Project Community
Be sure to check out the story on Project Community, a statewide summer youth program put on by JACL.Parking in Little Tokyo
Check out the blog post about the PCPC meeting, to find out more about the future of parking in Little TokyoNikkei Community Interns @ THE PARTY
Nikkei Community Interns, a statewide program put on the the California Japanese American Leadership Counsil, at THE PARTY in Little Tokyo .Higashi & Nishi Obon Videos
Be sure to subscribe to Little Tokyo TV on YouTube, many new videos up and coming!
Planning and Cultural Preservation Meeting
Last week thursday I attended the Planning and Cultural Preservation Committee Meeting. It was held last week Wednesday at the JACCC in Little Tokyo. The Planning and Cultural Preservation Committee or PCPC is part of the Little Tokyo Community Council.
The meeting began with an update on the Little Tokyo Parking study, the parking study is nearing completion and should be coming out in the next few months. Data from summer festivals in Little Tokyo will be included in the parking study then the final report will be released. Some changes to parking in Little Tokyo may include the parking meter time limit changing from one hour to two hours, metering on Sundays, extending the operation time of meters to 8pm, and more signage.
There will be a Regional Connector meeting on August 5th, but I do not currently have the time and location, I will post that information when I find out.
Representatives from MTA also announced that last friday the MTA board voted on packaging the the Little Tokyo regional connector with another project to help increase the chances of receiving funding from the federal government. Instead of the two projects competing against each other, they would be competing with each other.
The bulk of the meeting consisting of critical discussion on the regional connector through Little Tokyo. The discussion was intense and many serious questions where asked. Members from all over the community where able to voice concerns and help clear up confusions they had about the regional connector.
A regional connector in Little Tokyo deal, its impact to Little Tokyo will be huge. There are currently 4 proposals for different configurations of how the regional connector will function in relation to Little Tokyo. Different versions include on street level, below street level, a shuttle system, and no build.
The topic of the regional connector is a large and complex story, as my first time attending the meeting, it took great effort to try and keep up with what they are talking about. Please let me know if any of the posted information is incorrect, or anything you may want to add.
Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge, if you notice anything incorrect or have any concerns or suggestions please contact me at moguro@ltsc.org. Thanks.
The Party Pix - TNKAT
Having attended fairly regularly in the early days, even sharing some of my own poetry back in the day, it was nice to go a few weeks ago to see that they are still community minded, fun and talented group of artists, activists, and young folks really committed to community artists and sharing an arts space that continues to be relevant, cutting edge, irreverent (I saw Kristina Wong streaming from home last month) and cultural (I went to see Emily Lawsin a few weeks ago for my first time back at Tuesday Nite in over a year). Anyways, here's a piece written about the event in the Pacific Citizen and some pictures from the evening's fundraiser and celebration.
If you attended and want to share additional photos... feel free to email the unblogged administrators.
HIgashi 50th Annual Obon - This Weekend!
This weekend Higashi Honganji is having their 50th annual Obon Festival. Begins Saturday and runs until Sunday from 12-9 PM. The festival will include exhibitions, games, food, cultural performances, farmers market, flower market, tea ceremony demonstration. The entertainment schedule is full of performances from June Kuramoto with Keyboardist Kimo Cornwell, Brooke Taylor, Taiko Project, hereandnow, happyfunsmile, Bombu Taiko, Kistune Taiko, and more.
OBON PARKING -Parking will be available at the Medical Building on 3rd Street, across from the temple at 420 E. 3rd Street, LA 90013. The lot entrance is on Boyd Street. Higashi Honganji Obon visitors will receive a discounted maximum daily fee of $5.00, plus a complimentary Obon raffle ticket valued at $2.00. In order to receive your discount voucher and raffle ticket, please bring your stub to the Raffle Booth at the entrance to our Obon Festival.PLEASE BE AWARE OF PARKING LOT CLOSING TIMES!The Medical Building parking lot closes at 10:00 P.M. and other parking lots in Little Tokyo close earlier!
Get Fit Little Tokyo
GetFit Little Tokyo (GetFit) is a community volunteer group made up of Little Tokyo Residents, employees, volunteers, and stakeholders. The primary mission of GetFit is to promote healthy and active lifestyles.
GetFit was created as a joint effort between the Little Tokyo Service Center LTSC and the Asian and Pacific Islander Obesity Prevention Alliance APIOPA. GetFit Little Tokyo receives funding from the California Endowment and Kaiser Permanente Hospitals.
