Community

The Nisei Week Parade Marshal is awarded to those in the community who have made a profound impact on the local Japanese / Japanese American community.

Maia and Alex Shibutani

Siblings Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani are two-time Olympic bronze medalists. They are also three-time World medalists, Four Continent Champions, two-time US National champions, six-time Grand Prix gold medalists, and two-time members (2014 and 2018) of the U.S. Olympic team.

They made history when they became the first figure skaters of Asian descent to win medals at the Olympic Games in ice dance. In PyeongChang, they also became the first sibling ice dance team to win two Olympic medals.

The siblings made their debut as authors in 2020 with the release of “Kudo Kids: The Mystery of the Masked Medalist.” The second book in their middle grade series, “Kudo Kids: The Mystery in Manhattan” was released in 2021. Their next literary project will be a picture book – the planned release of “Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All” is spring 2023.

Maia and Alex were named Sports Envoys for the U.S. State Department in 2017. Since then, they have traveled throughout Asia to connect with young people at goodwill events. They are also Athlete Ambassadors for the global organization, Right To Play. In 2021, Alex was named to the LA28 Athletes’ Commission.

They are AAU Sullivan Award finalists, five-time Team USA Team of the Month winners, recipients of the Asia Society Game Changer award, and Gold House A100 list honorees.

The Nisei Week Parade Marshal is awarded to those in the community who have made a profound impact on the local Japanese / Japanese American community.

Kellyn Acosta

Kellyn Acosta is a 26-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) of Major League Soccer (MLS). He also plays on the United States Men’s National Team and featured on the roster that recently helped the United States clinch a spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If he is rostered for the global tournament in November, Kellyn would be the first player of Japanese heritage to represent the United States in a World Cup.

Originally from Plano, TX, Kellyn is a homegrown product of the Dallas Football Club (FC) academy where he signed with the Dallas FC first team at the age of 16 (2012), making his debut as a professional in Major League Soccer the following year. Kellyn is a two-time MLS All-Star (2016, 2017), two-time Concacaf Gold Cup Champion (2017, 2021) and Concacaf Nations League Champion (2021), Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champion (2016) and MLS Supporters Shield Winner (2016).

Kellyn is known for his fashion sense and would likely be voted “best dressed” across the league. He is part Japanese, and recently had an incredible experience touring the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles with both his dad and grandmother, who was born in Japan. When he’s not on the pitch, he is busy being a father to a curious and energetic toddler, getting involved in the local community, shopping for new kicks, discovering a new wine or exploring Los Angeles. You may even find him at the nearest coffee shop enjoying a latte.

Pioneer Spirit Award recipients are dedicated, long-standing community volunteers and leaders of the Japanese / Japanese American Community.

Yoshio Nakamura

Yoshio “Yosh” Nakamura is an influential man in many areas of his life, including his honorable service to the U.S. military, involvement in the creation of numerous key establishments, and in the arts.

In 1944, Yoshio was inducted in the Enlisted Reserve and reported for active duty from Gila River. After training at Camp Blanding, Florida he was sent to France to join the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team and saw military action in Southern France and later in Italy to break the Gothic Line.

He received numerous recognitions for his military service such as the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, Congressional Gold Medal, European African Middle Eastern Ribbon with Three Battle Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal, and French Legion of Honor Medal. He was one of five Nisei veterans chosen to ride on the “Go For Broke” float in the 2015 Rose Parade.

After his military service under the G.I. Bill, Yoshio attended the University of Southern California and received his B.F.A (Magna Cum Laude), and M.F.A. After receiving his degrees, he began his career as an educator. He started as an art teacher in the Fine Arts Department at Whittier High School and then went on to Rio Hondo College as a professor. At Rio Hondo, he was the founder of the Visual and Performing Arts department, administrator, and vice president. As in many other areas of his life, he has received many recognitions and commendations as an educator such as Teacher of the Year, Outstanding Educators of America, and Fellow of the College.

Yoshio and his wife, Grace, have also been active in the Japanese American community. They were active members of SELANOCO JACL. He helped host the initial formation meeting of the SELANOCO chapter at Rio Hondo College. He was also a founding member of the Go for Broke National Education Center and the Japanese American National Museum.

As an artist, he is represented in over 175 private, corporate and public collections including the Joseph Hirshhorn Collection of the Smithsonian Institute.

He continues to be active as an artist and community supporter of the arts at Hillcrest Congregational Church, Rio Hondo College, and Whittier High School. He has served as the Cultural Commissioner, Advisory Committee, and Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts.

Pioneer Spirit Award recipients are dedicated, long-standing community volunteers and leaders of the Japanese / Japanese American Community.

