SoCalJapan | Japan Hollywood Network

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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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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September 26th 2021 O.A.

WAVE: New Currents in Japanese Graphic Arts

Art exhibit “WAVE New Currents in Japanese Graphic Arts” is held at JAPAN HOUSE LA in Hollywood.

JAPAN HOUSE is an institution that fosters Japanese culture by showcasing the very best of the nation’s culture and technology, and holds different exhibitions that introduces Japan to the world.

The exhibit was curated by artists Hiro Sugiyama and Kintaro Takahashi.
It is a part of the exhibition “WAVE 2020” that happened in Tokyo last year.

55 creators representing Japan’s art scene are featured, and their unique styles are a must see.

4 different art styles that influenced Japan’s current graphic arts are featured: “manga/anime”, “heta-uma”, “pop art”, and “photorealism.” Visitors can enjoy the different styles at this exhibition.

Artists that are known through commercials as well as creators with different backgrounds like actor Tadanobu Asano are also featured.

There is an “Inspiration Station” where visitors can draw or look at picture books created by the featured artists.

“WAVE” is held until November 28th at JAPAN HOUSE LA.
Admission is complimentary.
For more information, visit JapanHouseLA.com.
After LA, this exhibit will be held at JAPAN HOUSE in Sao Paulo and London.

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September 19th 2021 O.A.

Nippon Kashu Kyoukai USA Tomonokai

Sunday, September 5th was the launch party for “Nippon Kashu Kyoukai USA Tomonokai” at Miyako Hybrid Hotel in Torrance.

It is an association for professional singers founded in 1963 with 564 members.
It is managed by the support and donations of the members and the Agency for Cultural Affairs in Japan to strive in spreading Japanese music to the world.

LA resident and businessman, Akira Fujimoto made the US branch possible.
They are dedicated to spreading Japanese kayokyoku in the US, strengthening US/Japan friendship, and supporting Japan headquarters.

About 30 people including the members of karaoke clubs came to the party.
Board members were introduced, along with video messages from Japan, include chairman Yasuo Tanabe, Shizue Abe and Linda Yamamoto, were played.

The association also auditions talented, pro-level singers.
6 individuals were chosen through audition tapes that were reviewed in June of this year and received certifications.

The party ended with members and winners of the audition singing several numbers.

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August 22nd 2021 O.A.

Dodgers Japanese Heritage Night

Sunday, August 8th was Japanese Heritage Night at the Dodger Stadium in LA.

The Dodgers hold various cultural and social events for different communities, and the Japanese American community was introduced before this game.

First was a taiko performance.

Then came 2019 Nisei Queen & Court and were welcomed by the audience.

Amy Machida sang the Japanese National Anthem along with the Star Spangled Banner.
Mr. Tokuda, a Japanese American veteran, did the first pitch and Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts born in Okinawa took the ball.

The Dodgers played the Angels, and fans of Shohei Ohtani were also there enjoying the game.

2021 Nisei Week Virtual Experience

Saturday, August 14th was the Nisei Week Japanese Festival.
The event was called “Nisei Week Virtual Experience” and streamed online like last year due to the spread of COVID-19.

Nancy Okubo is this year’s President of the Nisei Week Foundation, and this year’s theme was: “Ibasho, A Place to Call Home”.
Little Tokyo, the place where we call home, was featured.
Local businesses and cultural organizations were introduced, and different awards were announced.

Taiko, bon dance and rap music were performed live, and American karate Olympian, Sakura Kokumai performed different moves.

The 2021 Nisei Queen contest was also held. 6 candidates appeared and introduced themselves.

Jaime Sunny Hasama, who was sponsored by Venice Japanese Community Center and Venice-West Los Angeles JACL, was crowned as this year’s queen.
She and the court will work as the US/Japan goodwill ambassador until 2022.

You can watch the “Nisei Week Virtual Experience” on the Nisei Week YouTube channel.

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August 8th 2021 O.A.

Lions Clubs International

July 24th was the Installations of Officers and Governors Gala of Lions Clubs International at a hotel in Montebello.

Lions Clubs International is a service organization founded in 1917.
There are 48,000 local clubs in more than 200 countries around the world with 1.4 million members.

