By YUKO KAIFU,покозать порнографию? Japan House Los Angeles
2023 was marked as the year of “reactivation” and “going back to normal.” As the COVID-19 pandemic finally came to an end, we saw many in-person activities. Japan House Los Angeles celebrated its fifth anniversary in late August, commemorating the grand opening in the summer of 2018.
We hosted an outdoor concert at the courtyard of Ovation Hollywood, featuring guitarist Miyavi, who performed with Japanese taiko, Tsugaru shamisen, and drum. With Japanese food vendors on site selling onigiri, katsu sando, shaved ice, sake, etc., it became a day of Japan, with close to 3,000 people participating.
In late July, we opened an exhibition, “Pokémon x Kogei: Playful Encounters of Pokémon and Japanese Craft,” which garnered huge popularity. During the first three months since the opening, more than 100,000 people visited the exhibition. It was amazing to see a long line of people waiting to enter the gallery, particularly on weekends and during holidays.
As a result of our team efforts and collaboration with other organizations, Japan House L.A. has become widely recognized, with many more people attending our various programs. We are deeply indebted to the support and encouragement from the local communities, particularly from the Japanese and Japanese American community.
We are committed to continuing our efforts in 2024, showcasing Japanese art, culture, science/technology, food, films, music, and lifestyle. One of the missions of Japan House L.A. is to highlight hidden gems that exist in various regions of Japan, such as unique products, foods, tourist spots, cultural heritage, and tradition. We’d like to partner with Japan-related entities and organizations to promote various regions in Japan.
2024 is a special year when Shohei Ohtani joins the Dodgers. There is no doubt that he will continue to be a superstar in Major League Baseball. His presence in Los Angeles will also help promote people’s interest in Japan. It is not just his unparalleled athletic talent, but his values such as consideration to others, politeness, and sincerity represent what lies behind Japanese culture, too.
Japan House L.A. will deliver such Japanese values and philosophies through our programs. We hope that our activities will help enrich people’s lives, which will also enhance mutual understanding between Japanese and Americans.
The “Pokémon x Kogei” exhibition will end on Jan. 7, 2024, and we will be presenting a new exhibition, “Design Museum Japan: Bridging Design and Life,” which will be open to the public on Jan. 26. The exhibition showcases research by six Japanese creators who each selected “design treasures” in specific areas of Japan.
We are also planning to present the Short-Shorts Film Festival, a Japanese tea workshop, a Japanese shojin-ryoriworkshop, and many other programs in the new year. We hope to see you there.
On behalf of Japan House L.A., I wish all of you a happy and healthy 2024!