Two Japanee Bruddahs

Entrepreneur Kaori Nagao Holds Key to Hawai'i's Ninth Island

2008-12-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

Kaori Nagao didn't know it then, but her education at an international school in Yokohama, Japan, turned out to be an ideal environment for her later role as owner and president of a concierge services company in Las Vegas.

The Saint Maur International School graduate now runs AngeLiKa Promotions, a company that creates hassle-free and wait-free VIP experiences for visitors to the Nevada entertainment mecca. Nagao's clients can choose from a wide range of services, including nightlife, hotel, fine dining, show and concert, spa, nightlife, executive limousine, convention and trade show reservations.

All of which is a long way of saying that if you want a rock star experience in Las Vegas, put Nagao's number on your speed dial.

And she knows a little something about rock stars. Her graduating class of 21 students included children of celebrities, famous baseball and soccer players, as well as influential business executives.

“You had to have a foreign connection to get into my school,” said Nagao. “I was able to get in because my mother was an interpreter for a Japanese medical association and she traveled a lot abroad.”

After high school, Nagao decided to pursue a marketing degree at the University of California, Riverside. “I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” she said, “influenced by the fact that my father owned a real estate company in Tokyo.”

“While living in L.A., I would go to my friend's parties in Hollywood. I came out to his events, brought a lot of people with me, and he eventually recruited me as one of his promoters. I learned the ins and outs of throwing parties and events.”

After graduating from UC-Riverside, Nagao continued promoting events, but took a day job at Lieberman Research Worldwide as a research manager.

Nagao used her short time in L.A. to develop a base of contacts and relationships that would help build her future business. One of her international school friends, Lisa Moriwaki, had graduated from the University of Southern California and was working with Nagao in the promotions business.

“Lisa had all the Trojan contacts and I had all my Bruin contacts,” said Nagao. “It was a good foundation.” Nagao and Moriwaki are now partners in AngeLiKa Promotions.

Fast forward about two years, past the Beverly Hills bashes and album and movie release parties. Nagao was 25 and wanted a change.

“It was my quarterlife crisis and I was maxed out on L.A. All the parties started to feel the same. It was always the same crowd and I wanted something new and different.”

“So I packed up my things into my little Acura and moved to Las Vegas. Lisa stayed in L.A. and I decided to move by myself. If it didn't work out, I could always go back.”

Nagao's move to Las Vegas wasn't actually a solo act. “Every time I relocate, my mom flies in from Japan and we move together, so she was there with me. I'm an only child, so she's very protective.”

What did her mother think of her move to Sin City? “She's someone who supports whatever choices I make, so she wasn't shocked (about the move). My mom is very different from traditional Japanese parents. She's more Americanized.”

“My father died when I was six months old,” said Nagao. “And my mom raised me as a single parent until she remarried. She taught me the value of bring independent and so a large part of who I am today is because of her.”

Nagao wasted no time creating business opportunities in Las Vegas. “I started going to all the networking events – there's one every day here. One of the developers involved in the Manhattan project south of the Strip was one of the first people I met and he helped build my nightlife contacts.”

AngeLiKa Promotions quickly became one of the top VIP concierge companies in town. “We're the only personalized and professional concierge business in Las Vegas,” said Nagao. “Some companies just do nightlife and some just focus only on hosting the high-roller gamblers – we do it all.”

One of Nagao's clients is singer-actress Gina Hiraizumi, who Nagao met through Gina's sister Keli, a VIP services manager at Caesers Palace.

“Gina's an inspiration for me because so many Asian American women are trying to make it in the entertainment industry and Gina's actually doing it. I want to do what I can to help her.” Nagao recommended that Hiraizumi pursue her career and Japan, a move that Hiraizumi made just recently.

In addition to the services offered by AngeLiKa Promotions, Nagao also consults businesses, especially Japanese companies, that want to expand or develop a presence in Las Vegas. Her entry into this line of work started from Nagao's freelance interpretation services for major property owners such as MGM MIRAGE.

“I was asked to interpret a business meeting between MGM execs and Super Potato, a Japanese design company,” said Nagao. “Super Potato was pitching design work for a new restaurant at Mandalay Bay (an MGM property) and they won the project after that presentation.”

Super Potato is the kind of marquee client serviced by Nagao that highlights the caliber of her talents. Designer Takashi Sugimoto of Super Potato was recently inducted into the Interior Design Magazine Hall of Fame.

Nagao seems to be navigating the recession well. “We've been fortunate that we haven't seen a drastic decrease in business. The quantity has dropped, but the quality (of business) has remained steady.”

Nagao's colleague, Sylvia Torres, has taken a more prominent role as Nagao's partner in Las Vegas. "Without her support, I would not have been a able to grow my business and accomplish all the wonderful things we have in the past three-and-a-half years in Las Vegas."

"Sylvia keeps me grounded. We're like the yin and the yang when it comes to business and we work very well together. Sylvia's role is to oversee the operations and manage our team."

Her company continues to prosper in part because she's focused on clients from international markets such as Japan, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Nagao is fluent in Spanish as well as Japanese and English.

“I want to help more Japanese companies move into the U.S. market,” said Nagao. “I'd love to be the one to help these businesses establish themselves here.”

Learn more about Kaori Nagao and her Las Vegas concierge company by visiting angelikapromotions.com and about her Japanese consulting and business development services at angelikaconsulting.com.

Eric Shinseki 'Promising Choice' for Veterans Affairs

2008-12-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

Originally posted yesterday on AsianAmericansForObama.com:

The Vietnam Veterans of America today described President-elect Obama's selection of Gen. Eric Shinseki as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs a "promising choice" citing Shinseki's "integrity and personal fortitude to usher in the real changes needed to make the VA a true steward of our nation's veterans and their families."

"Veterans of all political persuasions should take heart and applaud this choice," said John Rowan, the organization's national president.

Shinseki would be only the third Asian American appointed to a Cabinet position, following Norman Mineta's tenure at both Commerce and Transportation and Elaine Chao's stint at Labor.

Veterans Affairs is the second largest department in the federal government, established 20 years ago this coming March by President Reagan.

The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder mistakenly noted that Shinseki's name was absent from any speculation of potential nominees. Dale Minami and Maeley Tom both mentioned Shinseki as a superbly qualified Cabinet member.

Shinseki's appointment makes it less likely that Congressman Mike Honda, former Washington State Gov. Gary Locke or another high-profile Asian American would be tapped for a Cabinet position. Although it's possible that Obama would select another Asian American member of the Cabinet -- which would match Bush's unprecented inclusion of two Asian Americans in the Cabinet (Mineta and Chao) -- it's more likely that the appointments to any remaining department heads will include more Latinos, African Americans and/or women.

In 2003, I had the privilege of spending about an hour with Gen. Shinseki and his wife Patricia at the annual convention of the Asian American Journalists Association. I was responsible for convention public relations for the gathering in San Diego and Shinseki was our keynote speaker.

His speech before AAJA was one of the first public appearances following his retirement as Army Chief of Staff two months before and we discussed the parameters of media coverage on his talk. Because of the sensitivity related to media coverage of Shinseki and his predictions of troop levels needed for a post-9/11 Iraq military enagement, we decided that we would not allow C-SPAN coverage of his address, which was notreceived well by the honchos at C-SPAN.

Gen. Shinseki and I also discussed speculation that he was possible contender for the Hawai'i gubernatorial race of 2006, which eventually resulted in a match-up of my old boss, former state Sen. Randy Iwase and the incumbent GOP Gov. Linda Lingle.

Two Japanee Bruddahs’ Holiday Shopping Guide

2008-11-21T11:33:00.000-08:00

"Budget" may be the theme of this year's holiday shopping season for many of us. But that just means we may need to be more creative in our gift giving.

Unfortunately, "creative" isn't often mentioned in the responses I get when I give presents, so I turned to the wonderful Bay Area members of GlobalPauHana.org for advice on Hawai'i-related gift ideas.

My college buddy Kim Shinjo recommended Kimochi's Silver Bells Arts & Crafts Faire on Dec. 13 as one place where you might be able to find island style items. "Mostly cute stuff for women," said Kim. The fair is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Event Center at St. Mary's Cathedral, 1111 Gough Street, San Francisco.

Kim and Curtis Otaguro both mentioned CyberSnacks.net, the website of Wholesale Unlimited, Inc., where you can order hundreds of items, ranging from kakimochi, arare and senbei to specialty cookies, dried seafood, jerky and candies.

My absolute favorite on CyberSnacks.net is the "hurricane popcorn" - popcorn, furikake, arare and butter. If you haven't tried it, get some. It's almost better than spam.

One of Hawaii's best known local snacks purveyors, Wholesale Unlimited got started by Betty Honma in the 1960s by selling beef jerky wholesale to local bars and markets out of the trunk of her car.

And at about the same time that Betty was driving her goods around Honolulu, Bryan Li's family was starting their own local snacks shop focusing on crack seed, also known as li hing mui or see mui. Visit CrackSeedCenter.com to see their gift baskets and other items.