There are 32 clubs around the outskirts of LA including Little Tokyo Lions Club. District 4-L1 supervises these clubs.

100 representatives from each club within the district attended the ceremony.
The oath started with their motto “We serve.”

Followed by the announcement of the new board members, and Trudy Nodohara became the new District Governor.

Trudy Nodohara has been working as a business consultant in Little Tokyo as well as running an entertainment business, and has been a part of the club for 28 years.

President Kaoru Kawata of Japanese Chamber of Commerce of SoCal and 3 others were introduced as new members of the Little Tokyo club.

Visas for Life

The California Legislature designated July 29th as Sugihara Visas Day to memorialize Chiune Sugihara for saving thousands of Jewish lives.

Sugihara was a vice consul for Japanese consulate in Lithuania during WWII.
He defied the orders of the Japanese government and issued transit visas to Jewish refugees that would allow them to pass through Japan and take refuge in other countries.

The visas were issued to more than 2,100 people and became known as “Visas for Life.”

July 29th is when Sugihara first issued the visa and California Senator Robert Hertzberg stated “I hope this day will remember and celebrate Sugihara’s great achievement” in his message.

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July 25th 2021 O.A.

Olympic Legacy

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has begun.

Prior to the games, LA 84, a sports promotion foundation held a ceremony to return the riding crop used by a Japanese Olympian to his family on June 3rd.

The riding crop was used by Takeichi Nishi, known as Baron Nishi.
In the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Nishi won a gold medal in Equestrian.
This is Japan’s only Olympic medal to date in an equestrian event.

Nishi was friends with celebrities like Douglas Fairbanks and was known as Baron Nishi in the community, but died in the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

The riding crop was gifted to the Foundation in 1964, and it has been decided to return back to Nishi’s family taking the opportunity of the Tokyo Games.

The riding crop was given to Consul General Muto and will return to Nishi’s family living in Japan by the actor, Masi Oka.

The returning of the riding crop is available to watch on LA84’s Youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-GMKml9ecI

Currently, JACCC has an exhibit displaying the photos of Nishi and the 1932 Los Angeles Games.

The photos were taken by photographer, Toyo Miyatake in 1932.

30 photos are being displayed, starting from Japanese athletes being welcomed by the locals, athletes competing, and ending with the athletes being seen off.

Memorabilia related to the Olympics, like the poetry published in 1933 are also displayed.

Photo exhibition “Torch” will be held at Doizaki Gallery, 1st floor of JACCC until August 8th.

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July 11th 2021 O.A.

Bone Marrow Registry

Saturday July 3rd was a fundraising event at Tanaka Farms in Irvine.

The event was held by Orange Coast Optimist for A3M, an organization that conducts bone marrow registrations.

More than 30,000 people are diagnosed with blood related disease every year in the US.
Matches are likely to be found when the patient and donor are the same nationality however, Asian donors are scarce compared to other races at the National Marrow Donor Program where many patients seek for help.

Julie Im was diagnosed with Aplastic anemia when she was 19 years old.

It has been 10 years since and she can finally have a bone marrow transplant.

Finding matches for patients with mixed parents are even more difficult, and urgent actions are being taken to get the community’s understanding.

Any healthy individual aging from 18 to 44 can sign up as a donor.
Please visit A3M’s website for details about registration.

About 250 people came to the event and enjoyed live music and dance performances.

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June 27th 2021 O.A.

Reconnecting

An art exhibit using installations of hula hoops is happening at Japan House in Hollywood.

The colorful exhibit using more than 2,000 hula hoops is created by contemporary artist, Kengo Kito.

The theme for this exhibit is “RECONNECTING.”

Kito created the hula hoops by connecting and disconnecting them repeatedly.

Kito is sending a message through his art that we are still connected amidst COVID-19.

Kito could not come to the US due to restrictions, so he and the Japan House staff connected remotely.
That is how this artwork was made possible.

“RECONNECTING” will be going on at Japan House until September 6th.

Westfield Century City also has a Satellite Installation until July 4th.
Both are free admission.
Please visit the Japan House website for details.

