Gil Asakawa's Nikkei View

Welcome to the 2000 Archives page of my weekly "Nikkei View" columns. You'll find the headlines for all my 2000 columns below; just click to read each article on its individual page (this is a faster way of presenting my past articles than putting thm on one long, slow-loading page).

Thanks for reading, and remember: Each week's column is always available on the main "Nikkei View" page!

-- Gil

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INDEX

December 25: Folding Paper and Self-Respect
Every holiday season, I'm reminded how terrible I am at origami -- and how it reflects my general sloppiness -- because I can't wrap presents nicely.
December 17: 2000 -- A Year to be Thankful for
Looking back at the whirlwind year, I have a list of things to be grateful for and people to thank.
December 11: The Ballad of John and Yoko and Me
Like others of my generation John Lennon's death profoundly affected me. The 20th anniversary of his killing got me thinking about his music, his life, and Yoko Ono -- the first famous Japanese woman in my life.
December 4: Sumo Syndrome -- Weight and See
The holiday season is upon us, bad news for me and my weight.
November 26: Club Nisei -- A Musical Time Machine
A new CD has taken me back to post-war Hawai'i, when Japanese American musicians recorded the latest Japanese hits of the day.
November 21: Community and Character
Can Denver support a Japanese community center like the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Northern California in San Francisco, or Los Angeles' Little Tokyo Service Center?
November 13: A Quick Trip to Japan
A trip to San Francisco's Japan Town is like a trip to Japan -- especially its ramen shops.
November 4: Fusion Food and Restaurant Memories
Roy's Restaurant and its excellent and creative Pacific-rim menu made me reminisce about my own restaurant past.
October 29: Halloween, a Children's Holiday
Spending the weekend before Halloween with my nieces reminded me that the holiday is for children, not grownups.
October 10: Chopsticks, the Perfect Utensil
Who needs a fork when there are chopsticks around?
September 25: Asia Rising from the Crisis
Two New York Times reporters profile an Asia rising from the ashes of financial crisis, and serve up some food for thought about Japan's role in the new Asia.
September 18: Thoughts on Wen Ho Lee
Despite months of saying he's a spy and dangerous to national security, the Dept. of Justice released Chinese American nuclear scientist Wen Ho Lee after he pled guilty to one minor charge. What's up with that?
September 11: The Timeless Appeal of Godzilla
Why is it that the country that leads in robotics still makes movies starring a guy in a rubber suit? Because that's how we want our Godzilla, that's why!
August 28: The Mizutani Menu for Dinner Diplomacy
There's nothing like a fine meal to bring people together and get to know each other. The Consul General of Japan in Colorado has been doing just that since he arrived in town.
August 15: Say Ramen, Somebody
Long before sushi became mainstream, another Japanese food staple made it to the US and became... a dorm room staple of college students everywhere.
August 8: The Eyes Have It -- After 32 Years
Although I've worn them for most of my life, I finally got rid of my eyeglasses after having Lasik surgery to correct my vision.
August 2: Hiroshima and History
This year, the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima is more on my mind than in recent years. I realize I need to remember it evry August 6.
July 25: Is the US Military OK in Okinawa?
The Summit of 8 was a backdrop for heightened Japanese protests against the concentration of US armed forces in Okinawa.
July 17: A Field Trip Far Afield
A trip to Japan could be a life-changing experience for a group of Japanese American students.
July 10: Words' Worth -- Orienting Myself to Being an Asian
Rugs are Oriental; I am Asian. Some thoughts on the words we use to describe ethnic groups, and how they evolve over time.
June 26: Sakura -- The Work that Goes into a Festival
After surviving Denver's 28th annual Cherry Blossom Festival, some thoughts on the two-day event.
June 19: Visiting Japan -- A Trip of a Lifetime
A group of teenaged students visit Japan -- and hopefully have a life-changing experience! For the parents, it's incredible work to prepare the kids for the trip, though.
June 12: Size Does Matter -- in Food!
America has the Big Gulp while Japanese sip from 8-ounce cans of soft drinks. But when it coes to dining, Japanese know how to think big too.
June 6: The East in the Wild Wild West
Jackie Chan's new movie, "Shanghai Noon" is a funny -- and smart -- look at racism in the old west.
May 22: Life and Road Trips
Thoughts inspired by a recent cross-country drive -- a purely American highway phenomenon.
May 17: Wired Wireless -- Gadgets & E-Commerce in Japan
The Internet offers an e-commerce future in Japan, but not on desktop computers like in the U.S.
May 9: Short Memories of a Long War
Young Vietnamese don't seem to care much about the 25th anniversary of the end of the Viet Nam War.
April 23: Enemy Lines -- When Japanese Are the Bad Guys
Two martials arts movies have me thinking about how I feel when Japanese are portrayed as the bad guys.
April 16: Unmasking the Matrix: Taking off with Jet Li
If you thought the martial arts scenes in The Matrix were original, think again.
April 10: Working Hard, Hardly Working and Dying for Work
Starting a new job with thoughts of Prime Minister Obuchi's stroke from overwork.
March 20: What Are Words Worth -- on Being a Gook
John MCain's already dropped out of the presidential race, but I'm still mulling over his use of the word "gook."
Feb. 28: Ameri-kana -- Japanese Goes Mainstream in the U.S.
Japanese words and phrases are starting to appear in American pop culture ... in Japanese!
Feb. 21: Remembering Internment
This column originally ran in 1988, after I took a bus trip to Amache, the internment camp in southeast Colorado. I thought it would be appropriate to re-run it to mark Feb. 19, the Day of Remembrance. It's the anniversary of the 1942 signing by President Roosevelt of the legislation that created concentration camps for Japanese Americans.
Feb. 14: The Joy of Soy
A few words about the soybean and its many guises.
Feb. 7: Why Won't Prejudice Go Away?
An e-mail I received about a hateful ad aimed at American Indians remnided me that the same sentiments have been aimed at Japanese.
Jan. 31: Watching Post-War Japan Evolve through Films
I've been immersed in Japanese films that show what life was like in the post-war years.
Jan. 23: Little Things Make Life Easier
Why is it that Japanese products always include a convenient way to open the package, and American packaging doesn't?
Jan. 17: Shopping Japanese Style
A visit to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles made me appreciate what it's like to shop in a Japanese environment.
Jan. 3: Traditions for the New Century
Memories of Christmas and celebrating the New Year, Japanese-style.

2000 ARCHIVES

Copyright 1998-2006 by Gil Asakawa -- not for use without permission.
Contact me if you'd like to run "Nikkei View" in your publication.
Thanks for reading!

2000 ARCHIVES

Copyright 1998-2006 by Gil Asakawa -- not for use without permission. Contact me if you'd like to run "Nikkei View" in your publication. Thanks for reading!

Copyright 1998-2006 by Gil Asakawa -- not for use without permission.
Contact me if you'd like to run "Nikkei View" in your publication.
Thanks for reading!