Generations

If you ask a Japanese American, what generation are you?  That person will probably know.  When I was a child,  my parents explained to me the meaning of the generations.

• Issei - This generation is people that were born in Japan but later immigrated to the United States.
• Nisei - This generation is people that were born in the U.S. and their parents are Issei.
• Sansei - This generation is people that were born in the U.S. and their parents are Nisei.
• Yonsei - This generation is people that were born in the U.S. and their parents are Sansei.
• Gosei - This generation is people that were born in the U.S. and their parents are Yonsei.

Many of the Issei have passed away as this was the generation that came over to the United States before World War II.  Many of the Nisei were born a few years before the war or during the war.  Many Sansei were born during the baby boom.