Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Oscar Holden
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Oscar Holden is a legend in the jazz scene and plays piano in a jazz club. He lets Kaiko and Henry come in to hear him play. The jazz club Oscar plays in is in Nihonmachi, Japantown.
Nihonmachi
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZf9omfWyi9Tw9NJI8nF89KhkrQ0K4bSWgHitH0ac9tWJw4DirRH_RWhEV2c4F8v9KSecyxwfx6vuWA4vX6qPRQsPgN0WQhzJhkplg7_qmUtvFcno25BYgoOd4nfvcPNM9RKN4xXnyQ2I/s320/emptystreets.jpg)
When most of Nihonmachi is shut down, the Japanese residents start to put thier belongings in the Panama Hotel for storage, or they would ask trusted friends to care for their items. Kaiko asks Henry to keep all of her family photos for her. When his parents find them, Mr. Lee rips the books in half and throws them out the window. Henry manages to collect and clean most of them. Nihonmachi is also being boarded over and people are vandalizing the Japanese neighborhood.
Sheldon
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Sheldon is like an older brother to Henry. He plays the saxophone and gets tips in his case. To me, Sheldon is always very happy and optimistic, despite his poor circumstances and the racial prejudices he endures. He cares for Henry and is a concerned friend to him when he is feeling sad or down. Henry could always go to Sheldon for anything.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Kaiko
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Kaiko is American but her background is Japanese. She is an artist. Kaiko almost always has a sketch pad and pencil with her. She lives in Nihonmachi. Her parents are very well aware that she is friends with Henry and are very supportive and encouraging about it, unlike Henry's father. Kaiko and Henry both like jazz music. One night Kaiko meets Henry outside of the jazz club. It is too late for children to come in so they just sit outside and listen. But Oscar Holden comes out and invites them in and plays for them. Kaiko is also almost mysterious. It is a sad time when she has to say goodbye to Henry and leave for Camp Harmony.
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