Rodney Kageyama produced the show “Hello Little Tokyo” on Saturday night, with a performances by Okinawan drumming troupe Ryuku Koku Matsuri Taiko and a kabuki performance by Nakamura Gankyo of the Shochiku Grand Kabuki.
Earlier, the festival presented awards to educators, including Alan Nishio, who received the first George Kiriyama Educational Excellence Award. Nishio served as the Associate Vice President for Student Services at California State University, Long Beach and is a longtime leader in the Japanese American community.
“Teaching is such an important profession. I grew up in a housing project in the Venice/Mar Vista area and was fortunate to go on to college, not because was smarter than anyone else. I had the right people at the right time who encouraged, supported and guided me through the process,” Nishio said.
The festival also paid tribute to teachers with the Teachers Making a Difference Award. Ted Chen of NBC4 made the awards presentation to the teachers, who were nominated by their schools, colleagues, family and friends.
Among those honored were Satomi Ezaki, 2nd grade Japanese Immersion Program, El Marino Language School, Culver City; Haruyo Ginny Kajiwara, 5th grade teacher at Willard Elementary, Pasadena; Jun Lugue, 7th grade science teacher at Muscatel Middle School, Rosemead; Kimie Matsumoto, Southeast Japanese Language School & Los Alamitos High; Leonard Narumi, director of bands at Schurr High School, Montebello; Jennifer Sasai, 7th and 8th grade home economics at Walker Junior High, La Palma; and Rose Toyama, kindergarten teacher at Martin Luther King Elementary, Los Angeles.
LAPD Commander Hara, Gerald “Jerry” T. Fukui, the Japanese American National Museum and The Rafu Shimpo were recognized with the Senator Daniel Inouye Leadership Award. The Japanese Cultural and Community Center was the recipient of Blossom Police Chief William Bratton joined Hara as he received his leadership award.
“Our motto is, to make a difference, be the difference. Terry Hara has been making a difference all his life and now as a role model as a commander in the LAPD, as our highest ranking Japanese American police officer, he is setting an example for all those who will come behind him,” the chief stated.
This is the first year the festival was held in Little Tokyo after five years in Pasadena. Wendy Fujihara Anderson, organizer of the festival, said the volunteer group found Los Angeles more welcoming to the festival than its previous home.
“When we decided we would come here, (Councilmember) Jan Perry’s office called and said we want to help support you and make sure it is easy for you to get down here,” Anderson said.
Anderson explained that one of the goals of the festival is economic development.
“It’s providing some economic development. That’s what we’re hoping to do here and make it something good for Tokyo and good for us,” Anderson said.
James Okazaki, who serves on the Nisei Week executive board, offered his endorsement.
“It is wonderful. It is very nice. The festival brings more people to Little Tokyo. Orginally, I was concerned that the Cherry Blossom Festival will compete the Nisei Week, but my fears immediately disappeared. Nisei Week should not be capitalized as the only festival in Little Tokyo. JACCC has Boys’ Days celebration and other festivals. May is the Asian Pacific Heritage Month, and we should look for a venue where we can do something every month,” Okazaki said.
Brian Hirakawa, a resident of Pasadena, brought his daughters to dance in the odori.
“It was beautiful. I was surprised by the numbers of people. I believe that is because they centralized the location so it is easier for people who live in Gardena or Torrance to come to Little Tokyo rather than coming all the way up to Pasadena,” Hirakawa observed.
—Additional reporting by Ryoko
|
