Little Tokyo - Terra Incognita

Five things I remember about Los Angeles and Little Tokyo

2007-08-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

When I was about to leave Los Angeles, I told to myself what I would remember the most about Little Tokyo and Los Angeles after two months. So here is the list of things.

1. Los Angeles is so bustling and competitive. Little Tokyo is so quiet and laid back.
2. Los Angeles is a typical sprawl city with car culture. Little Tokyo is a typical compact town, where everything - restaurants, theaters, libraries, residential areas, community centers, etc. - is at a walking distant.
3. I learned a new expression - tossed salad, meaning integration but still preserving your own culture and heritage, in Little Tokyo. I learned a new word - celebrity, meaning fame or well-known person, in Los Angeles.
4. I came to Little Tokyo to know it is the birthplace of mochi ice cream, a nice combination of hot and cold, ying and yang, east and west in a dessert. I left Los Angeles to know it is the birthplace of the Wicked - a Tony-award-winning musical.
5. Sometimes I was puzzled in Little Tokyo by my logical thinking. For example, there was a Fish Mart but I could not find fish there, but clothes. Sometimes, I was amused in Los Angeles by my logical thinking. "Left lane must turn left" is one example.

So good bye for now. I hope that Davis will help remind me of many more fond memories about Little Tokyo and Los Angeles as he takes over the moderator's role of this blog. Thank you for reading this blog and welcome Davis.

Tofu Festival

2007-08-18T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is my first time to attend the Tofu Festival, and I heard that this is the last Tofu Festival. I never imagined a festival featuring just one food - especially that food was tofu. Tofu is not listed in the 'royal' dishes in the Vietnamese cuisine culture, partly because it is simple and cheap - in finding the ingredients, in its production technique, and in the way to process it to become a food. Thus, I was amazed to see innovative uses of tofu in the foods sold at the festival. Contrary to my food knowledge, tofu can go with so many condiments: noodles, salad, kim chi (pickles), burger, banana, coconut, taco, and many others to become and drink. mapou tofu boba drink, pad sei eu noodle with tofu, BBQ tofu. Curious with an all-day long line in front of the Otafuku Foods Inc.'s booth, I joined the queue hoping to taste the tofu okonomiyaki or tofu pancake. But I was not lucky. After 20 minutes waiting under the hot sun, I had to leave with about 15 other disappointed-looking people as it was sold out. Anyway, I was happy with the green curry tofu with Thai eggplant at the Thai Tofu Nirvana's booth, sun du bu at the BCD Tofu House, and pad thai tofu at Chang’s Thai Bistro.

But Tofu Festival is more than a food festival. It is a social and cultural event where people come to taste different dishes at one location, to socialize with their friends and colleagues, to experience one of the most notable LA events, to be updated with current trends and tastes, or just to have festival feeling.

technology and everyday life

2007-08-13T09:42:00.000-07:00

I often thought I did not belong to the digital generation and it was definitely unnecessary for me to do so. I used basic computer skills at work. Most of the time I dealt with papers. And I always got outstanding rate for my performance. I prefer real voice and facial contacts than the emotion icons on facebook. And I had no problems with keeping in touch with my friends and my families thus far. I enjoy traveling and experiencing place and people than watching TV. I love to receive one hand-written card than ten e-cards. I do not like the idea when I want to 'have' time of my own, my cell phone rings. In short, I have hundreds of good reasons for not being a technology maniac. But the encounter with Ms. Kayo challenged my thinking. She took computer courses at the DISKovery center in Little Tokyo. She designed name labels for herself and her friends. She had mobility problem but kept connected with her daughter every day by email. She skillfully moved the cursor from one function to another, which took me a while to follow, while she searched for information on the internet. I had a sense of being behind. I had a sense of being marginalized as I did not get access to the wealth of resources on the internet.

