Nisei

Nisei is a Japanese term used in the United States and Canada to refer to the second generation of Japanese ancestry—children of Issei, who were the first generation immigrants. The word nisei means “second generation” in Japanese. In the American and Canadian contexts, Nisei typically were born in North America and often grew up navigating bilingual and bicultural environments.

Historically, Nisei came of age amid widespread discrimination and legal barriers facing Japanese immigrants and their families. They commonly attended schools that reflected segregated or limited resources, and many faced tensions between maintaining Japanese heritage and assimilating into broader society. The experience of Nisei varied by region, with communities in Hawaii, California, and the Pacific Northwest developing distinct social networks and cultural expressions.

During World War II, Japanese Americans faced mass relocation and internment following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Nisei were subject to relocation to internment camps and loyalty questionnaires that tested allegiance to the United States. A substantial number of Nisei served in the U.S. military, notably in the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which earned widespread recognition for valor and sacrifice.

In the postwar era, Nisei contributed to civil rights movements, education, business, and the arts, helping to reshape Japanese American identity and visibility in society. The term has also given rise to related generations, with Sansei (third generation) and Yonsei (fourth generation) following the Nisei in later decades.