Curtis also recommended Nikkei Traditions in San Jose (nikkeitraditions-sj.com) as a stop on your gift hunting trail and the website for Bess Press (besspress.com), publishers of books like Ann Kondo Corum's "Hawaii's 2nd SPAM Cookbook;" the classic "Pidgin to Da Max" by Douglas Simonson, Pat Sasaki and Ken Sakata; and the newly updated version of "Japanese in Hawaii: Okage Sama De" by Dorothy Ochiai Hazama and Jane Okamoto Kemeiji.

Corum's SPAM cookbook has almost every imaginable recipe for SPAM, including Green Eggs and SPAM Musubi, Easy Cheesy SPAM Crisps, Local-Style SPAM Burritos and Japanese SPAM Loaf.

Satomi and Byron Goo's The Tea Chest (TeaChest.com) was on Davina Lam's list. "They carry the plantation iced tea blend that Alan Wong's Pineapple Room serves," she said, referring to the restaurant in Macy's Ala Moana. On their website, the Goo's mention that they're the exclusive distributor of Shin Cha from Onoen Farm, which began tending the Japanese Emperor's private tea plants a century ago.

Davina also likes RoyalKonaCoffee.com for their seasonal holiday coffee blends, Island-Collections.com for the beautiful koa pieces and TajClubhouse.com for all the kids in the family.

Alyce Lee recommended Taj Clubhouse as well. She also likes buying holiday gifts from MadeInHawaiiStore.com, especially their jams, honey, mochi and interesting Japanese snack items. She also likes Honolulu Cookie Company (HonoluluCookie.com).

Honolulu Cookie Company is a good alternative to the perennial chocolate-dipped shortbread cookie maker, Big Island Candies (BigIslandCandies.com), which recently introduced a line of truffles that includes Mocha, Hibiscus, Dark Chocolate, Yuzu and Coconut flavors.

A big mahalo to Alika Hollister, Terry Akiyama, Myron Ho, Kendall Lee, Kevin Sakuda and Katherine Eslao for their gift ideas. I couldn't fit all the great ideas into this column, but appreciate their suggestions.

Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are the Two Japanee Bruddahs. Read past stories at TwoJapaneeBruddahs.com.

Grammy Winning Hawaiian Musician Daniel Ho To Headline Spirit of Japantown Festival in San Jose

2008-09-26T16:50:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Congratulations to Daniel and Tia on winning the 2009 Best Hawaiian Album Grammy!

UPDATE: Daniel Ho is back in the Bay Area on Saturday, November 1, at Stanford University's Campbell Recital Hall. Show starts at 8 p.m. Admission is $20 general and $5 student.

"Three-time Grammy winner Daniel Ho joined by lead members of the award-winning smooth jazz band Kilauea (Randy Drake [drums] and Steve Billman [bass]). Daniel shares his dynamic fusion of Hawaiian aesthetic, smooth jazz, and alternative folk." http://music.stanford.edu/Events/calendar.html

My first experience with Daniel Ho's musical talents was in April when I was in the audience at the taping of the AZN Asian Excellence Awards at UCLA.

Tia Carrere was among the performers at the awards show, singing "He Aloha Mele" off the Grammy-nominated album Hawaiiana. Sharing the stage with Tia was this Asian brother playing a mean acoustic guitar. I only realized when I interviewed Daniel for this article that he was the guitarist that night.

It's not that I didn't know who Daniel was. I knew his name from when he was with the Top 10 Billboard jazz group Kilauea in the '90s. But I learned through prepping for this column what a versatile and accomplished artist and entrepreneur he was: winner of three Grammys as a producer and featured slack key guitarist in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category and a singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, engineer and record company owner in addition to his many other hats.

I spoke with Daniel by phone a few hours before he was set to play with the legendary group Makaha Sons in Stratham, New Hampshire. We talked about his local background, living in Los Angeles, his success in the unforgiving music industry and the role the Internet plays in his creative enterprises.

But like most local folks, we started the conversation with hometowns and high schools.

Chinese American Daniel Ho grew up in Kaimuki, a neighborhood of Honolulu. "I lived on 3rd Avenue, right by St. Louis Drive Inn," he said, referencing one of the best bento joints on the island. "And I went to St. Louis and St. Patricks." (The all-boy St. Louis School is best known for their powerhouse football team.)

It was during their high school years that Daniel and Tia Carrere met and developed their first musical partnership. "We performed at Brown Bags to Stardom back then and sort of stayed in touch throughout the years." Brown Bags is the largest high school talent competition in Hawai'i.

Tia and Daniel reconnected after many years to work on Hawaiiana, an album of classic Hawaiian music produced under Daniel's record label, Daniel Ho Creations.

"We recorded Hawaiiana together, creating a very simple personal album," said Daniel. "There was definitely musical chemistry (between us) when we recorded this album."

Artistic chemistry and positive reviews of Hawaiiana led Daniel and Tia to second album, 'Ikena, a new album that The Honolulu Advertiser's Wayne Harada already called a likely Grammy contender.

"It's neat that Tia and I went our separate ways and then came back together. What she's learned as an actress has given her an ability to present songs more deeply in a sense," said Daniel. "We both bring different things to the table now after all these years."

Joining Tia and Daniel on 'Ikena is poet/lyricist Amy Ku'uleialoha Stillman, who wrote the Hawaiian lyrics for Daniel's original music.

"Daniel had a sudden desire to create new songs that might make their way into the hands of musicians and hula dancers," wrote Amy in the album's liner notes. "For all three of us, our challenge was not only how we might do right by Hawaiian music, but indeed how we might contribute to its continued growth."

'Ikena reminds me of Kalapana's Many Classic Moments, a contemporary Hawaiian music album I played so often that the cassette tape got warped. It's not that the albums are musically similar (they're very different), but it's one of those albums that you can listen to over and over, making it a good addition to your road trip music library.

Several tracks stood out for me. The excellent rendition of the classic "Ku'u Ipo My Darling," the bluesy "Na 'Ikena Like 'Ole," and "The Spam Song," which was inspired by a visit by Amy to the Spam Museum in Austin, Minn.

'Ikena and two other Daniel Ho Creations albums, The Spirit of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar and Honehone i ka Poli, have been presented for consideration for Grammy nominations in the Best Hawaiian Music Album category.

You don't have to wait long to hear Daniel Ho perform tracks from 'Ikena. He'll be headlining the Spirit of Japantown Festival (spiritofjapantownfestival.com) in San Jose on Sat., Oct. 4, at 5 p.m. The festival runs in San Jose Japantown, 5th Street and Jackson Street, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daniel will be joined by former Kilauea bandmates Randy Drake on drums and Steve Billman on bass.

Visit www.DanielHo.com to hear track samples from 'Ikena and his other albums. You can also find his music on iTunes and Rhapsody.

-- Keith Kamisugi

An extended version of this article is still in the works: Daniel talks about life in LA as a local boy and Hawaiian music artist, his August marriage to Lydia Miyashiro and how the Internet has helped fuel his success. Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are the Two Japanee Bruddahs.

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i to Honor Former First Lady Jean Ariyoshi

2008-09-25T23:34:00.000-07:00

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i (JCCH) is honoring three esteemed individuals and a corporate honoree at its Celebration of Leadership and Achievement Dinner on Saturday, September 27, 2008, at 5 p.m. in the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom.

This year, the JCCH will be recognizing Jean Ariyoshi, Dr. George Suzuki, Matsuo Takabuki and corporate honoree Armstrong Produce with the Leadership and Achievement Award for their contributions to Hawai'i's community.

Jean Ariyoshi, the first Asian American gubernatorial First Lady in the United States. Ariyoshi served as a gracious First Lady, and the official hostess for Hawai'i, entertaining dignitaries from all over the world. One of Ariyoshi's many volunteer projects includes restoring and redecorating Washington Place.

Dr. George Suzuki, a pioneer in gastroscopy techniques that provide early detection of stomach cancer in the United States. Dr. Suzuki also helps doctors in Hiroshima with research of atomic bomb survivors by coordinating and conducting medical examinations of study participants living in Hawai'i.

Mr. Matsuo Takabuki, a financial and political leader in the community. Takabuki served as a war veteran, a confidant of Governor John Burns, a member of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of Honolulu, a business associate of developer and financier Chinn Ho, and a Bishop Estate trustee.

Armstrong Produce (Corporate Honoree), a locally-owned, family run, full-service wholesale produce company. Armstrong Produce's Teruya family first started buying and selling fruits and vegetables to feed their family of nine children in the 1940's. Today, Armstrong Produce has a state-of-the-art warehouse in Mapunapuna and more than 300 employees on O'ahu, Maui and Kona.

The JCCH's Leadership and Achievement Award is presented to a select group of honorees each year in recognition of their contributions to the community in preserving and sharing the culture, history and heritage of the Japanese in Hawai'i. Other past recipients of this award have included: former Hawai'i Gov. George Ariyoshi, Albert C. Kobayashi, U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, Dr. Ruth M. Ono and most recently: Island Insurance Ltd., Jane O. Komeiji, Dennis Ogawa, Ph.D., Les Murakami and Wally Yonamine.

