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May 2024 Issue: Japantowns Cover Art

Photo Credit:

Kyle Okazaki

Kyle Okazaki

May 6, 2024

To celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month, we wanted to highlight our Japantowns by dedicating our May issue to these spaces. Cover art by Kyle Okazaki, read more about his piece now.

Little Tokyo contains ideas and places that I hold dear, which are depicted within the confines of the ever-shrinking 3 block radius. Inspired by the album cover of Radiohead's "Hail to the Thief," this piece displays what Little Tokyo stands to lose or has already lost, in line with the themes of greed and ignorance present in the album. The bright colors demand the attention and care required to maintain such a space, and contrast with the surrounding area of Los Angeles.

Has an approximate knowledge of many things. UCLA alum, engineer, musician, and life long learner.

Culture & Community

Sports & Leisure

me when the UV index is 11 | July 2024 radiYO! Playlists

Dance in the summer sun to playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

Christopher Sean, Tamlyn Tomita and Gedde Watanabe bring Ultraman to new generation in Netflix’s “Ultraman: Rising”

Yo! sat down with the cast of "Ultraman: Rising" cast members to talk about the film, what it means to bring the franchise to a new generation, and some of their favorite Japanese American community spots.

JUNE BLOOM | June 2024 radiYO! Playlists

Celebrate Pride Month 2024 with playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

9 Anime Characters Who Hit the Mark on LGBTQ+ Representation

Anime doesn’t often tread is in the direction of queer characters, but several anime and manga creators have managed to slip queer and queer coded characters into their media anyways. Here are some of my personal favorites!

Our Latest Articles

My Japanese school closed and I don’t know how to feel

By

Emi Guzman

I

September 1, 2024

As the San Gabriel Valley community bids farewell to Kodomo no Ie—a Japanese school and cultural epicenter for Shin-Nisei Japanese Americans—I reflect about the place that I dedicated my Saturday mornings to for nearly ten years.

Yo! Accelerator: Spotlight on our 2024 Projects

By

Craig Ishii

I

August 5, 2024

Discover the inspiring stories behind three innovative community projects selected for the Yo! Accelerator and learn how they aim to preserve culture, uplift communities, and promote wellness.

me when the UV index is 11 | July 2024 radiYO! Playlists

By

Nicole Oshima

I

July 25, 2024

Dance in the summer sun to playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

If I must die, let it bring hope, let it be a tale: Palestinian Martyrs Guiding Us this Obon Season

By

Devon Matsumoto

I

July 9, 2024

Obon is supposed to be a time of joy, reflection, and celebration in honor of our ancestors who have come before us and who now tirelessly work to guide us towards our own liberation. And yet, I feel no joy in Obon as it approaches this year.

Christopher Sean, Tamlyn Tomita and Gedde Watanabe bring Ultraman to new generation in Netflix’s “Ultraman: Rising”

By

Nicole Oshima

I

June 13, 2024

Yo! sat down with the cast of "Ultraman: Rising" cast members to talk about the film, what it means to bring the franchise to a new generation, and some of their favorite Japanese American community spots.

JUNE BLOOM | June 2024 radiYO! Playlists

By

Nicole Oshima

I

June 13, 2024

Celebrate Pride Month 2024 with playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

9 Anime Characters Who Hit the Mark on LGBTQ+ Representation

By

Alicia Tan

I

June 4, 2024

Anime doesn’t often tread is in the direction of queer characters, but several anime and manga creators have managed to slip queer and queer coded characters into their media anyways. Here are some of my personal favorites!

hair down, headphones on | May 2024 radiYO! Playlists - APAHM

By

Nicole Oshima

I

May 28, 2024

Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month 2024 with playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

Meet Cristina Moon, Author of "Three Years on the Great Mountain: A Memoir of Zen and Fearlessness"

By

Nicole Oshima

I

May 24, 2024

Rev. Cristina Moon (she/her) is a Zen priest living and training at Daihonzan Chozen-ji, a Rinzai Zen temple and martial arts dojo in Honolulu. Her new book, "Three Years on the Great Mountain: A Memoir of Zen and Fearlessness," details her early days as a human rights activist and her journey to Chozen-ji. She spoke with Yo! about her story and the book, which is available for pre-order now and will be in bookstores beginning June 18.

KOTONK | Excerpt From "Three Years on the Great Mountain: A Memoir of Zen and Fearlessness" by Cristina Moon

By

Cristina Moon

I

May 24, 2024

Available June 18, 2024, author Cristina Moon shares an excerpt of "Kotonk" from "Three Years on the Great Mountain: A Memoir of Zen and Fearlessness" with Yo! Magazine, reprinted in arrangement with Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Your matcha tastes like grass because it’s poorly made

By

Alexa Toguri-Laurin

I

May 24, 2024

Contributor Alexa Toguri-Laurin shares how the recent saying “matcha tastes like grass” divides tea and coffee lovers and critiques poor matcha production.

Dear 5844

By

Alicia Tan

I

May 9, 2024

Sometimes I wonder, if I was able to do it all for you, if some magic twist of fate gave me the power to take your place in that camp all those years ago, would I do it? To live in a barn infested with termites, to shed my Japanese name and tongue, to live a life of uncertainty, would I be able to do it all if it meant I could meet you and call you Grandpa?

