A Day in Little Tokyo - Characters

Yamamoto's "A Day in Little Tokyo" features a small cast of characters, each playing a crucial role in Chisato's journey:

• Chisato: The protagonist and narrator of the story. Chisato is a Japanese American girl struggling with her dual identity. She feels torn between her Japanese heritage and her desire to fit into American society. This internal conflict shapes her experiences and interactions throughout the narrative.

• Shuzo: Chisato's younger brother. Shuzo represents the carefree nature of childhood, a stark contrast to Chisato's growing anxieties about identity and belonging. He is more pliable than his sister and is driven by his love for food.

• Mr. Kushida: The father of Chisato and Shuzo. Mr. Kushida embodies traditional Japanese values and expectations. His strict demeanour and attempts to instill those values in Chisato contribute to her feelings of alienation and frustration. He is portrayed as being uninterested in going to the beach and prefers to visit Little Tokyo.

• Mrs. Kushida: The mother of Chisato and Shuzo. Mrs. Kushida is portrayed as being more understanding than her husband. She is also more willing to compromise. She stays home with the baby while the rest of the family goes out.

The interactions between these characters illuminate key themes:

• Chisato and Mr. Kushida: Their relationship reflects the clash between tradition and modernity, highlighting the challenges faced by second-generation immigrants in navigating their parents' cultural expectations.

• Chisato and Shuzo: Their interactions emphasise the contrast between childhood innocence and the complexities of adolescence, particularly in a multicultural context.

Through these characters and their relationships, Yamamoto paints a nuanced picture of the Japanese American experience, exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of family dynamics within American society.