The Celebration of Leadership and Achievement Dinner will also feature a silent auction and dinner program. Individual seats cost $150 each. Table sponsorships are available. A portion of the sponsorship is tax-deductible. Proceeds from the event will benefit the JCCH's education programs that share the history, heritage and culture of the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawai'i.

HCCNC's 'Talk Story with the Akakas'

2008-09-16T11:09:00.000-07:00

The Hawai'i Chamber of Commerce of Northern California presents on Sept. 21 "Talk Story with the Akakas" at Michael's Restaurant at Shoreline Golf Course, Mountain View.

Come Talk Story with Danny “Kaniela” and Anna Akaka as they share treasured stories to give us a Spirit of Place. Reconnect with those Hawaiian values that are the source of life and nature. Travel with them as they share their experiences of the Hokule’a voyage that sailed into San Francisco Bay in 1995 – Danny was Protocol Officer.

Learn the significance of the names of places, how names honor specific locations, Hawaiian protocol and ceremony. Journey through stories from sacred ground on the island of Hawai’i to our own place here in Kaleponi. Danny is a cultural historian, wayfinder, kahu, and musician. He and Anna will bring their very popular "Twilight at Kalahuipua'a" here to us.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Program: 9:00-3:00

Registration: 8:30

Cost: $10 students / $40 others

Visit HCCNC.com for ticket info & more.

The event offers a chance to hear two cultural historians take you on a "journey through stories from sacred ground on the island of Hawai'i to our own place here in Kaleponi."

It's a great opportunity to support Hawaiian culture and arts and learn from a real expert on Hawaiiana. In addition, you'll have a chance to meet people from the Hawai'i community in the Bay Area, including prominent members such as ex-Judge Bill Fernandez, HCCNC board member and an officer of the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Chapter of Northern California, and Laureen Kim, president of the KS Alumni Chapter.

Article: JAs a ‘weakening’ voting bloc in Hawai'i

2008-07-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

An article in today's Honolulu Star-Bulletin by Richard Borreca and B.J. Reyes cites the past dominance of Japanese Americans in the Hawai'i Democratic Party and the waning influence of the JA "voting bloc" due to generational and other changes.

It was ethnic campaigning at its strongest, and it formed a political engine that powered the Democratic Party for more than 50 years.
National political analyst Charlie Cook described it as one of the enduring political machines, with Japanese-American voters cementing an alliance with the powerful private union, the ILWU, or International Longshore and Warehouse Union.
"Japanese-Americans ... working in unions and government tended to be the heart of the Democratic Party," Cook wrote in 2006 in the National Journal.
If Japanese-American voters voted together, it was not without reason, [Roy] Amemiya recalls.
"The war generation had a common issue: Their patriotism was being challenged. If they didn't band together, they would eventually been interned like AJAs were on the mainland.
"So they came together and became very strong for the party and the labor unions," Amemiya said.

The decline of JA loyalty to the state Democratic Party is because the party failed to live up to the expectations of the past and produced some bad apples when the party had its firmest grip on government and politics.

There were enough incidents of corruption that it overshadowed the good work of many other Democrats, include the primary source for this story, Roy Amemiya, and his extended family, which includes former state Senator and 2006 Democratic nominee for Governor Randy Iwase, someone I worked for in the State Legislature.

Amemiya's family tree is a Democratic Party who's who, including former Attorney General Ron Amemiya, uncle; state Intermediate Court of Appeals Associate Judge Corrine Watanabe, sister; and former City Councilman and Sen. Randy Iwase, brother-in-law. But Amemiya said intermarriage and the increase of other groups make the AJA vote a less significant factor.
Part of the shift is simply a change in demographic numbers. Japanese Americans in Hawaii were once 40 percent of the state's population. New census data now puts Japanese Americans at 16.7 percent, although the portion with mixed ancestry is much larger because the Census Bureau counts mixed race as a separate category.

‘Ukulele Legend OHTA-SAN Shares the Romance of Brazilian Jazz in Santa Clara

2008-06-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

International recording artist and ‘ukulele legend OHTA-SAN will conduct a workshop on the history and technical artistry of the ‘ukulele at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 26 at the Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center in San Jose’s Japantown in California and at 4:30 p.m., Saturday, June 28 at the Dusty Strings Uke Fest (www.DustyStrings.com) in Seattle, Washington.

On Friday, June 27 at Santa Clara University and Sunday, June 29, at Town Hall Seattle, Hawai’i Music Live and Pumehana Productions present “OHTA-SAN LIVE” featuring jazz guitarist Nando Suan and world renown ‘ukulele artist, Herb Ohta, Jr. Tickets are available through www.BrownPaperTickets.com or by calling 800-838-3006. Join us for this two-day celebration! For more information, visit: www.HawaiiMusicLive.com.

Known for his Bossa Nova jazz sound and technical artistry, OHTA-SAN made history by showcasing his incredible talents and the abilities of the ‘ukulele over four decades. As a young child, OHTA-SAN, Herbert Ohta won first prize at the ‘Amateur Hour’ at KGMB Studios in downtown Honolulu three weeks in a row before they deemed him just too good to continue. By age 12, he was the prodigy of ‘ukulele master, The Sons of Hawai’i leader Eddie Kamae. A true visionary and technical master, OHTA-SAN was the first to implement the low G string allowing him to explore the ukulele’s abilities to reach complex genres of music such as classical, pop, Latin, Japanese and Broadway tunes. OHTA-SAN took to heart all the teaching and advice of his mentor and created his own extraordinary path of success traveling the globe to become one of the most prolific and celebrated masters of the ’ukulele today.

Many world tours and years of recording later, (his first album was released in 1964), OHTA-SAN’s vast repertoire now defies classification – he can expertly deliver a soft, romantic "Tennessee Waltz," a crisp, snappy "Girl from Ipanema," and everything in between. His lovely "Song for Anna" (written specifically for him by French composer André Popp) was an international hit in 1974 and has sold over six million copies. Today, OHTA-SAN is honored as one of the world's greatest `ukulele players, with over 60 albums in multiple genres, and is an inspiration to countless `ukulele players and music lovers throughout the world including the U.S., Canada, France, Australia, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil.

OHTA-SAN’s music has graced the airwaves of national radio. Appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Dinah Shore Show and his multiple recordings with labels such as A&M Records and Victor JVC have given OHTA-SAN national exposure and brought to the forefront a true appreciation worldwide for this tiny little four-stringed instrument and for the islands of Hawai’i.

Performing on stage with OHTA-SAN will be his long-time musical companion, the incredible jazz guitarist Nando Suan and special guest, OHTA-SAN’s son, Herb Ohta, Jr. Influenced by Wes Montgomery and other jazz greats, jazz guitarist Nando Suan is the perfect compliment to OHTA-SAN's grace and precision. Herb Ohta, Jr. has paved his own successful journey reaching an entirely new audience and generation, taking his love of the ’ukulele and Hawaiian music and infusing the passion and grace of his father's influence in his own compositions, workshops and award winning international recordings. An acclaimed master of Hawaiian `ukulele music in his own right, Herb Ohta, Jr, has released more than a dozen solo and duet albums, as well as having contributed to more than 40 recordings. He is also respected as an instructor/educator, leading classes and workshops and co-authoring books with Grammy winner Daniel Ho on `ukulele technique, and is celebrated for his ongoing contributions to the world of Hawaiian music.

This tour is presented by Hawaii Music Live and Pumehana Productions, two companies committed to bringing Aloha to the mainland through ‘ukulele and slack key guitar performances and workshops with Hawaiian music’s premier musicians. Working with local communities and Hawaiian music enthusiasts in all parts of the nation, it is the goal of Hawai’i Music Live to nurture and share the Hawaiian culture beyond the islands and connect people with the music, traditions and beauty of the Hawaiian heritage. For more information: www.HawaiiMusicLive.com

Hawai’i Chamber to Honor June Jones at Five-Star Aloha

2008-04-26T15:05:00.000-07:00

June Jones, former head coach of the University of Hawai’i football team, and architect of one of the most impressive turnarounds in NCAA football history, will be honored in San Francisco on May 1 with the Sixth Annual Kulia I Ka Nu’u Award. Event website here.

This coveted award is given by the Hawai’i Chamber of Commerce of Northern California to recognize leaders and role models with ties to the Islands who have contributed to Hawai’i in significant ways. The award is bestowed at the annual Five Star awards gala benefiting the Chamber’s scholarship program. Past award winners include Mary Bitterman, Ka’ala Carmack, Vernon Chang, Sam Choy, former Judge William Fernandez, Saichi Kawahara, Patrick Makuakane, Sara Sato, Takahashi Market, and Wally Yonamine.

When Jones joined UH as head coach in December 1998, the Warriors had lost 18 games in a row. In 1999, he turned around their season to 9-4. Under Jones, the Warriors broke 380 school and 45 NCAA records. In nine years, Jones had seven winning seasons and led the team to more victories than any other UH coach. In 2007 the Warriors were undefeated in the regular season and won their first invitation to a Bowl Championship Series bowl.

Throughout his tenure in Hawai’i, Jones made it a priority to recruit local players and coaching staff. At UH, he coached six All-Americans, 56 all-conference performers and 16 NFL draft picks. Jones is currently head coach of Southern Methodist University.

