Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal: Ohtani Day, Nisei Week, LA part of Japan?

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

Ohtani Day, Nisei Week, LA part of Japan?

Los Angeles is up on the right, way up
Nisei Week Japanese Festival just wrapped up in Los Angeles. Then the Nippon-mania began. Formosa (Taiwan) must be jealous. Player Shohei Ohtani came to the USA to teach Americans how baseball is played. The Dodgers bought him (price tag ~$700 million) to come make millions for Los Angeles. And, boy, is he ever paying off! He high fives his dog, Decoy, hits homers for the massive viewing audience across the sound in Tokyo, Waikiki, and up the way in San Francisco.

LA, like Japan, is in the ring of fire quake zone

Is there still a remnant population of railroad builders and Zen practitioners (Shinto worshippers) in that Central California concentration camp (Manzanar) from The "Good" War (WWII) when Japanese Americans were rounded up, interned, and deprived of earnings and property, dignity and freedom, due process and reparations. Forty thousand fans tried their best, stood in line for a workday, traffic jammed up DTLA to get to Chavez Ravine, and had a bumper party at this devotional tribute to the god/kami that is Ohtani.

Buddhism in the United States of America

Nisei Week, during Japan Month, Los Angeles

Made in Japan: Not So Ape (shop now)

Nisei Week (二世週祭, Nisei-shū Matsuri) is an annual festival celebrating Japanese American (JA) culture and history in Little Tokyo, near Chinatown Los Angeles (DTLA).

Nisei means "second generation" in Japanese, describing the first American-born Japanese, a group the seven-day festival was originally meant to attract.

Though named for the Nisei generation, Nisei Week is no longer targeted at Niseis, nor is the festival still contained within a week.

It's time to be cool and go Everyday Zen.

Nisei Week Foundation President (2006) Michelle Suzuki described the festival as "the opportunity for people of all backgrounds to celebrate Japanese heritage and culture" [1].

Festivities are held over one month, though the main attractions are held during the primary two weekends of the festival in the summer heat of mid-August.

Nisei Week draws tens of thousands of participants each year from the Japanese community and Southern California area, mostly to its Grand Parade and specialized festivals. More

Shohei Ohtani homers on Shohei Ohtani/Decoy Bobblehead Night! | 大谷翔平ハイライト

(MLB) Aug. 28, 2024: Japanese baseball great Shohei Ohtani does it for his dog Decoy! Come on down to Dodger Stadium to stand in line for eight hours to get a collectible bobblehead doll of this handsome man with a bad lookalike translator to sell in on eBay for, say, $5,000 bucks ($10,000 for a gold colored one) or now only $199 from a $40 ticket to the game (mlb).

🔥🐶 Shohei-Decoy Bobblehead LA Dodgers 🇯🇵🔥 | eBay

Long lines seen at Dodger Stadium for special edition Shohei Ohtani bobblehead

(KTLA 5) Aug. 28, 2024: Long lines of excited fans waited outside Dodger Stadium on Wednesday for a chance to snag a special edition Shohei Ohtani Bobblehead. The sought-after bobblehead features Ohtani smiling in his Dodgers uniform while holding his beloved dog named Decoy. Loyal fans of the baseball star lined up at the stadium hours before the gates opened, hoping to snag the coveted figurine before supplies ran out. KTLA's Kimberly Cheng reports on Aug. 28, 2024. KTLA 5 News, keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.