June 4, 2008

Last night, Rick Okabe who is our contact person with the Topaz Museum treated us to a fabulous dinner. Joining us at dinner was Steve Koga, another member of the Topaz Museum. We had a lively discussion about Salt Lake City, and its Japanese American history. After dinner, Rick gave us a guided tour of the city in his car. He brought us up into the hills so that we could see the whole city and the valley surrounding the city. Salt Lake City is a gorgeous place with snow capped mountains in the background. My interview with Nelson Akagi yesterday was fascinating as he talked about his early California experiences, his memories serving in the 522nd in Europe, and the influence of the LDS Church on his life. Later today I have an interview with Jun Kurumada, who was one of the early leaders of the JACL.