Stuff contributed by gilasakawa

Nikkei View
Reiko Rizzuto’s “Hiroshima in the Morning” is a powerful memoir - Part 2
Gil Asakawa
>> Part 1I emailed Rizzuto, who’s now a teacher at Goddard College in Vermont, where she teaches in the MFA in Creative Writing program, to see if I could ask several questions about her and the book. Here are excerpts from her responses:

Nikkei View
Reiko Rizzuto’s “Hiroshima in the Morning” is a powerful memoir - Part 1
Gil Asakawa
The media are reporting on how Muslim Americans are braced for attacks this weekend, because of the 9/11 anniversary. I know what that’s like, unfortunately, though not on the scale of violence and hatred Muslims are facing today.

Nikkei View
RIP Kyoko Kita – Denver’s Japanese community loses a cultural giant
Gil Asakawa
Tonight Erin and I heard some sad and shocking news. Kyoko Kita, a sensei, or teacher, of almost any traditional Japanese art or cultural tradition, died this morning of a massive heart attack while driving her sister and cousin back to Denver International Airport for their return to Japan. When …

Nikkei View
Margaret Kasahara’s pop art pokes at Asian stereotypes
Gil Asakawa
Margaret Kasahara was almost half an hour late to the opening reception of her first Denver solo exhibit, at the Sandra Phillips Gallery along the Arts District on Santa Fe Drive. Her fans, friends and collectors milled around soaking in the art on the wall, and made chit-chat until she …

Nikkei View
“Ninja Assassin” updates the ninja image for the 21st century
Gil Asakawa
The new movie “Ninja Assassin” just might spark a new wave of fascination with Asian martial arts, but instead of kung fu, the fad will be for ninjutsu, the art of the ninja warrior.

Nikkei View
In praise of San Jose’s Japantown — the JA Mayberry
Gil Asakawa
Unlike the many Chinatowns that serve as ethnic cultural enclaves in many American cities from coast to coast, and the increasing numbers of districts variously called “Koreatowns” and “Little Saigons,” you won’t find many Nihonmachi , or Japantowns. There are lots of reasons for this, but the main one is …