1. A Japanese immigrant to the United States, especially one who immigrated in the late 19th or early 20th century.
Usage: Often capitalized; Historical and cultural term; Refers specifically to first-generation Japanese Americans

Examples

• Many issei came to Hawaii and California to work in agriculture and fishing.
• The issei generation faced significant discrimination and legal restrictions in the United States.
• Her grandparents were issei who arrived from Kyoto in 1905.
• Issei communities established Japanese language schools and cultural organizations.
• The experiences of issei immigrants shaped Japanese-American history and identity.