Gary T. Ono
@garyonoGary T. Ono, is a Sansei transplant from San Francisco, California who now resides in the Little Tokyo area of Los Angeles. He is a volunteer photographer for the nearby Japanese American National Museum. In 2001, he was awarded a California Civil Liberties Public Education Program grant to produce a video documentary, Calling Tokyo: Japanese American Radio Broadcasters of World War II. This story about what his father did during the war sparked his interest in his Japanese American and family history, which richly fills his senior moments.
Updated May 2013
Stories from This Author
All Mankind are Brothers (Alle Menschen Verden Bruder) - Part 1 of 2
Sept. 11, 2009 • Gary T. Ono
If you’ve read my previous article, Ode to Joy (An die Freude ) , you know that several hundred Japanese Nationals, Japanese Americans, and I joined a choir group to learn to sing the choral in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in German for a performance at the Disney Concert Hall. As this is being written, eight months after the project started and just days away from our Disney Concert Hall debut, we are excitedly taking part in the final two combined …
ODE TO JOY (An die Freude)
June 3, 2009 • Gary T. Ono
Are you familiar with Ludwig van Beethoven’s 9th Symphony? If you think you’re not, listen to a recording by clicking on the YouTube video below and you’ll soon realize that you’ve heard it at some time in your life, even if you’re not fond of classical music. In particular the popular well-known fourth choral movement Ode to Joy is called by many, the “Anthem of Europe.” This is based on a poem by Friedrich Schiller which Beethoven blended parts into …
Significant Signatures
April 24, 2009 • Gary T. Ono
Most everyone has heard the phrase, “Put your John Hancock right here.” John Hancock, a key signatory of the Declaration of Independence, was remembered for his large and stylish signature and whose name has became synonymous for signature. While our father’s signature is not famous, it too was confidently large and stylish. While we were in grade school my brothers, sisters and I sought his signature on our report cards. He would only sign the report cards that had mostly …
Amache Night
Aug. 1, 2008 • Gary T. Ono
I call this hauntingly provocative photograph from my Issei grandmother, Owai Okamura’s photograph album “Amache Night.” This is the only night scene of a War Relocation Authority camp that I’ve ever seen. I believe one of my uncles might have taken this photograph. As a child, I recall photographic printing being developed in the mess hall sink at night. Amache, one of ten War Relocation Authority prison camps, is located near the town of Granada in the south east corner …
CSI: Amache
May 29, 2008 • Gary T. Ono
Borrowing from the title of popular television show, CSI: Miami, the term crime scene investigation could apply to the planned archaeological dig of Amache, one of ten concentration camps that was used to imprison America’s Japanese during WWII. This investigation will not seek out victims, suspects, motives, evidence and witnesses. Most of us already know the shameful details of that “crime.” In these War Relocation Authority camps, the victims were the prisoners and the unlikely perpetrator, the United States of …
ShastaYama 2007 - A Magical Experience
May 2, 2008 • Gary T. Ono
ShastaYama (literally, Shasta mountain) is the name of the annual taiko festival held in the beautiful pine-forested town of Mount Shasta nestled at the base of the majestic Mt. Shasta. Mt. Shasta, at 14,162 feet, is often compared to Mt. Fuji for its similar spiritual beauty and size. Mt. Shasta offers different appearances throughout the day with the changes of time of day and weather conditions. Of course the season makes a difference to its appearance as well. ShastaYama is …
Japanese American Fortune Cookie: A Taste of Fame or Fortune - Part 2
Nov. 1, 2007 • Gary T. Ono
Read Part 1 >> Japantown Family and Personal Recollections By now, my childhood flashback images of my grandfather’s semi-automatic sembei machine are stroboscopic visual pulsations. I drew pictures of what I saw in my mind’s eye. My Auntie Sue agreed with my memory sketches of the sembei machine and fondly recounted working alongside her father-in-law on occasion in a two-man operation sitting beside the huge carousel-like baking machine. As a youngster, I remember being fascinated by how the machine worked. …
Japanese American Fortune Cookie: A Taste of Fame or Fortune - Part 1
Oct. 31, 2007 • Gary T. Ono
The fortune cookie, the famous and fun gratuitous dessert, is unfailingly gifted following delicious meals in all Chinese restaurants throughout the world. So this uniquely sculpted cookie with a personal message tucked inside just for you must be Chinese, right? The Chinese must surely have invented and own the fame and fortune associated with it. Early on I did not question this widely accepted assumption, even though my late 1940 through 1950 childhood memories included watching such fortune cookies being …