Jones’ award will be presented by Allan K. Ikawa, founder of Big Island Candies, internationally renowned for its premium, chocolate-dipped confections and cookies. The Hilo, Hawaii-based industry leader and philanthropist has been recognized with numerous national and local awards, including the June Jones Foundation Humanitarian Award in 2004 and the UH-Manoa Distinguished Alumni award. He is a member of the University of Hawai’i Board of Regents and has served a term as chair.

Master of Ceremonies will be Northern California television ABC7 Sports Anchor Larry Beil, former ESPN SportsCenter and KGMB9 (Honolulu) anchor, and University of Hawai`i Alumnus.

Major event sponsors include Bank of Hawaii, Hawaiian Airlines, Westin St. Francis Hotel, Big Island Candies and Rainbowtique.

The Hawai’i Chamber of Commerce of Northern California, established in 1999, is a community-based nonprofit with more than 2,000 individual members and 40 business supporters. Its focus has been to serve as a resource bridge between Hawai’i and Northern California. HCCNC supports former Hawai’i residents doing business in Northern California; Hawai’i businesses seeking to expand business opportunities in Northern California and the Mainland; and Northern California individuals and businesses seeking to expand business opportunities in Hawai’i.

Car Sharing and Green Building Catching On

2008-03-19T18:14:00.001-07:00

By Keith Kamisugi

I'm writing this column from Hawai'i, having worked all weekend helping the Barack Obama campaign before the Feb. 19 primary caucuses here. Sen. Obama was born, raised and graduated from high school in Honolulu, so it's important that I did something to help him win the Aloha State.

Politics aside, this column will touch on "green building" in Hawai'i and also my experience with car sharing, following the "green" theme of this issue of the Nichi Bei Times.

I had dinner last night with Kyle Chock, executive director of the Pacific Resource Partnership, a joint program of the Hawaii Carpenters Union and some 200 unionized contractors across the state. Kyle has been a good friend of mine for almost 10 years, having first met during his campaign for the state House of Representatives. He is also a member of the state Land Use Commission.

Kyle and I discussed efforts by various people and groups here to create a sustainable Hawai'i – one where the educational, economic, health and environmental needs of the people are met in a way that balances consumption and resources. Part of such planning must include environmentally conscious development, said Kyle.

"Green building is becoming more of a standard practice throughout the residential construction process in Hawai'i, as builders embrace energy-saving and sustainable methods such as recycling materials and using solar power for hot water," reported the Pacific Business News last year. 'Everyone seems to be taking their individual responsibility a lot more seriously now,' Chock said. 'It's no longer the future; it's something that's here now.' "

Last month, the State of Hawai'i entered into a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy called the Hawai'i Clean Energy Initiative, which seeks to transform the local lifestyle by harnessing the islands' renewable resources.

Car Sharing in the Bay Area

One service in the Bay Area that has transformed the lives of hundreds (including my own) is car sharing.

Car sharing is a service that provides cars parked in dozens of lots throughout San Francisco, Oakland and other Bay Area locations that can be reserved online and driven by the hour or the day. It's a short-term and improved version of the rental car model. Drivers, who must be members of the car sharing service, do not have to pay extra for gas and insurance. Those costs are included in the vehicle reservation rates, which begin at $6 per hour.

I've been a member of the Zipcar (www.zipcar.com) car sharing service for more than a year. (The other local car sharing service is City Car Share.) Since I work and live in the city, I sold my car almost four years ago and using Zipcar has filled in the transportation gaps when the bus, a taxi or rail is either too inconvenient or too costly.

There are Zipcars less than two blocks from both my home and office. The cars come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the utilitarian Honda Civic to the fun and airy MINI Cooper. Not surprisingly, the more fun the car, the more expensive the rates, but those rates are also in line with the value of the vehicle.

Once you become a member, you can reserve any vehicle through the Web or by the automated phone system. After reserving the vehicle for a specific time period, you go to the reserved vehicle and swipe a special card over the reader on the windshield. The vehicle unlocks and you drive it away. After you're done, you return the car to the exact same location, swipe the card again to lock the vehicle and then walk away.

Zipcar members can also access vehicles in a dozen other cities including Chicago, London, New York, Seattle and Vancouver.

Using Zipcars instead of owning and using your own personal vehicle has significant environmental benefits.

First, Zipcar has found that more than 40 percent of its members get rid of their own personal vehicles or decide not to buy a car, which takes cars off the road and parking lots or spaces – a big plus in a congested city like San Francisco.

The company also discovered that its members drive less, as much as half the time they used to drive. Members use other modes of transportation such as walking, biking, public transportation or taxis.

Zipcar estimates that every Zipcar vehicle takes the place of more than 15 privately-owned vehicles, creating less pollution, requiring fewer parking spaces, creating less strain on roads and lowering fuel consumption.

Zipcar also employs diverse and talented people. The local general manager is Genevieve Jopanda, a community-minded Filipina American who was formerly the general manager of Flexcar in the Bay Area. She joined Zipcar after the company acquired Flexcar late last year.
You can spot San Francisco school board member Jane Kim riding in a bright yellow Ford Mustang convertible provided by Zipcar in the Chinese New Year's Parade this Saturday, Feb. 23.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Starting from this issue, Two Japanee Bruddahs columns will have only Keith's or Kyle's byline, depending on which of the Bruddahs pens the piece. Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are the Two Japanee Bruddahs. Read their past columns online at twojapaneebruddahs.com.

Sen. Dan Inouye to Marry Irene Hirano of JANM

2008-01-29T16:00:00.000-08:00

Kenji Taguna, English editor of the Nichi Bei Times, the paper that carries our column, just sent us an email that Hawai'i Sen. Daniel Inouye got engaged to Irene Hirano, president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Here's the Honolulu Star-Bulletin's breaking news story:

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye announced today that he is engaged to Irene Hirano, the president and CEO of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Inouye, 83, said the couple will marry May 24 in a private ceremony at a church in Los Angeles.

"Irene is an extraordinary woman of grace, intelligence, and accomplishment," Inouye said. "She is a rare gem in our society. Without question, I am a very fortunate and lucky man."

Inouye's first wife, Margaret "Maggie" Awamura Inouye, died on March 13, 2006. The couple had been married for almost 57 years.

The Hawaii Democrat said in a press release that Hirano is also chairwoman of the American Association of Museums, and serves on the Ford Foundation Board of Trustees, and the Kresge Foundation Board of Trustees.

According to a press release issued from the Japanese American National Museum, Hirano announced today that she would conclude her tenure in June 2009 after 21 years of service with the museum. She was appointed executive director in April 1988 and named president and chief executive in 1999.

Inouye is chairman of the museum's board of governors, according to the institution's Web site.

Bringing Aloha to da Mainland

2008-01-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

By Kyle Tatsumoto

In the closing days of 2007, the aisles of grocery stores such as Takahashi Market, Uoki Sakai and Tokyo Fish Market are sure to be jammed with frantic shoppers filling their carts with traditional oshogatsu essentials.

And, while the vast majority of these shoppers won't realize it, a number of the items in their shopping baskets would not be available, if not for Hosoda Bros. Inc., one of the oldest importers of Japanese food products on the West Coast.

According to company President, Satoru Hosoda, the roots of the company date back to 1915, when his grandfather first established a confectionary store in San Francisco, producing and selling traditional Japanese treats such as senbei and yokan.

The current import and wholesale business was founded by the Hosoda brothers, Satoru's father Juro, and his uncle Tokuichi, in the 1930s. The business, of course, was shut down during WWII, but reestablished shortly after the War.

Today, Hosoda Bros. continues to be an important importer of food products from Japan, specializing, as a result of their confectionary origins, in snacks such as arare and senbei, as well as candies. Their product line has been expanded to also include sakes and small household appliances.

More importantly, however to Hawai'i expatriates like the Two Japanee Bruddahs, is the company's key role as an essential culinary lifeline between the Islands and the Mainland. In addition to their line of Japanese products, Hosoda Bros. has, for about 25 years, been importing Hawai'i food products to California and beyond. Anyone from Hawai'i knows how that first taste of Zippy's chili and rice or bite of Portuguese sausage is often the most effective remedy for homesickness.

If you wen evah buy one Hawaiian Sun lilikoi drink, one package of Jade cracked seed or Diamond Bakery soda cracker on da Mainland, probably wen come from da Hosoda Bruddahs. In addition to these local staples, Hosoda Bros. is also the main wholesaler of Kauai Kookie and Lion's Coffee products, as well as Keoki and Ono Ono brand lau lau and kalua pork, among other items, on the West Coast.

Okay, so dey still nevah figah out how fo' import da kine Rainbow Drive Inn mixed plate or one dozen fresh, hot manapua and pork hash from Char Hung Sut to San Francisco, but we stay sure da Hosoda Bruddahs stay working night an' day on dat problem.

Seriously, Satoru Hosoda is always looking for new products to bring in from Hawai'I, but unfortunately, factors such as shipping costs and shelf life limit the viability of many products. For example, he had considered importing Ishiharaya senbei, but after sampling their tea cookies, he realized that the qualities that distinguish their senbei - thin, light and crispy - also make shipping across the Pacific difficult. Ey, instead of senbei, would be one package of da kine Ishiharaya panko by da time stay reach Uoki Sakai market.

