About the 'Two Japanee Bruddahs'
In the spring of 2001, Kenji Taguma - the English editor of the Nichi Bei Times, an award-winning Japanese-English daily newspaper serving the San Francisco Bay Area - approached former Hawai`i residents Kyle Tatsumoto and Keith Kamisugi about writing a periodic column on Hawai`i-related topics.
Saying 'yes' to the column was easy. Naming the column was more difficult.
Keith Kamisugi on da left and Kyle Tatsumoto on da right
(Photo by Bruddah Steve Owyang)After mulling over variations that included 'aloha' or 'Hawai`i' in the name, Kyle and Keith thought to name the column after a phrase that would have been used to describe the pair back home: "two Japanee bruddahs" - pidgin for 'two Japanese guys.'
With the additional good fortune of a logo crafted by Berkeley graphic designer and Kaua`i native Kurt Osaki of Osaki Designs, the duo launched the column on June 9, 2001.
The column continues every month in the Nichi Bei Times on the Saturday of the second full week.
Kyle and Keith welcome letters from readers at wot@twojapaneebruddahs.com.
