Spend the Day at Our 2019 Oshogatsu Family Festival

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Come celebrate the Year of the Boar at the 2019 Oshogatsu Family Festival at the Japanese American National Museum on January 6! Activities will run from 11a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free. Whether you enjoy traditional Japanese new year foods, art, or live performances, bring the whole family for a day full of cultural activities!


Calligrapher’s dance performance

There are a number of things available to do all day long. For the youngest attendees, there will be a scavenger hunt around the museum. Find all the items and win a prize! Crafty kids (and adults) can head over to Ruthie’s Origami Corner to learn the art of paper folding and make their own origami boars. Everyone can strike a pose with some props at the Nerdbot photo booth.

Of course, what Year of the Boar festival would be complete without a pig pen? Here’s the twist: at the Oshogatsu Family Festival, the pen is made up entirely of plushie pigs and boars. This is one pig pen where you’ll want your kids to jump right in! The coloring station is there, too.Also  open all day is the Toddler Room, where the littlest festival-goers can play with people their own size while supervised by an accompanying adult.


mochitsuki (rice pounding)

Traditional activities will be at designated times so be sure to plan for the ones you’re interested in. Early in the day (11:30 a.m.) and again at 1 p.m., catch a live collaborative performance from Kuniharu Yoshida and Walter Nishinaka that combines the calligrapher’s dance performance and taiko beats. Foodies can enjoy build-your-own sample-size soba noodle bowls from 11a.m. to 3 p.m. Kids, and kids-at-heart, won’t want to miss the demonstration of the ancient art of candy sculpting, with finished pieces given away as raffle prizes for kids. From noon to 4:30 p.m. there will be a tasting of traditional Japanese new year foods, osechi–ryori, which includes sweets and vegetables. And don’t miss the mochitsuki (rice pounding) demonstrations (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.); make sure you stay to the end for yummy mochi samples.

As a special treat, artist Mark Nagata will be giving a talk at 12:30 p.m. about his latest special edition sofubi toy figure—an homage to the character played by Gerald Okamura in the movie Big Trouble in Little China. Nagata and Okamura will then sign toy figures and special prints of the toy’s header art. Fair warning: there are only 45 toys available for purchase so act fast. You’ll also want to buy a fukubukuro (lucky grab bag) while you’re in the store.

Throughout the day, JANM members receive special perks such as reserved seating at performances and artist talks, express lines, and extra raffle tickets. Join today!

Food, Identity, and the New Year

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The new year is right around the corner, and in America, many celebrate with a bottle of champagne, party hats, and a kiss at midnight. However, in many cultures and countries, new year celebrations are all about spending time with family to feast on traditional foods to start the year off right. These customary meals are designed to bring in luck, health, and happiness before and after the clock strikes twelve.

For Japanese Americans, there is a mix of traditions and foods that celebrate the new year. Over at DiscoverNikkei.com, in an article entitled Of Food and Identity: My Grandmother’s New Years, a fourth-generation Japanese American thinks about spending the holiday with his grandmother as a way to draw his family together and to preserve their cultural identities. Here’s an excerpt from the piece.

For as long as I can remember, New Years was exciting not just because of the delicious food I’d get to eat, but because it was one of the only times I truly felt Japanese. As a fourth generation Japanese American who grew up in a predominantly non-Asian community, I rarely had the opportunity to eat Japanese food, much less experience the culture. However, New Years was one of the few times my family and I could grow closer to our heritage, if only for a moment.

My grandmother’s preparations always began with a trip to our local Japanese market, as she made it a point to cook as many of the traditional foods as possible, rather than settling for a pre-made sushi or bento set. Walking up and down the aisles, I became acquainted with a host of Japanese ingredients that I would rarely if ever see otherwise. Bags of dried shiitake mushrooms, furry sato imo potatoes, and long stalks of gobo went into the cart, along with fish roe, kamaboko, and pale, oblong lotus roots, to name a few.

Step two was always the sashimi. Though not technically a traditional New Years ingredient, sashimi had somehow made its way into the workings of my grandmother’s New Years and was now an indispensable part of the feast to come. I distinctly remember early mornings in her car, still half asleep, heading downtown to Pacific Fresh Fish on 6thStreet to pick up cuts of tuna, hamachi (yellowtail), and tako (octopus) for sashimi. Once back home, the fish went into the fridge while the rest of the preparations got underway.

