Dee Goto, Author, Business Owner & JCCCW Founders Group

Dee Goto is an author who also kept working (with many others) over many years to make the Japanese Cultural & Community Center in the Central Area a reality.

Photo: Madeline Crowley

In Japanese Culture we have the Daruma Principle, when life knocks
 you down seven times, you get up eight.

You grew up on the other side of the Cascades?

Not only that. We went to the incarceration/internment camp to visit and I thought they (the Japanese internees) were having a great time. Back then, we lived on a farm in Idaho, we had relocated before the war and didn't have to go to the camp because we lived outside the restricted zone which was 400-miles from the coast.

We visited Minidoka because many of our friends were there. Living on a farm, we didn’t have neighbors very close by so when I visited it seemed like the kids in camp were all having a lot of fun. My mother particularly envied all the craft classes the ladies were taking. Also, she noticed the women didn't have to cook. My 21 year-old Uncle worked hard during the week so he could drive to Minidoka for the Saturday night dances. Despite what seemed like the good times they were having while incarcerated, our family wouldn't consider trading places. We knew freedom was most important.

This interview is now available in the book, We Lived Here, published by Chin Music Press: https://chinmusicpress.bigcartel.com/product/we-lived-here-stories-from-seattle-s-central-area

Baby Dee. 1939. Collection Dee Goto

23rd Street Home. 1968. Collection Dee Goto

23rd Street Home, Interior. Collection Dee Goto

1939. Collection Dee Goto

Dee at 4 years old. Idaho. 1943. Collection Dee Goto.

Collection Dee Goto

Flower Girl. 8 years old. Collection Dee Goto.

Dee at 12-13 years old. Collection Dee Goto

Slumber Party. 1950s. Dee took the photo.
Collection Dee Goto

Middle School. Idaho. 1952. Collection Dee Goto

Omoide IV. Childhood Memories. Nikkei Heritage Project. 

Omoide V. Childhood Memories. Kiuchi & Goto, Editors

The Japanese Cultural Center

Omoide Revisited. Dee Goto et al Editors

 Minidoka 
white farmers to took those flourishing Japanese businesses.

About this book:

 Alien Land Law in 1921.  
Owyhee Dam 

Buddhist/Shinto,  Pastor Brooks Andrew’s Reverend Andrews, 
 Floyd Schmoe aare?

In Japanese Culture we have the Daruma Principle, when life knocks you down seven times, you get up eight.  Everyone has something unfair happen to them and the Daruma Principle is how you keep going.

[Dee came to this project through the Japanese Cultural and Community Center.  She also owns a Nutrition and Family Counseling business, the Goto Company and Shaklee Distributors]

©  Madeline Crowley People of the Central Area 2013   All material is covered by copyright. Express written permission must be given for any copyrighted material on this page. Email to request permission to copy or paste materials. 

This project was supported in part by
4Culture's Heritage Projects program