about your host
My name is Walter Nishinaka and I’m a local here.
My name is Walter Nishinaka. I’m a yonsei (fourth generation) Japanese American born and raised in Los Angeles. I’m a taiko player and a third-degree black belt in karate. I love food, Little Tokyo, and talking to people, so I figured I’d start this podcast so I can talk to my friends about their lives, Little Tokyo, and food! I’m excited to introduce you to some of my friends and to make new friends on this journey.
Before each podcast starts, you will hear each guest introduce themself and state that they’re “a local here.” The story behind that line comes from the time I saw a Kyogen demonstration in LA. For those that don’t know what Kyogen is (because I didn’t know what it was prior to watching the performance), Kyogen is a form of traditional Japanese theater that was developed as a sort of intermission and comic relief between the solemn Noh acts. The person who led the demonstration was explaining how every Kyogen show starts with the actor saying, “I’m a local here.” When I heard that phrase, I thought it was the coolest line ever! It’s so simple, but it’s always stuck with me. To me, it meant, “We’re locals; we have something in common. Let me tell you a story.” When we began to brainstorm different ideas for how to start the podcast, it was the first thing that came to my head.
Not everyone featured on the Little Tokyo Talks Podcast is a J-town local. However, everyone is welcome to be a local of our Little Tokyo Talks community!
So I hope you’ll join me as I sit down and listen to the many different stories from the locals who, like me, have a passion for Japanese culture and the Nikkei community in Los Angeles and beyond!
Walter’s Links
Sign up for Walter’s taiko class: J-Town Taiko Club (Terasaki Budokan)