Archives: SoCalJapan

2022年4月17日 放送

April 17th 2022 O.A.

April 17th 2022 O.A.

Pro-Am at Pechanga

Journey at Pechanga in Temecula hosted a Pro-am Golf Tournament featuring LPGA golfers on Tuesday, April 5th.

This event, in its 15th year, is held annually to allow LPGA golfers interact with people of the community.
Journey at Pechanga has hosted the event 9 times now.

Journey at Pechanga is a premiere championship golf course next to Pechanga Resort Casino.
It is known as a challenging course utilizing its landscape.

30 mostly Asian LPGA golfers were invited and enjoyed their game at Pechanga as they met with their fans and sponsors.

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2022年4月10日 放送

April 10th 2022 O.A.

April 10th 2022 O.A.

The Emperor’s Birthday

March 25th was the reception to celebrate the birthday of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan at the residence of the Consul General of Japan in LA.

This reception is an annual celebration; however, it was done online last year. Therefore it has been 2 years since a physical celebration was held with guests being invited.

The ceremony began by singing the national anthems of the US and Japan.
Followed by guests from the government and community stating their felicitation.

As guests spoke regarding the situation in Ukraine, they also touched on the Japan-US Alliance and the importance of strengthening the tie now more than ever.

Mayor Parris of Lancaster working on hydrogen fuels with Japan to decarbonize the environment also stated the importance of the 2 countries working hand-in-hand to resolve environmental and economical issues.

Rice from Fukishima and melons were introduced after the ceremony since the import ban was lifted last year.
Shizuoka and Kumamoto melons were offered and guests did a taste test.

Guests were limited to 150 people due to COVID restrictions, however, attendees enjoyed their time together.

The Art of the Ramen Bowl

The Art of the Ramen Bowl” exhibition is going on at JAPAN HOUSE in Hollywood.

This exhibition is curated by designer Taku Satoh and art writer, and editor, Mari Hashimoto.

The main displays are the 30 ramen donburi bowls and renge spoons decorated by artists like Taku Satoh and Tadanori Yokoo, and 30 other designers in Japan. Each unique design is truly enticing.

The exhibit also introduces Mino ceramics which makes 90% of the donburi bowls in Japan.
Mino ceramics come from the Tono region, Gifu prefecture with a rich history of making ceramics for over 500 years.

The exhibit also displays a large fake ramen made by Iwasaki Mokei, a renowned manufacturer of Japanese plastic food samples located in Gujo Hachiman, Gifu.

Visitors can also learn why the ingredients used in ramen are so savory through detailed analysis as well as its rich history and culture.

“The Art of the Ramen Bowl” exhibition is held at JAPAN HOUSE Gallery located on the 2nd floor of Ovation Hollywood until July 5th with free admission.
Ramen pop-up shops and related programs will be available as well. For more information, please visit the JAPAN HOUSE website.

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2022年3月27日 放送

March 27th 2022 O.A.

March 27th 2022 O.A.

Terasaki Budokan Grand Open

Saturday, March 12th was the grand opening of the Paul I. Terasaki Budokan.

This multipurpose gym was built by the nonprofit organization providing social services, Little Tokyo Service Center.

Operation began last year but they could not open their doors due to COVID-19, so they finally had the opening ceremony.

Friday the 11th was the ribbon-cutting ceremony with representatives from each organization.
And Saturday the 12th was the grand opening inviting the public.
City and state representatives attended the ceremony and congratulated the accomplishment.

Former NBA player and Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West was also invited, and he stated the importance of this gym.

This project began in 1994 to attract younger people to Little Tokyo, and the total construction cost increased to 33.8 million dollars.
The construction finally finished with the help of government subsidies and donations from public investors.
Akira Fujimoto who has a business in Little Tokyo is one of many who donated to the project.

The gym can be used for sports use as it has two basketball courts and a competition space formartial arts.
The 1st level has a performance stage, a courtyard, and a community room.
The 2nd level has an outdoor terrace with a children’s playground.
55 cars can be parked at their underground parking and is accommodating to different needs of the community.

2 Years with COVID-19 Part 4
JETRO

It has been 2 years since the lockdown in LA due to COVID-19. We asked businesses the challenges they had to face and their future outlooks. We will close this series with Japan External Trade Organization, JETRO.

