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Many people of my many ethnicities will not accept me because I am not “enough” of that ethnicity to “count.”

One day, when I was walking down the Waikiki strip with my surf gear, I came across a group of tourists. I overheard them talking and, being part Japanese, I could tell from their speech that they were Japanese and that they needed help with directions. Being a native of Hawai’i, I offered my help and started to make small talk. I asked them where they were from and when they said they were from Japan, I was instantly ecstatic.

“I have always wanted to go to Tokyo and Hiroshima,” I said.

“Tokyo I understand. It big city and there are many people in Tokyo, but why Hiroshima?” a woman in the group asked me.

“Hiroshima is where my great-grandfather is from and I have always wanted to see where he grew up to get more in touch with my culture.”

Right as I said this, the group of Japanese tourists all looked so shocked. They glanced at each other with the most peculiar expressions, and their curious looks soon turned to dismay and outrage.

“You not Japanese,” one woman said with the most disgusted look on her face.

You too tall to be Japanese!” another woman blurted angrily.

I have never had a conversation that took such a drastic turn for the worse, and I have never infuriated tourists before. There anger was infectious because I started to get angry.

“But I am!” I pleaded.

How were they going to tell me if I was Japanese or not? They have known me for five minutes. Just because I am, tall that supposedly makes me not Japanese? I’m tall because I’m part Caucasian and Hawaiian. I was infuriated that they were judging me merely off of my looks. Since I don’t have many physical traits that align with what's considered typically Japanese, that makes me not Japanese? Nishida is one of the most common Japanese names in all of Japan. It’s like how Johnson is a common last name in America.