Finally, Finally

Our first live performance after the Pandemic was at Charlestown Senior Living in Catonsville, Maryland. For us it was a lot of fun. One resident wrote:
 “Finally, finally, it became a reality. Since we moved to Charlestown, I had been thinking about bringing you and Amy [Thomas] here so that Japanese traditional music can be introduced to residents of Charlestown.

I am happy to say that it went very well beyond my expectation. Your Koto and Amy’s flute blended really nicely and the talk in between was really helpful for us to understand the music. Your humor did help also. Thank you so much for your wonderful performance. I hope you and Amy come back for another performance.” -Kay Buck.

A Japanese Oasis: Kawafuku

An escape to Japan was Kawafuku in the center of LittleTokyo, Los Angeles. Large enough to hold important events the original owner was Mr. Kato. With the war, Kawafuku became Shepps Playhouse where Black occupants enjoyed eating, dancing, and listening to jazz played by Charlie Bird Parker and Miles David.

After the war, Tokijiro and Chihoko Nakashima purchased Kawafuku and transformed it into a Japanese oasis. Americans returning from Occupied Japan nostalgically patronized it, trying to relive the Japan they grew to love. They were greeted with Japanese décor, cuisine, and kimono clad waitresses, and sushi, which was first introduced there. Kawafuku is noted as one of thirteen restaurants that changed Los Angele’s cuisine forever. With changes in Little Tokyo, Kawafuku moved to Gardena then closed in the mid-1980s. Today it is remembered as the classiest Japanese restaurant ever.

(Image: original ad from Kawafuku restaurant)

What’s American?

I found supermarkets are not alone in offering sushi to their American customers. The Woodmont Grill, purported to be an all-American restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland, installed a sushi bar in 2018, and provide hashi (chop sticks) in a container at every table. (Hashi is useful for eating French fries.) Who would have guessed that sushi, that first appeared on Kawafuku’s menu, would also be included at Woodmont Grill, an all-American restaurant? Photographed here is the non-Asian sushi chef and a nigiri platter.