May 2024 Issue: Japantowns Cover Art

By

Kyle Okazaki

I

May 6, 2024

To celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month, we wanted to highlight our Japantowns by dedicating our May issue to these spaces. Cover art by Kyle Okazaki, read more about his piece now.

Hula Practices in Little Osaka

By

Kayla Tanaka

I

May 6, 2024

Most SoCal Japanese Americans look at Sawtelle as a place of gathering to eat, shop for J-pop influenced items, enjoy West L.A. obon, and visit the local nursery. To me, Sawtelle symbolizes HOURS of hula competition practices and bonding with hula sisters over a sweet treat from Pinkberry.

A Sho-Time Capsule: Stories about the Dodgers, Street Art & The Japanese Renaissance

By

Kevin Charles Keizuchi

I

May 4, 2024

Every time I go down to Little Tokyo I can't help but smile at the larger-than-life portrait towering over the Yagura. Shohei has become a fixture of the street. Kevin asks community members for their reactions to the new Shohei Ohtani mural.

The Death Deck Aims to Normalize Conversations About Death

By

Nicole Oshima

I

May 3, 2024

How comfortable are you with talking about death? Would you feel more comfortable talking about it over some beers and pizza with friends?

From Intern to C-suite: Embracing the Career Journey

By

Kenyon Mayeda

I

May 3, 2024

Initially, it wasn’t apparent how my connection to the community would help me advance my career, especially in the for-profit world. However, your unique mix of experiences and community connections may generate the most distinct and valuable ideas that anyone around you has seen.

Unsolicited Opinions on Ramen, from a Ramen Hater

By

Dani Yang

I

May 3, 2024

Perhaps the one that most often sparks conversation amongst friends and strangers alike (and is thus impulsively dropped into random moments of stalled conversation on my most annoying and devious of whims), is my dislike of ramen.

Between Queens: Reflections on Court Experiences from LA to SF to HI

By

Justin Kawaguchi

I

May 2, 2024

Reflections from this past year's three festival queens in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Honolulu!

Love in a Grocery Store Aisle

By

Alicia Tan

I

April 25, 2024

I know that for many, Little Tokyo is more than just a tourist spot. It’s a safe space for Japanese people to gather and participate in community activities and building. If a Japantown is supposed to be a safe space for Japanese people, then Japanese markets are my Japantown.

In Defense of Natto

By

Sean Macdonald

I

April 17, 2024

I contend, try natto. It may seem disgusting, but really dive deep and see for yourself.

dancing in the starshine | April 2024 radiYO! Playlists

By

Nicole Oshima

I

April 16, 2024

Celebrate the end of spring with playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

laying under sakura trees | March 2024 radiYO! Playlists

By

Nicole Oshima

I

March 20, 2024

Celebrate cherry blossom szn with playlists made by some of our favorite tastemakers.

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By

Kent Marume

I

March 16, 2024

Learn how I only spent around $1,250 this year on two roundtrip international flights, 10 nights in Japan, and three nights in Amsterdam.

A Student's Guide to Organizing a Day of Remembrance

By

Alicia Tan

I

March 6, 2024

If you’ve ever been interested in organizing a Day of Remembrance ceremony for your community, here is a beginner-friendly guide from newbie Alicia Tan who successfully participated in the organization of two this year.

Studio Ghibli’s Mundane Masterpiece

By

Alicia Tan

I

January 18, 2024

If there’s one thing Studio Ghibli is known for, it’s their ability to create amazing fantasy worlds. So why is it that my favorite Studio Ghibli film takes place in our own mundane world?

“The Boy and the Heron” Prepares Studio Ghibli Fans to Say Goodbye

By

Alicia Tan

I

January 18, 2024

Although “The Boy and the Heron” encapsulates a profound message about physical loss, it also feels like a love letter to Studio Ghibli fans.

To my younger self: A semester into college, here’s what I know!

By

Alicia Tan

I

January 18, 2024

I just finished my first semester of college, and since college was always the one big milestone you were looking forward to, I’m here to let you know that things aren’t exactly how we expected them to be. Fear not, though, I’m here to quell all your worries and let you know how our first semester went.

Yo! This is Who I Am: Kevin Charles Keizuchi of The Shinsei Movement

By

Kevin Charles Keizuchi

I

January 18, 2024

If information is power, then shouldn’t we all strive for all the people in our community to feel powerful?

Finding Home Everywhere

By

Meili Britton

I

January 12, 2024

As the daughter of a U.S. diplomat, I’ve never lived in any country longer than four years, my entire family packing up our lives and transplanting ourselves into a new culture any time my father’s job called for it. After years of trying to find home, I now balance many cultures and practices into a unique and ever-changing identity in search of peace and community.

Survive This Winter The Japanese Way!

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I

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How to survive winter, Japanese style

Okaeri 2023: A Beautiful and Transformative Conference

By

Jasmine Kono-Song

I

December 18, 2023

I was honored to be part of such a large gathering of queer and trans Nikkei. My feelings of shame were replaced with pride, as I heard Japanese Americans of different sexualities, genders, and generations share their stories.

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