When 18-year-old Sadako Yamanaka (nee Watanabe) left Waikapu, Maui, in 1939 to pursue an education in fashion design in California, there was little to suggest that her future would be determined by anything but her own considerable determination and will.
Yamanaka was the third of six children born to Yakichi Watanabe, a school principal and Japanese community leader, and his wife, Fumiko, a missionary from Japan.
Determined to realize her dream of working at a famous fashion house, Yamanaka endured a difficult first six months learning how to survive in a world far different from the one she was used to.
As her son Bill Yamanaka remarked, "The island girl, a sentimentalist, suddenly became very independent."
Sadako Yamanaka attended what was then Woodbury College, a two-year professional business college in downtown Los Angeles.
At Woodbury, Yamanaka adopted the English name Alison, a deference to classmates who had difficulty pronouncing her Japanese name.
In and out of the classroom, Yamanaka was a diligent and inspired learner. All these years later she still recalls the sense of awe she felt as she participated in on-the-job training exercises.
During her time at Woodbury, Yamanaka took classes in interior decorating, fashion arts, charcoal sketching, pattern making, millinery, French draping, electric sewing and other subjects. When she wasn’t studying, Watanabe was active with a campus Greek organization composed of Asian-American students.
Yamanaka had completed her degree requirements and was just six months away from participating in commencement when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Yamanaka had been looking forward to graduating and returning home, but in the aftermath of the attack and the subsequent issuance of Executive Order 9066, she was faced with forced evacuation or voluntary relocation away from the West Coast.
Unable to continue her education, Yamanaka left California and moved with her uncle’s family to Denver.
The disappointment of having to surrender her dream career was eased by her introduction to her future husband, Ted, with whom Yamanaka would raise a close and loving family that now spans four generations.
It was Yamanaka’s granddaughter Cheryl who got the ball rolling on a most-overdue celebration of Yamanaka’s former life as a college student.
On Nov. 14, Woodbury University will award Yamanaka an honorary B.F.A. in fashion design at a ceremony in the state House of Representatives.
Yamanaka said she was surprised by the news and grateful to the university for "an honor beyond anything I dreamed."
"I hope all people seeking education persevere and reach their goals," Yamanaka said. "Education is important and so is family. Today I have both."
Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@staradvertiser.com.
