International Photo Exhibit Covers the History of Japanese-Americans in Hawaii KAILUA KONA, HI — The history of Hawaii starts with the story of its people and their individual journeys to the islands. In the late 1800s, when the pineapple and sugar crops were thriving, more than 180,000 Japanese contract laborers came to the islands to improve their lives; at the same time they unknowingly enhanced the culture of the region. The story of these “Nikkei” — Japanese immigrants and their descendants — will be shared with the public through the “Hawaii Nikkei Legacy Exhibit,” a traveling international photo array featuring 150 pictures and more highlighting Hawaii’s Japanese immigration. The exhibit covers the 1885 immigration of Issei (first generation immigrants) up to modern day Hawaii. The Hawaii Nikkei Legacy Exhibit will be hosted and presented by Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union (HCFCU).