The Hawai'i connection was natural for Satoru Hosoda. His father-in-law is from Hawai'i, and two of his daughters have graduated from Hawai'i Pacific University in Honolulu. He notes that the spirit of aloha is real, as he has always had a strong, ohana-like relationship with his Hawai'i suppliers.

Their earliest Hawai'i product was Hawaiian Sun drinks. While it is still their most popular product, through the years, Kauai Kookies, Diamond Bakery products, Keoki and Ono Ono lau lau and Okahara frozen saimin have joined Hawaiian Sun drinks among Hosoda Bros.' best selling Hawai'i items.

In addition to supplying retail stores, Hosoda Bros. is also an important supplier of lau lau and other products to the rapidly growing legion of Hawaiian restaurants on the Mainland, including most of the L&L Hawaiian Barbecue locations.

So, remembah fo' thank da Hosoda Bruddahs da next time you stay ono fo' saimin or lau lau. With over 90 years of history, the company continues to thrive and can look ahead to a bright future. And, unlike too many other family businesses that have disappeared over the years, three of Satoru Hosoda's four children, as well as several other family members work in the business and hope to keep it going strong for at least another 90 years.

The Two Japanee Bruddahs would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all of our readers for your support over the past year. We truly appreciate all of the comments we've received in person and through our website. We know dat sometimes we stay on da kine "Hawaiian Time," with da column late or even missing some months, but fo' 2008, we goin' try fo' be mo' bettah (we goin' try -- no guarantees). We wish you and your family a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year. Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs. Visit them on the Web at www.twojapaneebruddahs.com. Or e-mail them at wot@twojapaneebruddahs.com.

Honu's To Offer New Twist on Hawaiian Plate Lunch Experience

2007-10-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

With the explosion of Hawaiian plate lunch restaurants in the Bay Area, it might be easy to think that Honu's Island Grinds & Bar in San Francisco's Japantown is following a trend.

The Hukilaus, Kilohanas, the more than 25 L&L Hawaiian Barbeque franchises and other plate lunch restaurants in the Bay Area are making a gravy-drenched loco moco easier to find than a Double-Double from Inn-N-Out Burger.

But Honu's is doing a much different take by offering "real Hawaiian food" and extras such as a poke bar, healthy entrée salads and espressos, said co-owner Edgar Dang.

"We don't see ourselves as competing with L&L, Hukilau and the other places," said Dang, whose restaurant partner is Pat Fong, one of the lead organizers of the Nihonmachi Street Fair. "We're going to cater to an older crowd, more tourists and, of course, the Japantown crowd."

Honu's, which is scheduled to open in mid-November, took over the space that once housed Kansai restaurant. Its addition right next to Aloha Warehouse (owned by Edgar and the Dang family) is creating a Little Hawai'i in the middle of Buchanan Mall.

The poke bar will feature an assortment of made-to-order dishes, including one from a recipe by Dang's sister Ina that won first place in the recent Sam Choy Hukilau Poke Contest. The poke bar and other pupu will fuel late-night patrons as Honu's plans to stay open until two in the morning.

"We're also offering a line of salads and our food will use rice oil with no trans fats," said Dang. "You just can't get a decent salad around Japantown." Honu's will also have vegetarian entrées on the menu.

Health-conscious food is just part of the mix. Dang said that they'll serve selected desserts from Yasukochi's Sweet Stop and espressos and lattes.

Take-out will be available as well. "JCCCNC already told us they wanted to order plate lunches for their office," said Dang.

Round all of that off with live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights and Honu's seems ready to bring some Hawaiian style food and fun to Japantown.

Email Edgar Dang at honu_s@comcast.net to let him know what you think. The Honu's website will be live soon.

In the meantime, Hawai'i expats and other Bay Area residents can't seem to get enough of plate lunches, which University of Hawai'i ethnic studies professor Jon Okamura says probably grew out of the Japanese bento. "Because bentos were takeaway kinds of eating and certainly the plate lunch continues that tradition," said Okamura in an interview with Honolulu television station KHNL.

"I like Kilohana Grill (in Emeryville)," said Deb Aoki, the cartoonist we covered in a previous column. "My fave thing about it is that they serve homemade lomi salmon on the weekends with their lau lau. And they have 'just like auntie makes for potluck' mac/potato salad. I also like that the owners are always full of aloha whenever you drop by. 'Auntie Pam' is genuinely friendly and likes to 'talk story' while you're waiting for your mixed plate to be ready. They also make something I've never seen in Hawai'i -- spam katsu!"

Christian Neville likes the plate lunches at San Mateo's Takahashi Market. "They have the best Hawaiian plate in the Bay Area because they use the real kalua pig shipped from home every Thursday," said Neville. "I bought lomi lomi salmon and poke side dishes which perfected the meal … like it was a real luau plate from a party back home. Some ono!"

Dean Suzuki is a fan of Waikiki Hawaiian BBQ in Concord. "The plate lunch prices there are the lowest I've seen in the Bay Area, but the quality is just as good as the other Hawaiian plate lunch restaurants. The taro leaves in the lau lau are 'broke da mouth' good."

"I've gone to Ray's near San Mateo College that has pretty good plate lunches and the owner is from Hawai'i," said Chih Chen. "Very reasonably priced and they also serve breakfast and saimin close to nothing."

Rod Valedez suggested Thaiwaiian Bistro in Pacific Grove on the Monterey Penninsula. They have "broke the mouth loco moco and fried noodles ... onolicious."

What's your favorite plate lunch place in the Bay Area? Email us at wot@twojapaneebruddahs.com.

Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs. Visit twojapaneebruddahs.com for past columns and blog posts.

Hawai'i Football Tailgate Weekend

2007-10-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

The Hawai'i Chamber of Commerce of Northern California (HCCNC) invites you to join them in two days of fun this Thursday and Friday at the 9th Annual Road Warriors Tailgate Weekend in support of the University of Hawai'i Warriors football team.

Check out what Erika Engle of the Honolulu Star Bulletin just wrote about this year's event!

WARRIOR PRE-GAME PARTY. Thursday, October 11, 6pm - 1am. Join us at the Hukilau San Jose to get the party started. Live Music by Na Leo Pumehana, Prizes, Warrior Merchandise from the Rainbowtique. Admission is FREE! Hukilau San Jose, 230 Jackson Street, San Jose.

9TH ANNUAL ROAD WARRIOR TAILGATE. Friday, October 12, 2pm - 5pm (Kick-off). At the Municipal Stadium's main entrance area off of Alma two blocks from Spartan Stadium (See map here.). Live Music by Kapena Unplugged, Food, Beverages, Warrior Merchandise from the Rainbowtique. Admission is FREE. San Jose Municipal Stadium (San Jose Giants Stadium), 588 East Alma Avenue, San Jose.

ROAD WARRIOR POST-GAME PARTY. Friday, October 12, 9pm - 1am. The party returns to Hukilau San Jose to enjoy the memories of the game. more details and contact information. Live Music by Kapalakiko followed by Aloha Brewed rocking the house. Prizes, Warrior Merchandise from the Rainbowtique. Admission is FREE! Hukilau San Jose, 230 Jackson Street, San Jose.

Event Sponsors: HCCNC, Hukilau San Jose, Na Koa Football Club, UHAA Alumni, Rainbowtique, and San Jose Giants. For complete details and maps, visit the HCCNC website at hccnc.com/events.htm.

All In Da Ohana

2007-08-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

Remember those beautiful aloha shirts that used to be sold at Nikkei Traditions San Francisco? Those shirts were produced by Iolani Sportswear, now simply known as Iolani, and one of the oldest Hawai'i companies still being operated by the original owners.

Photo (from left): Manoa DNA's Nick, Alex and Lloyd Kawakami.

Company founder Keiji Kawakami had served with U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye as a member of the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the two have remained close friends since. After leaving the Army, Kawakami attended New York University, where he received a degree in merchandising.

With a keen business sense, Keiji Kawakami recognized an opportunity in the aloha shirt manufacturing business upon his return to Hawai'i, and established Iolani in 1953 along with his wife, Edith. The Kawakamis started with four sewing machines, a cutting table and seven employees in a dirt-floor room, located behind a service station. While Keiji provided the business vision, Edith is credited with building and running the factory.

In the beginning, Iolani's aloha shirts were made of kabe silks imported from Japan. This was during the "Golden Age" of aloha shirts. However, Keiji Kawakami soon realized that to survive into the future, Iolani would need to evolve and identify new opportunities. This innovative spirit has always differentiated Iolani, and allowed it to thrive in an industry where many others have long since disappeared.

One of Iolani's innovations was a style that was extremely popular in the 1960s through the '70s. Departing from the traditional floral print, these men's shirts, designed by Jackson Morisawa, featured solid colored fabrics, generally white, baby blue or tan, often accented with a silk-screened design on the front, and included distinctive details such as covered buttons, buckle-tab fronts and welt pockets. Da shirts stay mo' hip today den wuz in 1970. There were numerous print and style variations, with names such as "Beau Tiki" and "Don Ho," but the most well known design, which Iolani still sells today, is affectionately known as the "Wedding Shirt."

