| Nikkei Games Update - 08/19/1997 | |
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What can we say? DOSHIN was the guest of Mr. Art Ishii (Head Instructor, Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu of Little Tokyo and Nisei Week Karate Representative) for the Nikkei Games Karate Tournament. As good guests should, we pitched in to help by taping the Karate Tournament rings. It was a beautiful job -- we do good work! |
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The Pyramid at Cal. State, Long Beach is to die for! It opened November 30, 1994 with a nationally televised Men's Basketball game against Detroit Mercy (Long Beach State won 71-64). It is the largest space frame building in North America. The Pyramid is 345 feet on each of its four sides, at its perfectly square base, and stands 18 stories tall (or 192 feet high). |
It has one-of-a-kind cantilevered seats on moveable platforms, each weighing
81 tons!!! Each section of seats takes 25 minutes to raise and 15 minutes
to lower.
The floor is made of beechwood and is 39,000 square feet. The
Pyramid currently seats 5,000 people, and upon expansion will seat 7,500
guests!!
The Martial Arts Tournaments and Exhibitions opened to lung vibrating thunder from Kishin Daiko as they performed for the mixed crowd of Judo and Karate spectators. Anybody that missed their morning coffee didn't need it after Kishin performed.
There was always something going on to keep the eyes busy.
DOSHIN had the opportunity to sit down with Nikkei
Games Chairman Jesse James and Committee member Art Ishii at the conclusion
of the two day Karate tournament. Traditional Japanese and Okinawan Martial
Artists will be glad to know that this is another effort to preserve what
we love for the generations to come! Mr. James explained that the events
are meant not only for Japanese Americans, but for all people who are interested
in Japanese, Japanese American and Okinawan cultures. Plans
for next year's Nikkei Games Karate Tournament are already being formulated
and put into action, so that one day soon, this will become one of the
premier events in the Martial Arts!
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