At the Japan Foundation from May 1st to August 31st: https://www.jpf.go.jp/e/project/culture/exhibit/traveling/manga_hokusai.html

2019 Nisei Week Queen and court candidates: http://www.niseiweek.org/2019-nisei-week-queen-candidates/

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that some nutcase started a fire at Kyoto Animation and 35 people were killed. Japan Foundation Los Angeles is screening Kyoto Animation works for three days starting August 8th. Admission is free, but they are accepting donations to help out Kyoto Animation: https://www.jflalc.org/ac-japanema-prayforkyoani

Juli Yoshinaga 2019 Nisei Week Queen: http://www.rafu.com/2019/08/juli-yoshinaga-crowned-2019-nisei-week-queen/

And on top of everything else, Japan Film Festival this weekend: https://www.jffla.org/?fbclid=IwAR1ov282NFeM9JKJEohits6kRirrh6axYekLDvan3CcxoGHtJQM8wDNzUzQ

September 25th, the original Godzilla: https://www.jflalc.org/ac-japanema-092519

^ The original Godzilla has Raymond Burr as a character called Steve Martin. Too bad in none of the sequels they had Steve Martin play a character called Raymond Burr.
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Another Japanese film festival coming up the first weekend of November: https://www.japancutshollywood.com/?fbclid=IwAR0HPnMS5LVlfx3-sHHlw3yUIlDYB_0ke_LRi9WkwtEXLnbJmFYGU7mqAiU

Opened on Saturday, runs until June. First time JANM has had an exhibit about the atomic bombings: http://www.janm.org/exhibits/under-a-mushroom-cloud/

Okay kids, time to unleash that inner Sonny Chiba: https://www.jflalc.org/ac-others63-samurai

Curry House gone, but not forgotten: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/curry-house-restaurants-closed/2316268/

gaijinmark wrote:

Curry House gone, but not forgotten: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/curry-house-restaurants-closed/2316268/

The chain got screwed when it was purchased by another company last year, I think.

There's nothing on the Nisei Week website, but the Nisei Week Foundation put this on their Facebook page. Sounds pretty official to me:

"In light of the continual COVID-19 concerns and based on the recommendations made by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State of California, and local government, the Nisei Week Foundation has decided to postpone the 80th Nisei Week Japanese Festival. The safety and health of our volunteers and attendees remain our highest priority.

It is our hope that we will be able to hold the festival in 2021. We will post updates on our social media accounts and NiseiWeek.org as soon as a new date is determined and other events are scheduled.

We thank you for your continued support and your understanding. We look forward to seeing you soon and encourage everyone to continue supporting Little Tokyo restaurants and businesses during this time. Stay safe and well."

Edit: Well, it's officially official now. They've posted it to their website, same notice as the one on Facebook: http://www.niseiweek.org/covid-19-information/

There will be a Nisei Week this year. Sort of: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/the-scene/nisei-week-will-celebrate-virtually-in-2020/2404591/?fbclid=IwAR0WHGkrWNgJDGi0AcHJLgpBiX4

The Japanese American National Museum is closed for the pandemic, but they do have a virtual site: http://www.janm.org/

For those of us that remember what Little Tokyo used to be like, this is not really news, but it looks like they're having the same problem up North: https://www.yahoo.com/news/pandemic-threatens-destroy-americas-three-164345083.html

If you believe in planning ahead, Japan Expo 2021 will be October, assuming any of us are still here: http://www.jpexpousa.com/

This is from a couple years ago, but they showed it again the other day on channel 7.2. I missed it the first time around: https://www.facebook.com/localish/videos/worth-the-wait-daikokuya-ramen/1936685096625593/

^ He said he opened the place in 2002. Seems like it's been open longer than that.
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ashley juggs wrote:

^ He said he opened the place in 2002. Seems like it's been open longer than that.

Yeah, I thought so too. Speaking of which, was down in Little Tokyo today, stopped off at Kinokuniya to pick up the guide book for "Seiten wo Tsuke". (Dunno why, the last Taiga they showed here was "Naotora".) Anyway, they have a full lane of traffic blocked off on 1st Street and tables setup for outdoor dining. Kind of odd seeing people eating in the street, but they gotta do what they gotta do.