Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1614/

Learning to be a hairdresser at age 50

I was 50 then and I relocated to back home and then I decided to go to Bartmore College, and I thought I’ve always wanted to learn hairdressing so at age 50 I’m among the high school graduates. Went to school and learned about cosmetology, and that was a 9-month course and then I had to take a state board. I thought oh my gosh I’m going to flunk this. And I had to go to LA to take the test and take a model and she said Miko, you passed, you missed only one, and I said good. And so now she said you can look for a job. So I went into hairdressing and I did that for 37 years.


Bartmore College of Beauty beauty culture hairdressing

Date: June 1, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Akira Boch

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Miko Kaihara was born in Montebello, California on December 20, 1924. She was incarcerated in Poston, Arizona during World War II along with her family. She married her friend's brother George, a member of the 442nd, after the war and raised 4 boys. She worked as a domestic, seamstress, and at 50 years old took a course in cosmetology to become a hairdresser. She retired after 37 years of hairdressing. (December 2018)