The Grateful Crane Ensemble

On December 11th, the Japanese American theater group, The Grateful Crane Ensemble held a holiday show. The show was a musical titled, “I saw Baachan Kissing Santa Claus”. The group performed 24 Christmas songs during the show. The Grateful Crane Ensemble started 10 years ago as a way to appreciate and keep the Japanese American legacy alive. Following last years concert, this will be their 2nd show. The Grateful Crane Ensemble is planning to do a hilarious spoof of “Red Team vs. White Team” singing contest next year.

Kamiya Insurance Contributes to Community

On December 15th, the South Bay Children’s Health Center in Redondo Beach received a donation of $10,000 from Kamiya Insurance and Safeco Insurance. The South Bay Children’s Health Center provides outpatient dental and mental health services to low and moderate income family members 0 to 24 years old. The center’s Executive Director, Harris thanked Kamiya Insurance and Safeco Insurance for the donation. She was overwhelmed with joy because the donated money will provide needed health care for many children.

Mitsuwa Market Place in Irvine

On December 17th, Mitsuwa Market Place had an opening ceremony for its Irvine location. Mitsuwa Market Place is already the nation's largest Japanese supermarket and the new store will be its 2nd location in Orange County. Many people lined up in front of the store before the opening. At the grand opening, the first 500 customers received an eco-bag and offered special discounts. Takanori Asada: “Our main focus and strength is taking care of our customers. When they go home and eat, I want them to be 100% satisfied. That is the type of service we would like to provide.” With the opening of the Irvine store, there are now 7 locations in California. The new store provides a concierge as a way to strengthen their customer service.

Spa Relaken in Little Tokyo

On December 16th, "Spa Relaken" opened inside Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo. Following their first opening in Torrance, this will be their second spa in America. The new spa will provide the same Japanese style of comfort. Relaken continues to provide the same high quality service common in Japan. Luke Kuraishi: "We provide an atmosphere using all 5 senses. We opened in America to provide Japanese comfort and hospitality. The number one recommendation of Relaken is the aroma treatment. An expert determines the client's health and mood, then creates an oil based specifically for them. Aroma treatment is highly known to promote physical and mental health through relaxation. Akemi Yamamoto: "There are 20 different kinds of essential oils and we have 6 carrier oils. We personalize them by mixing the different oils for you." The interior has original lamps made by a designer in Japan as well as furniture that represents the flow of water. The specific layout represents the style of Relaken. Also, the atmosphere has natural lighting that gives a subtle Japanese feel to the air. In addition to the variety in the spa menu, there is a mist sauna, dry sauna, spa and jacuzzi. Furthermore, there is a healing room and a patio area that provides a relaxing atmosphere. What is the future plan for Relaken? "We are planning to open several spas in Southern California. After, we plan to open in Northern California as well as New York and Las Vegas where there are many tourists, so that visitors from all around the world can enjoy our spa". Spa Relaken will be open through the end of the year and the beginning of next year from 1pm to 11pm.