Final answer:
Historically, Hawaii has seen a significant number of immigrants from Japan, starting in the 1880s to work on sugarcane plantations. Chinese immigrants also played a major role in both Hawaii and Alaska in various industries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The immigrants to Hawaii have historically come predominantly from East Asian countries, particularly Japan. Japanese immigration to Hawaii began in earnest in the 1880s, primarily to work on sugarcane plantations. This large influx of Japanese immigrants continued even after Hawaii was annexed by the United States. Alongside Japanese immigrants, there was also a significant number of Chinese laborers who came to work on the sugarcane plantations and in various other jobs. Over time, other waves of immigrants have arrived in Hawaii and Alaska from different regions, but the Japanese and Chinese have been among the most frequent in terms of historical immigration patterns.