Strangers from a Different Shore

Takaki explains how Japanese immigrants began to settle on the American mainland. In the early 1880s, there were just a couple thousand Japanese people living on the US mainland, but their numbers quickly grew, and by the early 20th century over 100,000 people of Japanese descent were living in the US. Japanese immigrants encountered discrimination and violence in every facet of society, as students, customers, renters, landowners, and more. Some towns and stores put up signs warning Japanese people away. While Japanese workers in Hawaii also experienced racism, they had the advantage of a stable workplace and mostly lived among other Asian people. On the mainland, meanwhile, Japanese workers and settlers struggled to secure a livelihood and a place in society. Many workers labored in “migratory” jobs such as menial farm work, cannery jobs, or railroad construction, in which they were always moving around (182). The author details the physically grueling and dangerous nature of these jobs, which often left Japanese workers exhausted and malnourished. To relive their physical pain and homesickness, some of them gambled, drank, or visited Japanese pool halls where Japanese food was served.

In the early 20th century, there was an explosion of Japanese-owned small businesses, including hotels, restaurants, supply stores and laundries.