''This excellent study of the first Japanese sojourners to America and Hawaii places them within the context of national developments on both sides of the Pacific... Van Sant wonderfully narrates and analyzes their engaging stories, those of ship-wrecked sailors, college students, workers, and even some utopians.'' -- Choice ''Van Sant has the language skills to do archival work, coupled with a solid grasp of Japanese history. He has produced a small but important work.'' -- Paul Spickard, American Historical Review ''A solid, well-written study. Featuring splendid biographical profiles, it provides excellent insight into Japan's modernization and the origins of Japanese immigration to the United States.'' -- Robert D. Parmet, International Migration Review ADVANCE PRAISE ''This well-written and skillful blend of Japanese and Japanese American history fills a gap in our understanding of the formation of the Nikkei community in the United States. It provides us with a new appreciation of these early pioneers and their impact on both Japan and the United States.'' -- Wayne Patterson, Harvard University