Nisei Week Japanese Festival | Los Angeles

Press Release

For immediate release

For more information:
Diane Tanaka
310-962-2698

To download .doc version [CLICK HERE]

67th ANNUAL NISEI WEEK JAPANESE FESTIVAL PIONEERS ANNOUNCED

(Los Angeles - July 15, 2007) - The Nisei Week Foundation, a nonprofit organization that organizes the annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, is pleased to announce its 2007 Nisei Week Pioneers. The pioneers who have gone above and beyond and represent the best of the greater Los Angeles Japanese American community, will be honored at a special 2007 Pioneers Luncheon to be held at the New Otani Hotel & Garden on Wednesday, August 22 at 12 noon. Tickets are $45 per person or $450 per table of 10 and can be obtained by calling the Nisei Week office at 213-687-7193.

The 2007 Nisei Week pioneers are:

Jun Fukushima
nominated by the Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council

At 89 years old, Jun Fukushima remains a dedicated and active member of the Japanese American community. As a founding member of the South East Los Angeles North Orange County (SELANOCO) chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), he remains a revered board member and the chapter's only treasurer. Fukushima has carried on the Japanese tradition of mochi making during New Year's, becoming a major activity for the SELANOCO JACL and helping to bring together generations of Japanese Americans. Through his leadership, faith and trust in the younger generations, the SELANOCO chapter has become and remains one of the strongest JACL chapters nationwide, passing leadership from the Nisei to the Sansei and eventually to the Yonsei and Gosei. Fukushima was born in 1918 in Palms, California. He grew up farming in the San Fernando Valley area and graduated from Canoga Park High School. After graduation, he continued to farm, helping to support his family. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1941, serving with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and stationed in Australia, Philippines and Japan.

After being discharged, Fukushima farmed strawberries, cantaloupe, and tomatoes. In 1948, he went to work for the Nishizu brothers in the wholesale produce business until starting his own egg farm business in 1961. He retired from the egg business in 1971. Since then, he has actively managed his apartments.

Fukushima was instrumental with five other members in founding the Venice Buddhist Temple. Starting in 1955, Sunday services and Sunday school were held in his home for many years. In 1960 the church was successful in purchasing its own building. Fukushima has one surviving brother, Takeshi. He has been married to his wife, Toshiko for 59 years. The couple has five children: Dan (Susan) Fukushima, Mae (Ken) Kusumoto, Roy (Jenny) Fukushima, Jay Fukushima, and Ken (Grace) Fukushima. They have nine grandchildren: Sandra (Bret) Ninomiya, Glenn (Patty) Fukushima, Kristen Kusumoto, Trina (Daichi) Nakagawa, Samantha Fukushima, Lisa Fukushima, Marcus Fukushima, Jason Fukushima, and Jared Fukushima. Last, but not least, are his five great grandchildren: Jacob and Zachary Ninomiya, Ella Fukushima, Madeleine Ninomiya, and Katherine Fukushima. While remaining active in the SELANOCO JACL chapter, Fukyshima keeps busy tending to his garden, working on and managing his apartments, attending the activities of grandchildren and great grandchildren, fishing in Mammoth and Jalama Beach, clam digging, and other family activities.

Edward I. Koizumi
nominated by the Orange County Japanese American Association

Edward I. Koizumi was born in Tokyo in 1921. During WWII he graduated from Shonan High School and attended Navy Radar School to train as a future officer. After the war in 1945 he entered Aoyama Gakuin University, majoring in architecture and theology. In 1951, he received a scholarship to the University of Southern California to study architecture. He also attended the Art Center School of Design.

In 1955 he married his wife Yoshiko. During that time, Koizumi was chief designer at a Paadena architectural firm. In 1957, with a request from the firm, recommendations from the Los Angeles Times and USC, he and his wife received their permanent resident status.

Koizumi organized the Southern California Christian Church Youth Federation in 1961 and became president. He joined a Newport Beach architectural firm in 1962, then in 1964 he opened his own office in Huntington Beach, specialing in Japanese tea houses, oriental art, architecture, and Japanese gardens. He also introduced Japanese culture to Laguna Beach, Disneyland, Leisure World, and other locations. In 1971, with a USC classmate, he opened E.K. International Design & Development Corporation in Newport Beach, which later expanded to San Francisco, La Jolla, and Tokyo.

The Japanese government appointed Koizumi as a consultant to research and teach land planning technique to Japanese companies, and to lecture at the Tokyo and Osaka chambers of commerce and universities. He was appointed by the Taiwanese government to lecture in Taipei and also asked by Irvine and Mission Viejo companies to lecture on land development.

In 1976 he helped open the Nozomi United Methodist Church in Fountain Valley. That same year Koizumi also organized the Japanese Culture Association of Orange County and has been the president ever since. He assisted in the opening of the Orange Coast Japanese School in Costa Mesa in 1977.

As a new American citizen (he received citizenshp in 1980) Koizumi organized the Urasenke California Konnichikai, joined by five groups spread from Sacramento to San Diego. He was president for 20 years and honorary president for the last five years. Throughout the years he was the chairman of the Preparation Committee and in 1986, started the Orange County Japanese American Association and became the vice president for five years. He took an active part in opening the Urasenke Tankokai Orange County Association in 1988 and is its president.

