Issei

The earliest wave of Japanese immigrants, the Issei (first generation), had a strong sense of their ethnic identity and retained the values and traditions of their country of birth. Most came to the United States as sojourners and planned to return to Japan after earning their fortunes. In addition, discriminatory laws forbade them from becoming American citizens and from exercising other basic rights, such as owning or leasing land. Since they were thus prevented from fully taking part in American life, it is not surprising that many still identified strongly with the culture of their homeland.

Identity and values (200)
Issei (1023)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
Issei

Filters

Facilities

Format

Genre

Usage

Use <Ctrl> or (⌘) keys to select multiple terms

Gallery view
List view

1023 items

img [Seikichi Aihara Family] (ddr-csujad-29-85)

Photograph of Seikichi Aihara Family. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: P0001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-85/

av An Oral History with J.S. Kishiyama and Y. Kishiyama (ddr-csujad-29-3)

Reflections of an elderly Orange County, California couple on their experiences in America. He recounts his years as an immigrant; she discusses her family background, makeup of Japanese-American community, and rural living. This oral history was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project, Oral History Program, California State University, Fullerton; interview conducted by Pat Morgan. …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-3/

av Oral history of Morris and Cherry Abe (ddr-csujad-28-3)

Oral history Interview of Morris and Cherry Abe. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: csuci_vcc-jic_0005

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-28-3/

av An Oral History with Seiko Ishida (ddr-csujad-29-11)

Retired Kibei teacher recounts samurai parents' background and their immigration to Seattle, Washington; socioeconomic composition of Seattle's Japanese community; earlier teacher training; prewar stays in Japan as a child and as a tutor in a missionary family; experiences as a teacher in the wartime resettlement in New York; and postwar return to Los Angeles. This oral …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-11/

av Oral history with Shonin Yamashita (ddr-csujad-29-385)

An oral interview with Shonin Yamashita, an Issei and incarceree at the Poston War Relocation Center. The interview was conducted for the Japanese American Oral History Project by California State University, Fullerton. Transcript is found in item: csufccop_jaoh_0950. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: 1519_T01

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-29-385/

img Two Issei men in coats (ddr-densho-259-256)

Masuo Yasui, right, with a man who may have been Taro Miyake. Caption by Homer Yasui: "Taro Miyake was the editor of a Portland, Oregon, Japanese vernacular newspaper called the Coast Times."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-256/

img Seven Issei men in suits (ddr-densho-259-196)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Hood River Issei, from left to right: Kozo Karasawa, Yoshitomo Kyono, Ikutaro Takagi, Kamematsu Norimatsu and [Renichi Fujimoto]. I can't identify the two men who are crouching in the front."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-196/

img Issei man and woman in front of a black car (ddr-densho-259-218)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Issei man and woman in cloche hat standing in front of a large black car."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-218/

img Issei men and a woman standing by a guard rail (ddr-densho-259-214)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "[Masuo Yasui] with 2 other Issei men and a woman [shows] the front part of what I think was our old Studebaker."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-214/

img Family (ddr-densho-258-97)

Family posing outside, multiple generations, with a young man in a military uniform. Caption below: "Yukio, Shiz, Hanako, & Akira Aramaki." Inscription: "Dear One-san, Love Hanako."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-258-97/

img Issei sitting outside (ddr-densho-259-276)

Three unidentified Issei men and one woman sitting outside and eating.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-276/

img Gathering of Issei men (ddr-densho-259-445)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A gathering of a large group of Issei men, sitting and standing in a grassy meadow. There is an American flag prominently displayed and there are unidentifiable steamers on tall poles The tall bluff in the left background reminds me of what the area immediately to the west of Koberg's Beach used …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-445/

img Ten Issei men (ddr-densho-259-327)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "10 Issei men, all in western attire. Location not identified, but there is a handwritten date of 1907 at the top. Around then, Masuo [Yasui] was living in Portland at either the Japanese Methodist Mission or at the home of the Caucasian attorney, for whom he worked as a houseboy."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-327/

img Two Issei men sitting near Oak trees (ddr-densho-259-38)

Two Issei men sitting on a lawn. Caption by Homer Yasui: "I would like to guess that it was taken somewhere near Oak Grove [Oregon] because of the characteristic oak trees."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-38/

img Four Issei men (ddr-densho-259-30)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "4 Issei men, the left one of whom is Senichi Tomihiro of Portland. The third man from the left, is Toyoji Abe."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-30/

img Four Issei men in Parkdale, Oregon (ddr-densho-259-28)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "[Masuo Yasui] standing with 3 other Issei men on what appears to be a lawn. Since Tadao Sato is one of the men, and he's the only one wearing farm work clothes, I will guess that the others came to visit him at his orchard, which was in Parkdale."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-28/

img Three Issei men in a field (ddr-densho-259-538)

Masuo Yasui with two unidentified Issei men, standing in a field.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-538/

img Four Issei men in Parkdale, Oregon (ddr-densho-259-191)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-191/

img Issei couples at Mount Hood, Oregon (ddr-densho-259-213)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "I can't identify any of the 2 Issei couples who are standing in front of the old Cloud Cap Inn, which was on the northwest shoulder of Mt Hood near Cooper Spur, but I think that the guy with the bushy white moustache was a minister. It seems that our family kind …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-213/

doc 1952 Pictorial Guidebook (ddr-densho-266-78)

Select article titles: "Rare photographs capture beauties of Fuji" (pg 19-34); "The Issei Story" (pg. 35-58); "Pictures: San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Twin Cities, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Japan" (pg. 59-112); "Organizations: Bird's-eye view of Nisei groups in the U.S." (pg. 113-138). Removed pages 140-167 from public website to protect personal information.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-266-78/

img Father and son (ddr-densho-26-60)

Kinnosuke and Akio Yanagihara

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-26-60/

doc Gidra, Vol. I, No. 7 (October 1969) (ddr-densho-297-7)

Selected article titles: "Issei Centennial" (p. 2), "Introspect" (p. 3), "Okinawa" (p. 5), "Shhh!: A Nisei Is Speaking" (p. 6), "The Emergence of Yellow Power in America" (p. 8-9).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-297-7/

img Issei minister and family (ddr-densho-310-4)

Ichikawa family portrait. (Front row, left to right) Akira, Tatsuya, Shinya, Yasashi, Hiroko (Back row, left to right) Noriko, Satoru, Etsuko, Kazuya

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-310-4/

img Issei couple (ddr-densho-310-3)

Issei couple Rev. Tatsuya Ichikawa and Mrs. Yasashi Ichikawa. Rev. Ichikawa was riban at Seattle Buddhist Church for many years.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-310-3/

img Group of Issei and Nisei in front of barrack (ddr-densho-310-2)

Ichikawa family in front of their barrack at Minidoka concentration camp. Also pictured are family friends, Yahachi Suzuki and Mr. Hino. (Front Row, left to right) Akira Ichikawa, Hiroko Ichikawa (Back Row, left to right) Satoru Ichikawa, Mr. Hino, Etsuko Ichikawa, Yasashi Ichikawa, Shinya Ichikawa (In Yasahi's arms), Kazuya Ichikawa, Noriko Ichikawa, Yahachi Suzuki

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-310-2/