At the top of GetFit's priorities is to encourage visitors, and residents to walk about Little Tokyo. The GetFit team conducted focus groups and surveys and found that there is a strong desire for more green/open space and more pedestrian friendly streets. GetFit is currently working with the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles to create a fitness trail, and the Little Tokyo Community Council to ensure that health and fitness language is integrated into city planning guidelines. GetFits vision is a community with better pedestrian lighting, safer sidewalks, urban walking trails as well as outdoor fitness zones with exercise equipment.
Survey
JACL: Project Community 2009
(Group Photo of Participants on Noguchi Stones at JACCC Plaza)
Last tuesday I attending one of the sessions for this years Project Community Program. Project Community is a summer youth program created by the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. Project Community was started in 2008 by the JACL PSW district and is intended for high school students, to empower youth, increase their voice in the community, as well help them understand the importance of community and community preservation. The program is statewide in Northern California and Southern California in Japantown SF and Little Tokyo LA. The program emerged from an understanding that preserving Japanese American culture, community and remaining Japan towns requires youth interest and involvement.
Participants are immersed in an 8 Week summer session that meets every tuesday evening in Little Tokyo. Each session is different each having its own theme and focus. Some of the themes include Identity and Community, the power of place, Little Tokyo in danger, and community organizations. Sessions also have visits to Little Tokyo Community organizations, guest speakers, and interactive workshops. They also are will be creating a collaborative art piece that will be displayed at the end of the program during their Culmination event.
(JACL PSW Regional Director Craig Ishii leading a discussion)
Over this last session the participants started out playing a quick ice breaker, then a small workshop was given on community organizations, what they do, how they function and different types. We then went on a tour of the of the grounds of the JACCC or Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, where we saw the different facilities such as the Noguchi Plaza, James Irvine Japanese Garden and dropped in during JACCC board meeting.
(Participants at JACCC Board Meeting)
They would then continue on to The Japanese American National Musuem to hear the story of the creation and importance having such a museum inside Little Tokyo. The the would go to the Little Tokyo Service Center where Executive Director Bill Watanabe would give them some background information on LTSC and what they do. Afterwards the participants returned to the JACCC, and concluded by starting the creative process for the culmination art piece.
(Participants at LTSC)
Little Tokyo Public Safety Association Meeting
Yesterday I attended the Little Tokyo Public Safety Association Meeting. It was held at the Kyoto Grand Hotel in Little Tokyo. The Little Tokyo Public Safety Association or LTPSA, meets every month to discuss public safety issues in Little Tokyo. Members are from various places around the community, from residents, to business owners, community organization representatives, the Koban and LAPD.
Tuesday Night Cafe's THE PARTY ! This Saturday!
Kid's Perspective on Little Tokyo
The summer Obon Festival season is a joyful time in Little Tokyo. It's when the past can re-connect with the future; when the ghosts of ancestors and traditions find their way into the memories of youth. But it's mostly about here and now... As we know, kids live in the present -- and having fun is the best way to communicate the "culture" of J-Town.
Last weekend our family participated in the Obon Festival at Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. We saw community folks who drove in from places as far away as Fresno with smiles on their faces -- doing bon odori (Japanese dancing) to the beat of the taiko, playing bingo, and meeting old friends.
What are these festivals to a three-year-old kid? Here's a few fun things we did...
- Shooting a basketball and getting a lollipop (or two) even if you didn't score a point.
- Trying Okinawan dangos for the first time, and knowing Mommy won't consider it junk food.
- Eating an icy cold snow cone with rainbow flavors.
- Winning a goldfish by throwing a ping-pong ball into a bowl (we were lucky).
- Dancing and listening to the taiko (don-don-don)!
What is my purpose of writing all this? Forming these memories for our kids are Little Tokyo's future. Bring your kids to the summer festival events, including Nisei Week in August. Join in the community, meet some new people, spend quality family time, and go "offline". Yes, the "real world" is sooo much better than any video game!
Blog Updates
Upcoming Obon Festivals this Weekend !
Summer Obon Festivals
Obon is a traditional Japanese Buddhist festival which honors the spirits of ancestors who have passed away. This festival started in Japan for over 500 years ago, and continues today. Typically there is food and dancing at the festivals, the dancing is called Bon Odori. Bon Odori is a celebration at which time one should feel gratefulness toward their ancestors. Their are many different Bon Odori dances which vary from temple to temple and also many different versions of the dance. There are traditional songs which Bon Odori are danced to. Traditionally Kimonos and Yukata are worn to the festival. At some places Toro Nagashi takes place which is when people float small paper lanterns in the water to signify the spirit's return to the land of the dead.
"Soon" has FINALLY Arrived
I was walking back to my office a few days ago, and noticed that the "Coming Soon" sign in front of MulTEEpurpose at Teramachi’s ground floor retail space was taken down...and that there were chairs and tables outside...and the doors were open!