In 2006 he is still working at his office. He believes in the idea of "never too old to learn." He currently resides in Villa Park with his wife and two sons.

Bishop Taisen Miyata
nominated by the Koyasan Buddhist Temple

Bishop Taisen Miyata, age 75, has served in the U.S. for 49 years. Most recently he was head minister of Koyasan Buddhist Mission in the U. S. and the Koyasan Buddhist Temple of Los Angeles until his retirement in 2007.

He was born in 1932 in Ehime-ken, Japan. Ordained in 1949, Bishop Miyata received his bachelor's degree from Koyasan University in 1953. In 1959 he came to the U.S., accepting the Koyasan Shingon Buddhist Mission at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple.

From 1959 to 1977, Bishop Miyata was resident minister at Koyasan Buddhist Mission and served as the troop minister of Koyasan Boy Scout Troop 379. Additionally, he was a Japanese language instructor at the Venice Japanese School in Los Angeles from 1960 to 1962, after which he served until 1965 as the principal of the Garden Grove Japanese School. Bishop Miyata received his master's degree in major religion from USC in 1966.

Moving to Sacramento in 1978, he was appointed as head minister of the Northern California Koyasan Temple, remaining there for 13 years. In 1979, Bishop Miyata initiated the annual summer Buddhist rite "Toro-Nagashi" on the Sacramento River in cooperation with Congressman Robert Matsui and Mr. Kazuo Ohsawa, manager of Union Bank in Sacramento. From 1978 to 1998, he supervised missions for Oregon's Koyasan Shinnoin Temple, Seattle's Koyasan Church, and Canada's Steveston Daishi-ko. In 1981, he initiated the Matsuyama-Sacramento Sister City Corporation with Professor Kazuo C. Ninomiya for promoting friendship between the U.S. and Japan, and served as advisor/member until 1991.

Returning to Los Angeles in 1991, he was appointed as Associate Bishop of Koyasan Shingon Mission and promoted to Bishop of Koyasan Betsuin in 1993.

Bishop Miyata received the Missionary Award "Kaikyo-koro-sho" from Koyasan Shingon Mission headquarters in Japan in 1988. In 2001, he received the Propagation Award "Mikkyo-kyoka-sho" from the Shingon sects/missions headquarters in Kyoto, and in 2003 was elevated to the highest rank "Daisojo" from the Koyasan Shingon Mission.

He has written several English Buddhist books and published articles. His works on Shingon Buddhism include: Ajikan Meditation (20 pages); A Henro Pilgrimage to the 88 Temples of Shikoku Island, Japan (160 pages); A Study of Ritual Mudras in Shingon Tradition and Their Symbolism (205 pages); Handbook on the Four Stages of Prayoga in Koyasan School (374 pages); The Way of Great Enjoyment (48 pages); and Thirteen Buddhas (24 pages).

In addition to his mission work and writing, Bishop Miyata served as president of Los Angeles Buddhist Church Federation from 2001-2005.

Tak T. Nishi
nominated by the Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai

Born in 1936, Tak T. Nishi moved to Japan when he was five years old. His education in Japan included 14 years at Kaseda High School and Kagoshima Shodai. In 1956 he returned to Los Angeles.

Nishi served in the U.S. military, spending two years in the U.S. Army's Officer Candidate School (OCS). After honorable discharge, he started working as a gardener and obtained his state license in landscaping. For his work, he received the 1997 Rokuhakuju Yukosho from the Japanese Agricultural society.

Currently Nishi serves as the president of Kotobuki kai and Hanamatsuri entertainment chairman for the West Los Angeles Buddhist Church. In addition, Nishi has supported the Japanese Institute of Sawtelle for 33 years, previously serving as its president and education chairman, and currently serving on its board of directors.

He is also the current president and cabinet member of the Kagoshima Kenjinkai, an organization he's been involved with for more than 34 years. Since 1986 he has been involved with the Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai, serving as the chairman of the Scholarship Charity Show for 14 years, coordinating the event and inviting special guest performers from Japan each year.

Nishi has been a board member for the Japanese Community Pioneer Center for many years, providing support with many of its charity shows. He is also a long-time board member of the Japanese Chamber of Commece, providing support at its Oshogatsu event in Little Tokyo and year-end charity drive for Koreisha Chushoku Kai.

Extremely active in the Japanese community, he is: vice president of Hyakudokai, Showakai and served 15 organziation officers; president for the Japanese Folk Song Matsutoyokai for more than 20 years; president for Nanka Nihon Minyo Kyokai since 2005, coordinating its show for more than 14 years; and president of the Los Angeles Kayo Club for 20 years.

In addition, Nishi has been the master of ceremonies for more than 45 years, at more than 600 Japanese community events, including: Fuji Accordion Band, Shotokyo Band, Yokotake Family Band, S.F. Sakura Matsuri, Kohaku Utagassen, Folk Song Show, Morishige Hisaya Show, and Kasuga Hachiro Show. Moreover, he has promoted and emceed many community charity events including Koreisha Fund, New York Fund and Niigata Earthquake Fund.

