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Description
A letter from Sueno Nakano in Hiroshima, Japan to her sister, Tomeyo Okine. The letter is mailed under her husband’s name, Kamekichi Nakano. In the letter, Sueno laments her struggles and grieves for the losses of Sunada family members [Tomeyo and Sueno's parent’s family]. In losing their four brothers, Sueno takes over the responsibilities for the Sunada family and details the tragic experiences of one of the brothers, Otomatsu Sunada. Otomatsu resided in Manila, the Philippines, with his wife and two sons. He visited Japan, leaving his family in the Philippines, he died of tuberculosis while at Sueno's place. His wife was killed in the Philippines and their sons were orphaned. Sueno and her husband are adopting one of the sons and will assume full responsibilities for the Sunada family which makes Sueno feel that she owes her husband. She also writes about Jokichi Yamanaka, who will to return to the U.S. in May. She wishes that he could bring some dried persimmons she makes but she has learned they are not allowed to be brought into the U.S. She writes about gifts including wool yarns, jackets, safety pins, sugar, towels, sewing needles and threads from the Okines brought by Jokichi and expresses her appreciation. Additionally, she requests ajinomoto [monosodium glutamate] and a winter coat for her husband. The arrival date of the letter, March 1, 1948, and the replied and shipping date, March 6, is recorded on the envelope.
The Okine Collection contains materials collected by Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine who were Issei flower growers in Whittier, California. It includes correspondence, photographs, financial documents, and a photo album. A large portion of the collection consists of family correspondence with Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine, including letters from their Nisei children, Masao and Makoto Okine, both soldiers overseas during World War II, to their Issei parents incarcerated in the Rohwer incarceration camp in McGehee, Arkansas. The correspondence also includes letters from their relatives and friends who are former incarcerees in the camps during the war and have “resettled” in Chicago, Illinois as well as letters from the Okines’ family members in Hiroshima, Japan during the Allied occupation of Japan. In addition, the collection includes a family photo album compiled by Dorothy Ai Aoki, a Nisei daughter to the Okines.
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