Identity and values
Like millions of other immigrants in the United States, first-generation Japanese and their children felt the tension of maintaining their cultural heritage amid pressures to conform to mainstream society while also dealing with discrimination. Although most new immigrants in this country have had to struggle with these same conflicts, one traumatic event sets Japanese Americans apart from other immigrant groups: the mass incarceration during World War II.
Identity and values
(192)
Related articles from the
Densho Encyclopedia :
Dual citizenship,
Nikkei
192 items
192 items

vh
Hiroki Kimiko Keaveney Interview Segment 8 (ddr-chi-1-3-8)
Coming to terms with personal identity

vh
Diana Morita Cole Interview Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-483-19)
Considering issues of identity while living in Canada
![[Suit] (ddr-csujad-56-255)](https://ddr.densho.org/media/cache/64/04/640485943bcf84d5541b2db5721dcb59.jpg)
img
[Suit] (ddr-csujad-56-255)
Vintage portrait of a Kawase family member in a suit. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nbea08-03-064

doc
Letter from Larry Tajiri to Margaret Anderson, editor of Common Ground (ddr-densho-338-426)
Discussion of an article about the Manazanar riot/uprising.

doc
Letter to Larry Tajiri from Margaret Anderson, editor of Common Ground (ddr-densho-338-425)
The author praises Larry Tajiri's work running the Pacific Citizen, discusses an article on the Manzanar riot/uprising, and requests he stop using the term "the American Japanese."

img
Issei men in feudal Japanese costumes (ddr-densho-259-229)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Issei men dressed in feudal Japanese costumes These ancient Japanese costumes represented the samurai, and possibly some of the entourage of a daimyo (a samurai lord); some of the priestly class; the artisan class represented by men in workmen's clothing and carrying framing squares; and interestingly, a couple of …

img
Issei man at house of Japanese Consul General (ddr-densho-259-553)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "Portrait of Senichi Tomihiro He's standing on a sloping lawn in front of a fine house, and in front of this house is a tall white flagstaff. The flag on the staff could be the Japanese rising sun flag. If it is, then that house probably belonged to the Japanese Consul General …

img
Man wearing a sugegasa and mino (ddr-densho-259-146)
Unidentified man wearing a sugegasa (conical hat) and mino (straw raincoat).

img
Japanese writing over a memorial table (ddr-densho-259-491)
Possibly part of a Shinto memorial service.

img
Issei men in feudal Japanese costumes (ddr-densho-259-454)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Issei men dressed in feudal Japanese costumes These ancient Japanese costumes represented the samurai, and possibly some of the entourage of a daimyo (a samurai lord); some of the priestly class; the artisan class represented by men in workmen's clothing and carrying framing squares; and interestingly, a couple of …

img
Issei man in kimono (ddr-densho-259-140)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "Portrait of [Masuo Yasui] dressed in a kimono, with a long, knee length dark over-kimono, but it wasn't a montsuki, because there are no crests. He's wearing a straw boater. I think that this picture must have been taken in Japan when our family went there for a 2-1/2 month visit in …

img
Tenchosetsu celebration (ddr-densho-259-444)
Gathering of Issei for the celebration of Tenchosetsu, a day to pray for the long life of the emperor and a celebration of Emperor Taisho's birthday.

img
Celebration of Tenchosetsu (ddr-densho-259-142)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "Picture of the celebration of Tenchosetsu at the [Hood River] Japanese Community Hall Tenchosetsu was the formal celebration of the birthday of the Japanese emperor."

img
Japanese Consul General's wife with student (ddr-densho-259-507)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "Doris Hansen and the Japanese Consul General's wife. Doris is dressed in a kimono and is carrying a sensu--a Japanese folding fan."

img
"Issei in quasi-feudal Japanese costumes" (ddr-densho-259-453)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Hood River Issei in quasi-feudal Japanese costumes. I think that this picture was taken at our Mosier farm because of the hills in the background I suspect that this was another undokai [field day/sports day]."

img
Japanese women wearing montsuki (ddr-densho-259-84)
Caption by Homer Yasui: "This picture of an unknown Japanese woman and a younger, equally unknown Japanese woman [shows] the formal montsuki--which is an over-garment which has the family crest placed on it in 5 defined places. The younger woman is wearing what looks like a fancy kapogi--but it looks to good to be just a …

img
Portrait of Japanese woman in kimono (ddr-densho-259-456)
Portrait of an unidentified Japanese woman wearing kimono.

doc
Gidra, Vol. I, No. 4 (July 1969) (ddr-densho-297-4)
Selected article titles: "Experimental College Starts" (p. 1), "Yellow Brotherhood Food for Thought" (p. 1), "Blind Reflections?" (p. 2), "The Misunderstanding in Chinatown" (p. 4).

img
Kanazawa home (ddr-densho-308-4)
The Kanazawa family outside their home at 1642 Weller St., Seattle, Washington.

img
Nisei children (ddr-densho-308-3)
The Kanazawa children posing here (front row, left to right) Min Kanazawa, Bob Kanazawa, Yasu Kanazawa, (back row, left to right Niesan Kanazawa, Mae (Kanazawa) Hara

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

doc
George Masumi Sakai (ddr-csujad-8-95)
Oral history interview with George Masumi Sakai. Information on the oral history project is found in: csuf_stp_0012A; Glossary in: csuf_stp_0014. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: FCPL Sakai, George Masumi

img
View of a home's front door (ddr-densho-390-107)
The front door and walkway of a home. House number 2620 is displayed on the garage.