Japanese in Hawai‘i

The History of Japanese Immigration to Hawai‘i and the Influence of Nihongo on Hawaiian Pidgin English

Immigration from Japan to Hawai‘i began nearly 130 years ago, and ethnic Japanese constitute one of the largest groups in Hawai‘i’s multicultural ohana. This opening presentation will explore the history of Japanese immigration to Hawai‘i and the infl uence of the Japanese language on Hawai‘i Creole (“pidgin”) English, beginning with the degree to which Japanese words and cultural concepts are everywhere in daily life in Hawai‘i.