Nisei Week Festival/Little Tokyo/Related

^ Seems like the city is always trying to screw Little Tokyo... :shakehead:

Hmm, the article mentioned Chris Komai... My brother used to play b-ball with him and his cousin Mike Komai (who's currently the publisher of the Rafu Shimpo). :victory:

bmwracer wrote:^ Seems like the city is always trying to screw Little Tokyo... :shakehead:

I'd say there is a lot of truth to that...the character of the area has been degraded in recent years...but there is that planned construction of the Nikkei Center, which will be interesting to see how that pans out.

Hmm, the article mentioned Chris Komai... My brother used to play b-ball with him and his cousin Mike Komai (who's currently the publisher of the Rafu Shimpo). :victory:

Oh yeah? Small world. I read the Rafu Shimpo online every now and again.

Tu_triky wrote:Oh yeah? Small world. I read the Rafu Shimpo online every now and again.

I browse through it when I'm over my brother's house (I think he has a complimentary friendship/lifetime subscription). :beaten:

bmwracer wrote:
I browse through it when I'm over my brother's house (I think he has a complimentary friendship/lifetime subscription). :beaten:

HAHA. Nice. :applaud:

The more public transportation linking LT to the world, the better for me and the more people will come to visit, dine, buy and enjoy the Japanese environment. Few want to brave the downtown traffic nightmare.... fast efficient public trans will reinvigorate LT. If you ever ride the red line and now the gold line ext, you will be delighted at the speed, frequency, cleanliness and security of these modern designed mass transit vehicles. I would never waste my time and gas and parking fees driving to the area as often as I now frequent LT thanks to the availability of this modern progression.

ralphm1999 wrote:The more public transportation linking LT to the world, the better for me and the more people will come to visit, dine, buy and enjoy the Japanese environment. Few want to brave the downtown traffic nightmare.... fast efficient public trans will reinvigorate LT. If you ever ride the red line and now the gold line ext, you will be delighted at the speed, frequency, cleanliness and security of these modern designed mass transit vehicles. I would never waste my time and gas and parking fees driving to the area as often as I now frequent LT thanks to the availability of this modern progression.

I agree the public transportation infrastructure in Los Angeles is woeful at best. Expanding it is a long overdue priority. I don't think the article necessarily opposes the connecting line but how the project would be executed or implemented.

But yeah I have taken the Metro Red Line, albeit only twice, and it was a pleasant transit experience.

I forgot to mention, when I was in Kinokuniya they're starting to put calendars out. :woot:

gaijinmark wrote:I forgot to mention, when I was in Kinokuniya they're starting to put calendars out. :woot:

No Kuninaka Ryoko calendar again this year..... :shamefulcry:

Nor Sung Yuri... :shamefulcry:

Japanese Film Festival this Sunday at the Aratani in Little Tokyo:http://www.jaccc.org/

2010 Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo

Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California and Foundation will present g2010 Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo": A Japanese New Year Celebration throughout Little Tokyo on Friday, January 1, 2010. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Programs will be held at Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza. The festivities will begin with the opening ceremony which will be held at Weller Court from 11:00 a.m. Throughout the day, various programs and performances will also be held at Japanese Village Plaza. The main stages at Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza will feature exciting performances which include Taiko Drums, Kagamiwari( Traditional Sake barrel breaking ceremony), Japanese Folk Song and Dances, Japanese Calligraphy, free Mochi thrown from the stage the the 2009 Nisei Week Queen and her Court also with members of the LA Kimono Club. Origami and kite making craft booths for children will also be available at Weller Court.

There will be many Japanese Food booths offering delicacies such a mochi, Yakisoba, Amazake will be sold along Weller Court. A limited number of goodie bags will be given to children visiting Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza.

gaijinmark wrote:2010 Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo

Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California and Foundation will present g2010 Oshogatsu in Little Tokyo": A Japanese New Year Celebration throughout Little Tokyo on Friday, January 1, 2010. Everyone is welcome to participate.

Programs will be held at Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza. The festivities will begin with the opening ceremony which will be held at Weller Court from 11:00 a.m. Throughout the day, various programs and performances will also be held at Japanese Village Plaza. The main stages at Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza will feature exciting performances which include Taiko Drums, Kagamiwari( Traditional Sake barrel breaking ceremony), Japanese Folk Song and Dances, Japanese Calligraphy, free Mochi thrown from the stage the the 2009 Nisei Week Queen and her Court also with members of the LA Kimono Club. Origami and kite making craft booths for children will also be available at Weller Court.

There will be many Japanese Food booths offering delicacies such a mochi, Yakisoba, Amazake will be sold along Weller Court. A limited number of goodie bags will be given to children visiting Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza.

I'm going to try to be there.... :woot:
If I don't sleep forever after fighting all night with the fragmented broadcast of the Kohakou Uta Gassen.

