hello, “ I said as I picked up the microphone and earpiece, “is there anyone there?”

A voice came on the line in a sad mood. “Is this the residence where Hiro Jujitsu lives?” as a man struggled to say it. “If so then I regret to inform you that your friend Nakato Fiji has died from hate crimes while in San Francisco,” Then he hung up and I stood their wondering why was he going into town when I had already gotten the food from the store and none of the tools needed new parts. I had lost my best friend died and naturally I inherited the land and the little cabin beside the house where the migrant worker did stay because of the money that I also inherited. Loosing him was sad but I knew that if roles were reversed that he would be pushing on and live the American dream. By the time I finally found a new worker a year in America was over and I had started my new family in America.