SOUNDS, TASTES OF JAPAN FAMILY ROOTS, HISTORY FETED.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer PACOIMA - Pounding taiko
Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . The 52nd annual Obon Festival at the San Fernando Valley Japanese- American Community Center was a showcase for Japanese-American folk dancing, arts, food and games. The two-day festival also brought generations of Japanese-American community members together for an annual reunion before the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple. ``It's great,'' said Jeremy Tsuneishi, 25, of Northridge, who had just finished his stint as chef for yakisoba, or stir-fried noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. , at one of the numerous food booths. ``A lot of family history comes to this festival - some of them fourth-generation.'' Fathers, sons, mothers and daughters joined friends around a raised Japanese gazebo gazebo Lookout in the form of a turret, cupola (small, lanternlike dome), or garden house set on a height to give an extensive view. Few late-18th- and 19th-century rustic gazebos survive, but 17th-century turrets built up in an angle of the garden wall are not uncommon. containing six large wooden drums in the center of a ring of game tents and food booths. The weekend featured traditional Japanese dancing, drumming, calligraphy calligraphy (kəlĭg`rəfē) [Gr.,=beautiful writing], skilled penmanship practiced as a fine art. See also inscription; paleography. European Calligraphy In Europe two sorts of handwriting came into being very early. , tea ceremonies, flower arrangements, bonsai bonsai (bōn`sī), art of cultivating dwarf trees. Bonsai, developed by the Japanese more than a thousand years ago, is derived from the Chinese practice of growing miniature plants. miniatures, handmade Japanese dolls, kimonos, games and Japanese fare - from Kirin beer to teriyaki ter·i·ya·ki n. A Japanese dish of grilled or broiled slices of marinated meat or shellfish. [Japanese : teri, glaze + yaki, to broil.] Noun 1. to dango cakes. Large paper lanterns swayed on a light breeze while Japanese music played softly overhead. ``I'm happy,'' said Michelle Hale, 5, of Canyon Country, after hooking a wooden fish for a $4 double-windmill hair band. Raising money for church groups, college clubs and sports teams, the games included baseball and ring and goldfish toss. The free festival is also a major fund-raiser for the community center. ``I've been coming here for 20 years,'' said Bob Singer, 44, of Woodland Hills, who courted his wife at the Obon Festival. ``It's like coming home.'' Bonsai growers gathered in the shade to show off years of watering and training. ``It's my baby,'' said Frank Inoshito, 71, of North Hollywood, pointing to gnarly (jargon) gnarly - /nar'lee/ Both obscure and hairy. "Yow! - the tuned assembler implementation of BitBlt is really gnarly!" From a similar but less specific usage in surfer slang. California juniper he's been grooming since 1978. Celebrating the return of ancestral spirits underlies the ancient Obon observance, also known as the Festival of the Dead. Buddhists in Japan and beyond hold a memorial service each July to honor the sacrifice and devotion of parents and grandparents grandparents npl → abuelos mpl grandparents grand npl → grands-parents mpl grandparents grand npl . ``It's to celebrate our ancestors who, legend goes, once a year come back,'' said Paul Jonokuchi, vice chairman of the festival. ``We symbolize gratitude and thanks - and to give thanks to those around us.'' Dana Bartholomew, (818) 713-3730 dana.bartholomew(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- 2) Taiko drumming and ethnic food are among the treats Sunday at the 52nd annual Obon Festival at the San Fernando Valley Japanese-American Community Center. Stirring up fresh yakisoba, or stir-fried noodles, are, below from left, Kyle Nakamura, Tom Inatomi and Jeremy Tsuneishi. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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