Archives for May 2023

Pasadena Buddhist Temple’s LGBTQ flag set on fire

PASADENA, Calif. — A rainbow flag at the Pasadena Buddhist Temple — a salute to the LGBTQ community — was set on fire and burned on April 24, according to Gregory Gibbs, the resident minister who is in his ninth year at the temple. Local artists made the hand-painted Progress Pride flag, which — measuring […]

THE GOCHIO GOURMET: More than just soft and silky

I know the first thing people envision when you say tofu is that semi-solid block of soft curdled soy milk. Sometimes it’s served as is with a little bit of shoyu and sliced green onions, sometimes its heated so those curls of shaved bonito slowly dance on the surface of the block and sometimes its […]

Giants honor Japanese legacy on Japanese Heritage Night

On May 16, hundreds of baseball fans arrived early to the San Francisco Giants game to enjoy Japanese Heritage Night at Oracle Park. The Giants organization hosted the annual event in partnership with the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California. This year the San Francisco Giants recognized the 120th anniversary of the 1903 […]

Groups demand officials share information on Texas mall gunman’s motives

DALLAS (AP) — Members of several Texas groups representing people of color on May 15 demanded that authorities quickly acknowledge whether they believe the neo-Nazi who killed eight people at a Dallas-area mall over a week ago was racially motivated in choosing his victims. More than a week after the May 6 attack at the […]

CAAMFest serves up sweet memories with ‘Benkyodo’

Though the line did not extend around the block like the final days of the iconic Japanese confectionery, a crowd of guests lined up May 12 for Benkyodo, San Francisco’s now defunct manju shop in Japantown. However, instead of glutinous mochi, the crowd at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California was waiting […]

Ninth Circuit affirms dismissal of Tule Lake Committee v. FAA, et al.

Earlier this month, the Tule Lake Committee lost its appeal in Tule Lake Committee v. FAA, et al. The U.S. Ninth Circuit in San Francisco affirmed the lower court’s dismissal of the Committee’s lawsuit that sought to assert a Japanese American voice to preserve a site sacred to our community. The dismissal was a setback […]

A-bomb survivors angry at G-7 summit

HIROSHIMA  — Many atomic bomb survivors, including campaigner Setsuko Thurlow, voiced anger and disappointment at the Group of Seven nations’ summit on May 21 after the leaders released a statement that supported the possession of nuclear weapons for deterrence and failed to mention the treaty banning nuclear arms. The 91-year-old Thurlow called the G-7 summit […]

Giants to celebrate Fuji Athletic Club on Japanese Heritage Night

As part of their annual Japanese Heritage Night on May 16, the San Francisco Giants will honor the history of Nikkei baseball with a nod to the Fuji Athletic Club, one of the first Japanese American teams that played in the city during the early 1900s. The Fuji Athletic Club was founded by Chiura Obata, […]

Wakasa remembered in Utah, 80 years after fatal shot in concentration camp

 TOPAZ, Utah — A set of solemn and respectful ceremonies permeated through the Central Utah breeze April 22 under dotted clouds over the former Topaz concentration camp and the Topaz Museum in Delta, Utah. They served as a contrast to the sudden and violent death of Japanese immigrant James Hatsuaki Wakasa 80 years ago, […]

Nootbaar still basking in afterglow of amazing World Baseball Classic

OAKLAND, Calif. — Lars Nootbaar had a truly one-of-a-kind experience in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. As the sole American on Team Japan, the outfielder batted lead-off for a lineup that tore through the tournament, first in Tokyo and then in Miami. The Southern California native hit .269, helping Japan remain undefeated in seven games, […]