On Saturday, February 10, 2024, 33 Waseda Friends (former exchange students from N. America to Waseda), alumni and guests converged in the downtown area of the City of Angels just on the edge of Little Tokyo – a vibrant neighborhood steeped in Japanese-American history. The purpose of the event, billed as “Waseda Friends & Alumni Reception 2024, LA,” was multi-fold, beginning with Waseda USA’s goal of strengthening the Waseda Friends community, and closely followed by promoting friendship and networking between Friends and Tomonkai (Waseda Alumni Associations in the US). In parallel with the ongoing community-building efforts, WUSA engages in fundraising activities to raise money for scholarships, such as the Study Abroad Fund for Waseda Students, which provides support for some Waseda students studying in the United States, as many face increasingly difficult financial challenges due to a weak yen and inflation.
Held at Señor Fish Mexican Restaurant, reception attendees enjoyed a venue that was comfortably spacious and brightly illuminated with natural light flowing through floor-to-ceiling windows, virtually surrounding the dining area. James K. Yamamoto of Rafu Shimpo Newspaper was in attendance. A Waseda Friend himself, Mr. Yamamoto covered the event and featured it in the publication, which has a large Japanese-American readership.
The day began with greetings from WUSA staff, Anthony Johnson (Regional Mgr.) and Kunimitsu Mamiya (Executive Dir.), followed by a slideshow entitled “Waseda Then & Now,” which depicted various images of the Waseda campus, beginning from as early as 1890, and leading up to 2010. Next, a video that was shot with the aid of a drone gave attendees bird’s-eye views of the campus as it appears today. Finally, a slideshow entitled “Waseda Friends at a Glance” featured images, contributed by Friends and Tomon, that took everyone on a nostalgic trip back to the days of their Waseda experience.
With everyone in a Waseda state of mind from watching the slideshows and video, it was the perfect time to bring on the guest speakers. First was Michael Okamura, a Friend who studied abroad at Kokusaibu (Waseda’s International Division) from 1984 to 1985. An expert on the history of Little Tokyo and a pillar in the Japanese-American community there, Mr. Okamura talked about his Waseda experience and called all to raise glasses of saké (underage guests drank juice) in a toast. Waseda USA is very grateful to Mr. Okamura for his tireless support with the arrangements of the reception and also for providing most of the photos appearing in this article. The next speaker was Waseda School of Education alumni and current Chair of the Los Angeles Tomonkai, Mr. Junpei Tomonaga, who intrigued listeners with stories of his involvement with the Waseda University Baseball Club. The final speaker was Waseda School of Fundamental Science and Engineering alumni, Mr. Yi Xiao, who trekked all the way from New Jersey to join the occasion. He captivated listeners with a very humorous take on his time at Waseda and subsequent career.
Then it was time for lunch and mingling. Guests enjoyed several types of tacos, rice and beans, salad and the popular Mexican beverage known as agua fresca. There was plenty of time during the lunch period for reconnecting with old classmates and making new friends, as well as for checking out some retro Waseda memorabilia displayed on a table. Toward the end of the event, attendees were treated to a traditional Waseda cheerleading performance of the school anthem, by alumni, Mr. Junichi Yahaba. Afterwards, WUSA staff made brief closing remarks and the event came to an end. Goodie bags containing several Waseda goods were handed out to attendees as they exited. Many attendees remained outside the restaurant chatting, basking in the lingering glow of Waseda nostalgia.
