Roy's Station, a cornerstone in Japantown

Frank Rast and his family host the
community to Roy's Station,
a well-loved neighborhood coffee shop.

Just about every morning Frank Rast can be seen sweeping up the sidewalks and gutters around Roy's Station, a pre-World War II area gas station converted into a neighborhood coffee shop. "Around Roy's" is somewhat of an understatement. On many mornings Frank can be see a block away making sure the sidewalks are clean, the gutters clear, and the street side flower pots watered and trimmed.

Most mornings Frank puts in about four, yes four hours, cleaning up the area around his shop and around the neighborhood. While the Willow Glen Business Improvement District has its hired street crew, some merchants will sweep just outside their doorway, but nowhere in San Jose have I seen the commitment that Frank puts into his business and the surrounding area. And it shows.

If there was a prize for the cleanest,
most walkable streets in the city,
this block would be your winner.

Just about everyone I've talked to (and I talk to a lot of people on a daily basis), love, absolutely love Roy's. They all tell me that they do notice the little things that make it a pleasure to walk, yes I said walk in San Jose's Japantown.

That and the wonderful art inspired by Issei (first generation) and nissei (second generation) experiences in the Valley concerning agriculture, wartime internment, and post war re-settlement. The art and special care that Frank brings to the neighborhood makes Japantown stand out among other local business districts.

So make a special effort to stop by and say hi and thank you to Frank any morning. Let him know what an impact he has on Japantown. But don't linger too long, he's got a lot of work to do.

Obon Festival

So stop by this weekend, July 14 and 15, for Japantown's annual Obon festival (hosted by San Jose Betsuin). Also, the dedication of the Japantown Mural Project will be held in conjunction with the 2012 Obon festival on July 14.

The Mural Dedication is at 3:45 pm at the corner of Jackson St. and N. 7th St. There will be a short program, followed by a walking tour (yeah!, San Jose has a walking tour) of the entire mural project with lead artist/designer Tamiko Rast and some of the project artists. The event is free and open to the public. All are welcome.