You can read the whole article at DiscoverNikkei.com. Discover Nikkei is a website that celebrates cultural diversity and explores both global and local identities. The project connects generations and communities by sharing stories and perspectives of the Nikkei, people of Japanese descent who have migrated and settled throughout the world.

Holiday Shopping in Little Tokyo!

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Put together that shopping list, and let’s get going. It’s holiday season! This year, Go Little Tokyo—a community-led effort aimed at highlighting the unique cultural programs, community events, and dining and shopping experiences found in Little Tokyo—can help you knock out your shopping chores with its convenient Holiday Guide. You can download it from their website, or you can pick one up when you’re in theneighborhood—including at JANM. Items in the Holiday Guide were hand-selected by the team at Go Little Tokyo as standout products, things they’d love to receive themselves. With the guide as your guide, you’re sure to finish off a good portion of your list while visiting one of the most interesting and vibrant neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

Included is a stainless steel wallet, with custom embossing of the traditional Japanese asanoha (hemp) pattern, from the JANM Store. A JANM exclusive, this wallet is made of fabric incorporating eight-five percent post-consumer recycled stainless steel, which provides RFID blocking protection for credit cards. It has a silver ballistic nylon spine and is thin and lightweight—perfect for someone who delights in extraordinary accessories.

The guide features ideas at all price points from a plethora of JANM’sneighbors. And to make your Little Tokyo shopping even more enticing, Go LittleTokyo is holding a drawing in which you can win a gift basket filled with $250worth of great stuff from local businesses. To enter, purchase items at any little Tokyo shops or restaurants between now and January 31, 2019. Then take a photo of your receipt and email it to info@golittletokyo.com. (One entry per receipt from a Little Tokyo business.) Each gift you cross off your list in little Tokyo means you might take home a big gift for yourself!

Happy shopping!

Little Women (A Multicultural Transposition)

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Inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s classic American novel published in 1869, the play Little Women (A Multicultural Transposition) features four sisters and their Japanese American family living in post-World War II Los Angeles. Playwright Velina Hasu Houston keeps the names and personalities of the original March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—but in this tale, they are the Mayeda sisters. The novel and play have noticeable parallels, with the March and Mayeda families facing many of the same types of troubles. However, Houston’s transposition adds a dimension of racial prejudice that the March family never had to consider.

The Mayeda sisters and their mother, Marmee, move in with their Aunt Ming after spending time during the war in an American concentration camp in Colorado. Their father, Makoto, is a war hero, but he returned from the war with post-traumatic stress disorder and a drinking problem. In the recently integrated Los Angeles neighborhood to which they return, they find much-appreciated diversity in their African American neighbor, Mr. Lawrence, who is a retired hematologist, and his half-Italian grandson, Laurie. Aunt Ming, however, feels that her “old money” status is above the “new money” status of her new neighbors. Thus, Houston reveals how prejudice is present even among different minorities that have each had injustice wrought upon them.

Completing Houston’s diverse cast are Mr. Bhat, Laurie’s tutor from Calcutta, and Professor Briones from Mexico City, Jo meets on her journey to New York in act two of the play. The supporting male characters in the play including Laurie, Mr. Bhat, and Professor Briones, each take an interest in one of the Mayeda sisters. However, the drama is heightened when Beth, the shyest of the four, has an unfortunate accident, which sends the whole family into a panic. The audience will remain captivated throughout the conflict, climax, and conclusion of the play.

There have been many adaptations of Alcott’s Little Women, but Houston’s depiction of the classic is unlike any other. This time period was significant for Japanese Americans and many others seeking to overcome the racial prejudices of World War II. Houston successfully depicts how the story of Little Women can be any family’s story, and yet in this particular version, there’s much more being said about the simmering social strife that is right beneath the surface.

Vanessa Hasu Houston

Houston is a professor of dramatic writing at the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts. She is also a well-known writer with many produced commissions, both in theater and opera. She is a Fulbright Scholar, and her current projects are with the Los Angeles Opera, The Pasadena Playhouse, Theatre Works (Palo Alto), Playwrights’ Arena/Center Theatre Group, Now Africa Playwrights’ Festival, and National Public Radio. One of her most famous plays to date is Tea, which is an internationally presented play about the experiences of Japanese women.

See Little Women (A Multicultural Transposition) at JANM on Saturday, December 15 in the Tateuchi Democracy Forum. Members are invited to an exclusive pre-event reception with Velina Hasu Houston. RSVP HERE. 

Highlights from JANM Free Family Days: Superheroes!

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Striking a heroic pose!

In celebration of real-life heroes as well as the fictional characters of our Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys exhibition, JANM welcomed more than 1,100 visitors on November 11, 2018, for a free family day of fun.

Young and old alike designed their own masks.

Upon entering the museum, visitors were welcomed by our staff and many jumped right into the crafts offered. Inspired by o Kaiju vs Heroes, our hero and kaiju mask-making activity was very popular! Children delighted in keeping their heroic secret identities under wraps.

Sho Tokyo Kendo of LA Minobusan Beikoku Betsuin delivering a captivating demonstration.

Aratani Central Hall hosted some of the most impressive performances of the day. Children gathered around–and  a few were invited on stage–to experience kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art that uses swords and protective armor. It was a sight to behold as athletes from Sho Tokyo Kendo of LA Minobusan Beikoku Betsuin charged at each other, followed by the clash of their shinai (slats of bamboo tied together and used for practice, in place of a Japanese sword).

Kizuna Taiko, a group made up of children and adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities and their parents and siblings from the Japanese Speaking Parents Association of Children with Challenges (JSPACC).

Ukuleles for Little Tokyo playing their songs.

Kizuna Taiko filled Aratani Central Hall with its thunderous sounds. A physically demanding discipline, taiko is often described as a performance of dance as well as drumming. Kizuna Taiko’s incredible athleticism, driving rhythms, and meditative melodies left the audience inspired and energized. Earlier in the afternoon, families enjoyed traditional songs by Ukuleles for Little Tokyo. Their sounds were a festive addition to a fun-filled day of physical activities and crafts.

An artist from Taylor Entertainment creates a caricature.

Maya proudly displays her superhero cape.

Children sat attentively as an artist from Taylor Entertainment turned them into superheroes by drawing their caricatures. Many families also spent time perfecting a superhero cape with unique designs and color combinations. Kids enjoyed donning their creations and striking a pose.

Our friends from Terasaki Budokan playing some basketball.

On our plaza, families expended some energy by getting in some slam dunks and long distance shots at our temporary basketball courts.

Volunteers getting into the heroic spirit.

It was a truly joyful and memorable JANM Free Family Day, and we hope to see many of the same guests at our 2019 Oshogatsu Family Festival. On Sunday, January 6, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., ring in the New Year and celebrate the Year of the Boar with more fun arts and crafts, food, cultural activities, and exciting performances! There will be a traditional mochitsuki (Japanese rice pounding ritual) performance by Kodama Taiko, candy sculptures by Shan the Candyman, Fukubukuro (lucky grab bags) at the JANM Store, and so much more. Check our janm.org for more information about the Oshogatsu Family Festival and other upcoming events at JANM.

 

The Sights and Sounds of JANM Free Family Day

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Ukuleles for Little Tokyo

On Saturday, November 10, join us for a JANM Free Family Day! The crafts, performances, and other activities will be inspired by real-life heroes and the fictional characters seen in our current exhibition, Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys.

Our doors open at 11 a.m., and at 11:30 a.m. we’ll have a performance from Ukuleles for Little Tokyo. This organization engages Japanese and Japanese American seniors by providing free ukulele instruction in Japanese and English. Between 1885 and 1925, more than 200,000 Japanese had immigrated to Hawaii to work on sugarcane plantations. Many of these Japanese immigrants discovered the ukulele in Hawaii and adopted it as their own, making the instrument a common bond that helps hold together the culture of America, Hawaii, and Japan.

Draw a hero character!