The MulTEEpurpose "Concept Store and Cafe" is offering free coffee on Fridays from 5-8 PM for the month of July...they’re closed, unfortunately, this July 3rd for Independence Day. They're located at 269 S. San Pedro Street, and are open from 8 AM to 8 PM.
So what’s the shop about? Still not really sure. It is a cafe that provides free Wi-Fi while you sip your organic teas and coffees, but they’re really a custom T-shirt company with a focus on developing sustainable, socially-conscious billboard clothing. Their moto: "Welcome to Effortless Activism". Interesting idea, hope they can make some money now.
Robot Trifecta UPDATE!
Festivities begin at 7:30 pm with King Zarkon HAPPY HOUR - complimentary beers until 8:30 pm or until our free beer runs out (just drop KING ZARKON's name to the bartenders) otherwise it's $3 a beer. We'll also be giving away door prizes all night long.
Please join the JACCC and Visual Communications this Friday night at the JACCC Plaza (244 S. San Pedro St.) for an amazing night filled with food, free giveaways, Facebook friends and the friggin' baddest robots who rocked the pre-90's animation world — ASTRO BOY, GIGANTOR and the original unedited Japanese version of VOLTRON (a.k.a. Go Lion). Feel free to bring your lawn chair, blanket, beach ball, because this will be a FREE outdoor screening on the JACCC Plaza!
DJ's Refine, Rani D and Akaider will be slaying mad monsters by mixing live soundtracks to the VOLTRON episodes! Join them, Princess Allura and the Go Lion pilots as they protect Arus and all of us from the evil King Zarkon of planet Doom!
Come join the fun, our first outdoor screening this year!
FREE Outdoor screening on the JACCC Plaza! This Friday!
ASTRO BOY (1963)
English version
The mother Japanese animation, Astro Boy was the first anime series to be broadcast on TV in Japan. The story follows the adventures of a heroic robot named Astro Boy which originated from the mangaof the same name, created by legendary Tezuka Osamu. ]
GIGANTOR (1964)
English version
Set in the "future" year of 2000, Gigantor is the story of a young boy named Jimmy Sparks who lives with his uncle Dr. Bob Brilliant on a remote island. With the help of a huge remote controlled robot named Gigantor, Jimmy fights crime around the world. Gigantor is the American adaptation of the Japanese anime and manga series Tetsujin 28-go by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. [
Appearance by Fred Ladd (original producer and writer for Astro Boy and Gigantor [U.S. Versions])
VOLTRON: DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE (1984)
Original unedited Japanese version, with live soundtrack by DJ's Rani D and Akaider.
A team of five young pilots command five robot lions, which when combined form Voltron. In this undefined future era, the Voltron Force was in charge of protecting the planet Arus (ruled by Princess Allura) from the evil King Zarkon (from planet Doom), his son Lotor, and the witch Haggar, who would create huge Robeasts to terrorize the people of Arus.
Gold Line Safety Walk-Through
Yesterday, Kim Tachiki from US Representative Lucille Royball Allard's office arranged to have Little Tokyo Community Council members participate in a safety walk-through at the Metro Gold Line Little Tokyo / Arts District Station with Metro staff.
About five MTA representatives and engineers were on hand to field questions from a couple dozen community members about pedestrian safety and access around the Gold Line light rail station, which is slated for full operation sometime in August.
Upon walking up to the track crossing at the NE corner of 1st and Alameda, one is immediately struck at how "open" the crossing is, with little to keep a pedestrian from accidentally walking or falling over the tracks at an oncoming train (by the way, it's a $500 fine to walk on the tracks...but who reads signs when we're in a rush to catch a train or make the light?).
Many in the group were equally dismayed at the lack of barriers or gates to prevent an accident. MTA staff assured us, however, that gates are being evaluated, and that a study on the issue will be released in July or August...and there will be an opportunity for public comments.
The other questions that came up time and again were the lack of language-appropriate signage (some of the signs that were up did have Spanish translations). Many in the group expressed concerns over how local Japanese and Korean residents, most especially seniors, would be able to read the warnings. The MTA is also going to take into account the timing of pedestrian lights to enable seniors sufficient time to cross sidewalks.
Members in the group pointed out a lot of confusing designs and safety systems, so the walk-through was informative for both community members and the MTA staff. At the request of the participants, Metro representatives will be making presentations to the Little Tokyo Community Council and other groups, and will incorporate the comments and feedback from yesterday's meeting to the station's overall safety plan.
