Archives: SoCalJapan

US KAYO Music Festival

On Sunday, August 10, the US KAYO Music Festival took place at the Aratani Theatre in Little Tokyo.
It was hosted by the Japanese Singers’ Association TOMONOKAI in USA and featured six singers from Japan.

Founded in 1963, the Japanese Singers’ Association is Japan’s leading organization for professional singers.
The U.S. branch, the Japanese Singers’ Association TOMONOKAI in USA, was established to promote Japanese popular music in America and foster international friendship.
It organized this concert to celebrate its 5th anniversary.

The event began with performances by talented singers from Los Angeles who had earned Pro-Level Singer certification from the Association.

Then came the long-awaited concert by guest artists from Japan.
First to take the stage was Shizue Abe.

She was followed by Youki Kudoh and Yuki Kashima of Los Indios, who performed the classic hit “Wakaretemo Suki na Hito”
They performed “Como Esta Los Angeles,” written by Akira Fujimoto, president of the U.S. TOMONOKAI.
Youki Kudoh then delivered a heartfelt rendition of a signature song by her father, singer Hachiro Izawa.

Next, Association Chairman Michito Goda sang traditional folk and children’s songs.

He was followed by Yumiko Kokonoe.
Closing the evening, Association President Yasuo Tanabe performed some of his hit songs.
A packed house enjoyed a night filled with timeless Japanese classics sung by the original artists themselves.

This year’s music festival was sponsored by Akira Fujimoto, president of the Japanese Singers’ Association TOMONOKAI in USA, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his Little Tokyo gift shop, the Olympic Shop.
All 800 audience members were invited free of charge.

Fujimoto is actively engaged in community service and has recently donated to the Koreisha Senior Care & Advocacy and the Seinan Senior Center to support the creation of senior care facilities.

This fall, Fujimoto will make his CD debut in Japan with a duet he wrote and performed with Shizue Abe.

2025 Nisei Week Japanese Festival

From August 9 to 17, the 83rd Nisei Week Japanese Festival was held in Little Tokyo over nine days.

Seven contestants, nominated by Japanese American organizations across Los Angeles, competed for the title. A panel of judges selected the winner.

On August 10, the Aratani Theatre hosted the Coronation. At the event, this year’s Nisei Week Queen was selected to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the Los Angeles Japanese American community.

Seven contestants, nominated by one or more Japanese American organizations from across the Los Angeles area, competed for the title.
A panel of judges then selected the winner.

In the three months leading up to the contest, the participants trained in poise, public speaking, dance, and Japanese traditions.
On the day of the event, they showcased their skills on stage and won enthusiastic applause from a full audience.

While the Queen was being judged, an awards ceremony was held, recognizing Thomas Iino as Grand Marshal, the East West Players as Parade Marshal, and presenting the Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Award, the Inspiration Award, and other Nisei Week honors.

When the results were revealed, Kimi Look was crowned the 2025 Nisei Week Queen.

Megan Ayumi Miyamoto was named First Princess, and Mika Fumiyo Megumi Dyo was chosen as Miss Tomodachi.

Led by the Queen, these seven will represent the Los Angeles Japanese American community over the next year at events both locally and abroad.

On Sunday, August 10, the highlight of Nisei Week, the Grand Parade, took place.

Leading the parade were Japanese American veterans.
This year, veterans of the Vietnam War received the Nisei Week Inspiration Award, and the crowd greeted them with thunderous applause.

The parade also included Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, other U.S. officials,and Consul General Kenko Sone with his wife at their final official event before returning to Japan. Representatives from Japanese and local organizations, community leaders, and cultural groups joined in, responding warmly to the cheering crowd.

A highlight of the Grand Parade was the vibrant traditional dance, or “ondo.”
This year’s choreography was created by Hidesomi Bando of the Bando school.
The official songs, “Kawasaki Odori” and “Sorega Daiji,” were danced by various Japanese dance groups in Los Angeles as well as members of the public.

A variety of cultural groups also participated, featuring martial arts, anime, portable shrines, and Nebuta floats, celebrating the rich heritage of the Japanese American community.

The parade concluded with the appearance of this year’s Nisei Week Queen and Court, who responded to the audience’s cheers with bright and radiant smiles.

On August 16 and 17, the Plaza Festival was held in the JACCC Plaza.

Booths offering food, goods, and services lined the area, highlighting Japanese and Japanese American cuisine and culture for visitors.

Inside the JACCC, cultural exhibits featured calligraphy, bonsai, and other traditional arts.

On stage, a variety of taiko groups delivered powerful performances, filling the venue with the lively energy of a summer festival.

The annual Los Angeles Tanabata Festival, held in conjunction with Nisei Week, displayed decorations themed around “hope,” delighting attendees.
Booths also provided tanzaku, small paper strips where visitors could write their wishes and hang them on bamboo branches.

