LTSC Mental Health Conference

On November 1, a conference on mental health was held in Little Tokyo.

Titled ‘Ebb and Flow,’ the conference was hosted by the Little Tokyo Service Center and was held for the third time this year.
The event aims to deepen understanding of mental health within the Asian American community, with a particular focus on Japanese Americans.

It opened with a panel discussion featuring survivors of the Pacific Palisades and Eaton wildfires, held at the Terasaki Budokan.
Panelists spoke about the trauma they experienced and the process of healing.

One of the speakers, artist Miki Yokoyama, lost her home and all of her previous works in the Eaton fire.

Afterwards, seminars on therapy, caregiving, and addiction were held in English, Japanese, or both.
One of the sessions focused on understanding and supporting Japanese unhoused individuals.

Many Japanese nationals in the community have become homeless for a variety of reasons.
Some are seniors who came to the United States in the 1980s and 1990s, lived without legal status, and can no longer work due to age.
Others are young people struggling with drug dependency or mental health issues.
Some are women who lost their homes due to divorce or domestic violence.

The Little Tokyo Service Center offers many programs and staff who can provide support in Japanese for those facing difficult situations.
More information is available on the website LTSC.org.

OCJAA Senior Citizen Appreciation Day

On Saturday October 26 the Orange County Japanese American Association hosted Senior Citizen Appreciation Day in Fountain Valley.

The event honors elders who have contributed to building and developing the local community and this year marked its thirty ninth anniversary.

The ceremony began with a speech by OCJAA President Yasuyuki Okazoe followed by representatives of the Japanese American community.
They congratulated the seniors thanked them for their community contributions and wished them health and long life.

Fifteen seniors turning eighty this year received certificates honoring their achievements and longevity.
The winners of the Nerio Japanese Cultural Scholarship were also announced. The scholarship supports young people who preserve Japanese culture.

The venue featured a tea ceremony experience and children read messages they had written for the elders along with other entertainment on stage.
Approximately two hundred forty participants enjoyed a peaceful time together while eating boxed lunches.

OCJAA also operates the Senior Shiawase Project.
The project provides free lunches each month to about one hundred Japanese Americans over eighty in Orange County. It also helps prevent isolation and supports a safe and caring environment for seniors.
This event is part of that ongoing effort.

Fuji-kan Theater Monument

A historical marker has been installed at the former site of the Fuji-kan Theater, which opened in Little Tokyo in 1925, and its unveiling ceremony was held on October 30.

The marker commemorates the 100th anniversary of the theater’s opening. It was made possible by the Little Tokyo Historical Society in partnership with the City of Los Angeles.

The Fuji-kan Theater is known as the venue where Japanese silent films were first shown in Los Angeles in 1926, and for many years it presented Japanese films with live narrators known as benshi.
The theater closed in 1942.

At the ceremony, representatives from the City of Los Angeles, the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, and the Little Tokyo Business Association delivered remarks.
They spoke about the importance of preserving Little Tokyo’s history and culture for future generations.

Following the ceremony, a lecture on Sessue Hayakawa, who began his acting career in Little Tokyo and became a Hollywood star in the 1920s, also covered the long standing ties between the Japanese American community and Hollywood. The lecture was delivered by Professor Daisuke Miyao of UC San Diego.