Koji Mizukami: Once More With Feeling  Bob Terry 11/2002

It‘s hard to believe that Japan Expo is in its 23rd year of existence. This exposition of cultural, commercial and corporate offerings from Japan has grown and evolved impressively over the years, changing along with the Japanese presence in Los Angeles. It has become such a fixture on the scene, some may not even remember a time when it was not held. But for all who are interested in Japan, it is an event that is much anticipated when Fall comes around.

Every year one expects a mixture of old and new at Japan Expo. Old handicrafts and cultural traditions that date back hundreds, sometimes even thousands of years are encountered, as well as new products that showcase the latest in technological innovation. It is an intriguing combination, topped by the surprises that one has come to expect to find there. And Koji Mizukami, the organizer of the festivities, makes sure to represent a perfect blend of these elements. He took some time from his busy schedule to talk to us about his life.

Mizukami was born in Japan 48 years ago. He is personable and articulate, but he speaks with a Japanese accent. So his roots in Japan are apparent from the first time one meets him.

“But my father was Nisei!” he exclaims. “He was born in Los Angeles. In the 1940’s he trained with the 442nd Regiment [the highly-decorated all Japanese fighting unit in World War II], but the war ended before he was shipped out. After that, he moved to Japan and worked as a distributor for 20th Century Fox movies. When I was 15, our family moved to Guam, where my father worked for a business supplying the commissary of the U.S. Navy.

“It was in Guam that I started working for the Nippon Travel Agency,” he continued. “That was at the start of the travel boom in Japan, and NTA was short-handed. I used to earn around $450 a week, which for a teenager wasn’t bad. I moved to Los Angeles in the late 1970’s to attend college and when I applied for a part time job at NTA, I met my old boss! He hired me again, and I ended up working for NTA for the next 23 years.

“In 1998, Masuda Norio, who used to organize Japan Expo along with his brother, contacted NTA to arrange tour packages for visitors to the event from Japan. I had been to Japan Expo before that, but only as a spectator. That year and the next, NTA shared a booth with the Japan National Tourist Organization, Keio Plaza Hotel and Northwest Airlines.

“I was there from start to finish, every day. But I was not satisfied with what I saw. I thought, ‘This needs to be changed.’ There was no real Japanese feeling to the show. It was like a flea market in a fancy venue. I guess that other Japanese companies felt the same way, because there were no exhibits of car or electronics companies.”

By that time Norio Masuda had run the event for twenty years and wanted to retire. Mizukami took over the reins in August 2000.

“That gave me less than four months to prepare. I had always wanted to operate my own business, but I had no experience in this field. Just optimism. And passion!” He grins broadly as he says this, obviously still filled with those feelings.

“At NTA I learned that there are always three parties involved in these affairs, the visitors, the exhibitors and the organizer. And all three have to have their expectations fulfilled. I tried from the beginning to do that.

”But the first year it was chaos! Some exhibitors were assigned to booths that had already been reserved by others, equipment was misplaced, tables were missing, electricity was not hooked up to some booths, it was just one problem after another.

“And I didn’t know how to budget for it, so I ended up overspending. Masaharu Morimoto, the Iron Chef, was the ‘medama’ [main attraction], performing in cooking demonstrations four times a day. For one of those demonstrations, I had a whole tuna flown in from Spain! It cost $10,000. And I had a group of six men in costumes carry it into the hall on their shoulders, just like at a ‘matsuri’ [festival] in Japan. They shouted, ‘Eiso, eiso, eiso,’ as they came in. We passed out 300 samples to the spectators. During another demonstration, Morimoto made a dessert from ‘natto’ [fermented soybeans, which have a pungent aroma]. People ate it and were amazed at how delicious it was. But the Morimoto shows and other things put us over budget. After it was all over I said to myself that, ‘I have to do better next time.’

“Of course, last year Japan Expo 2001 came right after the tragedy of September 11th. That had a terrible effect on the event. Many exhibitors cancelled, and up to the last minute it was not clear exactly which companies would be represented and which would not. And I was not sure how many people would come. Altogether, there were 30,590 visitors, but that does not compare to the 80,000 who attended back in 1984 and 1985 when Japan Expo was most successful. During those days, the Japanese economy was at its height, and that had something to do with it, but there is no question that attendance was down last year.”

Although Mizukami experienced setbacks in his first two years of organizing Japan Expo, it is clear that he has done a good job of enticing former exhibitors to return, bringing new attractions, and building up the event. This year Toyota, Nissan and Honda will display new car models and a Formula One racecar will be on exhibit. Floor space has been expanded more than 30% since Japan Expo 2000, increasing from 90,000 to 130,000 square feet. New sections, such as Great Edo and Little Kyoto, as well as others have been added. What attraction is Mizukami most eager to see himself?

“The new Nissan Z!” he says, speaking like a true promoter. However, more than that motivates him. “This year, I’m happy that compared to the past two years different individuals have stepped up to make their own contributions. Such as in the Beauty Fair section. Kaori Nara Turner, a Japanese make-up artist in Hollywood, is playing a big part. In the past, she has helped in the preparations for beauty pageants at Japan Expo, but this year she has become more involved, mounting her own show and bringing in a Hollywood make-up school. In the Sushi World section, the Sushi Academy of Venice California is giving demonstrations of the preparation of sushi. In the Travel section, the Japan National Travel Organization is playing a greater role. Local craftsmen and artisans will also be participating this year, with exhibits of ‘sumie’ [ink brush drawings], origami (paper folding), pottery and other works.

“The Great Edo section will have 28 different merchants from Asakusa in Tokyo, offering products that are normally not available in the United States. The Little Kyoto section will feature tatami mats, tea ceremony demonstrations, ‘kakemono’ [decorative wall scrolls], kimono, ‘somemono’ [fabric dyeing] and displays of other crafts. There will also be geisha performances there, as well as on the main stage. Tayu Hana Ogi is a special guest who will be attending from Kyoto. (‘Tayu’ is the highest level of geisha recognized in Japan.) There has been discussion in Japanese cultural circles of having her designated as ‘Ningen Kokuho’ [Living Cultural Treasure].

“At two o’clock on Saturday afternoon [November 30] we will be holding the Best of Japan Award Ceremony, hosted by Mario Machado. Keiko Matsui, the jazz musician and composer, will be honored, among others, and she will perform a number of compositions. We will have both a piano and electronic keyboard on the stage for that purpose.

“And then for the main attraction this year, we are going to have a performance of classical noh drama by the Komparu School. Six members of the troupe from Japan will give dramatic and poetic readings, mixed with traditional music and dance. (Noh was selected as a World Cultural Heritage Art by UNESCO in 2001.) Last year there really wasn’t any main attraction at Japan Expo. That was because of overspending in 2000. But I felt that it was important to have something special this year. I said to myself, ‘I’m going to bring in noh!’ I go by my instinct with these things. I get to the point where I feel that I just have to do it!” Not for the first time one feels Mizukami’s energy and enthusiasm.

“Japan Expo is the largest indoor Japanese cultural and commercial exhibition held in the United States. It is like a magnet to everyone interested in Japan. Major Japanese corporations have huge budgets to promote their products, but smaller companies have few places where they can show their wares. So Japan Expo gives them an opportunity to get greater exposure. And Japanese culture is introduced people who might not come in contact with it otherwise.”

Finally, asked what he has most gained by his involvement with Japan Expo, Mizukami smiles and says simply, “Nakama ga fueta.” (“I’ve made lots of new friends.”)