Nikkei a Descoberto: uma coluna de poesia

In a time of ever changing and heightened needs for social distancing, self isolation and attention to the greatest ways we can care for oneself and each other, I’m grateful to still be able to share two short poems from artists Courtney Ozaki and Margaret Ozaki Graves, both of whom are based in Denver. Their pieces speak to the solace we can find in moments of quiet, solitude, and reflection—and that the resilience before us or inside of us is ever present if we’re paying attention.　

—traci kato-kiriyama

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Courtney Ozaki is a creative producer based in Denver ...

This month I was inspired by the Little Tokyo Candidates Forum that occurred at the top of the month, to present an opportunity for all current city council candidates a chance to speak with the community. The forum, with many passionate expressions for the neighborhood, made me think on locality, affinity and the infinite ways with which you can fall in love with a community. I thought it would be fun at long last to feature a behind the scenes tech genius who works at Little Tokyo Service Center and is also a private poet - Cleveland, Ohio born and raised ...

This being the first month of a new year, I thought we’d present “poetics” with a different approach from any other edition of the column—to feature lyrics of two songwriters of different generations and share a bit of their music to boot. For January 2020, we have a song from a brilliant musician, Goh Nakamura, who now hails from Little Tokyo, and a classic from a true legend, Nobuko Miyamoto.

We’re also including links to some tracks for you to hear some of their work.

With a surely formidable year ahead, we could all use the inspiration ...

As we come to our 4th December and third anniversary of Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column, it seemed very fitting to pay tribute to the recently departed poet, Hiroshi Kashiwagi. A beloved community member and writer for many generations, Hiroshi was the inaugural poet featured (alongside Amy Uyematsu) when we began the column. I have fond memories of hearing Mr. Kashiwagi read his poetry aloud and I was always inspired by his candor, slightly mischievous smile, and of course, his poetry. With a brief note from his son, artist Soji Kashiwagi, we have five poems here—selected by Soji—as ...

From Toronto-based writer, Terry Watada and Bloomington, Indiana-based poet, Hiromi Yoshida, are pieces that can be read as the remains of beings past, the memory of memories, the parts of a person embedded in our psyche or those aspects we wish to keep and uplift. Enjoy...

—traci kato-kiriyama

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Hiromi Yoshida is a first-generation Japanese American poet, with ethnic roots in Japan and Taiwan, and family in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Now based in Bloomington, Indiana, she has lived extensively in Tokyo and New York City. Her Icarus Burning poetry collection, a finalist selection for the 2019 New Women’s Voices Series Chapbook ...