JETRO is a non-profit organization connecting businesses with the resources they need to successfully expand overseas. They support different businesses from product, technology, to service, and they also put efforts into Japanese food.

That is why JETRO started a showroom in LA last year, introducing Japanese food products to English speaking industry people.

JETRO states Japanese companies aiming to do business abroad must have arrangements to be successful in the age of new normal.

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2022年3月13日 放送

March 13th

March 13th 2022 O.A.

2 Years with COVID-19 Part 3
Kamerycah / Wismettac Asian Foods / KDDI America / JAL

It has been nearly 2 years since the lockdown in LA due to COVID-19.
We asked people how their businesses were affected and how they dealt with the challenges.

Kamerycah Inc. known for “Umi no Shizuku”, a supplement of fucoidan extract which is mainly found in various species of brown seaweeds, had a downturn when the lockdown began.

Sales improved as people got interested in their health, but then came the difficulties of fulfillment logistics.

Kamerycah Inc. focuses on providing excellent customer support as more people start to care about their health.

Wismettac Asian Foods, Inc. distributing Asian food products were deeply impacted by the COVID-19 restaurant regulations.

On the other hand, the numbers for takeouts and delivery-related products increased.

They are also facing the supply chain challenges.

Meanwhile, Wismettac is focusing on domestic product developments and also began a new project utilizing their 19 nationwide locations.

KDDI America providing IT solutions were able to minimize the damage caused by COVID-19.

It is said that many companies adopted IT solutions into their workplace due to COVID.

Demands for automating these tasks are increasing since it can be done via software.

COVID-19 hit the airline industry right when JAL was planning on increasing the number of flights and providing new services as LAX celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2019.

JAL implemented strict infection control measures even though they were only allowed to board small number of people due to immigration restrictions to Japan.

Although the industry is still unstable due to the volatile situation in Ukraine, JAL is planning to offer different services for customers.

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2022年2月27日 放送

February 27th 2022 O.A.

February 27th 2022 O.A.

2 Years with COVID-19 Part 2
Shin-Sen-Gumi Restaurant Group / ANA

It has been nearly 2 years since the lockdown in LA due to COVID-19.
We asked people how their businesses were affected and how they dealt with the challenges.
Shin-Sen-Gumi Restaurant Group serving ramen and yakitori throughout LA and OC had to make adjustments due to the lockdown restricting dine-ins.

They always served freshly made food so adjusting for takeouts had to be done urgently.

They also made their ordering and payment process contactless so customers can feel safe.
These new management systems help businesses run smoothly as many of them are shorthanded.

This year is Shin-Sen-Gumi’s 30th year and they are planning to lay the foundations for franchising their business and starting their own food truck.
They are also planning to contribute to the community through their festival on September 3rd which will be held at the Torrance Civic Center.

The pandemic had a great impact on ANA as traveling abroad was also restricted.

Even with flights that had more attendants than riders, they continued to fly through hard times because they were resolved to serve customers that required their services.
That is why they were thorough at ensuring that all staff were healthy.

It was emotionally challenging for them when thinking of their guests being restricted to travel.

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2022年2月13日 放送

February 13th 2022 O.A.

February 13th 2022 O.A.

2 Years with COVID-19 Part 1
Taki Law Offices / Kamiya Insurance Agency / Miyako Hybrid Hotel

It has been nearly 2 years since the lockdown in LA due to COVID-19.
We asked people how their businesses were affected and how they dealt with the challenges.
Taki Law Offices specializing in immigration law had to stop their business due to the immigration office and US Embassy being closed when the pandemic began.

The law office had to face new challenges due to the pandemic because of the traveling restrictions to Japan.

The office is currently facing issues regarding the processing delays for different applications.

These types of problems cannot be resolved systematically, so they must take care of each issue one by one according to the case.

Kamiya Insurance Agency has been facing difficulties communicating with their customers for the past 2 years.

They reconsidered their communication system used in the office so they can offer better service remotely.

The insurance industry is also working with the government and providing new services to their customers.

