Interview with Yukio Ode

Yukio Ode talks about his family’s background and emigration history to Canada. He was born on May 22, 1921. Yukio talks about being in Japan in 1937 and talks about having to adapt to living in Japan as well as the Japanese language. Yukio returned to Canada in 1940 and he remembers the boat trip from Canada to Japan. They settled in Kelowna, BC. Yukio talks about how their family learned the English language. During WWII, he was interned at Griffin Lake, BC and Yukio talks about his life in the interment camp and road camp. Yukio talks about about his friend Frank Moritsugu who served in the Canadian Army. After the war, his family relocated to Ontario. His brother enrolled at the University of Toronto while the rest of the family lived in Kitchener. He talks about the discrimination he faced there. After that, they moved to Toronto after purchasing a house. Yukio talks about his move from Kitchener to Toronto and finding employment. Yukio discusses his experiences with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) and how he met his wife. Yukio talks about the difficulties in bringing together the Japanese Canadian community in Toronto. Yukio talks about how he met his social circle in Toronto though JCCC events and that the JCCC helped build a social environment for Japanese Canadians. He also talks about his brother’s involvement in the Canadian army.