Youth exposure to technology in Little Tokyo

2007-07-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

When I met a group of high school students and graduates this afternoon, I wished, for the first time, I was a teenage. They are interns from the Information Technology Agency within a ten-week internship program sponsored by the UCLA. The trip to Little Tokyo was their exposure to technology and get an idea of what is available in the downtown. Armed with laptops, they learnt to test the wireless internet network speed and surfed the web at different locations around Japanese Village Plaza. The kids appeared to be excited with this kind of hands on experience. I was impressed with their eagerness to learn when I saw them answer Davis, the Director of the Little Tokyo Unplugged Project,'s quiz with not much difficulty after listening to his presentation about the project. Technology was not kind of dry and complicated topic as they thought before. I felt envious with them as they had the learning opportunities I did not have when I was at their age. The experience inspired me to organize a youth mentorship program which develops youth leadership skills to help the community with a focus on technology.

Obon at Higashi Honganji Temple

2007-07-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

So goodbye to the long-waited Obon at Higashi Honganji Temple. This is my second time to get to know ensemble taiko drumming. For the first time, taiko came as a traditional Japanese art form. This time, it came in a new breath, a breath of American pop rhythm and hip hop dance.

Particularly impressed were kids performing classic Japanese dances. In cute kimonos and maiko's dance steps filled with classical Japaneses music, the Lumbini Kids on the Stage showed that you did not have to make a trip to Japan to enjoy Japanese culture.

In their own language, HereandNow group brought art closer to the community. Using story-telling, HereandNow has induced the audience to reflect on issues of modern day Asian American - origins, traditions, and integration.

Culture is living when it is transfered to young generations - that was the message from the Matsumoto Martial Arts group.

Thanks Higashi Honganji Temple for the great shows and great food. A well-organized and culturally rich Obon.

Green space in Little Tokyo

2007-07-28T14:38:00.000-07:00

Have you seen water falls in Little Tokyo? I am not day dreaming.
It was a pleasant surprise for me to see water falls and picturesque lawns with a bridge and stream nearby here, at a short walking distance, on the roof of the New Otani Hotel. It is one of the rare green and 'organic' spaces in a busy and dynamic city like LA. Don't think that there are no big trees on the roof of a high-rise building! You will be surprised with lots of shades in the garden. Good place for a short escape in hot summer days ...

Obon festival this weekend at Higashi Honganji Temple

2007-07-23T14:16:00.001-07:00

Somebody told me Little Tokyo was a place for festivals. I can't agree more. July - mi August is even more special as this is the month of Obon, an annual Buddhist event to commemorate one's ancestors in Japan. I heard that Obon was one of the most important traditions for Japanese people. When I was in Hawaii, which has the largest population of Japanese American and Japanese visitors in the country, I remembered the summer was even called "Bon season". In Little Tokyo, different temples celebrate this festival at different dates. And this weekend is at Higashi Honganji Temple.

So if you are traveling to Little Tokyo this week, don't miss the chance to live in 'Obon season' by joining the cultural celebration and food bazaar at Higashi Honganji Temple on Saturday and Sunday July 28th - 29th. There are games, oishii food, farmer's market, and especially bon ordori or bon dance. Oop! there are free practice sessions for bon dancing before the actual event - see http://www.hhbt-la.org/Obon.html for more details. See you there!

Community Council meeting

2007-07-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

When my supervisor informed me about the Little Tokyo Community Council's monthly meeting, I imagined it would be a small meeting among 'professional meeting goers'. Thus, I was surprised to see so many people at the meeting, around 50 I guessed. Lunches were sold on location. So people could buy lunch, eat and drink in the meeting room. Chairs and tables were arranged in square shape. I could not tell which table was for the meeting chairperson and the council board members. Wow, 'community friendly' environment, I thought. If you have never attended this kind of meeting, let me give you a brief description. People discussed about issues that affected the lives and livelihood of the Little Tokyo's community members. They ranged from 'macro' issues such as public safety, to 'micro' ones such as announcement of Obon festival at the temple. There was a Q & A section after each presentation. There was simultaneous English - Japanese interpretation for those who want to hear in Japanese. So everyone can participate. I saw the meeting was a good opportunity for people to know what is going on in the area. It was also a good channel for dialogue between the community and the public agencies. What I found interesting was I saw many young people in the meeting as it was inspiring to see younger generation be active in civic engagement. And I was really curious to know who were purely 'concerned citizens'. Over all, interesting experience for me!