Kamiya Insurance will continue to provide customer service through phone and mail as well as digitalcommunications according to customers preference.
The Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance and Miyako Hotel Los Angeles in Little Tokyo had to suffer a major impact from the lockdown and travel restrictions due to COVID-19.

Their customer base has also changed in the last 2 years.

They are severely shorthanded as well.
Their new challenge is how to get their new customers to want to come back for another stay.

Relaken Spa inside the hotel reopened its doors and so did the restaurant and bakery inside the DT location.

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2022年1月23日 放送

January 23rd 2022 O.A.

January 23rd 2022 O.A.

Asian American Expo

Asian American Expo, an expo sharing Asian products and business happened on January 14th and 15th at Pomona.

This event is held annually during Chinese New Year.
A physical event was held for the first time in 2 years since it had to be done virtually last year due to the impact of COVID-19

It originally started in 1982 in the name of Chinese American Expo, however, evolved into an expo where different Asian vendors participate including Japanese businesses.

Booths were placed in 7 different halls and either introduced their new or major products at an exclusive price or promoted Chinese New Year.

It is the largest Chinese New Year event in the US attracting more than 100 thousand people.
This year, visitors had to present their vaccination record or negative COVID-19 test results.
There were fewer people due to the outbreak of the Omicron variant.

Despite the current situation, anime-related booths attracted many people in 3 different halls with fans cosplaying and purchasing merchandise.

Asian street food lined up outside as well.

For Japanese food, there were yakisoba, yakitori and takoyaki.
Everyone enjoyed their favorite Asian food.

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2022年1月9日 放送

January 9th 2022 O.A.

January 9th 2022 O.A.

Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo (Japanese New Year Celebration in Little Tokyo)

January 1st was “Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo.”

This event is held by JCCSC for the 24th time, offering the Japanese New Years experience.
The event was held virtually last year due to COVID-19, so an actual event was held for the first time in 2 years.

The JACCC Plaza was the main venue this year with the help from JACCC.

The event started on New Year’s Eve where DJ artists collaborated with “Anime Wonderland” and performed J-pop.
Everyone enjoyed their last day of 2021.

Then, New Year’s Day.
President Haruo Takehana of JCCSC and Consul General Akira Muto said their greetings at the opening ceremony.

Then, sake barrel breaking by the representatives of each Japanese organization took place, and mochi were tossed and given to the guests.

Shodo calligraphy demonstration, folk song, aikido, and kimono fashion show were performed on the stage lighting up the New Year’s Day.

People formed long lines for food booths like: yakisoba, karaage, yakitori, curry, ramen, sweets along with festive foods like amazake and mochi.

At the liquor section where guests can have 1 drink per person, Japanese sake, beer, shochu, and chuhai cocktails were served.

There were different booths as well.
At the mini shrine, safety was prayed for the year, and kids did their New Year’s writing at the shodo booth.

There was a sub stage at the Japanese Village Plaza and many people visited there as well.

Many people visited the Koyasan Buddhist Temple and paid their first visit of the year.
Long lines were formed due to COVID-19 safety measures, but visitors got their paper fortune and purchased their charm for a good year.

The event was blessed with great weather and everyone enjoyed their Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo for the first time in 2 years.

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2021年12月26日 放送

December 26th 2021 O.A.

December 26th 2021 O.A.

The Art of Kumihimo

An exhibition for Japanese kumihimo is going on at JAPAN HOUSE in Hollywood.

Kumihimo, or silk braiding, is one of Japan’s traditional handicrafts and textile production.
It came from China in the 6th century and uniquely developed in Japan as the braided cords were used in kimono accessories and the military for armors and swords.

Cloths are woven vertically and horizontally, but braids zigzag diagonally and repeat the process when it reaches the end.
That is why kumihimo has great elasticity.
It is tightly braided together, therefore, kumihimo is excellent for tying things together.

Cloths are woven vertically and horizontally, but braids zigzag diagonally and repeat the process when it reaches the end.
That is why kumihimo has great elasticity.
It is tightly braided together, therefore, kumihimo is excellent for tying things together.

This is the first exhibition in the US to explore the history and art of Japanese kumihimo, produced by Domyo, a Tokyo-based company that has been making braided silk cords by hand since 1652.

The exhibit is divided into 3 sections and features kumihimo in various angles.

