Gwen Muranaka

By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR Safety and security issues were front and center when LAPD officials gathered to brief leaders of Little Tokyo nonprofit and business sectors on May 14 at the Japanese American National Museum. It was the second such meeting to convene local business owners and leaders from Little Tokyo’s nonprofit organizations and […]

By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR Play ball! After more than 75 years, baseball will be returning to the Manzanar National Historic Site with a special doubleheader planned for this September. During World War II, baseball provided welcome distraction from the grim reality of camp, with teams such as the Manzaknights and Dusty Chicks suiting up […]

By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR So we dance, we singWe’ll enjoy tonight and cherish the memoriesLet’s dance, Let’s dance,Come take my hand A song to remember and celebrate loved ones, “Lantern” was performed at Senshin Buddhist Temple last weekend and will be highlighted throughout the summer Obon season. The song was written by Bonbu Stories, […]

“I can’t wait to try everyone’s wine!” said Kurtis Ogasawara, director of winemaking at Robert Monday Winery, expressing the overall sentiment at the inaugural Nikkei Wine Summit held at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center on June 29.

By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR “To continue this, that’s the important thing,” emphasized Nisei Week Choreographer Hanayagi Rokufukumi. Subtle movements and grace define the dancing of Hanayagi Rokufukumi, who vividly remembers her first Nisei Week. Her given name is Sharon Asao and she recalled being a little girl, excited by the colorful spectacle and wanting […]

In 2026, both institutions to highlight history, impacts of JA food culture. By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR A collaboration that will explore the tastes, sights and memories that comprise the food history of the Japanese American community, spanning two core institutions of Little Tokyo, came about, naturally, over a meal. On July 11, the National […]

By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR LAGUNA BEACH — Kabuki dancers in sumptuous kimono costumes are a vision in this year’s Pageant of the Masters at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, which concludes its season this week. If you haven’t been to Pageant of the Masters, it’s a Southern California tradition that is a bit […]

Threat of nuclear war growing as a-bomb survivors, Hiroshima physicians gather for biannual exams. By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR TORRANCE — On Oct. 12, the biannual medical examinations of atomic bombing victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki coincided with the news that a Japanese group of survivors had been awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for their […]

Rob Fukuzaki’s Heads Up Foundation charity golf tournament set for Nov. 11 By GWEN MURANAKARAFU SENIOR EDITOR “Oh, what a night!” Rob Fukuzaki shared after the Dodgers clinched the pennant, setting up a World Series against the New York Yankees that is sure to be a classic. Fukuzaki is incredibly busy as an award-winning journalist […]

By GWEN MURANAKA For one night only, The Phantom was in the house. Davis Gaines, who has performed the lead role in “The Phantom of the Opera” more than 2,000 times on Broadway and in Los Angeles and San Francisco, sang at an intimate gathering on Oct. 17 at the California Club in Downtown L.A. […]