Ukulele Showcase - Finest of the Fine

2007-07-12T23:27:00.000-07:00

Music is magic! It can help you do away with your headache. It makes you miss somebody, who usually you have no time in your busy schedule to miss. It refreshes your memory about the places you have been to, the people you have met, and expands your imagination to the places you have never experienced. I am talking about the music feast tonight at the Japanese American National Museum - the Southern California Ukulele Showcase.

Joined Little Tokyo's residents and visitors to
celebrate all things 'uke.'

Chose a seating in the front so I could see the stage clearly with my short-sighted glasses. Took a sound breath, and relaxed. Daniel Ho, Heard Ohta Jr. and their ukuleles, the sweet voices of the duo Makena, the seductive Hula dance... I could feel the wind, smell the beaches, touch the sunlight and hear the aloha spirit of Hawaii right here, in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles.

The genius humorous King Kukulele, the intellectual Dan "Soybean" Sawyer, the wild Steven Espaniola, the experienced Bilgewater Brothers, and many more... each added a different flavor to the feast.

The performance kicks off the 2007 season of the Japanese American National Museum's 1st and Central Summer Concerts. The celebration of all things 'uke.' will be followed by an evening of Taiko with San Jose Taiko & Cava on Thursday July 26, 2007. Log on to http://www.janm.org/events/ for the calendar of events.

Tiny bubbles, in the wine

Make me happy

Make me feel fine

Tiny bubbles make me warm all over with a

feeling that I'm gonna love you

("Tiny Bubbles" in tribute to Don Ho - performed by a group of the finest artists in the field of 'uke.')

.
.
.
And I feel warm.

Food for thought

2007-07-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

I have been around Little Tokyo for 3 weeks. Had chance to taste some Japanese and Korean restaurants in the area. Yes, Japanese and Korean food is most easily found in Little Tokyo, not other Asian food. Although I miss my Vietnamese food, I feel happy as it is what I find interesting here in Little Tokyo - a blend of Japanese and Korean cultures through food. It is not uncommon in Little Tokyo to see Japanese restaurants serve Korean dishes and vice versa. I remembered the angry-looking face of my previous boss when he saw the book - This is a Big World and There's Lots of Things to Do by the founder and former head of the Daewoo Group Kim Woo Choong - in the office. Let's not talk about this controversial figure and his book. What I recall is my surprise at that time as he told me he never wanted to see anything related to Korea in the office. I remembered when I was at East West Center, there was a seminar series on Japan - South Korea relationship. Till that time that I learnt about the reason that divided the two countries - history. Other than that, I saw the South Korean students side by side with the Japanese fellows with not much difference. They both are smart, hard working among other qualities. Both share interests for food, reading, football (I have seen two Japanese and Korean guys cheering together while watching an Italian football match), etc. There is clearly no reason for tension between them, except for history, which they cannot change, never. As I enjoyed a hot bowl of Udon, topped with Kimchi at the Korean Kitchen (Hibachi BBQ) in the Japanese Village Plaza in Little Tokyo, I wondered why people often focus on differences, rather than commonalities as they go along.

Farmers Market

2007-07-03T16:43:00.001-07:00

For long I wanted to see a farmers market in Little Tokyo. And today, I have seen it - in the Weller Court on the South Onizuka Street. For those who do not know where Onizuka Street is, it is on the corner of the 2nd Street and San Pedro.

Enjoy the fresh tropical fruits, flowers and vegetables, which are locally produced.

