The journey

The Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) crossed the Pacific in crowded steamships for the two-week journey to the West Coast of the United States. Thousands of immigrants left Japan from Yokohama Harbor outside Tokyo and entered the U.S. at Angel Island, the immigration station in San Francisco Bay. The immigrants were examined and inoculated for communicable diseases upon boarding and examined again upon arrival. Because it took time to obtain a visa and the necessary health clearances, the journey from one's hometown in Japan could extend up to a month.

Immigration and citizenship (431)
The journey (71)

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71 items

doc Radiogram from Ryo Tsai to Ai Chih Tsai (ddr-densho-446-257)

Happy you are on way meet you in LosAngeles October 11 Love Ryo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-257/

img Group photo with Ai Chih Tsai (ddr-densho-446-372)

Captain and Passengers of Taiyo Maru going to San Francisco, CA.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-372/

img Noboru Shirai aboard Tatsuta Maru (ddr-csujad-55-1316)

Black and white photograph depicting Noboru Shirai standing next to a life preserver aboard the Tatsuta Maru bound for the United States. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1318

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1316/

doc Declaration of alien about to depart for the United States (ddr-csujad-55-2012)

Declaration form for Yosaku Yoneda's departure from Kobe, Japan to Sacramento, California. Includes list of references and photograph of Yoneda. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2115

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2012/

doc Imperial Japanese Government passport Yoneshiro Ono (ddr-csujad-55-2457)

A passport belonging to Yoneshiro Ono, no. 223754. Includes photograph of Ono and admittance stamp from the U.S. Immigration Service for arrival to the United States via the SS Alabama Maru. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2563

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2457/

img Noboru Shirai aboard Tatsuta Maru (ddr-csujad-55-1315)

Black and white photograph depicting Noboro Shirai with other passengers aboard the Tatsuta Maru bound for the United States. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_1317

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-1315/

doc Imperial Japanese Government passport, Tome Ono (ddr-csujad-55-2458)

A passport belonging to Tome Ono, no. 223755. Includes photograph of Ono and admittance stamp from the U.S. Immigration Service for arrival to the United States via the SS Alabama Maru. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sac_jaac_2564

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-55-2458/

img Group photo on the S.S. Persia Maru (ddr-densho-494-47)

Torayoshi (Muraki) Maida is seated on the far right. Caption on website: "Sailing to America" and "Torayoshi on the Persia Maru 1919"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-494-47/

vh Asano Terao Interview I Segment 33 (ddr-densho-1000-108-33)

Traveling to the U.S. on the same ship as "picture brides" (Japanese language)

This interview was conducted in Japanese and was translated so as to convey Mrs. Terao's way of speaking as closely as possible. For example, there are instances in which she makes some grammatical errors. These mistakes are conveyed through similar grammatical errors in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-108-33/

vh Toru Sakahara - Kiyo Sakahara Interview I Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-76-8)

Kiyo's parents' immigration story: swimming out to catch a boat to Hawaii

This interview was conducted over two days at the Sakaharas' home.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-76-8/

vh June Takahashi Segment 1 (ddr-densho-1000-88-1)

Parents' immigration story: a rough boat ride

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-88-1/

vh Mutsu Homma Segment 10 (ddr-densho-1000-24-10)

Traveling alone to America

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-24-10/

vh Fumiko Uyeda Groves Segment 6 (ddr-densho-1000-10-6)

Mother's trip to the U.S., being instructed in how to be a proper Japanese bride

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-10-6/

vh Fumiko Uyeda Groves Segment 1 (ddr-densho-1000-10-1)

Grandfather's immigration story: entering through Canada, rowing over at night

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-10-1/

vh Yasashi Ichikawa Interview I Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-111-9)

Description of the journey by boat to the United States (Japanese language)

This interview was conducted in Japanese. The transcript is a translation of the original interview.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-111-9/

vh Marian Asao Kurosu Interview Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-118-5)

Journey to the United States at age sixteen: applying for a visa, physical exam

During this interview, Mrs. Kurosu alternately speaks in both English and Japanese. As a result, the English translation of the transcript contains [Jpn.] and [Eng.], which indicate whether the original dialogue was spoken in Japanese or English.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-118-5/

vh Minoru Yamaguchi Interview Segment 2 (ddr-manz-1-127-2)

Father's immigration story: walking across the U.S. border

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-manz-1-127-2/

vh Dave Kawamoto Interview Segment 9 (ddr-densho-122-9-9)

Memories of the train ride to Pomona Assembly Center

This interview was conducted by filmmaker Frank Abe for his 2000 documentary, Conscience and the Constitution, about the World War II resisters of conscience at the Heart Mountain incarceration camp. As a result, the interviews in this collection are typically not life histories, instead primarily focusing …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-122-9-9/

vh Jimmie Omura Interview Segment 1 (ddr-densho-1002-11-1)

Family background: father was a stowaway at age nineteen on a ship from Japan to the U.S.

This interview was conducted by sisters Emiko and Chizuko Omori for their 1999 documentary, Rabbit in the Moon, about the Japanese American resisters of conscience in the World War II incarceration camps. As a result, the interviews in …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1002-11-1/

vh Take Murayama Interview Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1000-110-3)

Memories of the journey by boat to the U.S. (Japanese language)

This interview was conducted in Japanese. It was translated so as to convey Mrs. Murayama's way of speaking as closely as possible. For example, there are instances in which she makes grammatical errors. These mistakes are conveyed through similar grammatical errors in English in order …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-110-3/

vh Peggy Tanemura Interview Segment 1 (ddr-densho-1000-85-1)

Family's immigration route: from Hawaii to California to Japan to Seattle

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-85-1/