Heizaburo Okawa

Born in 1939, Heizaburo Okawa was raised in Tokyo. He graduated from Chuo University in 1962. It was when Heizaburo started college at Chuo University that he saw fencing for the first time and became fascinated. One day, he finally asked if he could join the team. That moment marked the start of his influential journey in the fencing world.

At that time, Chuo University was ranked #1 nationally in fencing; Heizaburo’s chance of making the team was slim due to his late start in the sport. However, due to his natural talent and determination, Heizaburo made the school team and the even made the Japan team in 1960 Rome Summer Olympics. The 1960 Olympics was the first time that Japan was sending a fencing team to represent them in the sport.

In 1962, the Japanese Fencing Federation sent Heizaburo and a teammate to Paris to prepare for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by studying at the National Institute of Sport for two years. While in Europe, Heizaburo won two prestigious international competitions: the Foil Challenge Duval in Paris and the Epee Challenge Martel in Poitiers, France.

Heizaburo’s hard work helped him achieve a spot as a member of the Japanese Olympic team three times: in 1960, 1964, and 1968. The team even won 4^th place at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, which was considered a significant accomplishment for a non-European team.

Heizaburo was the Japanese national champion three times in Foil (1960, 1963, 1964), twice in Sabre (1961, 1967), and once in Epee (1967). He was twice U.S. national champion in Foil (1967, 1968) and was also the head coach of the Japanese team for international competitions, including the World Championships (1969, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998). In addition, he was chosen to referee at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

In 1966, his training brought him to Los Angeles, where he was coached by Torao Mori, a legendary kendo and fencing master. From 1969 to 1980, he was the head coach at Torao Mori Fencing Academy in Beverly Hills. During this time, he taught fencing to celebrities and choreographed dueling scenes for stage productions. He also was hired as the head fencing coach at University of California, Los Angeles (1974-1980) and California State University, Fullerton (1980-2006). In 2006, he retired from coaching.

In 2004, Heizaburo was inducted into the U.S. Fencing Association Hall of Fame and in 2019, he was inducted into California State University, Fullerton Athletics Hall of Fame. Being recognized as part of these esteemed groups truly showcased what a skilled and influential athlete he was to many in the sport.

Heizaburo not only represented his country with his talent in fencing, but also spent many years sharing his knowledge and skill with others around him. He helped other athletes perform to their potential and made a difference in their lives. Heizaburo’s accomplishments within the sport not only demonstrated his talent, but also served as a reminder that no matter someone’s background, with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

Heizaburo and his wife, Jeanie, have been married for 54 years and have three children and seven grandchildren.

The Nisei Week Inspiration Award recognizes exceptional individuals who represent the Nisei Week “spirit” by volunteering their time in the Japanese / Japanese American communities.

Patty and Steve Nagano

Patty and Steve Nagano have been residents of Little Tokyo since 2011. Since the move, their involvement has increased with organizations in Little Tokyo, including: Visual Communications (VC), Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (NCRR), Little Tokyo Historical Society, Nikkei Progressives and many others.

Patty (Ito) was born at the Japanese Hospital and grew up in Pasadena. She is a retired elementary school teacher who taught for over 32 years. Steve was born in Boyle Heights and formerly taught at Roosevelt High School.

They worked on the VC/NCRR production of the film Stand Up for Justice, the Ralph Lazo Story. Patty worked with the Japanese American National Museum and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center’s co-production video narrating the story of The Bracelet, by Yoshiko Uchida. She conducted many workshops for teachers on the implementation of both, to educate about the Japanese American incarceration during World War II.

Patty assisted with Fandang Obon and was an organizer of Folding for Peace: Remembering Sadako Sasaki, Commemorating the Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She also worked with Sustainable Little Tokyo and helped organize Little Tokyo Service Center’s Big Budokan Bash in 2016. During the Covid pandemic she worked with five Little Tokyo restaurants to have meals delivered to Teramachi residents for 70 weeks. It helped sustain these restaurants through the pandemic while feeding the residents.

Steve has been involved with the Visual Communications Digital Histories since 2011 and shown his film shorts in the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival yearly and at various community events and universities. He recently directed the project that made accessible the 23+ hours of testimonies (13 DVDs) before the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in Los Angeles in 1981, where 150-plus people testified about their experiences.

Annually Steve has volunteered many days/hours for the Tanabata Festival to set up the structure to hang the kazari. For the last seven years, he spearheaded the Little Tokyo Sparkle community-wide cleanup where more than 400 volunteers swept, raked, scraped gum, removed graffiti, washed windows and “sparkled” Little Tokyo from Los Angeles St. to Vignes Ave. He has represented Little Tokyo on the Neighborhood Council since 2011.

In addition, they attend and support various camp pilgrimages and events about the incarceration of Japanese during WWII. The unjust experiences of their parents and grandparents is one thread that binds all Japanese Americans and has a large impact upon who they are and what they stand for. Consequently, to learn and to educate against injustice plays a very large part of their lives.

