House Foods America Implements Solar Panel System

House Foods America, known for making soy products such as tofu and shirataki, implement a new solar panel system to its factory in Garden Grove. The Garden Grove factory uses 13 million pounds of soybeans annually. With the use of the new system, House Foods America is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 675,000 pounds per year—the equivalent to planting sixty-five acres of pine forest.

Gyoza Eating Championship

The Fourth Annual Gyoza Eating Championship was held on August 21, at the JACCC Plaza in Little Tokyo. The world champion, known for beating Takeru Kobayashi in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut, holds the record of eating 231 gyoza in 10 minutes. This year, thirteen competitive eaters from all over the U.S. participated in this ten-minute race in an attempt to beat the record. Last year’s Nisei Queen and princesses also participated in the event. This year, Erik Denmark, ranking 7th in the world, and Ben Monson, ranking 6th, competed. Denmark, known for handling spicy food, and Monson, the rookie of the year were in dead heat. Monson won by eating 189 gyoza. Although he ate 189 dumplings and did win the title, Monson could not beat Chestnut’s previous record. Monson will compete in next months’ world burrito eating contest.

70th Nisei Week Closing Ceremony

Nisei Week, the largest festival celebrating the Japanese American culture, started on August 14th this year and came to an end on Sunday, August 22rd, with a closing ceremony held at First Street in Little Tokyo. Local traditional Japanese dance groups danced to songs such as Kyushu’s Tanko Bushi and Sho Tokyo Ondo. This year’s Nisei Queen and Court, as well as spectators joined the dance circle. At the end of the ceremony, Hayato Tamura, the 2010 Nisei Week Foundation President, thanked the volunteers and attendees. The 79th Annual Nisei Week, which is supported by many volunteers who value the Japanese culture and the Japanese American community, ended with smiles.