What a pickle. The Kohakou will be rebroadcast on 1/1 at 12Pm - 5PM.
Right in the middle of the Little Tokyo events. I would like to record the second playing so maybe I can patch the fragmented spots from the 1st recording. But although my Magnavox DVDR can record to it's hard drive all 5 hours, it is the worst DVD recorder for quality. Naturally I record on best quality but even so.... my other recorders can only record 1 hour of top quality..... So what to do. Stay home and swith discs in the good recorders or miss the second broadcast and go to Little Tokyo for the New Year celebrations....
I really want to go to Little Tokyo.... :shamefulcry:

Saturday Feb. 6, this might be interesting:

Little Tokyo Korea Japan Festival
JACCC with the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; and the Japan Korea Society present the Little Tokyo Korea Japan Festival, a day-long celebration of cultural exchange between neighboring communities!

The closely shared similarities and differences between the cultures of Japan and Korea are explored in Tina Yanagimoto's "New Beginnings-Cultural Harmony in Little Tokyo." This documentary chronicles the history of Little Tokyo and how Japanese and Korean residents are building bridges of friendships and harmony. Featured films includes the Korean award-winning 2008 "Rough Cut"; followed by the 2007 remake of Akira Kurosawa's "Tsubaki Sanjuro."

Schedule
11am Rough Cut (Korean Film)
1pm New Beginnings-Cultural Harmony in Little Tokyo (Documentary)
1:30pm Live Perfomance and Lunch
3pm Sanjuro (Japanese Film)

Price
$20 for regular, $15 for JACCC member and Group+10 (handling charge may apply)
Please call A/JAT Box Office for senior and student tickets.

Little Tokyo Korea Japan Festival
Saturday, February 06, 2010 at 11:00 AM
Aratani/Japan America Theatre
244 South San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

gaijinmark wrote:Saturday Feb. 6, this might be interesting:

Little Tokyo Korea Japan Festival
JACCC with the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles; The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles; and the Japan Korea Society present the Little Tokyo Korea Japan Festival, a day-long celebration of cultural exchange between neighboring communities!

Sounds interesting. I hope there will not be any alcohol present though...because it might lead to battle reenactments of Japan's creation of the Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere.

Oshogatsu Family Festival rings in the New Years
By Sue Doyle, Staff Writer
Updated: 01/03/2010 07:05:10 PM PST

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Hundreds descended on the Japanese American National Museum on Sunday for the Oshogatsu Family Festival - a celebration of the New Year and the biggest holiday in Japan.

Banging drums, folding origami and cooking traditional New Year's dishes, participants shared old customs and learned some new ones at the free event built around the Japanese custom of bringing family together for the holiday.

"New Year's is a day for families," said Chris Komai, museum spokesman. "It's a time for everyone to get together."

Though New Year's Day was officially celebrated on Friday, the downtown museum held the event Sunday to attract more people.

Kristi Miyamee of Hawaii stood inside the museum and shook a canister filled with New Year's fortunes written on pieces of paper. Miyamee's fortune promised good luck starting today.

To help make it come true, Miyamee wrapped it around the branch of a small tree inside the museum next to dozens of other fortunes.

In Japanese culture, it's believed that God can read fortunes better when they're tied to trees.

"It's good to come here because you learn more about your culture. It's nice to be familiarized again with some of the important traditions," said Miyamee, who's visiting family in Los Angeles. "For me, when I come here, it's part of the experience."

About 50 gathered in a circle outside the museum to beat drums with their hands and sticks in a communal event that allowed
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everyone to participate.

Brett Yoshimura, 37, helped his son Riley, 16-months-old, tap a drum in the loud group.

It's a small lesson for the toddler whose parents hope the exposure will spark a musical interest as he grows up - especially in Japanese drumming, known as Taiko.

"We've been to drum circles in the past," said Yoshimura. "They will do Taiko later here today. We want him to participate in that."

With 2010 being the Year of the Tiger, children colored, cut and pasted tiger figurines out of cardboard rolls.

Rosemarie Barraza of Los Angeles worked with her son Noe, 4, at the craft table as he glued together pieces of a cut-out tiger.

"We're trying to immerse him in many different cultures," she said. "It's good to expose him to these different things - cooking, drums and crafts.

[image]

There was also the Ohshogatsu on New Year's Day over at Weller Court. :victory:

gaijinmark wrote:[image]

There was also the Ohshogatsu on New Year's Day over at Weller Court. :victory:

Nice. :victory:

gaijinmark wrote:[image]

There was also the Ohshogatsu on New Year's Day over at Weller Court. :victory:

Cool setup there. I saw that red and white backdrop earlier but couldn't figure out what it was all about.

Any Enka fans in the area? JERO is coming to L.A. March 31st:http://www.jaccc.org/events.htm

gaijinmark wrote:Any Enka fans in the area? JERO is coming to L.A. March 31st:http://www.jaccc.org/events.htm

Wow, that should be interesting. :victory: