Tag: food

Vote for your favorite Nikkei+ Articles by December 20th!

Esther Shin Leave a comment
Tani Mitsui Brown talks about her mixed heritage as Japanese-American and African-American, in her article, "A Hapa Girl in Vietnam."
Tani Mitsui Brown talks about her mixed heritage as Japanese-American and African-American, in her article, “A Hapa Girl in Vietnam.”

Discover Nikkei explores the Nikkei experience theme by theme and story by story through the Nikkei Chronicle series.

For the second year of the Nikkei Chronicles: Nikkei+ ~Stories of Mixed Language, Traditions, Generations & Race~, we solicited stories that explore how Nikkei around the world perceive and experience being multiracial, multinational, multilingual, and multigenerational.

People around the world were invited to submit personal stories and essays, memoirs, and academic papers, in hopes that by sharing the multitudes of experiences, we could enhance our ability to better understand who Nikkei are. There are stories about war brides, food, such as fusion restaurants, and Oshogatsu traditions, architecture, mixed family stories, and of course, Hapa identity related stories.

In Chanda Ishisaka's article, "Diary of a Mad Hapa Judo Girl", Ishisaka recounts her experiences as a girl in judo, and her mixed heritage.
In Chanda Ishisaka’s article, “Diary of a Mad Hapa Judo Girl”, Ishisaka recounts her experiences as a girl in judo, and her mixed heritage.

All of the submissions are now published on Discover Nikkei, and there are just 11 days left to vote for your favorite Nikkei+ stories!

It will be a great opportunity to learn more about being Nikkei, and to support authors and their articles with your votes. The stories with the most Discover Nikkei “stars” will be translated into our site languages, and may even be published in our partnering publications in the US, Canada, and Latin America!

Asami Goto talks about Japanese American food culture - namely, Japanese food 's influence on the healthy-eating movement.
Asami Goto talks about Japanese American food culture – namely, Japanese food ‘s influence on the healthy-eating movement.

All you have to do is log in to Discover Nikkei and click on the “star” icon if you like a story. Vote for as many stories as you like. If you don’t have a Discover Nikkei account, it’s free & easy to sign up!

Get your votes in by December 20th, and we will announce the “favorites” before the end of the year!

Remember, every vote counts!

To access all of the Nikkei+ stories, please visit the Nikkei+ page.

Photos: courtesy of the authors 

Mochitsuki: A New Year’s Tradition

Esther Shin Leave a comment

Crafts with FamilyOn Sunday, January 5th, celebrate the New Year and the Year of the Horse at our Oshogatsu Family Festival from 11AM to 5PM.

Ring in the New Year with a fun-filled day of arts ‘n crafts, food, exciting cultural activities, and performances! FREE ALL DAY!

One of the traditional Japanese customs that JANM will be celebrating is mochitsuki—the pounding of mochi or rice cakes, which is essential to the “Oshogatsu” or New Year’s celebration.

Kodama Taiko Mochitsuki 4Mochitsuki is an annual custom kept by many Japanese American households and communities. It is traditionally an all-day event which requires many hands, long hours, and physical labor, but is also a time of fellowship and socializing with friends and family.

Mochitsuki usually begins the day before, with the washing of the mochigome (sweet glutinous rice) and is left to soak overnight in large kettles or tubs. Early the next morning the mochigome is ready to be steamed in the seiro—wooden steaming frames. Three or four seiro are stacked one on top of the other and placed over a kettle of boiling water.

Kodama Taiko Mochitsuki 2After the rice is cooked, it is dumped into the usu, or mortar, made from a wood stump, stone or concrete form. The hot cooked rice in the usu is pounded with a kine or wooden mallet. With enthusiasm and force, the mochi is pounded until the mass of rice is smooth and shiny, with no discernible individual grains of rice. An essential participant in the pounding is the person assisting who quickly darts his or her hand into the usu and turns the rice before the next rhythmic pound.

Mochi Samples

The smooth, consistent mass of mochi is turned onto a cloth or paper covered table, already spread with a thin layer of mochiko (sweet rice flour). This makes the sticky mass easier to handle. An adept person pinches off small portions of the steaming hot mochi for others, who quickly form them into flattened bun shapes with their hands. The formed mochi is then set aside to cool and is ready to eat.

Kodama Taiko Mochitsuki 5

 

Be sure to visit JANM on Sunday, January 5th 2014 to watch Kodama Taiko perform their unique Mochitsuki performance at 2:30PM or 4PM. Watch as Kodama Taiko combine the age-old tradition of pounding mochi (sweet rice) with the sounds of taiko. This energetic performance is customary during the Japanese New Year’s Oshogatsu. Then stick around to sample the delicious mochi afterwards!

 

For more information on JANM’s 2014 Oshogatsu Family Festival and the complete schedule, please visit: janm.org/oshogatsufest2014

We hope to see you there!

* * * * *

Check out these stories about mochitsuki on our Discover Nikkei site:

Mochitsuki Tradition: Mochi Making the Old School Way (San Francisco, CA)
By Soji Kashiwagi

Mochitsuki: Taking the (rice) cake (Michigan)
By Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

Mochitsuki (Toronto, ON, Canada)
By April Sora

PHOTOS: Celebrating Mochi-Tsuki Mochi Day in Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Chicago Japanese American Historial Society

VIDEO: Mochitsuki at Heart Mountain (Wyoming)
B&W home movie footage of mochitsuki taken at the Heart Mountain concentration camp in Wyoming during WWII. From the Naokichi Hashizume Collection at JANM.

Photos by Daryl Kobayashi, Richard Murakami, Russell Kitagawa, Tsuneo Takasugi, and Caronline Jung.

Highlights from the Vegetarian “Edible Adventure” in Little Tokyo

Esther Shin Leave a comment
JANM volunteer, Roxana enlightens the group with facts about various Japanese vegetables.
Roxana enlightens the group with facts about various Japanese vegetables.

On November 16th, JANM volunteer Roxana led a very special vegetarian edition of Edible Adventures in Little Tokyo.

From 10am to 2pm, a group of foodies followed Roxana through Little Tokyo. Roxana enlightened the group about Japanese vegetables while giving the group a chance to sample them along the way.

The group samples a cooked and seasoned batch of gobo from Nijiya.
The group sampled a cooked and seasoned batch of gobo from Nijiya.

 

This Edible Adventure was more than just learning about vegetables—the group also got to tour all three exhibitions at JANM, learn interesting facts about Japanese American history and Little Tokyo, and discover new foods and restaurants!

Cute bunches of radishes.
Cute bunches of radishes.

 

This is the first time Roxana led a vegetarian Edible Adventure, but it was still as enlightening and delicious as her other Edible Adventures! In the past Roxana has led a sushi graze, and organized an izakaya graze! Don’t miss the next Edible Adventure! Stay updated on all of JANM’s events by visiting: janm.org/events

 

 

Check out these photos from last Saturday!

Photo Credits: Tsuneo Takasugi and Esther Shin 

Edible Adventures in Little Tokyo – The Vegetarian Edition

Esther Shin Leave a comment
Kabocha is an Asian variety of winter squash, and can be cooked in many different ways.
Kabocha is an Asian variety of winter squash, and can be cooked in many different ways.

Eat your veggies… AND enjoy them too!

Join our walk on Saturday, November 16th to learn about the role Japanese produce farmers played in Little Tokyo history while sampling vegetables such as kabocha, konyaku, and edamame from neighborhood shops.

JANM volunteer, Roxana, leads an enthusiastic group through Little Tokyo on an Edible Adventure earlier this year.
JANM volunteer, Roxana, leads an enthusiastic group through Little Tokyo on an Edible Adventure earlier this year.

JANM volunteer, Roxana, will lead this vegetarian edition of Edible Adventures in Little Tokyo, and will enlighten guests with her research on the history of Japanese produce farmers in Little Tokyo. Roxana has led a number of Edible Adventures in Little Tokyo, including JANM’s “Sushi Graze”. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to learn more about Little Tokyo history, Japanese American history, and sample delicious vegetables along the way.

Be sure to bring yourself, and even some friends and family members along for a day of walking, learning, and eating!

Edible Adventures
Learn more about Little Tokyo history while sampling delicious food on this Edible Adventure!

This Edible Adventure will start at 10AM and end at 2PM. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. The price for this Edible Adventure is $45 for members and $55 non-members, which includes admission to the Museum.

Please RSVP early. This Edible Adventure is limited to 15 guests at maximum. Prepayment is required. Please  call 213.625.0414 or download the pre-payment form. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance or no refund will be issued.

Photo Credits: Tsuneo Takasugi and Russell Kitagawa

To stay updated on our events, including this Edible Adventure, please visit our events page: janm.org/events

1 week left to submit your NIKKEI+ story!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment

NIKKEI+ ~Stories of Mixed Language, Traditions, Generations & Race~

Deadline for submissions: September 30 @6pm (PST)

Do you use chopsticks and forks; mix Japanese words with English or Spanish; or celebrate the New Year’s Eve countdown with champagne and Oshogatsu with ozoni and other Japanese traditions?

There’s just 1 week left to submit stories about being Hapa, growing up in families with mixed generations, or mixing traditions.

All stories that meet the submission guidelines will be published on Discover Nikkei. Our online community’s most favorite stories will be translated into our site languages (English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese) and may even ben published in our partnering Nikkei publications in the US, Canada, and Latin America!

Submission guidelines: http://5dn.org/nikkei-plus

* * * * *

Here are links to a few of the 12 stories published so far. After you’ve read them, “vote” for your favorites to help us select the stories to translate! Just log in to award your favorite stories a “star”.

Sushi & Salsa, Cactus & Bamboo by Dorothy Yumi Garcia
Documentary Explores Being “Hafu” in Japan by Susan Hamaker

 

 

 

 

Japanese and Jewish Food Come Home to Brooklyn by Tamio Spiegel
Ted Tokio Tanaka: Meeting Architectural Challenges with a Global Vision by Meher McArthur

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read all of the stories published so far >>

Congratulations! “Best Museum Café” – Chado Tea Room

cchurch Leave a comment

When is the last time that you stopped by for lunch or a little afternoon pick-me-up in the Chado Tea Room? Dubbed “Best Museum Café” by Los Angeles Magazine (August 2013), Chado is a hidden gem here at JANM. Los Angeles Magazine recommends the smoked-tea egg salad and the warm scones, but you can’t go wrong with the Waldorf or St. Pierre salads. At just $8 – $11 for a salad, you can’t find a better place for a bit of elegance and civility in the middle of your day.

Perhaps you haven’t been here since your friend’s shower or birthday party? If it was outside on the garden patio and your group shared freshly brewed tea (there’s 300 varieties from which to choose), cakes, and tea sandwiches, then it was sure to have been an afternoon to remember.

Come drop by Tuesday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. for that light lunch or perfect cup of tea. Couple it with a long or quick visit to JANM and nourish both your body and soul. If you’re a current member, make sure to show your JANM membership card for a 10% discount!

If you are looking to make a day of it and immerse yourself in tea culture, be sure to attend the upcoming Los Angeles International Tea Festival (September 28-29, 2013) held here at JANM and organized by Chado. Exhibitors will offer tastings, talks, shows, and ceremonies. Tickets are on sale ($15) at teafestivalla.com, with proceeds benefiting JANM and its mission.

Come savor the best of LA – at the “Best Museum Café” and at the Japanese American National Museum.

Chado_JANM_Inside2Chado Downtown
Inside the Terasaki Garden Café at the Japanese American National Museum
100 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hours: 11:00am – 6:00 pm, Tuesday – Sunday
For Catering, Afternoon Tea or Party Reservations,
Please Call: (213) 258-2531
www.chadotea.com

Japanese American National Museum
100 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90012
Hours: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm, Tuesday – Sunday
Phone: (213) 625-0414
www.janm.org

Tsukemono, Bento, and Mochi — Oh My!

Emily Leventhal Leave a comment
Cooking instructor Sonoko Sakai will be making bento boxes. (www.cooktellsastory.com)

If you’ve ever dreamed of being an Iron Chef but never got past making onigiri, we have a workshop—or three—for you! Come brush up on your Japanese cooking skills on Saturday, July 6, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The cost for all three workshops is $70 members, $80 non-members.

First, Yoko Issai will teach you how to make tsukemono, or traditional Japanese pickles. Yoko grew up in a Japanese foodie family, using what she learned from them to become a successful cooking instructor. Then, discover how to make your family the envy of the lunchroom with one of Sonoko Sakai’s bento boxes.

Finally, don’t miss a mochi tasting with baker Jenn Fujikawa!  In this free with admission workshop, Jenn will also discuss (and sign copies of) her new cookbook Mochi: Recipes from Savory to Sweet!. 

