Japanese Immigrant Clothing in Hawaii, 1885-1941

Barbara F. Kawakami, raised on a sugarcane plantation, had a career as a dressmaker and homemaker before earning her B.S. in textile and clothing and an M.A. in Asian studies. She is a consultant on Japanese immigrant clothing for Hawaii Public Television, Waipahu Cultural Garden Park, Bishop Museum, and the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Naturally the bright kasuri kimono that Japanese immigrants brought with them didn’t last forever, and kimono were not practical for moving among the sugarcane, with its razor sharp edges. So Japanese immigrant women looked to the clothing of those from other cultures . . . borrowing good ideas and creating a plantation worker style all their own. . . . . As immigrants adapted their clothing, they began the grueling cultural adaptation as well. . . . More than anything, clothing reflected the pride and keen sense of practicality with which the immigrant bore their hardships."" —Japan Times""Barbara F. Kawakami’s book is more than a compendium of ethnic costume and details of fabrication. . . . Her perspective enriches the description of costume with an understanding of the conditions under which the clothing was made and used."" —Piecework""A detailed and well-written work. Most valuable are the personal interviews . . . that precisely document a unique facet of Hawaiian and immigrant history."" —Choice