| When the Sugiyamas returned to Alameda, CA., from their World War II incarceration in Topaz, Utah, they had no where to live. From 1945 to 1955, the family would instead reside in the temple owned building that functioned as a Japanese school. It is during that time that this photo from the Obon was taken.“It was just a gang of us,†Satoko recalled, of the time period when other families shared the same building space as they did. “From 7 to 17 I lived here.†When the festive Obon was held during the summer, she and her family and friends would practice the dances they were to perform on Tuesday and Thursday nights before the event.Regardless of the cramped living conditions, Satoko has very fond memories of the time when she literally was living at the temple, for 10 straight years.“That was the best time of my life, in Alameda. I made all my friends here, my lasting friends. I was educated here, my Japanese school was here, I went to my temple here.†|
