Rafu Shimpo

More than 100,000 anime fans descended upon downtown Los Angeles this Fourth of July weekend for the 35th annual Anime Expo. Anime Expo 2026 once again transformed the Los Angeles Convention Center into the largest celebration of Japanese anime culture in North America. This year’s convention also coincided with the FIFA Club World Cup, bringing another wave of visitors to downtown Los Angeles during an already busy holiday weekend.

Anime Expo 2026 proved to be one of the most important stages for anime announcements, with studios, publishers and game developers using Los Angeles’ largest anime convention to reveal new projects, premiere trailers and give fans their first looks at some of the biggest titles coming in the months and years ahead. One of the weekend’s biggest surprises was the announcement of a new Solo Leveling theatrical film, titled Solo Leveling: Beyond the System.

Togen Daiko will perform. Oxnard Buddhist Temple, 250 S. H St., Oxnard, will hold its annual Obon Festival on Saturday, July 11, from 1 to 8 p.m. With joy and gratitude, we honor and remember our deceased loved ones, whose very existence has made our own lives possible. Everyone is welcome to dance, as dancing is an expression of joy with no practice needed. Feel free to wear a colorful yukata or any comfortable clothes for dancing.

J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo Wesley and Martha Nishinaka were among the dancers in Nishi’s 2023 Bon Odori. Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple (Nishi), 815 First St. in Little Tokyo, will hold its 2026 Obon Carnival on Saturday, July 11, from 3 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, July 12, from 3 to 8:30 p.m. Bon Odori starts at 6:30 p.m. The festival will also feature food booths, a produce market, entertainment, games for kids, and more.

J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo Bon Odori at Sozenji in 2018 The 2026 Obon Festival will be held on Sunday, July 12, from 1 to 7 p.m. at Sozenji Buddhist Temple, 3020 W. Beverly Blvd., Montbello. 1 p.m.: Obon and Manto-e service 2:30 p.m.: Food and other booths open. Menu includes Spam musubi, bentobox, curry/chili rice. 3:30 p.m: Entertainment, including taiko 5:15 p.m.: Bon Odori. Everyone is invited to dance. 6:15 p.m.: Raffle drawing 6:30 p.m.: Closing ceremony For more information, call (562) 619-5760.

The fifth annual GVJCI Izakaya, an evening of food, fun and music, will be held on Friday, July 10, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall, Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, 1964 W. 162nd St., Gardena.

June 28, 2026; San Jose, CA; Shota Umino (right) hits Rac with a knee during the AEW Forbidden Door event at SAP Center. AEW, All Elite Wrestling’s self-proclaimed slogan, “Where the Best Wrestle,” was on full display at SAP Center, home of the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks, as its Forbidden Door professional wrestling collaboration event enthralled fans for more than five hours on Sunday, June 28.

Eileen Yoshimura gave an update on the merger. CSU Northridge students helped with the opportunity drawing. SKSC Board Chairman Kurtis Kobayashi and emcee Shun Sekiguchi. SKSC President Shinichiro Koga. SKSC Board members Dr. Keiko Ikeda and Dr. Kenji Irie.

By AKEMI KONDO DALVI, CPA/PFS, CFP Some have likened Japan’s economy to a sleeping giant that is finally waking up. Since 1998, Japan’s economy has been stuck in deflation – prices stagnated, companies hoarded cash, and the stock market disappointed investors. This was triggered by the 1991 financial crash, which plummeted the value of real estate and stocks.

With our families in San Francisco. By BILL YEE My father-in-law Lewis Abe once said you don’t need a lot of friends, only a few good friends. He always felt he was truly wealthy and blessed with a few good friends. He experienced this when his nursery was washed away during a flood in 1969. His plants ended up on Highway 101. He didn’t know what to do and felt he had lost his business. He had four young kids and a wife to support.