Portland, Ore. – Grown in Japan since the 8th century, the chrysanthemum is the official flower of Japan, and along with the Japanese maple, it is considered the quintessential symbol of autumn and a constant motif in literature and art. The highest Order of Chivalry is called the Order of the Chrysanthemum, and the Imperial crest features a 16-petalled chrysanthemum. Kiku Matsuri, the Chrysanthemum Festival, honors this beloved flower and is the fifth of the cycle of five annual Go-Sekku festivals in the traditional Japanese calendar. More…
By James Hill
During a recent visit to Yoshi Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, Washington, I had a pleasant conversation with the owner, Nakao Yoshihiro, concerning his plans for the future. Unfortunately, he intends to sell the restaurant due to health issues surrounding his recovery from a stroke he suffered four years ago and a second one he experienced this year. He feels it is unfair to his many loyal customers to remain open indefinitely if he is no longer physically capable of running the restaurant at the same high standard they have come to expect for the last fourteen years. More…
Critical year purification ceremony to purify and dispel misfortune. According to the “Kigaku” (or Shinto divination method) the ages of 16, 24 and 40, 41, 42 for men and 12, 18 and 31, 32, 33 for women are considered Yakudoshi or critical year; the years 41 for men and 32 for women are considered Taiyaku or Honnyaku, meaning grand climactic years, with the preceding year Maeyaku and the following year Atoyaku requiring a special ceremony, also. These ages are according to Kazoedoshi (counting system where a person is 1 year old at birth) those who like to receive YAKUBARAE who cannot attend Taisai can make arrangements anytime by contacting Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America. More…
No one understands the importance of civil rights better than those who were interned because of Executive Order 9066. EO 9066, as it is called, was an action taken by President Franklin D. Roosevelt that sent over 100,000 people “of Japanese Ancestry” to relocation centers during most of World War II. To honor those citizens in our community who paid a personal sacrifice EO 9066, the Portland Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) will hold a Day of Remembrance event at Portland State University’s George C. Hoffmann Hall on Sunday, February 24, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The program will examine historical and current threats to civil rights in America. More…
I recently met with Jeff Selby, the new Portland JACL president. He is enthusiastic about his new position and I am convinced he has the talent, drive and energy to accomplish great things for Portland.
Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Jeff Selby is an Army brat who started his involvement with the JACL at the tender age of seven in 1976, the inaugural year of the Hoosier JACL Chapter. He says those years helped him learn and understand the importance of two things: pride in Japanese and American cultures, and the importance of civil rights for all. His late father was a JACL President and as the newest president of the Portland Chapter of the JACL, Jeff is proud to continue that legacy. More…
There has been a lot happening at Richmond this fall/winter. Principal Kathryn Anderson has taken an already outstanding immersion program and elevated it to even higher levels of achievement and success. The future is bright for this extraordinary school. More…
