Okano’s Travels

Shinichiro Okano returns with his report from Japan. Traveling to the cities of Sendai, Nattori, Arahama, Isshinomaki, and Onnagawa, he takes us on a brief tour of the scenes he witnessed.

He shows us shocking footage of Isshinomaki where large fishing boats are left stranded in the middle of the street next to train stations and the complete devastation of the once beautiful town of Onnagawa. Hospitals in the town have finally begun to be able to take care of the sick and injured. We see in Nattori, the wreckage of a bus has been left up on top of a building and total desolation of what was once thriving towns. The damage and destruction left on the towns he visited left a long, heavy impression on Okano.

But there was hope in Okano’s travels as well.

Volunteers band together to provide warm meals to families at an elementary school in Isshinomaki. Other groups of volunteers are helping out with everything from the distribution of food and supplies to clearing areas of mud and rubble washed in by the tsunami. Okano followed one group of young volunteers in particular as they make rounds to do whatever they can to get the people of the town back on their feet.

The help and spirit of these volunteers is proving to be a real staple in the well being of the Japanese people.

Skaters Care

The Skaters Care charity ice show for Japan was held in Ontario on April 3rd. More than 50 figure, speed, synchronized skating and other skate performers from around Los Angeles gathered to raise funds for the disaster stricken areas in Japan. Among those skaters was Daisuke Murakami, who is one of Japan Skating Federation’s upcoming stars and is in LA practicing for the Sochi Olympics. Murakami’s thoughts and feelings for Japan drive his skating performance and gets the crowd fired up.

The $11,118 raised at the event on this day will be sent to Japan through the American Red Cross.

Takahashi Interview

This year Hisanori Takahashi signed a 2-year contract with the Anaheim Angels.
UTB asked him about his thoughts on entering the season as the Angels’ left-handed relief pitcher.

Stone Market

On March 16th, America’s first “Stone Market” opened in the Hollywood-Highland Mall. Currently there are 124 “Stone Market” stores in Japan where can find power stones and other accessories.

The store is host to around 20,000 items that are on display, and many that visit are seeking the “magical” healing properties that these natural stones are said to poses. The stones in the “Stone Market” are all screened for these properties to be made into accessories.

Why not try out an original stone accessory of your own?