Japan House is holding many online events.
Japanese Food Lab will have a special Master Class cooking series with a celebrity chef featuring Michelin-starred Tokyo restaurant chef.
Episode 1 is “Fermentation” and making chirashi sushi.
Episode 2 will stream on June 29th.

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June 13th 2021 O.A.

Stamp Our Story

A forever stamp honoring the service of the Japanese American soldiers of WWII is now available. A ceremony was held on Friday, June 4th at JANM in Little Tokyo.

These “Go For Broke Forever” are issued by the USPS.

“Go For Broke” was the motto for Japanese American soldiers that fought in Europe and the Pacific War.
They fought for the country despite discrimination and having their family members incarcerated.

It has been 75 years since WWII and many veterans have died.
4 veterans attended the ceremony and were honored.

Civic group “Stamp Our Story” made this stamp possible.

Stamp Our Story is an ad hoc group mainly of family and friends of veterans and support groups.
The stamp is the culmination of over 15 years of hard work.

The stamp was presented with the founder of the group, Fusako Takahashi, and celebrated the accomplishments of Japanese American soldiers.

Representatives and supporters stated “We hope this history gets passed down to the next generation” in their video messages.

Go For Broke Forever can be purchased at USPS nationwide or online.

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May 23rd 2021 O.A.

Rose Ochi Square

The intersection of First and San Pedro Street in Little Tokyo was dedicated as Rose Ochi Square. And the naming ceremony happened on May 4th.

Rose Ochi was a Japanese American civil rights leader and passed away last December due to COVID-19.

Ochi was from East LA and fought hard for the approval of the Manzanar camp in California to become a national historic site after being imprisoned in the Rohwer camp in Arkansas during WWII.

Rose was the first Asian American woman to be appointed to the American Assistant Attorney General during Clinton Administration, as well as the first Asian American LA Police Commission.

Ochi’s friend initiated the effort to honor her to the LA City Council and made this possible.

80 people attended the ceremony, like the councilmember Kevin de Leon, her husband Tommy Ochi, and her friend Darlene Kuba to celebrate Ochi’s achievement.

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May 9th 2021 O.A.

Spring 2021 Decorations

The Japanese government announced its recipients of Spring 2021 Decorations.
Two people were chosen from the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Japan in LA.

Pasadena resident, David Yamahata was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays.

David started working in the LAFD in 1971 and got promoted as the first Asian American Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations in
2011.

He worked with the Little Tokyo Public Safety Association on improving public safety as well as providing guidance for emergency preparedness.
In 2019, he was appointed as the president of Nisei Week Foundation and greatly contributed to the Japanese American community.

Douglas Erber from Long Beach received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays.

Douglas worked as the president of Japan America Society of Southern California for 17 years and actively supported the Great East Japan Earthquake relief funds.
He was involved in many successful projects like the workshop where a Japanese Kite Master was invited.

Douglas was in an exchange program in Anjo City, Aichi during college freshman which later led him in becoming the president of Sister City Association of Huntington Beach.
He worked hard for mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the US.

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April 25th 2021 O.A.

JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles Re-Open

JAPAN HOUSE LA on Hollywood & Highland is reopening.

JAPAN HOUSE is a project of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to foster awareness and appreciation for Japanese culture and technology around the world.

It was temporarily closed due to the spread of COVID-19 last year however, the gallery on the 2nd floor has reopened.

“NATURE/SUPERNATURE Visions of This World and Beyond in Japanese Woodblock Prints” is going on right now.

The exhibition displays parts of the Scripps College collection in Claremont, CA.
Over 60 prints by artists like Katsushika Hokusai, Utagawa Hiroshige, and Utagawa Kunisada are on display.

There are two parts to this exhibition.
The first half shows prints that depict 6 beautiful spots of Japan.

The other half shows prints of spiritual and supernatural beings.
Visitors can enjoy seeing woodblock techniques and how the Japanese felt about nature and spiritual things.

There are virtual tours of the exhibition and related contents on their website. Webinars will also be available from May 18th.