The festival concluded with the Nisei Week Closing Ceremony. Helen Ota, the chair of the organizing committee, expressed gratitude to visitors and the community for their support, and encouraged everyone to continue visiting Little Tokyo.

The finale featured the traditional “Street Ondo” dance, with Japanese dance groups, the Nisei Week Queen, members of the public, and the newly arrived Consul General Kosei Murota and his family joining in.
Amid many smiles and cheerful singing, this year’s Nisei Week came to a close.

OAA Picnic

On Sunday, July 20, the Okinawan Association of America, or OAA, held its annual picnic in South El Monte.

The OAA was founded in 1909 as the Southern California Okinawan Association. This picnic, a tradition started in the 1930s by Okinawan immigrants, is now held to coincide with the Obon season.

The event began with a greeting from Nishiuchi, the president of the OAA. This was followed by the customary radio calisthenics in the Okinawan language, with all participants stretching and warming up together.

Next, honored guests from the Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai and the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California shared their greetings.

During the ceremony, scholarships were awarded to high school students with Okinawan heritage who are preparing to graduate.

Attendees enjoyed their lunches with family and friends while watching stage performances and taking part in games throughout the day.

Wismettac Sake & Food Expo

A food and beverage trade show hosted by Wismettac Asian Foods, a company specializing in Japanese food imports, took place on July 19 in Anaheim.

The annual event targets industry professionals, including retailers and restaurant operators, and featured around 80 booths showcasing over 100 different food and beverage products.

Japanese cuisine has been rapidly expanding in the U.S., from ramen and izakaya-style dishes to street food.
This year’s show highlighted premium ingredients, including fresh seafood from Toyosu and melons grown in Japan.

The beverage section featured not only sake and beer, but also a variety of cocktails made with shochu.

Los Angeles restaurants have struggled with chronic labor shortages and rising costs since the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, customer traffic fell further due to wildfires and U.S. immigration enforcement.
And rising tariffs have raised concerns over higher import prices, creating multiple challenges for restaurants.

Memorial Service for Hiroshima Nagasaki A-Bomb Victims

On Sunday, August 3, a memorial service for the victims of the atomic bombings was held at the Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin in Little Tokyo.

This memorial service is organized each year by the American Society of Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivors and the Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin, in conjunction with Japan’s annual observance of the atomic bomb anniversaries.

Marking the 80th year since the bombings, this year’s service was attended by five temples from the Los Angeles Buddhist Temple Federation. Clergy from various Buddhist sects conducted the memorial rites before the “Peace Flame.”

The Peace Flame, originally from Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, was brought to Los Angeles in 1989 and has been kept and protected by the Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin ever since.

The ceremony featured video messages from the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Howard Kakita, who was born in East Los Angeles, moved to Japan as a child, and was exposed to the bombing in Hiroshima, also took the stage.
He shared his personal experiences and called for the abolition of nuclear weapons, which still threaten the world today.

The service concluded with attendees offering incense, honoring the victims of the atomic bombings, and praying for peace throughout the world.

Expression of Peace

Also on August 3, an art exhibition themed around peace opened at The Makery Gallery in Little Tokyo.

Titled “Expression of Peace,” this exhibition is organized annually by Lantern of the East Los Angeles (LELA).

LELA is an international artists’ organization founded by painter Hideo Sakata, who was active in Los Angeles and passed away in 2023, along with other members.
Sakata was a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bombing and started this exhibition to convey the importance of peace through art.

This year, 22 artists, including participants from Japan, are showcasing approximately 80 works.
At the opening ceremony, Takeshi Kanemura and Annakai Hayakawa performed.

“Expression of Peace” runs on Saturdays and Sundays through August 31. On weekdays, visits are available by appointment.
A live performance will be held on the final day, August 31. For more details, please visit the website LELAinternational.org.

Sake in the Park

On Friday, July 18th, the event “Sake in the Park” was held at Grand Park in downtown Los Angeles.

This fundraising event is organized by the Little Tokyo Service Center, and this year marked its 17th anniversary.

The Little Tokyo Service Center is a nonprofit organization based in Little Tokyo that provides social welfare and community development services.
The proceeds from this event are used to support these various programs.

At the sake booth, managed by Mutual Trading, which specializes in Japanese food products, more than 50 varieties of sake, shochu, and local craft beers from 30 companies across Japan were offered.

This year also marks the 45th anniversary of the organization’s founding. Eric Nakano, who served as Executive Director for seven years and recently stepped down, expressed his gratitude to those involved.
He announced that two new co-executive directors, Takao Suzuki and Peter Gee, have been appointed.

Approximately 1,200 people attended the event.
In addition to the wide selection of drinks, local restaurants provided food, and entertainment was arranged, allowing everyone to enjoy a summer evening together.