After saying aloha to Ukuleles for Little Tokyo, join artist and art educator Sylvia Lopez for a superhero drawing workshop. From 12 p.m.–12:45 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.–2 p.m., create a hero character by first learning to quickly draw a basic human form. If drawing a hero character isn’t enough, from 12 p.m.–3 p.m. an artist from Taylor Entertainment will create a superhero caricatures of kid visitors!

You also don’t want to miss a demonstration from Sho Tokyo Kendo of LA Minobusan Beikoku Betsuin starting at 12:30 p.m. Experience a captivating exhibition of kendo, a traditional Japanese martial art that utilizes bamboo swords and protective armor. The practice of kendo stems from kenjutsu, a catch-all term used to describe all forms of Japanese swordsmanship. The formal kendo exercises known as kata (specific movements of a martial art) were developed several centuries ago as kenjutsu practice for warriors and are still studied today.

Members of Kizuna Taiko

Guaranteed to be inspiring is Kizuna Taiko, performing at 3 p.m. This group is made up of children and adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities, and their parents and siblings, from the Japanese Speaking Parents Association of Children with Challenges (JSPACC). Taiko is a traditional form of Japanese percussion using a variety of drums, some very large. Taiko playing is loud, hard, and fast, and involves choreographed movement that mirrors Japanese martial arts.

WizStars!

Wrapping up the day’s festivities is WizStars. A hip-hop dance ensemble featuring individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities and their parents or siblings from the JSPACC, WizStar will perform from 3:30 p.m.–3:45 p.m. The museum will close at 5:00 p.m., so you will still have time after the day’s activities to check out the Kaiju vs Heroes exhibition and its amazing array of vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys.

Please also set aside a few minutes during the day to write a letter of appreciation to a veteran, to be delivered by Operation Gratitude. Expressions of thanks make a lasting impression on those who have served in uniform.

JANM members get perks throughout the day, including reserved seating, so join or renew today! More information about the day is available on our website.

 

The Roots of No-No Boy

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With No-No Boy: A Multimedia Concert, Julian Saporiti and Erin Aoyama seek to illuminate the Asian American experience through Saporiti’s original songs, which are performed against a backdrop of projections featuring archival photographs and moving images. The result is an immersive experience connecting the diverse but interconnected histories of World War II Japanese incarceration, southeast Asian emigration, and hyphenated identities.

The seeds of the No-No Boy project were sown while Saporiti was living in Laramie, Wyoming, for graduate school. He made several trips to the Heart Mountain concentration camp in the northwestern part of the state, where the US government had incarcerated more than 10,000 people of Japanese ancestry during the war. These visits had a profound impact on him. Saporiti began interviewing camp survivors and researching the music that was performed in the camps. The No-No Boy project was later born from those interviews and Saporiti’s thinking about his own displaced family of Vietnamese refugees.

Saporiti went on to enroll at Brown University in Rhode Island to complete a doctorate. There he met Erin Aoyama, also a Ph.D. student. For the project, Aoyama draws from her academic research on the parallels between Japanese American incarceration and the experiences of African Americans in the Jim Crow South. Aoyama’s work with No-No Boy is also profoundly personal. Her grandmother was incarcerated in the Heart Mountain concentration camp during the war.

The music they create unmistakably draws from the storytelling traditions of folk and country music. However, there are indie-rock tendencies mixed in. This makes sense considering that in the early 2000s, Saporiti found critical acclaim as the singer of the Berklee-trained indie-rock group The Young Republic. Lyrically, No-No Boy’s songs are sharp and pointed commentaries on identity politics, privilege, academia, and history, delivering what NPR has called, “revisionist subversion.” For example, in Two Candles Dancing in the Dark they weave a story inspired by Aoyama’s grandmother about the joy of finding romance inside an American concentration camp while stressing the horrors of Executive Order 9066, which cleared the way for the incarceration of Japanese Americans. Nonetheless, there is a purposeful buoyancy to the songs that acts as a counterbalance to the serious topics they tackle. With this dose of levity, the music is enjoyable on its face as modern American music and doesn’t require in-depth historical or cultural knowledge to appreciate it.

See No-No Boy: A Multimedia Concert at JANM on Saturday, November 3 in the Tateuchi Democracy Forum. Make sure to stay after the show for a Q&A with the band. Included with museum admission. RSVPs are recommended; you can sign up here.

