Despite the heat and humidity, about 40 people attended the Nanka Shiga Club picnic at George Elder Park in Monterey Park on Aug. 25. Colin Kozai (below left), a June graduate of North High School in Torrance, was awarded this year’s scholarship. In May he was a Kashiwa sister city exchange student and visited Japan for ten days. Colin will attend El Camino College in the fall.
New member Dr. Harriet Natsuyama (above right) briefly described her research on an ancient written language of the indigenous Japanese people, called “Wosite.” This was the language used in Omi, long before Omi became Shiga. Dr. Natsuyama has been documenting her research and now wants to share her knowledge with Nanka Shiga Club members.
The picnic ended with a circle of young folks dancing popular Obon dances, led by co-chairperson Nancy Kurihara-Johnson.
— BEVERLY TOYAMA