Licensing

Tokio and Suye Ueyama outside Bunkado Store Front

Tokio and Suye founded Bunkado in 1945, directly after being released from the internment camps. They had heard horror stories from their friends of the government giving away their original homes, and the Ueyamas feared the worst. When they returned to their landlady, they expected to be turned away. However, she told them "Welcome Home!" They found out later that she had stood her ground against the government officials that tried to make her sell their house, saying that she is allowed to rent or not rent to whomever she pleases. She saved their house for the two years Tokio and Suye were in the camps, and when she heard they were being released, she went grocery shopping for them. The Ueyamas knew that they were very lucky, and decided to put their luck to work in opening their store.