Part 1 features its history.
Part 2 is the structure and the dyeing process.
Kumihimo is still evolving and is used in fashion worldwide.
So, part 3 features the future of kumihimo.

There are replicas of kumihimo made in the Nara period, the production process using the tools, installations explaining its structure mathematically, and avant garde ideas for fashion being displayed, closing up on the beauty of kumihimo.

“KUMIHIMO- The Art of Japanese Silk Braiding by DOMYO” will be held at the 2nd floor galley of JAPAN HOUSE LA until March 6th.
Admission is complimentary.
Events and seminars related to this exhibit will also happen.
For more information, visit JapanHouseLA.com.

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2021年12月12日 放送

December 12th 2021 O.A.

December 12th 2021 O.A.

Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo is getting ready for the New Year’s event “Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo” happening on December 31st and January 1st.

“Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo” is held by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of SoCal and this year is the 24th time.
The event was held online this year due to COVID-19, so it will be the first time in 2 years that the event will take place in Little Tokyo.

We decided to do the event to cheer up the community.
Looking back historically, JCCSC has always taken the initiative during hard times, so we wanted to do something that will lift up the Japanese American community.
We hope this event will be the first step.

The event is annually held so people can enjoy the Japanese way of celebrating the New Year.
With the help from JACCC, the JACCC Plaza will be the main venue for the upcoming event.

There will be performances like taiko, mochi throwing and dances, along with food booths like yakisoba, mochi, and amazake drinks at the event.

It is a 2 day event held from New Year’s Eve.

For more information, please visit LAJapan.com.

JCCSC was formed to provide opportunities for the Japanese American community and businesses, and last year was their 105th anniversary.
This season Haru Takehana was inaugurated as the president.

Anime Wonderland

“Anime Wonderland” will be held at the Aratani Theater located at the JACCC Plaza on December 31st showing different anime films.

At 12pm, director Makoto Shinkai’s “Weathering with You” will be shown.

And from 3:30pm, the most popular film of 2020 in Japan, “Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train” will be playing.

An exclusive postcard will be handed out to those that see “Demon Slayer” the movie.

For tickets and more information, please visit JpExpoUSA.com.

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2021年10月28日 放送

November 28th 2021 O.A.

November 28th 2021 O.A.

LA Eats Japan

“LA eats Japan” happened at Little Tokyo on November 14th, held by Japanese Restaurant Association of America (JRA).

JRA is a non-profit organization established by Japanese restaurants and related businesses.
Its mission is to spread Japanese food and advancement of culinary techniques.

This event was made possible by utilizing the support program provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, which supports Japanese nationals overseas and Nikkei whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic.

About 20 food booths were at the event.
Variety of Japanese foods were sold.
From sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, katsu sandwiches, and sweets like baby castella, to alcohols like beer, sake, chuhai, and shochu.

Other than food booths, fun activities were also offered for kids like goldfish scooping.

Cosplay contests, professional song performances, taiko, and dances were done on stage entertaining the guests while everyone enjoyed their time.

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2021年11月14日 放送

November 14th 2021 O.A.

November 14th 2021 O.A.

OCJAA 2021 Senior Citizen Appreciation Day

An online event appreciating seniors over 80 years old “Senior Citizen Appreciation Day” was held on October 17th.

OCJAA holds this event and this year is the 35th time.
This is an event that shows appreciation to those that built and developed the community we now have.

Free bento boxes were given to those who are over 60 years old and submitted a request.
About 220 bentos were distributed in 3 different locations of OC.

The event was streamed via Zoom at Yamaha Music Center in Irvine like last year due to the impacts of COVID-19.

Pre-recorded materials were played.
Consul General Muto and representatives of Japanese organizations stated their greetings, followed by entertainments like songs and dances.

19 people were awarded at the main ceremony, and a representative stated their appreciation.

2 recipients for the Freshman Scholarship and 2 recipients for Nerio Scholarship Awards were also announced.

Lastly, OCJAA Honorary President, Akemi Miyake who turned 102 years old this year stated his greetings.

Afterwards, a raffle was done for those that attended the Zoom event, and everyone socialized via online.

