Kristopher Kato
Kristopher Kato was born in Saitama, Japan and raised in Southern California. Since 2020, he’s lived in Little Tokyo. He graduated from California State University, Fullerton with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business.
Updated September 2023
Stories from This Author
“LA Rising” in Little Tokyo with Robert Vargas
April 16, 2024 • Kristopher Kato
On March 27, 2024, Robert Vargas’ newest mural, “LA Rising,” was unveiled in the heart of Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo district to a crowd of upwards of 200 people. Located on the east-facing side of the Miyako Hotel, the mural spans 150 feet in height and 60 feet in length, and features lifelike portraits of the Los Angeles Dodgers’, Shohei Ohtani, as both a hitter and pitcher. The mural itself had special meaning to artist, Robert Vargas, due to its …
Pictures of Belonging: Rediscovering Three Remarkable Japanese American Artists
Nov. 17, 2023 • Kristopher Kato
In a recent interview, Dr. ShiPu Wang discussed the lengthy process and inspiration for curating the exhibition titled Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo and the exhibition’s complementing catalog. The lengthy process began nearly 20 years ago when he was writing his dissertation to obtain a PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. His dissertation, Becoming American? Asian Identity Negotiated Through the Art of Yasuo Kuniyoshi, proved to be a complicated task as there was …
Scott Akasaki and the Influx of Asian Americans Working in Professional Sports
Oct. 4, 2023 • Kristopher Kato
Tommy Lasorda once said, “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” Fittingly, Scott Akasaki’s determination and dedication towards the game of baseball would ultimately help him become Major League Baseball’s first Asian American Senior Director of Team Travel. In his more than 20-year career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Akasaki has witnessed an influx of Asian Americans entering professional sports both on the field and in front offices. He attributes this influx of Asian …
