Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Japanese America! In our annual July Obon Special, we explore how the traditional summer dance circle has expanded into a massive, multi-ethnic movement of resistance, collective healing, and cross-cultural solidarity. In this episode, we feature powerful clips from the new documentary Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement—a brilliant co-production between the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and PBS. We trace the incredible journey of how an early 1980s request for the first English-language Obon song evolved into FandangObon: an iconic Los Angeles festival fusing Japanese Obon, Mexican Fandango, and West African drum traditions. Along the way, Michelle shares her nostalgic memories of childhood Obon festivals in Japan (complete with a loophole for bad manners), while Koji stands firm on his lifelong stance that "gangsters don't dance"—unless, of course, a childhood crush was involved. We also dive into what our ancestors might think of Koji's legendary Minor League baseball dance moves. What We Discuss in This Episode: The First English Obon Song: How Reverend Masao Kodani of Senshin Buddhist Temple challenged icon Nobuko Miyamoto to bridge a cultural gap in the early 1980s. Obon as Resistance: A poignant look at how Japanese Americans kept the Obon tradition alive behind barbed wire in WWII concentration camps, dancing in the camp dust as an act of survival. The Birth of FandangObon: The magical moment Nobuko stepped into a Mexican Fandango workshop, recognized the shared community structure of the participatory circle, and fused it with Obon. LA Cultural Synthesis: Artists Quetzal Flores and Martha Gonzalez reflect on what it means to find collective healing, beauty, and joy through intergenerational solidarity. Cultural Nuances & "The Rules": Michelle and Koji discuss the differences between Japanese and American street manners, the multi-layered nature of Japanese spirituality (Shinto shrines, Christmas, and Buddhist funerals), and sharing cross-cultural clothing like yukata and happi coats with respect. The Ultimate Dance-Off: Michelle challenges Koji's rhythm, prompting Koji to defend his skills using Minor League classics like "The Chicken Dance," "The Bus Driver," and "The Q-Tip". Featured Voices & Film Credits Nobuko Miyamoto: Legendary activist, musician, dancer, and founder of Great Leap. Reverend Masao Kodani: Former head minister of Senshin Buddhist Temple. Quetzal Flores & Martha Gonzalez: Grammy Award-winning musicians and pillars of the LA Fandango/Son Jarocho movement. The Film: Audio clips featured in this episode are pulled directly from Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement, a co-production by the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and PBS. Links & Resources Mentioned Watch the Movie: Stream the full documentary right now on PBS: Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement on PBS. (https://www.pbs.org/video/nobuko-miyamoto-a-song-in-movement-gjvy7f/)Learn More: Visit the Japanese American National Museum for exhibitions, history, and community resources. (www.janm.org)Follow & Support Us Enjoyed the episode? Grab your uchiwa fan, head to your local temple, and step into the circle this summer! Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe! Support the show