President Kimiko Fujita received the Foreign Minister’s Commendations back in August.
Her long years of hard work in cultural exchange and contribution to the Japanese American community was properly recognized.

Japanese Food Fair

October 18th and 19th was the “Japanese Food Fair” in DTLA.

This event aims to introduce and spread Japanese food and ingredients to those in the industry.
It also targets Asian and American restaurants in general.

A group called “Hichimi-Kai Japanese Food Manufacturers Association” made of 65 Japanese food manufactures held this event.
The group was founded in 1980 with its mission of mutual understanding between members and exchanging of information to spread Japanese food in the US.

About 45 companies participated in the event.
Each of them brought their newest products in alcohol, food, ingredients and cookwares, promoting them to the 1000 people in the food industry.

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2021年10月24日 放送

October 24th 2021 O.A.

October 24th 2021 O.A.

New Restaurant in LA – Karaage “Torisho” & Bakery”Okayama Kobo”

Many restaurants based in Japan are opening in California.

“Torisho” a Japanese fried chicken takeaway had a grand opening in Long Beach on October 14th.

“Torisho” has won the gold prize in Japan’s Karaage Grand Prix, and has over 250 locations worldwide.
Long Beach will be their first location in the US.

Their flavors are based on the flavors of Nakatsu, Oita prefecture which is known as “The mecca of karaage.”
Chickens are soaked in their secret sauce and fried when getting an order.

Other menus are chicken nanban, chicken katsu, and chicken sandwiches.
“Torisho” is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm.

“Okayama Kobo,” a bakery in Japan also had a soft launch in Little Tokyo.

Okayama Kobo opened its first store in Anaheim 3 years ago.
Their Little Tokyo location on the first floor of Miyako Hotel is their 2nd location.

Like their Anaheim store, they have a bakery inside and are currently preparing so they can provide daily fresh bread.

There are seatings and cafe menus too.

“Okayama Kobo” DTLA is located on the first floor lobby of Miyako Hotel.
They are selling breads every Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during their soft launch period.
Grand opening is in November.

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2021年10月10日 放送

October 10th 2021 O.A.

October 10th 2021 O.A.

WAZA showroom

“WAZA”, a showroom that introduces unique Japanese items opened at JAPAN HOUSE LA in Hollywood.

“WAZA” is a physical space and digital hybrid retail concept where customers can purchase items for dining, home, food, and more online after they have seen the samples in person.

Items that match our current lifestyle but uses craftsmanship techniques and Japanese technology are showcased, like handbags made with vegan leather or tableware that require advanced casting skills.

WAZA showroom is located on the 2nd floor of JAPAN HOUSE LA in Hollywood and is open everyday.
For more information, visit JapanHouseLA.com.

Virtual “Keiro no Hi Festival”

Saturday, September 18th was the online event “Keiro no Hi Festival.”

“Keiro no Hi Festival” is an annual event held by the non-profit organization, KEIRO.
It is an event that honors and celebrates older adults in the Japanese American community like the Japanese holiday.

The event had to be canceled like last year due to COVID-19.
So, an online video was premiered for the older adults and the community to watch.

Consul General Akira Muto and his wife started the program.
Then, entertainments like ikebana workshops from 3 different styles, a karate demonstration, and art exhibition were shown.

You can watch the program through Keiro’s Youtube channel.
For more information, visit Keiro.org.

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2021年10月3日 放送

October 3rd 2021 O.A.

October 3rd 2021 O.A.

Hiroshima Foodies Choice

A popup venue selling unique foods from Hiroshima will be opening in Los Angeles.

Hiroshima Foodies Choice is a project in association with the Hiroshima Prefectural office and the Hiroshima Tourism Division, Commerce, Industry, and Labor Bureau.

The project aims to increase overseas export of food from Hiroshima and will be held in LA, France and Thai.

There will be a test sale of 14 products by Hiroshima food manufacturers at the Mitsuwa Marketplace Torrance Del Amo store and Costa Mesa store for Los Angeles.
A survey asking about the taste, price and packaging will happen as well.

Hiroshima Foodies Choice will be held at the Mitsuwa Marketplace Torrance Del Amo store and Costa Mesa store until October 10.
Afterwards, select items will be available for purchase online for a limited time.

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