Not only will this class be loads of fun, but you’ll also walk away with three new and impressive dishes!

RSVP early, 15 students max. For all classes, workshops, and food tours, pre-payment is now required to hold your space. Please call 213.625.0414 or download the pre-payment form. Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance or no refund will be issued.

Itadakimasu! A Taste of Nikkei Culture

5 days left to submit Nikkei food stories!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment
Itadakimasu! A Taste of Nikkei Culture
http://5dn.org/itadakimasu

There’s just 5 days left to submit your Nikkei food stories for our special Discover Nikkei Itadakimasu before the September 30, 2012 deadline! We’ve been receiving more stories this week as the deadline approaches.

English, Spanish, and Portuguese articles should be about 600–1,200 words. Japanese articles should be about 800 to 1,800 characters. Full submission guidelines are available online: http://5dn.org/itadakimasu

All stories that meet our guidelines will be published on DiscoverNikkei.org. Plus, our editorial committee will be selecting their favorite stories to feature and to be translated into all of our site languages (English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese). Selected stories will be printed in our partner Nikkei publications.

Deadline to submit stories for Itadakimasu! is September 30, 2012 at 6pm (PST).

Since our last update last week, we’ve published a couple more Itadakimasu stories online, including our first Spanish story!

Eri Kameyama's shares about her family's temaki parties to welcome them to Japan in "Temaki Zushi: A Welcome-Home Party"

 

Roberto Hirose writes about Chilean Japanese food in "Sushi y Vino"

 

Read all 20 Itadakimasu stories >>

Itadakimasu! A Taste of Nikkei Culture

2 weeks left to submit Nikkei food stories!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment

Itadakimasu! A Taste of Nikkei CultureThere’s just 2 weeks left before the September 30, 2012 deadline to submit your Nikkei food stories for our special Discover Nikkei Itadakimasu!

You don’t have to be a professional or aspiring writer to participate. The most important thing is that you share your story and be included.

English, Spanish, and Portuguese articles should be about 600–1,200 words. Japanese articles should be about 800 to 1,800 characters. The full submission guidelines are available online: http://5dn.org/itadakimasu

All stories that meet our guidelines will be published on our DiscoverNikkei.org website. Plus, our editorial committee will be selecting their favorite stories to feature, translate into all of our site languages (English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese), and selected stories will be printed on our partner Nikkei publications.

Deadline to submit stories for Itadakimasu! is September 30, 2012 at 6pm (PST).

 

Since our last update a couple of weeks ago, we’ve published 3 more Itadakimasu stories online with more waiting to be published:

Mochi and Me by Ben Arikawa

Food for Life: Nice Rice by Gil Asakawa

ブラジルのおかきと“ウメボシ” by Naomi Kimura (in Japanese & Portuguese)

Read all 17 Itadakimasu stories >>

Ben Arikawa reveals a shocking confession about his mochi tastes

 

Naomi Kimura's story about okaki and umeboshi in Brazil

1 month left to submit your Nikkei food story for Itadakimasu!

Vicky Murakami-Tsuda Leave a comment

There’s just 1 month left until the deadline to submit your Nikkei food story for our Itadakimasu! A Taste of Nikkei Culture project!

Itadakimasu! A Taste of Nikkei Culture

Please join us and share your favorite food stories on Discover Nikkei!

All stories that meet our guidelines will be published on our DiscoverNikkei.org website. Plus, our editorial committee will be selecting their favorite stories to feature, translate into all of our site languages (English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese), and selected stories will be printed on our partner Nikkei publications.

The deadline to submit stories to be included in Itadakimasu! is September 30, 2012 at 6pm (PST).

See submission guidelines & check out the stories published so far: http://5dn.org/itadakimasu

 

Since our last update, we’ve published 4 more Itadakimasu stories online with more waiting to be published:

Hiraoka Ranch. Fowler, CA
Erik Matsunaga’s story about JA enchiladas in “Farm Food”
 
Janice D. Tanaka’s shares about how her Maryknoll classmate took her on a Little Tokyo food adventure in “Elsie Kikuchi’s J-Town”

The Odyssey is another humorous Itadakimasu story by Rachel Yamaguchi about how her father led their family on a “quest” to find a Japanese restaurant he remembered from the “old days” when traveling through Fresno, CA.

Read all 14 Itadakimasu stories >>