On the first track of Nobuko Miyamoto’s brand new double album, “120,000 Stories,” the long-time musician and community activist sings these words from her Asian American Movement song, “We are the Children”: “Sing a song for ourselves. What have we got to lose?” After 50 years of using the arts to create social change and […]
THE GREAT UNKNOWN AND THE UNKNOWN GREAT: Classical music behind barbed wires
October 10, 2019 by Leave a Comment
(Editor’s Note: The following was co-written with Jonathan van Harmelen) In the tragic and difficult conditions faced by Japanese Americans confined in the War Relocation Authority camps during World War II, one imposing arena of achievement was in the arts. In recent years, a number of books and exhibits have highlighted not only the extraordinary […]
THE SOUND OF THE SOUL: Self-expression through shakuhachi
April 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Six musicians gather in a semi-circle in a cavernous East Bay performance space. The room is quiet until they lift their shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute). With the first notes, their heads rock from side to side, cheeks puffing, eyebrows darting upward along with particularly dramatic notes. The sounds reverberate against the walls, long wavering notes […]
‘Kids on the Slope,’ New Series by Director of ‘Cowboy Bebop,’ Now Streaming Online (legally)
April 21, 2012 by 1 Comment
The highly anticipated “Kids on the Slope,” the new anime series by Shinichiro Watanabe, is now available online through Crunchyroll. I caught the first episode last night, and I highly recommend it for just about all audiences, whether they’re into animation or not. The show takes place in 1966 in rural Kyushu and centers on […]
An ‘instrument’ with soul: Joyo Velarde to perform at ‘Sansei Live’
October 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Since its inception in 1971, Kimochi Inc. has maintained its commitment to serving the Japanese American community’s seniors. In the spirit of community, the San Francisco Japantown-based nonprofit will hold “Sansei Live!” — its annual fundraiser — on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Carnelian By The Bay, 1 Ferry Plaza, in San Francisco. The Nichi Bei […]
The B’z leave The Fillmore abuzz
July 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Friday, July 22 was a typical chilly San Francisco summer evening, but The Fillmore heated up quickly with more than 1,000 fans eager to see the Japanese rock band B’z. This was their second gig on their North American tour, “B’z LIVE-GYM 2011 -long time no see-.” This two-man band, one of the biggest rock […]
Taking the world by storm, B’z ready to rock
July 8, 2011 by 1 Comment
Japan’s best-selling band is back to perform at The Fillmore. The legendary two-man rock band B’z will rock out in San Francisco on Friday, July 22, the second of three venues on their North American tour, “B’z LIVE-GYM 2011 -long time no see-.” B’z will perform in Vancouver on Wednesday, July 20 and in Los […]
A sampling of Bay Area cultural classes
April 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Traditional Japanese Music and Dance Odori (Dance) Ensohza Minyoshu at Crissy Field Center, Presidio, SF Schedule: Sun. (twice a month), 5-7 p.m. Cost: Sessions are free. Students must make a commitment to joining the performance group, which entails costume costs and other occasional fees for training with master teachers. Contact: info@enzohza.org. Training in Japanese folk dance […]
2 more ways to help Japan
April 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment
We’re almost a month out from the devastating events in Japan and I still feel a little weird talking about something as lightweight as food. But you probably don’t come to this blog for Japan relief updates, so this week I’m compromising with this quick post on two more opportunities to help, and a full-length […]
I feel slightly nausiated by this…
January 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Hey guys, it’s time to relax, it’s the weekend and… What is this? Where did this guy come from? I really want to watch this show, just to be allowed to yell profanities at it, but alas, the UK doesn’t let me watch it legally. But seriously, when you name your documentary off of a […]
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