The characters in Obasan are part of Naomi's Japanese-Canadian family. Its members fall into three major groups, depending on their birthplace, and consequently, nationality.
The Issei are first-generation Japanese-Canadians, Japan-born emigrants living in Canada. Their children are the Nisei or second-generation Japanese-Canadians, Canadian-born people with Canadian nationality, and the Nisei's children, the Sansei, or third-generation Japanese-Canadians.[1]
