out. After Kiyoshi’s death, she is angry at “Taro’s God” for letting Kiyoshi die and even blames herself as well. Hana contracts influenza and loses the baby boy.

1. Two years later, 1920-1921…Hana contemplates the anti-Japanese sentiment they encounter when she learns that they will move into a new neighborhood of Americans. Taro teaches her about the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” and the Alien Land Law that each discriminated about immigrants. Hana, feeling guilt over her son’s death, learns in church about God’s offer of forgiveness and she is then eager to learn more. The family has a hostile visit by their new neighbors. Taro bravely faces the neighbors, and Hana is proud of him.
2. Kiku drops by to visit Hana and tell her of their upcoming move to the countryside to begin a life of farming. The superintendant of the church also visits and asks for a loan for church supplies, which Hana willingly gives. Though she is being tricked, Hana loans $25.50.
3. At church, Dr. Kaneda announces the SS superintendant has suddenly left for Japan. In an effort to repay the church, Hana goes to work as a maid for a Mrs. Davis. On a bus ride home from Taro’s shop, Hana encounters hostility due to the strong smell of her Japanese food. Embarrassed, she leaves the bus. Once at home, she is greeted by a neighbor knocking at her door. The lady visits long enough to ask if Hana does “day work” as a maid. Hana’s pride is offended.
4. Hana spends her first day working for Mrs. Davis, Kiku’s former employer. She is treating warmly and kindly. Hana is amazed at all of Mrs. Davis’s lavish possessions. She comes home exhausted and is treated lovingly when Taro cooks supper and cleans the dishes. Taro is happy.
5. Hana brings sushi to church as a gift. The minister’s wife and Hana go looking for the assistant SS superintendant, Mr. Kenji Nashima, the young seminary student who felt responsible for the theft of the money. They find him hiding in the attic, hungry and emotionally overwhelmed. At a church meeting, Hana walks by and blurts out an offer to house Mr. Nishima for the summer and bring him back to health. Taro seems less than enthusiastic about her sudden offer.
6. Kenji Nishima now lives with Hana and Taro, mending day by day. Mrs. Davis, in an effort to help out, raises Hana’s pay. Hana allows Kenji to take Mary, her daughter, out to the park. All goes well, but when Hana tells Taro of the successful babysitting by Kenji, Taro does not seem pleased.
7. Tara seems to keep to himself, deep in worry. Finally, he breaks down to tell her the shop is deep in debt. Taro owes a great deal of money in unpaid rent and other debts used to pay the expenses. Hana and Nishima hatch a plan to raise money. Taro and Nashima will paint Mrs. Davis’s house, without Taro knowing Hana arranged the extra work.

1. Taro’s shops prospers under Hana’s improvements. Sales increase and once again they are making a profit. This good news gladdens Taro who seems happier. The Takedas and their friends spend summer nights remembering childhood memories from Japan.

1930-1940 (The decade of the Great Depression, before the start of WWII )

1. Mary is now ten and pesters her parents to take a real summer vacation. After making lengthy preparations, the Takeda family travels out to the countryside to visit Kiku and Henry Toda, who now have two boys and a successful farm. Both families enjoy a week of good fellowship and relaxed summer fun.
2. Still at their vacation, the families continue to enjoy each other’s company while the Takeda family enjoys their time in the countryside, far different than their home of Oakland, California, a busy city. Kiku’s family is strong, healthy and happy. Hana, however, still struggles with the prejudice that is ever present in the city’s environment. She will always feel like an outsider trying to fit in. Hana, who has clung to her Japanese ways, feels also that the older her daughter Mary grows, the less Hana knows her and the farther they grow apart. Mary is thoroughly Americanized, while Hana remains an outsider to the American culture and people.
3. The Takeda family honors those who have passed on with a memorial service at the cemetery. They remember Kiyoshi Yamaka. They also remember their son who died at birth in 1918, Ichiro Takeda. Reverend Okada announces that he and his family are returning to Japan. The congregation decides Kenji Nishima will make a fine replacement for Reverend Okada.
4. Mary is now sixteen, and wanting more than ever to fit into the American culture. She is shy, hard working, and obedient. She seldom has any interaction with American teenagers. The international club at Mary’s school holds an assembly to celebrate the school’s various cultures. Hana’s mother brings her traditional kimono to school, but is not invited by Mary or her teacher to stay for the program. Hana continues to feel left out.
5. Mary is now a freshman at a university. She is interested in studying science and becoming a doctor. However, she is not motivated to be a doctor in order to help others. Instead, she is simply interested in medicine. Taro has more confidence and hope for his daughter than Hana does. Hana feels that she simply does not understand her daughter. Mary is very popular with the Japanese-American boys on campus and has a busy social life. One day, Mary is picked up for a date, but the young man is not Japanese at all. Her date, Joseph Cantelli, is Italian. They soon begin a passionate relationship that Hana or Joseph’s parents do not understand.

