Inspired by the hard work and sacrifice of the nisei, or second generation, of Japanese-Americans in Hawai'i, Honolulu photographer Brian Y. Sato was determined to capture this slowly disappearing generation, who are in their 80s or older.

Starting in 2003, Sato photographed more than 70 nisei from O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands on black-and-white film, using his older Fuji GX 680 camera.

"I came to the realization that if it was not initiated and completed immediately, the opportunity to document the remaining nisei generation would be lost forever," said Sato, a yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese-American), in a statement.

His work is being shown at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i in its newest exhibition, "Gokurosama: Contemporary Photographs of the Nisei in Hawai'i," at the JCCH Community Gallery.

The photographer faced a major hurdle when it came to confirming other nisei subjects.

"A lot of the nisei, especially the women, refused me," Sato said. "You have to be tactful and persistent, I learned."

During his interactions with the various nisei, Sato said, he learned about their life experiences. "I came to realize they did not have easy lives. They lived through very turbulent times.

"While barely out of their teen years, their lives were disrupted. They dealt with racism, financial ruin, dissolution of family. All this must have contributed in the formation of their character."