Koji Steven Sakai
@ksakaiKoji Steven Sakai has written four feature films that have been produced, Haunted Highway (2006), The People I’ve Slept With (2009), Monster & Me (2012), and #1 Serial Killer (2012). He also served as a producer on The People I’ve Slept With and #1 Serial Killer. His feature length screenplay, Romeo, Juliet & Rosaline, was optioned by Amazon Studios. Koji’s debut novel, Romeo & Juliet Vs. Zombies, was released by Luthando Coeur, the fantasy imprint of Zharmae Publishing Press in February of 2015.
Updated March 2015
Stories from This Author
Oshogatsu
Jan. 3, 2008 • Koji Steven Sakai
Besides Groundhog’s day, my favorite holiday is New Year’s. I look forward to it every year. I always forget though that most people just think it’s a day to watch football. For those who don’t know, New Year’s or “Oshogatsu” in Japan is the most important and elaborate holiday of the year. When Japanese Americans talk about New Year’s, they usually just mention the “osechi” (New Year’s food). Things like: “soba” (buck wheat noodles) on New Year’s Eve for a …
Natto
Dec. 26, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
When I was a child, I wouldn’t eat anything that I thought was too “weird,” at least to my American sensibility. Of course, natto fell into that category. For those of you who don’t know, natto is fermented soybeans. Yes, fermented. It sounds about as appetizing as it looks and smells. My first generation mom used to say that “real” Japanese people eat natto. I think it was just a trick to get me to try it. But either way, …
Traveling Japanese / American
Nov. 28, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
The best thing about being Japanese American is the travel benefits. When I leave North America and travel anywhere in the world, I can choose to be either Japanese or American depending on the political situation in that country at the time. For example, if I’m pretty much anywhere in Asia I’m choosing to be American. Might even consider wearing an American bandana, if I had one. But if I were ever to go to the Middle East, I’m Japanese …
To the guy that bothered me at the mall
Oct. 24, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
Since we are both humans, I assure you we are the same. The same DNA, RNA, and cells. If not exact copies, close replicas. Then what is it about me that causes you to treat me differently than one of your own? Being here, standing in line with you at the store, walking behind you in this mall, sitting next to you at the food court, you act as though I am foreigner – when I know no other country. …
My Grandfather: Takaichi Sakai
Sept. 19, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
He burned sensitive files while working for a foreign government. He said that he was not willing to fight for the United States and would not give up his allegiance to a foreign power during a time of war. He renounced his American citizenship. Who was this enemy of the United States? He was my grandfather on my dad’s side. Having died before I was born, he was and has always been an enigma to me. My Aunt, my father’s …
When I was a Kid…
Aug. 22, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
When I was a kid, I remember thinking the world was almost perfect. I assumed that by the time I became an adult, we would have solved all the major problems humanity has ever faced – sickness, war, poverty, and racism. At the time, racism was only a concept to me. I mean, I knew that it happened. I knew that in the past people hated other people because of something totally arbitrary such as race. But not anymore, right? …
Are you a true JA?
July 25, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
Since I’m yonsei (fourth generation) and work at the Japanese American National Museum, I’ve been asked on many occasions to explain what it means to be Japanese American (JA). I’ve always struggled with this. How do you explain an entire culture without boring the questioner to death? How do you define a culture without it sounding trite? How do you talk about anything Asian without making it exotic? In my quest to find out what it meant to be JA, …
A Japanese American Writer’s Perspective on Writing
June 21, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
Is it okay for a person who is non-Japanese American to write about the Japanese American (JA) experience? My immediate reaction is no. I’m sick of other people writing my history and stories. I’m sick of having my culture hijacked, even by those who have the best of intentions. Can a person who is non-Japanese American capture what it is like to be Japanese American in a true and authentic way? My immediate reaction again is no. They can try …
Marrying Japanese
May 16, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
My mother has given me a preference list on which races I should/could marry. First on that illustrious list is Japanese. Since my mother is Japanese, she wants to make sure she has someone to speak to when she’s old and forgets English. Next is Caucasian, because according to her if my wife isn’t Japanese (what a disappointment I would be) the best she can hope for is beautiful grandchildren. Chinese is third. She prefers wealthy girls from Taiwan and …
Sticks and Stones
April 18, 2007 • Koji Steven Sakai
For the last year I have been working on a feature length screenplay that deals with Asian American identity. During my research I went online to look for all the racial slurs people use to express their hatred of Asian/Asian Americans. The sheer number of them took me by surprise. Here is a small sampling of what I found: Ching Chong. Chink. Jap. Nip. Oriental. Gook. Hapa. Yellow. Yigger. Chigger. Mongoloid. Ping-pong. Slop. Slopehead. Slopy. Slopey. Twinkie. Zipperhead. Chinee. Chinky. …