“NATURE/SUPERNATURE Visions of This World and Beyond in Japanese Woodblock Prints” will go on until May 31st.
Admission is free, however there are restrictions following COVID-19 guidelines.
Please check the JAPAN HOUSE LA website for more information.

The library and salon on the 5th floor will reopen once safety is ensured.

Pro-Am at Pechanga

Journey at Pechanga in Temecula hosted the LPGA Annual Pro-am Golf Tournament on Tuesday, April 6th.

This is the 14th time for the annual event, however it was canceled last year due to COVID-19.

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

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

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April 11th 2021 O.A.

Japanese Cuisine Special Goodwill Ambassador

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) announced their “Japanese Cuisine Special Goodwill Ambassador.”
Toshio Ueno of Sake School of America was chosen as one of them and his appointment ceremony was held.

MAFF has appointed 145 individuals who can effectively spread Japanese food and dietary culture in Japan and abroad as their “Special Goodwill Ambassador.”

Ueno cofounded Sake School of America in 2010 with the former president of Mutual Trading, late Noritoshi Kanai to spread Japanese sake and shochu in the US.
The school has brought up many sake sommeliers and shochu advisors.

He worked hard for Japanese sake by holding contests in China and establishing qualification courses.
This is the first time an individual outside of chefs to be appointed as the “Special Goodwill Ambassador.”

An appointment ceremony for David Schlosser of kappo-style restaurant “Shibumi” was also held.
Schlosser was appointed last year however, his ceremony had to be delayed due to COVID-19.

Schlosser uses different Japanese ingredients in his kappo-style dishes, giving him excellent reviews from the late and renowned food critic, Jonathan Gold.

“Shibumi” also became a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in 2019.

COVID-19 Vaccination Appointment

More and more people are becoming eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination in California.

Currently, individuals over 50 years of age are eligible in LA County. Starting from April 15th, vaccination will be available for those over 16 years old.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends scheduling an appointment if you qualify and have no underlying health condition.
It is important to continue following the protocols of keeping social distance, wearing masks, and washing your hands even after
getting vaccinated.

Vaccines are free of charge.
Please visit MyTurn.ca.gov to schedule an appointment.
Appointments can also be made via the county and city websites.
Please check the page for COVID-19 on our website.

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March 28th 2021 O.A.

Love To Nippon 2021

Protests against the closure of Sakura ICF, a senior intermediate care facility, have been held in the Japanese-American community.

Sakura ICF is part of Sakura Gardens, a senior community located in Boyle Heights. The facility offers bilingual nursing for Japanese-American seniors that need healthcare.

Pacifica Cos., owner of Sakura Gardens, has officially announced its plans to close Sakura ICF for substantial financial loss on February 26.

Pacficia had been going forward with a plan to renovate Sakura ICF and build an apartment complex since last year. Although a detailed schedule was not stated in the release, residents and their families are at a loss.

When Pacific bought the facility in 2016, it did so with the approval of California Attorney General with the stipulation it will provide existing services for 5 years. However, with the contract coming to an end, the company has released its plans for closure of the facility.

Pacifica plans to relocate about 60 residents to other Pacifica-owned facilities.
Kei-Ai Los Angeles and Kei-Ai South Bay, however, had the biggest outbreak and deaths in nursing homes in Los Angeles.

Organizations and politicians protesting are currently peti-tioning for services to extend. Assembly Member Al Mu-ratsuchi and Miguel Santiago has introduced a bill to prohibit care facilities from ceasing or making significant changes to the care services for nursing facilities.
He is now asking for support so the bill passes the California State Legislature.

Protest organizations have been appealing to the California Department of Justice for an extension of the 5-year service, however they have been unable to hear a conclusive answer from not only Pacifica Cos., but from the facility’s former owners, Keiro Board of Directors.

Hate crimes against Asian Americans

Hate crime towards Asian Americans are creating a nationwide problem.

Hate crime was suspected for the arson and the vandalism of Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple that happened at the end of February.

Although nothing serious has happened in Little Tokyo and Chinatown yet, communities and Consulate General of Japan in LA are calling attention to be vigilant.

Report to the police for any hate crimes.
You can also report to the non-profit organization, Stop AAPI Hate in Japanese.

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