Shop for the families, or just hang out for some stress-released moments

Want some changes for the usual lunch taste? Hawaiian chicken, pupusas, roasted peanuts, Mediterranean cyros, Greek salad... all are ready to serve

Little Tokyo Mural - LIA Project

2007-07-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

Part of our Leadership in Action Program is to initiate and implement a joint project which addresses one of the issues faced by the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community. After a long discussion, we wanted to create a mural to highlight the cultural diversity of the Asian Pacific Islander community. Initial research showed that creating a mural would take more time than we thought - from one year to as much as three years while we have only 7 weeks. Sorry Pauline, Choon, Ji Huyn and others - you have put a lot of efforts in the project. But we have to shift our direction given the time constraint. Several ideas were thrown out on the table. Then we decided to concentrate on the idea of raising the community's awareness about the Little Tokyo Mural in the Japanese Village Plaza (JVP).

Sometimes we are too often focussed on new things, and are not aware of those which already exist around us. We might see them everyday, but do not think much about what they are, why they are there, what values they contain, etc. I like the project in this sense. Wow, I would call this "discovering new values in the old thing" project.

Note: Picture copied from http://www.kuidaosumi.com/murals/jtmural.html

Where to get business counseling?

2007-06-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

I had chance to talk to Colleen Seto - the Program Manager of the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program (API SPB) after her Train-the-Trainer Web Class at the DISKovery Center. Collen gave me an impression of an energetic development worker: not too formal, listening , quick in picking ideas, and enthusiastic when talking about her work. Her program provides basic entrepreneurial skills and knowledge that small business owners want to know when they start up and maintain their businesses. How to launch a small business? How to file tax? What are the regulations required by the health department? etc. These are just a few among the topics they cover in their training and workshops. Besides the formal courses, clients can contact Business Counselors to have one-to-one business counseling. What I find their services special and truly community-oriented is these services are provided FREE, or next to free, and in clients' languages. Regarding the cost, exception is made for some trainings for which clients are required to pay a small amount to cover course materials. But for low income clients, all of the services are completely FREE of charge. What's more, they provide training and counseling services in five Los Angeles community languages: Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese and Tagalog, besides English.

As many of Colleen's clients want to publicize their businesses through websites, Colleen takes courses offered by the DISKovery Center "to get an overview [of web use], to aware of what can be provided to my clients, what questions can be come up", she says. "Clients might approach us and say "I am not a computer savvy, but I want to have a web page of my own restaurant, with the menus, pictures, etc. posted". So we can help". "I want to learn PowerPoint skills and web-page building", Colleen says as I ask her what else she wants to learn from the DISKovery Center.

Good luck with your work, Colleen!

Colleen Seto - Program Manager API Small Business Program, http://www.apisbp.org/index.html

Steve Wong (standing) - Coordinator
DISKovery Center, http://diskovery.ltsc.org/home.htm

Temple hours

2007-06-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

Got up at 5:30 in the morning. I haven't been able to adjust my biological clock to the LA long-day and short-night timezone yet. First thing coming to my mind was going to a Buddhist temple. Maybe minutes of meditation can help. At 9 AM, Little Tokyo appeared to be deep in a sound sleep. So fresh, so tranquil. I found the Higashi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple on the East 3rd Street, but unfortunately it was not open. The notice read: Monday - Saturday: 9:30 AM. Sunday 10AM. New thing to learn: Temples might not open 24 hours. So visitors and worshipers should check in advance. Sad that I couldn't get in, but I will come back.

Koban Visitor Center

2007-06-22T11:06:00.000-07:00

If you hang out in a new place for 5 days without a map in hand, and don't know where you can get it, you would find the Koban Visitor Center a 'life buoy' like I did. They can give you maps of Los Angeles and Little Tokyo free of charge. Not just maps, stuck with ideas about where to go, eat and shop? Tons of addresses in and out of California with a brief introduction for you to consider. You even find coupons for reduced admission fee to museums. Bus routes and schedules are another thing you want to know to plan your trip. Don't worry! You can find in Koban Visitor Center too.

More questions? Don't hesitate to ask Tomo. He is an extremely helpful (and witty) resource person for you to ask whatever question you might have concerning your trip and stay in the Little Tokyo. Wow, I forgot to take his picture so you will know who he is.