 

Five Fun Facts about Godzilla

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Look out, Little Tokyo! On Thursday, October 25, Godzilla will rise from the briny deep when we screen the original 1954 Japanese version of the movie on our outdoor plaza. To celebrate, we’ve put together five fun facts you might not know about the greatest city-destroyer of all time.

1. Godzilla was originally known in Japan as Gojira. The name came about in the early stages of planning the movie because the prehistoric sea monster was described by its creators as a cross between a gorilla (gorira) and a whale (kujira).

2. Ishiro Honda, director of Godzilla (Gojira) and co-creator of the character, later assisted renowned director Akira Kurosawa in making films. The men became friends in the late 1930s when they were both employed by Toho Studios. Honda and his team created the kaiju movie genre, but by the late 1970s, this type of sci-fi film had fallen out of favor and suffered from lackluster box office returns. Honda then became an assistant on Kurosawa’s last five films between 1980 and 1993.

3. Composer Akira Ifukube created Godzilla’s distinctive roar by rubbing a pine-tar-resin-coated glove along the string of a double bass and then slowing down the playback. The roar has changed over the course of more than thirty remakes and sequels but all pay homage to the original.

4. George Takei got his start in the film industry by doing voice-over work for the 1956 kaiju movie, Rodan also directed by Ishiro Honda.  You can also listen for the unmistakable voice of the Star Trek legend and JANM Trustee in the English-language version of the second Godzilla film, Godzilla Raids Again.

5. An actual dinosaur was named after Godzilla’s Japanese name, Gojira. Gojirasaurus was discovered in 1981 in the Cooper Canyon Formation near Revuelto Creek, New Mexico. The scientists who discovered the enormous fossil thought it was fitting to name the dinosaur after the fictional monster. One of the largest meat-eating dinosaurs known from the Triassic Period, Gojirasaurus was estimated to be about 18 feet long and 330–440 pounds!

Need more Godzilla in your life? On November 25, at 1:00 p.m., author Steve Ryfle will be at JANM to discuss and sign copies of his book, Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa, is the first to take a look at the director’s life and career. Ryfle highlights Honda’s work and his background, including days spent as a Japanese soldier, experiences in the aftermath of Hiroshima, and his friendship with fellow director Akira Kurosawa.

Limited Edition Toys and So Much More at the JANM Store

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Toys on display in our newest exhibition.

Have you seen our newest exhibition? Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys centers around collector and designer Mark Nagata’s collection of vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys. The exhibition delves into the rich history of these pop-culture artifacts and explores how these toys helped Nagata form connections to his cultural identity as an American of Japanese ancestry. The JANM Store offered several limited and exclusive toys for sale when the show first opened. That initial batch of toys sold out lightning fast but there’s still plenty of other merchandise related to the exhibition available.

A preview of three new and exclusive toys.

Plus, on October 20, the JANM Store will release three more limited edition Nagata designed toys: a Captain Maxx figure, a glow-in-the-dark Tripus hand-painted by Nagata, and a one-of-a-kind hand-painted Tripus variant. These will be available only on-site at the JANM Store on a first come, first served basis. The release of these new toys coincides with Nagata visiting JANM that same day. From 11:00 a.m ˗ 12:00 p.m., he will be signing his toys as well as his book, Toy Karma: The Kaiju Toy Collection and Art of Mark Nagata, which features his illustration work as well as his toys. From 1:00 p.m. ˗ 4:00 p.m. Nagata will continue painting a kaiju sculpture he’s working on in phases. (It’s in the exhibition when not being painted.)

The kaiju sculpture Mark Nagata is painting on October 20.

Even after October 20, the JANM Store will remain busy throughout the autumn season. Our Member Appreciation Days start on Friday, November 23 and last through Sunday, November 25. During this time, museum members can enjoy a 20 percent discount at the JANM Store and janmstore.com. Members also receive free museum admission and a 20 percent discount at several other Southern California institutions. Visit janmstore.com/membershopping for details, restrictions, and a list of participants that includes the California Science Center, Fowler Museum, Pasadena Museum of History, Skirball Cultural Center, and others.