The Kawakami's son, Lloyd, literally grew up in the family business, helping out at the factory and making deliveries in a Volkswagen van. Nearly 20 years ago, Lloyd Kawakami became President of Iolani, successfully piloting the company through an increasingly competitive global market

And, in keeping with the Kawakami family tradition, Lloyd's older son Nick, is now fully in charge in of Iolani's new IO-Sport men's line. Utilizing exclusive high-tech fabrics with wicking and anti-bacterial properties, Nick Kawakami has introduced a contemporary line of shirts with a retro nod to the Jackson Morisawa designs of the past.

Unfortunately, Iolani shirts are not widely available on the Mainland, although the company hopes to open an online store soon. In Honolulu, the Ala Moana Liberty House (okay, okay, Macy's) carries a good range of Iolani women's wear, while you'll find the best selection of Iolani men's shirts at the other end of Ala Moana, at Sears.

For many years, Lloyd had dabbled in music, playing backup guitar for the iconic contemporary Hawai'i group Cecilio & Kapono. He passed his love of music on to his sons, Nick and Alex, and the three often performed together informally at parties for family and close friends. The requests increased, and eventually, the band was formalized and Manoa DNA was born, in the summer of 2005.

But wot is one Manoa DNA anyways? Lloyd explained that his wife, Carla, came up with the trio's name. The family lives in Manoa Valley, and DNA represents the initials of the three band members, Dad (Lloyd), Nick and Alex. Clever, no?

Whether performing a contemporary pop or traditional Hawaiian song, it's their perfect harmonies that distinguish Manoa DNA. Da kine harmony dat goin' geev you chicken skin! Lloyd explained that because of their shared DNA (pun intended), he and his sons have a similar vocal timbre, or sound characteristic, allowing for tighter harmonies. Eh, jus' like da Jackson Five o' da Partridge Family. Okay, okay, da Partridge Family wuzn't one fo' real kine family.

Further separating Manoa DNA from other bands, Alex Kawakami has proven to be an extremely talented composer, having penned nine of the 13 songs on the group's debut CD, "Follow Me."

With the demands of his day job, running a successful clothing company, Lloyd never imagined Manoa DNA as much more than a "family bonding" hobby, something fun to do with his sons. However, after the release of their CD, the group's popularity has skyrocketed.

The band is in great demand, not only in the Islands, but in Japan, as well. In fact, the Manoa DNA had just returned from performing at the Yokohama Hawai'i Festival, their fourth concert tour of Japan in just the past year.

Lloyd noted that he had just very recently learned that his mother's family was originally from Hiroshima, not Fukuoka, as he had mistakenly believed all his life. When the emcee for their Hiroshima concert announced this fact, the audience erupted and immediately embraced the group, as if welcoming home their long lost sons.

Their initial CD was recognized by the Hawai'i Music Foundation as the Contemporary Adult Album of 2006. The group also received two 2007 Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominations for Most Promising Artist and for top Contemporary Album. A second CD is expected to be released in September.

If you're in Honolulu, you can catch Manoa DNA every Wednesday night (unless dey stay go Japan) at Gordon Biersch in the Aloha Tower Marketplace, and on Fridays at Lulu's Surf Club (2586 Kalakaua Avenue, at Kapahulu Avenue). Nearer to the Bay Area, they will also be performing, along with Cecilio & Kapono, at Sam's Town in Las Vegas on September 14th, as part of the University of Hawai'i/UNLV football game festivities that weekend. Eh, if you stay go Vegas, tell Lloyd da Two Japanee Bruddahs wen say "howzit!"
Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs.

Eric K. Martinson elected board chair of Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i

2007-08-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

Eric K. Martinson has been elected the chairman of the board of directors of the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i (JCCH) for fiscal year 2007-2008. Martinson started the position on July 31.

Martinson has served on the JCCH board of directors as vice chairman since the 2002-2003 term.

“Eric Martinson’s commitment and leadership skills have been demonstrated through his extensive involvement at the JCCH over the past five years, and the JCCH will benefit from his abilities in guiding the organization’s ongoing progress and growth,” said outgoing Board of Directors Chairman Dean K. Hirata, who will continue to serve as a board member. “Eric is representative of a new generation of leadership that will lead the JCCH into its next phase of development.”

President and Executive Director Lenny Yajima Andrew said, “We are excited to work with Eric in his new position. The JCCH is so fortunate to have someone with his tremendous leadership skills and experience at its helm.”

Martinson participated on the Committee to Save the Center in 2002 and in 2003, after the JCCH announced had cleared its $9 million debt, was one of the new directors elected to the board by the JCCH’s membership. Prior to becoming the board chair, Martinson served as chairman for the JCCH facilities and operations committee of the board of directors.

“I look forward to my work as the new chairman of the JCCH board of directors,” said Martinson. “We have set specific goals for JCCH this year, including the implementation of a planned giving campaign and lifetime memberships. I am excited to get started on our plans that will ensure that the JCCH remains a strong and stable resource to our community for generations to come.”

A leader in professional and community organizations, Martinson is managing director of Tradewind Capital Group, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Island Holdings Inc., engaged in private equity and real estate investment and asset management activities. Prior to joining Tradewind Capital, Martinson co-founded and was managing director of MN Capital Partners LLC following a career at Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate, where he was director of the financial asset division.

Martinson currently serves on the boards of Sopogy Inc., DSH International Inc., Mid Pacific Communications Inc. and Royal Hawaiian Showroom LLC. In addition to serving as chairman of the JCCH, he is also active on the boards and leadership of other community and non-profit organizations, including Hawaii Imin Shiryo Hozon Kai, Enterprise Honolulu, Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce Business Mentor and the Honorary Board of Sierra Club Hawaii. Martinson holds a bachelor of business administration in finance from the University of Hawai‘i and a master’s degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

The 2007-2008 JCCH board of directors consists of Chairman Martinson, and members Donn Ariyoshi, Susan Eichor, Dean K. Hirata, Gordon Kagawa, Wayne Kamitaki, Lee Moriwaki, Wayne Muraoka, Miki Okumura, Curt Otaguro, Susan Yamada Scott, Sherman Shiraishi, Yuki Lei Sugimura, Alan Tomonari and Ronald Ushijima.

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i (JCCH), a non-profit organization, strives to strengthen our diverse community by educating present and future generations in the evolving Japanese American experience in Hawai‘i. Located in Mo-‘ili‘ili, the JCCH features a Community and Historical Gallery, Resource Center, Kenshikan martial arts do-jo-, Seiko-an Japanese teahouse and Gift Shop. For more information call (808) 945-7633 or visit www.jcch.com.

Upcoming Events in August

2007-07-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

Aug. 4-5: Aloha Festival (SF Presidio)
http://www.pica-org.org/AlohaFest

Aug. 5: Peace Lantern Ceremony (Berkeley)
http://www.progressiveportal.org/lanterns

Aug. 8: HCCNC Quarterly Business Mixer (SF)
http://hccnc.com/events.htm

Aug. 11-12: Nihonmachi Street Fair (SF Japantown)
http://www.nihonmachistreetfair.org

Hawai'i-born Cartoonist Deb Aoki Shares 'Slices' of Life

2007-07-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

By Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto. Published in July 12, 2007, issue of Nichi Bei Times. Photo by Emily Payne.

Aside from athletes, there are very few student celebrities at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. But cartoonist Deb Aoki was one of them.

In her "Slice O' Life" comic strip, Aoki depicted four female college students dealing with schoolwork, part-times jobs, partying and, of course, boys. Her strips ran three times a week in the campus newspaper, Ka Leo O Hawai'i, from 1988-89.

Aoki's work eventually attracted off-campus attention and was published in several alternative newspapers in Honolulu before she was asked in the mid-'90s to draw for The Honolulu Advertiser, the state's largest newspaper.

To the delight of UH alums, the artist earlier this year released a 164-page double-sided collection featuring her "Life" strips and the work of Jon J. Murakami - the other celebrity student cartoonist who drew "University of Diverse City" for the same campus paper.

"The 'Slice O' Life' book is pretty much my early college stuff," said Aoki. "Prior to that, my comic strips were mostly little doodles in the margins of letters I'd send home to my friends and family about how weird I thought the Mainland was." (Aoki has lived in Seattle, Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco. She recently moved to Emeryville.)

"I dabbled in drawing shojo manga and superhero comics when I was in high school, but mostly did it for friends to see and enjoy," she said.

Aoki thanks her high school ("Roosevelt, brah!") art teacher, Gertrude Iwaida, for encouraging the young doodler to continue seriously pursuing art.

"She introduced me to a world of professional Hawai'i artists and craftsmen while I was still a student," remembers Aoki. "She showed me that art could be more than a hobby - it could be a viable way of life, and a way of seeing the world.

"Even after graduation, she continued to be a good friend and mentor, encouraging me to seek out opportunities beyond Hawai'i. Her love of life, her sense of humor, her generosity of spirit and creativity has always inspired me."

