Nikkei+: Stories of Mixed Language, Traditions, Generations & Race

Nikkei Chronicles #2
Nikkei+: Stories of Mixed Language, Traditions, Generations & Race

Being Nikkei is inherently a state of mixed traditions and cultures.

For many Nikkei communities and families around the world, it is common to use both chopsticks and forks; mix Japanese words with Spanish; or celebrate the New Year’s Eve countdown with champagne and Oshogatsu with ozoni and other Japanese traditions.

Rather than defining “being Nikkei” as being made up of fractions of combined traditions, we prefer to think of it as a rich culture and identity that is enhanced by the multiplicities.

Discover Nikkei collected stories from around the world related to how Nikkei perceive and experience being multiracial, multinational, multilingual, and multigenerational. We received 37 stories (23 English; 5 Japanese; 3 Spanish; and 6 Portuguese), with a few submitted in multiple languages. Thank you very much to everyone who submitted their Nikkei+ stories!

We asked our Nima-kai community to vote for their favorite stories. Here are their selections!

Read more Nikkei+ stories >>

We have closed submissions for this series, but you can still share your story on Discover Nikkei. Please check our Journal submission guidelines to share your story!

Thanks to Patricia Wakida for helping us pull this project together, Jay Horinouchi for designing our cool Nikkei+ logo, and our wonderful volunteers who help us review, edit, upload, and promote this project!

Disclaimer: By submitting your story, you are granting Discover Nikkei and the Japanese American National Museum permission to post your article and images on DiscoverNikkei.org, and potentially other publications in print or online affiliated with this project. This includes any translations of your work in association with Discover Nikkei. You, the writer, will retain copyright. Check Discover Nikkei’s Terms of Services and Privacy Policy for more details.