Also, November 25, is the second annual Museum Store Sunday! The JANM Store is joining over 700 Museum Stores from all fifty states, ten countries, and three continents to provide an exceptional shopping experience. Select JANM products and publications will be 25 percent off, on-site only (you can remember this as 25 percent on the twenty-fifth). At 1:00 p.m., author Steve Ryfle will sign copies of his book, Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, From Godzilla to Kurosawa. Honda is best known for directing the movie Godzilla and many other well-known kaiju movies. The films Honda directed mirrored Japan’s postwar anxiety and included cutting-edge specials effects. This formula appealed to audiences around the world and created an unstoppable popular culture phenomenon. This book is the first to take a look at the director’s life and career. Ryfle highlights Honda’s work and his background including days spent as a Japanese soldier, experiences in the aftermath of Hiroshima, and his friendship with fellow director Akira Kurosawa. We hope to see you here!

Become a JANM member and, in addition to the Member Appreciation Days noted above, enjoy free general admission to the museum, discounts on workshops and other ticketed events, access to Members Only events, a 10 percent discount at the award-winning JANM Store and janmstore.com, and much more. Join or renew now!

Get Ready for the 10th Annual Kokoro Craft Boutique

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Fat Rabbit Farm at the 2017 Kokoro Craft Boutique

Organized by JANM volunteers, the 10th Annual Kokoro Craft Boutique is this Sunday, October 7 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Are you ready for it all? Dozens of vendors will be on hand with unique jewelry, kimono fabric fashions, cultural t-shirts, handbags, ceramics, origami, bronze and glass art, and much more! Also, there will be a taiko performance by Yuujou Daiko at 1 p.m. Make a purchase of $20 or more, and you’ll receive free same-day museum admission along with a 10% discount at local participating Little Tokyo eateries during the month of October (some restrictions apply). This event is aimed at helping small businesses with connections to Little Tokyo while a percentage of proceeds goes to benefit the museum’s education programs.

We reached out to a few vendors who will be participating in this year’s event. We asked them about exciting products they will be offering this year, why they participate, and if they have any memorable events from past boutiques. Jason Ponggasam, co-founder of Fat Rabbit Farm, a company that creates apparel, art, accessories, and storybooks inspired by his rabbits, said, “It’s always such a pleasure and honor to be a part of LA’s Japanese American community. We always have a great time seeing familiar faces and of course new ones. I’m glad we can contribute to JANM.” He continued to say, “One memory that stands out (at Kokoro) is when George Takei came by to visit. I didn’t get the chance to speak with him but just seeing him smile with such positive energy was wonderful!”

Shoppers at the 2017 Kokoro Craft Boutique

Caitlin Reyna of Boy Cherie jewelry who specializes in making fashion jewelry using intricate techniques and quality materials to ensure each piece last for years is excited to debut a new collection at the event. Said Reyna, “I am working very hard on my holiday collection and can’t wait to debut the items at the craft boutique. The holidays are only a few months away, so I’m sure some visitors will be doing some early shopping! The majority of my pieces are designed to be both on-trend and timeless, so they make perfect gifts and are also great pieces to accessorize for the holiday festivities!”

Yasuko Ozawa who makes ceramics exclusively with high fire clays and glazes that create unique depth and colors has participated in many of the past Kokoro Boutiques. Ozawa said, “I love the venue at JANM. It’s always a fantastic turnout of people who are looking to shop for unique items. The volunteers are incredibly helpful, and the boutique always runs so smoothly. And of course, it’s an added bonus that a portion of my sales goes to supporting JANM.” She also creates special products for the event, “I sell handmade ceramicware and I offer the usual bowls, cups, utensil holders, planters, etc. Every year I glaze and decorate them differently to keep things more interesting. This year I started making goblet-styled stemmed cups (like for wine and beer), and I’m really excited to be selling those this year. So cheers! Kampai!”

Crafts for sale at the 2017 Kokoro Craft Boutique

We hope to see you this weekend in Little Tokyo! This event has become a staple of the community over the years with some considering it the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. For more information and a list of participating vendors, visit janm.org/events or email kokorocraft@gmail.com.