Celebrating 10 years of the Pavilion at JANM
• Fighting for Democracy Exhibition (11 AM –2 PM)
• Children’s Storytime with Rodney Kageyama (12 PM)
• Family Tour of Common Ground: The Heart of Community (1 PM & 2 PM)
• Taiko for Families Workshop (1:30 PM)
Just for members:
• Members’ Coffee & Architectural Tour with remarks by President/CEO Akemi Kikumura Yano (10–11 AM) *Reservations required; space limited.
• Upper-level Member Collections Tour & Tea (By Invitation) (2:30 PM)
• Members’ Raffle (1 FREE ticket per member; winners must be present to win)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: See the new kaeru frog design with a special t-shirt by Zolo Toys and a kaeru naming contest.
Little Tokyo Community Profiles
This past spring, we had the opportunity to partner with Professor Morgan Pitelka of Occidental College on a meaningful community-based documentation project for a seminar titled "Japanophilia: Orientalism, Nationalism, Transnationalism." I've been wanting to partner with younger people to interview some of the long-time Little Tokyo businesses to share on DiscoverNikkei.org for a while now and was thrilled when Prof. Pitelka agreed to my suggestion.
My criteria in selecting businesses was that they would be family-owned businesses that had operated in Little Tokyo for a long time, but had not previously had much written about them before. I thought it would make it easier for the students to have access, but also because I wanted them to be able to get to know the people behind the businesses that they may have frequented before or might afterwards. The Little Tokyo Historical Society and staff at the Museum provided help in selecting and contacting the businesses. In the end, five businesses were selected and agreed to be interviewed: Aihara Insurance, Aoi Restaurant, Bunkado, Little Tokyo Cafe, and Uyeda Department Store.
Ten students worked in teams of two to interview the owners of the businesses. Each team created a Nikkei Album collection together to share photos and an overview of each business. In addition, each student wrote their own article sharing stories. Although I've visited many of the businesses for many, many years, I was delighted to find that I learned so much new about each business through this project.
We're posting the ten student articles one per week. So far six are online. At the end of each article is a link to the corresponding Nikkei Album collection. The articles can be accessed here: Little Tokyo Community Profiles series.
I'd really want to express my appreciation and gratitude to Prof. Pitelka and his students. They really embraced this project and I think they got a lot out of it. I'd love to continue to work with student, youth, and community groups to continue with this type of community documentation project. If you're interested, let us know!
Children's Day Festival and Basketball Tourney This Weekend
For those of us saddened by the Lakers' recent dismal performances, immediately following the Chibi-K will be the San-tai-San ("3-on 3") basketball tournament on San Pedro Street for 3rd to 7th graders. The sports event started 11 years ago to help raise awareness about the need for a recreation center in Little Tokyo, which has recently been named Budokan of Los Angeles.
Hope you folks can come out and join us!
Busy day at JANM tomorrow
Shojin, organic & natural
If you want vegetarian, vegan food, or you just want to eat something new and different or a little bit healthier, you should give it a try. And save some room for dessert --in fact, go with a friend and get a few of the desserts to sample, because they are yummy.
Two Entree Bento Box 9.95
Happy Hour$7.95(11:30am - 12:00pm)
Two assorted vegetable dishes with your choice of two entrees
Add side dishes of brown rice, soup and salad ($1.50 each)
Choose any two entrees from below:
Crispy Seitan Cutlet
Barbequed Seitan
Garden Seitan Ball
Grilled Tempeh
Hamburg Steak
Tofu Steak
Pumpkin Croquette
Okara Cake
Fried Marinated Tempeh
Mushroom Sushi Roll
Shojin - organic & natural
333 S. Alameda St. 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-617-0305
Meeting about Parking in Little Tokyo
As anyone who lives, works, or plays in Little Tokyo knows, we've got a pretty wacky problem with parking in the neighborhood. Since the onslaught of new building developments and nearby civic center expansions, finding available and reasonably-priced parking in Little Tokyo is a joke. This problem impacts local businesses, community groups, and cultural events.
The Little Tokyo Community Advisory Committee, in collaboration with Little Tokyo Community Council, is conducting a parking needs study. The meeting will be open to the community, and any/all are welcomed to attend to provide input to the parking plan. Come to find out about existing parking conditions data, occupancy/turnover information, and develop/recommend parking management strategies.
THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009
Japanese American National Museum
369 E. FIRST STREET
REGISTRATION: 4:00 PM (come early to review data/maps)
PROGRAM 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM
(Japanese language translation will be provided)
For more information contact Kumamoto Associates at (323) 223-6473
The Train in J-town
Program about the future of Kenjinkai at JANM this Saturday
The Discover Nikkei project at the Japanese American National Museum is presenting its latest public program this Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 2-4pm. It will feature a panel discussion with members from four local Kenjinkai groups talking about the role of Kenjinkai now and in the future.
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