They enjoy time with family and friends and look forward to traveling especially to Japan and enjoy living in Little Tokyo. They volunteered to assist in Tohoku in 2011 after the great Tsunami and feel lucky to live the life they are living in Little Tokyo!

They have been working to build the Little Tokyo Community Impact Fund that seeks investors to help preserve Little Tokyo as a Japanese American enclave to ensure it will be a place for future Nikkei to enjoy.

The Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Award recognizes businesses and organizations for their outstanding support to the Southern California Japanese / Japanese American Community.

Fugetsu-Do

Opening of the Kame restaurant in 1884 at the current site of Bunkado, was the first Japanese business in Los Angeles, and sparked the creation of Little Tokyo. Soon after, in 1903, Seiichi Kito, who immigrated from Gifu, Japan, opened his Fugetsu-Do Sweet Shop on Weller Street.  Fugetsu-Do later moved to First St., and as Fugetsu-Do flourished, so did Little Tokyo. As the oldest family-owned business in Little Tokyo, next year will be its 120^th birthday.

During the holidays, comfort foods are in high demands. Manju and mochi are customary Japanese gifts, and during the few weeks before New Year’s Day, the entire Kito family (and nowadays friends too) work around the clock to fill the large number of orders.

Seiichi operated the shop until 1941, when the family was forced to relocate to Heart Mountain concentration camp until the end of World War II. After the war, Seiichi’s youngest son, Roy, re-opened Fugetsu-Do on Boy’s Day, May 5, 1946, with the help of the Tanahashi family.

Fugetsu-Do had to move to Second St. for a couple of years, when the shop’s building was slated for demolition. It returned in 1957 to the current location at 315 E. First St., with Roy as the sole owner.

In 1980, Roy’s youngest son, Brian, took over the family business. Under Brian’s leadership, Fugetsu-Do has continued to emphasize quality and craftsmanship of its products. Fugetsu-Do now sells three types of mochi: traditional, modern versions with a twist, and snacks. The traditional type, range from daifuku to ohagi, while the modern twists incorporate fruit and chocolate with the traditional white or red bean paste. Fugetsu-Do caters beyond the Japanese community, and now has a broader customer base throughout the city.

Through three generations of family ownership, the Kitos have weathered a series of unimaginable challenges from the incarceration to depressions, riots and pandemic, eminent domain from City expansion, and the ever-present threat of gentrification. Fugetsu-Do has an impressive story of resilience and survival and its significance to the community has made it an unquestionable icon of Little Tokyo and the City of Los Angeles. Fugetsu-Do in many ways is Little Tokyo, given that it’s still in existence since the Nisei Week festival started in 1934.

Many times over the past several years, Brian has contemplated remodeling the shop.  However, he hesitates. Though the shop looks old and dated, that’s what his customers remember. He recalled a story of a woman who had lived in Los Angeles more than 30 years ago. She was back visiting Little Tokyo and almost burst into tears when she entered Fugetsu-Do. “Everything I remember about Little Tokyo is gone-except Fugetsu-Do. Nothing has changed; the store is just as I remembered it.”

Thus, the Nisei Week Foundation is recognizing this legacy business, its contribution to Little Tokyo history, and its services to the Japanese American community, with the Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Award.

2022 Nisei Week Choreographer

Azuma Kikusue

Kikusue Azuma was born in Los Angeles. She earned a bachelor’s degree in math/computer science from UCLA, a master’s degree in computer science from USC and worked for 11 years as a software engineer, but eventually realized that teaching was her passion.

She studied Nihon Buyō for many years under Sumako Azuma II and earned her natori (master) and shihan (instructor) degrees from the Azuma School headquarters in Tokyo. After receiving her shihan degree, she started teaching dance classes to a few students, and her classes quickly grew through word-of-mouth.

She currently teaches more than 60 students from Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties and 15 students in Kapa‘a and Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i.

She also volunteers for many community organizations, writes a monthly children’s Japanese culture column for the Hawai‘i Herald, and works as an editor and math tutor. She is married and has three children.

Over the years, Sumako, Kikusue and their students have performed both at professional venues – including the Greek Theater, Hollywood Bowl and Universal Amphitheater – and at benefit performances for community and nonprofit organizations.

While still teaching the Japanese dance classics, they broke new ground artistically, reaching out to the Sansei, Yonsei and Gosei by blending traditional Japanese dance techniques with modern influences. Unfortunately, Sumako Azuma II passed away in July 2020, but Kikusue continues Sumako’s legacy. Through their efforts, the Azuma School in the U.S. continues to grow and perpetuate Japanese culture through the art of Japanese dance.