Roland Kotani's The Japanese in Hawaii: A Century of Struggle (1985) has been digitized and is now available through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's Hamilton Library . The release marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark publication, long regarded as a cornerstone of UH Mānoa's ethnic studies program .
"Kotani broke new ground by telling a history of Japanese and Okinawans in Hawaiʻi that centered stories of resistance to oppression in a form that was very accessible," said Kyle Kajihiro, assistant professor of ethnic studies.
Kotani was a writer, historian and community advocate who also served as a member of the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives. He dedicated much of his work to shedding light on the journey of Japanese and Okinawan immigrant communities, highlighting a century of resilience, labor activism and community building. Through his storytelling, Kotani captured how Japanese and Okinawan workers helped transform plantation life and shape Hawaiʻi's modern society.
Kotani's legacy preserved
Hamilton Library received permission from Kotani's daughter, Mariko, and his brother, musician Ozzie Kotani, to make the work publicly available.
"This book is foundational in its clarity and continues to be used in ethnic studies classes," said Jodie Mattos, Hawaiian Collection Librarian and Department Chair of the Hawaiian and Pacific Collections. "This year marks 40 years since the publication of Kotani's book, and its longevity is noteworthy."
Mattos expressed appreciation to the Kotani family and Vince Watabu of the Hawaii Hochi, the book's publisher, for helping make this important resource freely available to future generations.
Access the digitized book through Hamilton Library's digital collections .
The post Digitized book chronicles Japanese roots in Hawaiʻi first appeared on University of Hawaiʻi System News