1. That winter, Han and Taro Takeda wake to find a note on pink stationary informing them Mary had left. Mary and Joseph had run away to be married, not feeling their families would approve or understand. Taro is quick to forgive Mary in his heart, but Hana struggles with any forgiveness for Mary. Meanwhile, Mary has a few small doubts about her

decision to become Mrs. Joseph Cantelli. In two month’s time, their new family is expecting a child. Hana waits until Mary is in her sixth month to offer help when the baby arrives. By then, Mary had already made other arrangements and did not need her mother’s help.
1941-1943 (The years of WWII)

1. Japanese military forces strike the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii, leading America to enter WWII. Hana and Taro struggle to understand how the actions of some in her home country could possibly affect the views of Americans towards Japanese living in America. Dr. Kaneda is taken away by the FBI for having leadership roles in many Japanese organizations. The Takedas hear rumors of an “evacuation” of Japanese taking place in California, a relocation to an internment camp. Taro worries about what to do with his shop, if they are taken away. He decides to sell the shop and their possessions. Mrs. Davis suggests Hana and Taro move to Nevada, where Mary and her husband are. Nevada was outside of the “Exclusion Zone.” When a letter arrives from Mary, it is clear her parents may come if they wish, but she would rather they not.
2. The restrictions on Japanese grow. They no longer may travel over five miles from home. They must turn in any CB radios, cameras, and binoculars. Kiku, who is scared, calls Hana. They are considering selling their farm. Taro decides to sell his shop. The low price he receives takes any hope away Taro might have had. In their last night in their home, the Takedas look around at an empty home. The next day they will relocate to a racetrack turned into a relocation camp.
3. In Livingston, California, the home of Kiku and Henry, a drunk American wanders to their front door. He fires into Henry’s chest, killing him.
4. Taro and Hana are relocated to their new barracks, a horse stable at a former race track.

As they struggle to adjust their first day, sad news arrives about Henry’s killing. Meanwhile, in Montana as his relocation camp, Dr. Kaneda also receives word of the death. Later, a gift package sent by Henry before his death, arrives. Dr. Kaneda and other Japanese remember Henry with love.

1. Hana converses with the woman in the next stall, a single mother with a lazy son. Hana is surprised at how empty this woman’s “room” is, Taro and Hana having worked hard to build furniture and decorate their small, simple living space. Seeing an opportunity to help

Kenji find a bride, Taro plays matchmaker when they meet a young, shy neighbor, Sumiko. Rather than play matchmaker herself, Hana allows Taro to negotiate the introductions.

1. Taro and Hana spend a long time waiting on an FBI inspection, causing them to miss a meal. All of the camp’s internees are nervous about the upcoming visit by the FBI. Rumors circulate about what the results of the visit might be. In the end, the inspections turned out to be extremely minor and Hana weeps with frustration after all her waiting and worrying. Despite her reserved Japanese upbringing, this time she does not care who sees her cry.
2. The Tanforan Assembly detention center is to be phased out and residents await their relocation. Hana and Taro are destined for a Utah location, the Topaz Relocation Center, creating a possibility of a stop in Salt Lake City, Utah to see Mary, Joe and the grandchild. Meanwhile, Kenji and Sumiko are happily married and the entire camp has a festive break from the tiresome, stressful camp life.
3. On the train ride to Utah, Hana is struck with how alive and busy the outside world appears after months in the isolated camp. Finally, the train arrives at Salt Lake City giving Han and Taro their first glimpse of Mary and Joe in years. Sadly, their daughter, Laurie, was sick and could not join her parents for the visit. The visit is short, but happy as all sadness and regrets seem to melt away as Mary is reunited with her parents.
4. The final destination in Utah is the Sevier Desert, a flat, where only sagebrush broke up the endless miles of hot, sandy landscape. The housing is barely inhabitable. The mornings and nights are frigidly cold, yet the days are beastly hot. Food, when it isn’t spoiled, is in short supply. The wind blows constantly and the choking dust in a constant problem. Hana and Taro receive a letter from Dr. Kaneda saying he has decided to return to Japan.
5. Kiku and her boys, now past their teens, are housed in the Amache Internment Camp in Colorado. By now, the US military was trying to recruit young American-Japanese boys for an All-Nisei military unit. Signing up would force these American citizens to renounce any ties to Japan. Furthermore, two questions on the military questionnaire, caused many young Asians a great deal of heartache and confusion. Answering yes to both of these led many Asian to believe they would end up essentially without any country at all to call home. These young Asians became known as the “no-no boys.” Both of Kiku’s sons, Jimmy and Kenny, sign up for the special unit are at the end of the chapter, they leave to fight in WW II.
6. The dust storms continue to plague the camp’s residents. Kenji Nishima leads his congregation with a calming hand and steady leadership. Hana has finally given in to her urge to always be in charge. She is at peace with letting Taro be the leader for their family.