Manga influenced Aoki at a very young age. "I remember seeing (children's manga) around the house from early on. Sometimes when we went to Chinatown, we'd go to Hakubundo book shop and I'd pick up a copy of 'Nakayoshi,' a girls' shojo magazine, or my relatives from Japan would send me copies of manga magazines because my grandma would mention that I was interested.

"I couldn't read much Japanese, so I mostly enjoyed reading what little hiragana and katakana I knew, or asking grandma to translate harder phrases."

Reflecting back on her younger days reading children's manga, Aoki said it took her years to realize that being a cartoonist used to be a "boy's world" in the U.S.

"It kind of pleases me to see that more and more girls are becoming cartoonists now thanks to the manga boom lately," she said, but "I'm a little jealous of this generation of shojo manga readers because they get it already translated into English without having to go to Japanese school."

Aoki this year also became the guide to About.com's manga site (manga.about.com), one of 570 About.com sites dedicated to providing information and resources on various subjects. The website is owned by The New York Times Company.

As the site's guide, Aoki shares with readers her expert advice on finding quality manga, news about the art form, and even tips on drawing manga.

She enjoys the work of Jiro Taniguchi (The Walking Man), Ai Yazawa (Nana), Kaoru Mori (Emma), Tite Kubo (Bleach), Erica Sakurazawa (Aromatic Bitters), Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira) and Akira Toriyama (Dragonball) and she just discovered Kiyohiko Azuma (Azumanga Daioh!, Yotsuba&!).

Aoki considers the Hernandez Brothers (Love & Rockets) as her biggest influence. "Their stories about life in LA and Mexico from a Hispanic-American point of view (with a punk rock twist) helped me see that it was legitimate to draw about my life, where I'm from, and not feel forced to tell stories that I don't feel personally passionate about."

Speaking of passion, we asked Aoki which of her strips seem to attract the most attention. "The SPAM strips get a lot of comments - go figure!"

"The other one that people mention is the Hawai'i nightlife strip, where I mention the Point After, the Wave, After Dark and Wal-Mart," she said, referring to the fact that the 24-hour Wal-Mart in the suburb of Mililani became the place to be seen late at night after it opened almost ten years ago.

Aoki's strip still runs in the Sunday newspaper in Hawai'i, and in addition to "Slice O' Life," she published "Bento Box," a collection of her Advertiser work - but she makes a living as a content manager for eBay.com.

It's one of her better jobs. "I once temped at an ad agency as a 'executive assistant' and essentially got paid not much to make copies and lunch reservations. Thank god for Internet gossip sites, otherwise I would have been bored to tears."

Her current strips reflect a move away from the ensemble cast of characters and to semi-autobiographical topics.

But you probably won't see Aoki's older brother drawn anytime soon. "I don't often feature him in my comic strip because I think he'd be kind of sensitive to being made fun of. My older sister has a pretty good sense of humor. My mom, dad and boyfriend are numb to it already."

You can find Deb Aoki's books on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, besspress.com and also at Nikkei Traditions in San Jose. Learn more at debaoki.com and at myspace.com/debaoki. Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs. Read past columns at twojapaneebruddahs.com.

Walk da Walk

2007-06-08T11:02:00.001-07:00

By Kyle Tastumoto, published in the June 7-13, 2007, edition of the Nichi Bei Times.

If you goin' go Honolulu dis summah, make sure you walk da walk. The Waikiki Beach Walk, that is. With the first phase just completed earlier this year, there's a good chance that even your kama'aina friends and family haven't visited it yet.

Located at the Ala Moana end of Kalakaua Avenue, Outrigger Enterprises has invested more than $500 million on this project, the most extensive development in the history of Waikiki. While other areas of Waikiki, most notably Kuhio Beach, had received facelifts over the past few years, the Ewa end of Waikiki was starting to look pretty run down.

Many of the older structures in the eight-acre strip along Beach Walk and Lewers Street have been torn down and replaced with a shining new complex that includes new and renovated hotels, an outdoor entertainment plaza for live Hawaiian music performances and an open-air arcade featuring many new shops and restaurants. More than a destination for tourists, the Waikiki Beach Walk hopes to draw the locals back to Waikiki, as well.

Weah fo' Shop

The arcade includes a few well-known shops such as Crazy Shirts, Wyland Gallery, Honolulu Cookie Company and Quiksilver, but the Waikiki Beach Walk also debuts a number of new retailers that you may not be as familiar with.

We especially like the Malibu Shirts & Surf Museum. In addition to a very cool selection of high-quality t-shirts with vintage designs such as Primo Beer, Wing Coffee and Waikiki Surf Club, there's a great collection of surf memorabilia on display, some donated by surf legends like Uncle Clarence Maki.

Another interesting new store is Mana Hawai'i – Spirit of Hawai'i Nei. Like it's sister store, Native Books, Mana Hawai'i is not only a great place for Hawaiian gifts and crafts, but is also an outstanding resource for learning about the rich culture and history of Hawai'i.

Oh yeah, an' get one ABC Store, too.

Weah fo' Grind

There are a lot of food and drink choices at the Waikiki Beach Walk, including old favorites, as well as newcomers to Hawai'i. The complex includes Coconut Willy's Bar & Grill, a Tokyo-based teppan fusion restaurant called Kai-Wa Waikiki, Mondo Gelato, the casual and fun Holokai Grill and a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

Get one Roy's Waikiki, so now, no need fight da pau hana traffic fo' go dinnah at da Roy's in Hawai'i Kai. Dis new one even stay mo' nice den da Hawai'i Kai one. If you stay thirsty, Yard House get da world's mos' biggest selection of beers, with 130 on tap. Ho, goin' take one hour jus' fo' pick one beer.

Waikiki Beach Walk even get one Beard Papa's, you know, da kine Japanee Krispy Kreme of cream puffs. By da way, if you nevah try one Beard Papa cream puff yet, check 'em out at their two San Francisco locations, at 99 Yerba Buena Lane and at the Westfield San Francisco Centre.

The star of the Beach Walk is undoubtedly Nobu Waikiki, in the Waikiki Parc Hotel. Ho, you nevah imagine Japanee food could be so brok' da mout ono. If you evah wen try one of celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa's 13 other restaurants, you know wot we stay talkin' about.

Weah fo' Stay

Until the new $350 million, 38-story Trump International Hotel & Tower opens in 2009, you have a choice of accommodations right at the Beach Walk, with rates to suit a range of budgets. At the high end is the venerable Halekulani Hotel (2199 Kalia Road). Consistently rated among the world's finest hotels, room rates start at $400 per night, but the hotel and grounds are exquisite and the service is incomparable.

If you can't afford a room at the Halekulani, we highly recommend that you at least treat yourself to dinner at their "casually elegant" Orchids restaurant. In terms of overall Waikiki experience, dinner at this open-air, ocean-side restaurant is unmatched, from the fabulous cuisine, to the outstanding service, to the sounds of the ocean and the sunset and view of Diamond Head.

Across the street from the Halekulani is the new Embassy Suites - Waikiki Beach Walk (201 Beach Walk). It's definitely upscale, and at $350 per night, a bit pricier than the standard Embassy Suites hotels. However, as with other Embassy Suites, this is an all-suite hotel and includes complimentary full breakfast, making it ideal for families. Check out the history of Hawaiian music exhibit in the lobby.

Our favorite is the Outrigger Regency on Beach Walk (255 Beach Walk), located next to the Embassy Suites. The rooms, at $250 per night, are furnished in a very contemporary style, much more like a stylish urban condo rather than a typical Hawai'i hotel room. Whether you stay there or not, check out Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, on the ground floor. This is the Waikiki branch of the Ginza restaurant that has been famous for its tonkatsu and sauce for 80 years in Tokyo.

So, if you nevah wen make your vacation plans yet, wot you stay waiting fo'? Meet us at da Waikiki Beach Walk.

Young Nikkei Cartoonists from Hawai'i Publish Collection

2007-05-30T16:40:00.000-07:00

Two of Hawai'i's best-known cartoonists earlier this month released a new book featuring a collection of their comic strips. Keith has been a fan of their work since he was a student at UH-Manoa.

Deb Aoki's "Slice O' Life" and Jon J. Murakami's "University of Diverse City: The UH Years 1987-1993" is a 164-page double-sided collection that includes Jon's "Magic Beer Can" saga and "Dole Street Fighter," plus Deb's "You'll Mosh to Anything" and "Mainland Weather Martyrs" comic strips, and their version of the UH campus map, circa 1989.

Before Deb started drawing her weekly Honolulu Advertiser comic strip, Bento Box and before Jon drew Calabash for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and Generation Gap for the Hawaii Herald, they both were cartoonists for Ka Leo O Hawai'i, the University of Hawai'i student newspaper.

Both cartoonists cite their days as Ka Leo cartoonists as being major influences in their professional cartooning careers. After years of having their old fans ask them whatever happened to "Slice O' Life" and "University of Diverse City," the pair joined forces (and cleaned out their filing cabinets) to create this blast from UH's past circa late '80s - early 90s.

Deb will be at the San Diego Comic Con International from July 25 - 29, 2007 at the San Diego Convention Center, at booth H11. She'll be promoting "Bento Box" and the "Slice O' Life / University of Diverse City" books, plus previewing a new "Bento Box" collection that will be available in local and mainland bookstores in October 2007.

