Kiyo’s story: 1930s

Kiyo was ladylike and proper throughout her life, but she occasionally let her inner diva out. In her 20s, she enjoyed acting in “shibai” at the Y. Many of the plays were written by Suzuki-sensei, the principal of Kinmon Gakuen, San Francisco’s Japanese language school).

She took a major part in a Kabuki production performed at the Fairmont Hotel for the Japan Society. Since she didn’t understand Kabuki-style Japanese, she had to learn her part phonetically and drove my mother crazy rehearsing in their shared bedroom.

Kiyo in a Kabuki play, 1930s

After the performance was over, Kiyo got sick from the accumulated stress and took to her bed, where she received visiting friends like ailing royalty.

I can picture the scene well. She did see herself as something of a queen. In one conversation we had when she was in her early nineties, about acceding to Joan’s wishes on some matter, she revealed her perception of her place in the clan. Joan is my sister and the eldest Sansei in the Takahashi extended family. “When I’m gone,” Kiyo said, “Joan will rule.”

My inner French revolutionary protested “Liberté! Egalité! Sororité!” — but I understood where she was coming from.

Kiyo’s Story, part 7: Everything Must Go

This post was originally published on August 12, 2018
Image: © R. A. Sasaki. All rights reserved.