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 (344)
Issei (1035)

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Issei

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1035 items

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/

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/

img Issei woman (ddr-densho-325-446)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-446/

img Japanese American men (ddr-densho-325-320)

Hisa's father, Junichi Nimura, and Mr. Goto. Written on back of photograph "Mr. Goto Papa Nov. 1947 Weimar Calif."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-320/

img Issei woman (ddr-densho-325-560)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-560/

img Japanese American family (ddr-densho-325-559)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-559/

img Page of Hisa Nimura Horiuchi Scrapbook (ddr-densho-325-4)

Photographs of Hisa's kindergarten class in Florin, California. Ms. Whilhite also includes the history of Hisa's family.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-4/

img Issei woman (ddr-densho-325-159)

Sumito Horiuchi's mother

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-159/

img Japanese American family (ddr-densho-325-558)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-558/

img Mother and son (ddr-densho-325-305)

Sumito Horiuchi poses with his mother. Written on back of photograph "Nov. '47"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-305/

img Issei couple (ddr-densho-325-443)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-443/

img Portrait of Issei man (ddr-densho-325-206)

Photograph of unknown Issei man

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-325-206/

doc Draft of Brief Account of the Life of Iwahiko Tsumanuma (ddr-densho-335-17)

Agnus Rockrise sends a rough draft of the life of her husband, Thomas Rockrise (Iwahiko Tsumanuma), to Dr. Tatsuzo Sare. This rough draft is used to created a printed version later in Japanese with photographs of Thomas Rockrise's work in Japan in 1920 and 1921.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-335-17/

doc Brief Account of the Life of Iwahiko Tsumanuma (ddr-densho-335-16)

A brief account of life of Thomas Rockrise (Iwahiko Tsumanuma) including his architectual work finished in Japan during his two trips there in 1920 and 1921. These projects include Kawasaki Hospital in Kobe; Colonial home for a business man, Mr. Uenaka, in Tokyo; Private Museum for Tokushichi Nomura, Esq., in Kyoto; Nanying office building, Nanking Road, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-335-16/

doc Note from Thomas Rockrise to Agnes Rockrise (ddr-densho-335-10)

A short note from Thomas Rockrise to his wife, Agnes, affirming his love their son, George.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-335-10/