Deb will also be promoting "Bento Box" at the the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies annual conference in Portland, Oregon, from June 14 - 16, 2007.

Deb Aoki's Bento Box is available at select bookstores, including Borders and Barnes & Noble in Honolulu and Nikkei Traditions in San Jose. It is also available online at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, ABEbooks.com, Heritage Source, and Lulu.com. An online preview of the book can be viewed at Lulu.com.

A third-generation Japanese-Okinawan-American gal, Deb was born, raised, educated in and eventually escaped from Hawai'i. Now based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Deb continues to draw her weekly comic strip, "Bento Box" for both Hawai'i and mainland audiences.

"Bento Box" has been a popular weekly feature in the Honolulu Advertiser since 1996, and shares the lighter side of living in the Islands and the ups and downs of being an Asian American single gal looking for love, good food and a not-so-brain-numbing office job on "the mainland." See the latest comic strips on the Advertiser website or visit www.debaoki.com.

Hawai'i-based cartoonist Jon J. Murakami captures "local-kine" humor with his fun, manga-influenced comics and illustrations. Jon's comic strips are featured in The Hawaii Herald, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and online at Time Warner Cable's Hawai'i homepage, Around Hawaii.

Jon illustrates the "Local Kine" greeting cards produced by Maile Way, a company started by Paul and Gayle (Machida) Isono. Paul was UH-Manoa student body president the year after Keith.

Jon's illustration work can be found in several best-selling children's books, including "Going to the Zoo in Hawai'i," which was recently nominated by the Hawaii Book Publishers Association for a Ka Palapala Po'okela Award.

Tech Magazine Q&A on Kama'aina Guy Kawasaki

2007-05-18T12:58:00.000-07:00

My friend Herbert Sample interviewed Guy Kawasaki for the upcoming issue of Red Herring, a technology magazine. The Q&A reveals some things about Guy that I never knew; I've only met him a few times, but he's well-known in the tech community since his days as the chief evangelist for Apple.

Guy's father was Duke Kawasaki, a former state Senator, and McKinley High grad. Guy went to Iolani, and then to Stanford. He's now the CEO of Garage.com, a venture capital firm.

Read the article here.

Sake San Jose Benefits Yu-Ai Kai

2007-05-17T12:57:00.000-07:00

Sake San Jose combines tasting with a walk through Historic Japantown San Jose on May 24 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Yu-Ai Kai Senior Community Center will host this benefit sake tasting walk through Japantown's various businesses and restaurants, each having different types of sake at special tables.

Sakes made in Japan and the US, such as daiginjo, ginjo and junmai grades of premium sake will be available for tasting, providing a great opportunity for connoisseurs and novices to sample and learn about the variety of sakes.

Tickets are $35 and may be purchased at Yu-Ai Kai (588 N. Fourth Street, San Jose), participating merchants in Japantown or online at sakesanjose.com. All proceeds will benefit Yu-Ai Kai's programs.

Mixed Plate: Hukilau Goes Home, Radio Host Gets Nasty

2007-05-17T12:54:00.000-07:00

Editor Kenji Taguma emailed us with a reader’s feedback that he or she missed our column. We apologize for our absence from these pages. Bruddah Kyle is going home in a few weeks and he’ll write the next column after that visit. Bruddah Keet pens this week’s “mixed plate” of news and opinion.

I know most readers of this column prefer the lighter material we cover – food, places of interest, local customs, pidgin – but I have to share some thoughts about a recent racist remark by a radio show host in Honolulu.

Larry Price, a former head coach of the University of Hawai‘i football team, and Michael W. Perry host the number one rated morning radio show in Hawai‘i on Clear Channel-owned KSSK. Perry and Price dominate the morning airwaves like Fox-affiliate KHON anchor Joe Moore rules the evening news.

On their May 4 show, Price debated Kauai state Sen. Gary Hooser on the accomplishments of the state legislature, which recently wrapped up its five-month long session. The interview was testy.

At one point, Price asks Hooser the color of his eyes and where he was from. Hooser said he was born in California, went to Radford (a public high school on O‘ahu), lives in Kapa‘a.

"You got blue eyes?" asked Price. Hooser said yes and laughed thinking that Price was joking. Hooser asked: “Does that matter?”

“Yes, to us it does,” responded Price. “Because when local people hear somebody from the mainland talk about how honest everything is, that means that something's wrong. You know when they say 'frankly' or 'Honestly, we did a lot of things,' you know, and stuff like that, that sounds suspicious.”

As a fourth-generation kama‘aina born and raised in Hawai‘i, I don’t know what the hell Larry Price meant by that. But it’s clear from looking at this through my racial lens that the radio host was telling the senator: “You’re haole (white) and not born here, so you have second-class opinions.”

Price’s comment was atrocious, especially since it was so thinly veiled. It exacerbated a long-running tension sometimes existing between Mainlanders and “locals” and between people of color and Caucasians. This racial dynamic is not unique to an island community, but for a state that prides itself on the “Aloha Spirit” we can do better on our airwaves.

So, the next time I’m back home, I will listen to anything else on the radio other than Perry & Price on KSSK. But I’ll definitely be visiting the new Hukilau in downtown Honolulu.

HUKILAU NUMBAH FOUR. The Hukilau is “going home” after three restaurants in the Bay Area. The new location, set to open on May 28 in the Executive Centre Hotel, will be called Hukilau Sports Bar & Grill.

One might think that it’s a little odd to open a Hukilau in Hawai‘i. What makes the Hukilau special in the Bay Area is the Hawaii oasis it creates. But the fourth incarnation will have a special focus on celebrating the accomplishments of Hawai‘i’s world-class athletes by featuring sports memorabilia and a sports theme.

The new Hukilau will also feature some impressive culinary credentials. Jason Takemura, formerly chef of Chai’s Island Bistro, will head the kitchen.

And as it does with its Bay Area venues, Hukilau’s new sports bar and grill will feature and promote live Hawaiian music with notable local entertainment performing at the new spot.

Chef Takemura was executive chef of Chai’s Island Bistro from July 2003 through the end of 2006. He was previously in the kitchens of several California restaurants, including Roy’s, San Luis Obispo’s Seven Hands on Higuera, Monterey’s Montrio Bistro and Pebble Beach’s Inn at Spanish Bay.

In its efforts to promote the aloha spirit, Hukilau has for the past five years hosted an annual poke festival and spam musubi eating contest at its San Francisco location. They will continue that tradition by sponsoring a poke contest in the Honolulu restaurant in which the winners from the Bay Area contest will challenge local contestants.

PAU HANA WITH (H)API HOUR. Bruddah Keet is throwing a (H)API Hour in support of the Chinese Progressive Association on Friday, May 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hukilau on Masonic and Geary. $10 suggested donations will to support CPA’s efforts to educate and organize the low income and working class immigrant Chinese community in San Francisco to build collective power with other oppressed communities by demanding better living and working conditions and justice for all people. Visit hapihour.org for more information and to RSVP.

Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs. Read past articles on www.TwoJapaneeBruddahs.com.

Philip Kan Gotanda's 'Life Tastes Good' Now on DVD

2007-04-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Asian-American playwright Philip Kan Gotanda made his directorial debut with this unusual crime drama. When two San Francisco police detectives find a very dead body in an abandoned car, a bit of digging reveals the man was minor-league criminal Harry Sado (Sab Shimono), who left behind his story in his own words -- on tape.

Harry's troubles began when he discovered his partner, Mr. Jones (Philip Kan Gotanda), was ripping him off. Harry's logical response was to start ripping off his partner, which led him to hide out in San Francisco. There Harry tied to reunite with his children, which proved to be more trouble than it was worth, and met a mysterious woman who once lived in the apartment Harry had rented.

Once Mr. Jones tracked Harry down, though, a confrontation between these two bad men was inevitable.

Also starring Julia Nickson, Tamlyn Tomita, Greg Watanabe, Kelvin Han Yee and Tim Lounibos, the film was executive produced by Dale Minami and features music by Dan Kuramoto of Hiroshima.

Life Tastes Good was shown as part of the American Spectrum series at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.

DVD now available on Amazon, Netflix, Blockbuster and many other locations and sites.

Iolani Grad's Acting Debut on 'Lost' as Japanese Tourist #4

2007-03-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

Iolani grad Stewart Shirasu, owner of Club 939 in Honolulu, plays an extra in tonight's episode of Lost. Club 939 is a strip club, so if that offends your sensibilities, read no further.

I don't watch the show, but if you're a fan, Nikki (played by guest star Kiele Sanchez, left) has flashbacks of her life as a stripper. The Lost crew shot the scenes in Stewart's club and included him as a club patron, officially in the script as "Japanese Tourist #4." Most of the other background extras in the scenes work at Stewart's club.

"If you look very carefully, you will see that I am sporting my Iolani graduation tie," said Stewart. "Big up's to IOLANI, baby!"

As with any TV show, appearances by extras may be edited out of what makes it into tonight's episode. So watch for the big tie!

See more (PG-rated) photos from Stewart on Flickr.