Hawaii, 1941. For thirteen-year-old Tomi his world is idyllic, revolving around his close-knit family: Papa, a fisherman, and Mama, along with his little sister Kimi, and Grampa, who insists that the family is Japanese, not American. His best friend is Billy. Both Tomi and Billy are targets of bullying by mean-tempered Keet, who is older and carries a .22 rifle. There is little Tomi can do against Keet due to circumstance: Tomi's family lives on the Wilson property and they could be evicted at any time by Mr. Wilson.
On the morning of December 7th, [Tomi] and [Billy] watch in terror as Pearl Harbor is bombed. The U.S. declares war on Japan. All Japanese people in Hawaii become suspects. [Papa] is arrested, his boat sunk. Sanji, a family friend who worked on Papa's boat, is killed. An FBI Agent forces Tomi and Grampa to kill his father's prized racing pigeons. Keet had told the authorities of the birds, saying they could be carrying messages to the enemy. Later, the family hides all their possessions that are Japanese. [Grampa] hides his katana, a Samurai sword sacred to the Nakaji family, deep in the jungle.
Tomi begins to experience prejudice from people who now look at his family differently, thinking they may have played a part in the Pearl Harbor attack. He is afraid that Billy will no longer be his friend, but Billy sticks by him. When they visit Reiko's widow, Billy gives her young daughter, Mari, his most prized possession: a pair of binoculars that were a Christmas present from his father.
A week goes by and [Tomi] learns that [Papa] is being held at Sand Island, a detention camp near Honolulu Harbor. [Tomi] risks his life, undertaking a dangerous swim to the island, to see his father. In a brief, secret visit, [Papa] tells [Tomi] to reassure [Mama] it will be okay. Then, [Grampa] is arrested. As he is being taken away, he tells [Tomi] to protect the katana. Charlie is able to show [Tomi] where it is hidden, but when [Tomi] recovers the sword, he is caught by [Keet], who tries to take it away at gunpoint. [Tomi] won't give it up, and stands up to [Keet] for the first time.
Later, it is Mrs. Wilson who provides help, by informing Tomi and his mother that Papa will soon be shipped off to an internment camp on the mainland. He and Mama decide they must try to see Papa. On the day that he is to depart, crowds have gathered downtown. [Tomi] sees Papa amongst prisoners being marched towards the harbor. He pushes through the crowd and reaches Papa, handing him his baseball and glove, and Mama's wedding portrait. Papa reassures [Tomi] that he will find a way back home, but until then, [Tomi] needs to look after the family.