Nishi and his wife Keiko have two children, Naomi and Daniel, and currently have three grandchildren and a fourth due in December.

Shoichi Sayano
nominated by the LA Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple

Shoichi Sayano was born in 1935 in Los Angeles. His family was incarcerated in the Poston, Arizona camp during World War II, but after a few months, moved to Layton, Utah where they resided until the end of the war.

Upon return to Los Angeles in 1946, he attended local schools and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights. He attended Los Angeles City College, transferred to UCLA and received his bachelor's degree in 1958. While working for Douglas Aircraft as an aero/thermodynamic engineer, he received a company scholarship to UCLA where he received his master's degree in engineering in 1963. Sayano is currently the president of Nanka Seimen Company, where he has worked since 1970.

During this time he also attended Kyodo System Japanese Language School, where he was a member of the first graduate high school division in 1960. Sayano was part of the first Kyodo System goodwill trip to Japan in commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of Commodore Perry's start of the Japan-U.S. relationship. While there, they were able to meet with former Crown Prince Akihito.

In 1947 Sayano started studying judo with Shitamochi Judo Dojo and received his "shodan" in 1951. He has been a judo instructor for more than 50 years, starting with the Shitamochi Judo Dojo, Rafu Dojo and currently with Nishi Judo Dojo. He presently holds a 6th degree black belt.

Sayano also has a long history of involvement with Boy Scouts of America. After joining Koyasan Buddhist Temple Troop 379 in 1947, he became a highly decorated scout, earning his Eagle Scout rank in 1951 and later receiving the Gold Palm, Silver Beaver, Award of Merit, Scoutmaster Key, and Scoutmaster's Award, among others. In 1952, he was selected by KFI radio as one of the outstanding Eagle Scouts in the Los Angeles Area Council.

He was assistant scoutmaster for Troop 379 for six years and scoutmaster from 1959-1969. Sayano organized Troop 738, sponsored by Nishi Hongwanji in 1969, and served as scoutmaster until 1998. Since 1960 he has served as district character board member and on various committees. Over the years he has participated in several Asian Jamborees held in Japan as well as goodwill trip ambassador.

In his spare time, Sayano is a member of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California and Nanka Fukuoka Kenjinkai. He has been married to his wife Nobuko since 1962 and has two sons, Koichi and Masahiro, and also a granddaughter, Kristen.

Tamio Uyemura
nominated by The Taisho Club

Tamio Uyemura was born in Los Angeles on January 9, 1925. At age six, he was sent to his parents' native town of Okawa lbusuki-gun, Kagoshima-ken, Japan where he attended grade school and graduated from Kagoshima Commercial High School. While at the high school, he was selected to represent Kagoshima-ken and compete at the All Japan High School Kendo Championship in 1942. He won the national championship in the group competition category. After his graduation from high school, he worked at the national government tax offices in Kagoshima-ken for 11 years until 1960, when he resigned from the post and returned to the United States. With his wife and three children, he settled in Los Angeles and took a gardening job. He continued in the profession for 35 years and retired in 1995.

Uyemura devoted more than 40 years of his life learning and teaching the art of Japanese poetry called "tanka." Together with other leaders of tanka circles, he helped establish tanka study groups - the Sequoia Tanka Society in 1973 and the Joshua Tanka Society in 1991. He was instrumental in starting a new study group, the Hikobae Tanka Society in 1995. At the study groups' monthly meetings, he and other instructors helped his tanka students improve their composition skills.

Additionally, Uyemura actively engaged in volunteer work with several organizations in the Japanese American community. He was a member of the Beikoku Shodo Kenkyukai for 25 years, serving as its board chairman for five years from 1992 to 1997. He also served on the boards of directors for Kagoshima Kenjinkai and Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai.

His contribution to the community outside of tanka is most widely recognized for his leadership role with the Taisho Club. Serving on the board of directors since its inception in 1968, Uyemura held various positions within the organization - the auditor for seven years, special account treasurer for 22 years, newsletter editor for 33 years, vice president for three years and president for two years. He has been a strong supporter of the Taisho Club's participation in bonsai and precious stone exhibits at the annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival. Uyemura has also been the driving force behind the Taisho Club's annual Free Health Examination and Flu Immunization Program.

The Nisei Week Festival, the longest running ethnic festival in the U.S., has been attracting hundreds of thousands of people each year since its inception in 1934 (except during WWII from 1942 - 1948) to Little Tokyo to enjoy a Japanese American arts and cultural experience and this year Nisei Week organizers - who are all volunteers - hope to draw even more to the community.

The 2007 Nisei Week Japanese Festival takes place in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo District from August 18-26. For calendar of events and volunteer information on the 67th Nisei Week Festival, please log onto www.NiseiWeek.org or call the Nisei Week Foundation office at 213/687-7193. The Nisei Week office is located at 244 South San Pedro Street, Suite 303, Los Angeles, Calif., 90012.

Calendar Listing [view]
Volunteer Information [view]