It was not unheard of for Japanese American children to learn to play the koto–but Shirley Muramoto’s mother had her first lessons in a concentration camp. Despite the War Relocation Authority’s lack of support (“The WRA does not intend to promote ideals and cultures of nations with which we are at war…” –Manzanar Free Press, Sept. 1942), the government did not ban Japanese music. And so many children in Topaz and other camps learned koto, shamisen, and odori from gifted practitioners who were fellow incarcerees.
Shirley’s mother was one of Haruko Suwada’s students in Topaz. Another was Tama Nakata Nakamoto. In May 2023 Tama’s son, Kent, contacted Shirley, looking to donate his mother’s kotos and shamisen. After the War, Tama’s husband, determined to reintegrate into American society, advised her never to play the Japanese instruments again, and also to stop speaking Japanese. She took up the piano instead. Her koto and shamisen sat untouched for almost 80 years.
The instruments were restored and will be played at an upcoming concert at the J-Sei cultural center (1285 66th St., Emeryville, CA) on November 4th from 2-4 pm. Read Shirley’s story, “Desert Winds and Strings.”
The Topaz Stories Team
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Media Coverage:
Read Internee’s story told with ‘Topaz Collages’ (Wheel of Dharma, Vol. 5, Issue 3, March 2023).
Watch Topaz survivors tell their stories (abc4 news, 4/22/2022)
Listen to the “In the Hive” podcast with interviews with Ann Dion, Jonathan Hirabayashi, and Topaz survivors Jeanie Kashima and Joseph Nishimura (KCPW, 4/28/2022)
Read How a Utah exhibit about Topaz Camp looks to find empathy in ‘an ugly stain on American history (ksl.com, 4/22/2022)
Read “Topaz Stories rise from the dust,” (Department of Culture & Community Engagement, 4/2022)
Listen to KQED Forum, Day of Remembrance interview with Ruth Sasaki, 2/15/2022
Listen to Max Chang and Ruth Sasaki interviewed (KRCL RadioActive, 2/9/2022
Read On Topaz Stories and ‘Authentic Voice’, the Discover Nikkei interview with Ruth Sasaki (10/14/2022)
Listen to Remembering the Japanese American Incarceration, the Topaz Stories podcast with Ruth Sasaki and Jonathan Hirabayashi (6/2/2021)