Mimy and I had our first date in 1981 at Layla in the Jiyugaoka area of Tokyo. For our first date, we both brought dictionaries: Japanese-English for me, English-Japanese for Mimy. Despite the language barrier, we fell in love and so I studied harder, we kept dating, and my Japanese became fluent, which became the basis…

In honor of my father’s memory, and in gratitude to all veterans, everywhere, who served their countries in time of need, may all human conflicts be resolved peacefully. My father wore these sunglasses during his service in the Korean War. With polarized green glass lenses, these vintage Ray-Ban Aviator Sunglasses are a classic and iconic…

This lighter was awarded to my father Akira Kiyohara for bowling a scratch 250 game, which, as any bowler will tell you, is a big deal. Dad loved bowling and Holiday Bowl was his one night out a week with his buddies. Dad passed on his love of bowling to his children, who can all…

Fender Guitar pick used by Eddie Van Halen at the Whiskey a Go Go live on the Sunset Strip, with David M Appleton c. 1977 It’s not the things, it’s the memories.

Granddaughter Melody saying “no! no!” at her first encounter with shishi-mai, the lion dog dance, reminds Mimy of when she was a child, terrified of the lion dog dancers. Shortly after, Melody giggled when we pulled the tail of the lion dog, hehe! @jikoen hongwanji Obon 2014

Granddaughter Melody in 2014 and son Akira Kendall with his cousins Saki and Natsumi in 1987.