Japanese Immigrants To America

The transition of Japanese immigrants to America was not easily met. From the late 18th century through the mid-19th century, Japanese-Americans dealt with much discrimination. This essay focuses on the life of a specific young women, named Kazuko Ito, who quickly finds out what it’s like to be a Japanese-American immigrant. Through a series of diary entries, readers are propelled into the life of Kazuko and gain perspectives on what life was like for her and her family. Kazuko’s story is unique because she is a second-generation immigrant, meaning she was born in the United States to parents that immigrated from Japan. Japanese-American immigrants were discriminated against no matter what generation they were, if they had Japanese blood in

He started off studying law in Japan, but due to America’s “new promises and rich opportunities”, he decided to immigrate to further pursue his dream. When he arrived however, he landed some odd jobs that included railroad work and laying soil. This was common for many Japanese immigrants, as they were welcomed at first for cheap labor, but shortly after were targeted in fear that they would replace the American works due to their high work ethics for low prices, and the increase of farmers becoming small business owners. Kazuko’s father figured he would work hard and save up enough money for his education but was never able to save money after years of hard work and decided to settle down with his future wife who was brought over by his father from Japan. Kazuko’s parents purchased the Carrollton hotel, and that is where their family was created. It was at their hotel where Kazuko was called a yankee by a man staying there. She was too young at the time to realize what this meant, but Kazuko spent time reflecting on how she could be a yankee if she was already Japanese. Kazuko says this would, “be like being born with two heads” and that “it sounded freakish and a lot of trouble”. This further reveals the feelings of a young child who already is feeling torn on what she is. Even though a yankee is a poor reference, Kazuko will soon have the same perspective

She recalls the first day with herself and her siblings sobbing in the car while their mother drove them to their new school. Kazuko’s mother had to drag each of them out of the car and up the stairs to the school where they were met by the principal. Kazuko described him as, “face seemed to be carved out of granite and with turned-down mouth and nostrils flaring with disapproval, his black marble eyes crushed us into a quivering silence”. Kazuko was then taken into a classroom where she notes that the teacher talked to her as if she were special. Kazuko recalls the sentence spoken slowly and loudly by her teacher, “what is your name”. This portrays that even though Kazuko is of Japanese heritage, since it is her first time in a Japanese setting, she is treated as though she is more of an American. Kazuko is already beginning to see what both Japanese and Americans see her as, even though she does not realize it quite