Yoshitaka Ena leads a toast at the Little Tokyo Business Association/Little Tokyo Business Improvement District New Year’s party on Jan. 30 at the DoubleTree by Hilton.
Former District Attorney Gil Garcetti, who now focuses on art photography, presented photos from an upcoming book based on his observations of beauty in Japan. He also photographed the event.
Ellen Endo (right) was sworn in as LTBA president/BID co-chair. She said that LTBA will continue providing security and street cleanup services through the LTBID. The other officers are Paul Abe, Yoshio Lee Aoki, Yoshitaka Ena, Tatsuto Hayashi, David Kudo, Yuriko Shikai and Robert Yasui, vice presidents; Joanne Kumamoto, secretary/BID co-chair; Sharon Im, treasurer and auditor; Andrew Lee and Megumi McCaffrey, treasurers; and Tomoko Omura, assistant auditor.
Directors are Doug Aihara, Sadahiro Akimoto, Joyce Chinn, Angela DeGroot, Tamako Henken, Michael Komai, Joe Kuhn/Rebecca Young, Dr. James Kurata, Rev. Howard Miyoshi, Rev. Marion Okazaki, Ken Ota, William Shin, Edwin Takahashi, Haru Takehana and Jason Toyoshima. Serving on the Advisory Committee are Mitsuru Koyama, Tsutomu Maehara, Archie Miyatake, Tomoku Morshita, Masaharu Motoyama, Tomohiro Sakata, Patrick Seki, Kenji Suzuki, James Watamaru and Hiroshi Yamaguchi.
LTBA will be presenting “A Taste of Little Tokyo,” a promotional program that shines a spotlight on the neighborhood’s varied and high quality restaurants, from April 24 to May 4. For more information on LTBA, visit www.visitlittletokyo.com.
Photos by MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo