Interviews
What is Nikkei? (Japanese)
(Japanese) Well, in my definition of what “Nikkei” means nowadays, I believe Japanese-born people are included as well. It’s probably a matter of awareness. The original definition simply includes anyone born with some amount of Japanese blood in them. So the “Nikkei” of today have grown into quite a large group. When you call someone a Nikkei sansei or yonsei, not only can it mean that this person’s grandfather and grandmother were both Japanese; it can also mean that only the grandfather was Japanese, and this person would still be considered “Nikkei.” So it’s really a matter of awareness, isn’t it? Several generations later, even if people do have a Japanese ancestor from generations before, perhaps they wouldn’t consider themselves Nikkei at all. If you think about it that way, it sure seems like there’s a great difference in how each individual perceives what “Nikkei” means.
Date: October 7, 2005
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Ann Kaneko
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Postwar school-life
(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.
On Challenging Institutions
(1938-2020) Japanese American attorney and civil rights activist
Pop and Balls
(1938-2020) Japanese American attorney and civil rights activist
Re-examining Identity
(1941-2018) Japanese Canadian photojournalist and activist
Fitting in to both sides of her family
Jewish Japanese American journalist
Conflicted about immigrating to America (Japanese)
(b. 1925) War bride
Discover Nikkei Updates
June 25 (US) | June 26 (Japan)
Featured Nima:
Stan Kirk
Guest Host:
Yoko Murakawa
See exciting new changes to Discover Nikkei. Find out what’s new and what’s coming soon!