Hidden Legacy

Shirley Muramoto, a koto teacher and performer is a daughter of former war relocation internees. After hearing stories from her mother of how she learned koto in the Topaz ane Tule Lake camps, she became interested in how the traditional Japanese arts were taught in internment camps. She and other Japanese artists performed traditional Japanese songs and dances at “Hidden Legacy,” a tribute to teachers of Japanese traditional arts in the wartime WRA camps, on April 24th at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo. Through live performances and a discussion panel by artists such as Bando Mitsusa, local community members learned of the hardships and fun experienced by these artists in internment camp.

Little Tokyo’s Yagura Under Construction

Construction of the fire tower (Yagura) in Little Tokyo’s Japanese Village Plaza began April 19th, due to dry-rot and termite damage. The yagura, a symbol of Little Tokyo, was built in 1978 and can be frequently seen in the background of Nisei Week’s obon and other Japanese American community events. The 60-foot tower, which was originally made of wood, will be remade out of steel and will keep its original design. Construction is said to be done by mid-August, in time for the Nisei Week festivities.