Issei

is a Japanese language term used in North America and South America to mean Japanese people who immigrated (moved to another country). The emigrants or immigrants who were born in Japan are called Issei and their children born in the new country are called Nisei (second generation).  The grandchildren of Issei are called Sansei (third generation).The generation names come from the numbers "one, two, three" in the Japanese language.  The first three Japanese numbers are "ichi, ni, san. The fourth number is "yon".

Issei are part of the wider Japanese diaspora. Though Issei means "first-generation immigrant", the term is often used specifically to mean the Japanese people who emigrated during the period of the Empire of Japan, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term Shin-Issei (“new first generation”) is sometimes used for Japanese people who emigrated after 1945. 

The character and uniqueness of the Issei can be seen in their social history.Numrich, Paul David. (2008). North American Buddhists in Social Context, p. 110.

History
The earliest organized group of Japanese emigrants settled in Mexico in 1897.Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA),  Japan-Mexico Foreign Relations; retrieved 2012-11-25.

Immigration to Brazil began in 1908.  Today, the community started by the Issei has become the largest Japanese emigrant population outside of Japan, including approximately 1.5 million Brazilians.MOFA, "Japan-Brazil Relations"; retrieved 2012-11-25. Other Issei started communities in the United States,Sakata, Yasuo. (1992). Fading Footsteps of the Issei, p. 1.  Canada,McLellan, Janet. (1999).  Many Petals of the Lotus: Five Asian Buddhist Communities in Toronto, p. 36.  and Peru."Fujimori Secures Japanese Haven," BBCNews, 12 December 2000; retrieved 2012-11-25.  In the United States and Canada, Issei were incarcerated and forced into camps, along with many of their Nisei children, during World War II. 

In the 1930s, the term Issei came into common use.  The word replaced the term "immigrant" (ijusha).  This change in usage reflected changes in the way the Issei looked at themselves, including the idea of belonging to the new country.  Other terms like Nisei were based on this Issei pattern or template.

 Cultural profile 
The term Nikkei (日系) was created by sociologists in the late 20th century.  The Nikkei include all of the world's Japanese immigrants and their descendants.Japanese American National Museum, "What is Nikkei?" ; retrieved 2012-11-25.

The Issei were born in Japan, and their cultural point-of-view was primarily Japanese; but they were in the Americas by choice.Smithsonian,  "The Art of Gaman: Arts and Crafts from the Japanese American Internment Camps, 1942 - 1946", Yoshitsuchi Ikemoto ; excerpt, "... one of hundreds of Issei (first-generation) 'bachelor' laborers who were unable to send for their wives or a picture bride because the U.S. government cut off all immigration from Japan in 1924"; retrieved 2012-11-25.  Their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren grew up with a national and cultural point-of-view that was different from their parents.

Although the Issei kept an emotional connection with Japan, they created homes in a country far from Japan.Yenne, Bill. (2007). Rising Sons: The Japanese American GIs Who Fought for the United States in World War II, p. xv.

 Generation  Cohort descriptionIssei (一世) The generation of people born in Japan who immigrated to another country."Issei" Densho Encyclopedia; retrieved 2012-11-25.Nisei (二世)The generation of people born in North America, Latin America, Australia, Hawaii, or any country outside of Japan either to at least one Issei parent.Sansei (三世)The generation of people born to at least one Nisei parent.Yonsei (四世) The generation of people born to at least one Sansei parentGosei (五世) The generation of people born to at least one Yonsei parentIkezoe-Halevi, Jean.  "Voices of Chicago: Day of Remembrance 2006," Discover Nikkei (US). October 31,  2006; retrieved 2012-11-25.

The Issei, Nisei and Sansei generations show very different attitudes to authority, gender, non-Japanese involvement, religious practice, and other matters.McLellan,  p. 59.

 Select list of notable Issei 
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 Kan'ichi Asakawa (1873–1948), academic, author, peace advocate, historian and librarianDiscoverNikkei:  Asakawa bio; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 Midori Goto (1971 - ), Shin-Issei (Japanese-born) American violinist, winner of Avery Fisher Prize
 Makoto Hagiwara (1854–1925), landscape designer for San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden, made the fortune cookie popularLee, Jennifer 8. "Solving a Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery Inside a Cookie," The New York Times (US). January 16, 2008; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 Miki Hayakawa (1899–1953), American modernist painter
 Mazie Hirono (1947 - ), 1st US Senator born in Japan"Hirono Becomes First U.S. Senator Born in Japan," Wall Street Journal, 6 November 2012; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 Koichi Iida (1888–1973), American businessman, founder of Central Pacific Bank
 Mako Iwamatsu (1933–2006), Shin-Issei American actor
 Fujitaro Kubota (1879–1973), American Seattle gardener and philanthropistKubota Garden, "A Short History" ; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1889–1953) American painter, photographer and printmaker
 Syukuro Manabe (1931 - ) Shin-Issei American Nobel Prize winner (2021),  climatologist and meteorologist
 Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), American sculptor and landscape architectBrenson, Michael.  "Isamu Noguchi, the Sculptor, Dies at 84", New York Times (US). December 31, 1988; retrieved 2012-11-26.
 Tomie Ohtake (1913–2015), Brazilian artist
 Yoko Ono Lennon (1933 - ), Shin-Issei American artist and musician.Robinson, Greg.  "Resettlement in New York," Densho Encyclopedia; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 George Masa (1881–1933), activist in creation of Great Smoky Mountains National ParkThe National Parks (PBS), "Horace Kephart (1862–1931) and George Masa (1881–1933)" ; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 Yoichiro Nambu (1921–2015), Shin-Issei American Nobel Prize winner (2008), physicistPollard, Niklas.  "Two Japanese, American win 2008 physics Nobel," Reuters (UK). 7 October 2008; retrieved 2012-11-25.
 Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (1950–2025 ), Shin-Issei American actor
 Jokichi Takamine (1854–1922), chemist who isolated adrenalinePulvers, Roger. "Jokichi Takamine: a man with fire in his belly whatever the odds,"  Japan Times, June 28, 2009; retrieved 2012-11-25.

Related pages
 Japanese American Internment

References

Other websites

 Japanese American National Museum
 Japanese American Historical Society
 Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project
 Discover Nikkei

Category:Japanese diaspora