NikkeiWest--Northern California Japanese American Newspaper

By Brandi-Ann Uyemura

The next time you visit Japantown San Jose, look up.  Those brightly colored banners hanging above have inspired two friends, Lydia Uchida-Sakai and Kathy Sakamoto, to bring new life to an old problem.

Several years ago Japantown Business Association executive director Kathy Sakamoto first learned about eco-friendly bags composed of city banners at New York’s Guggenheim museum. A light bulb went off and the idea to reuse old Japantown banners began to form in Sakamoto’s mind.

“The idea has been broached a number of times so we kind of just held onto it,” Sakamoto said.

This year while visiting New York, Sakamoto revisited the concept.

“I thought we should really do it because of the green movement, because the city kept throwing them away.”

City and event banners like those hung in Japantown are made of materials such as vinyl that are strong enough to withstand harsh outdoor weather.  Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to recycle. The result is that once used the material is not biodegradable.

In fact, recently the Redevelopment Agency for San Jose purchased floral banners seen hanging in Japantown.  But after the first day it was up, they noticed the banners were translucent.  Within a week’s time, the banners were taken down and on their way to the landfill when Sakamoto intercepted them.

Sakamoto said, “It gets really upsetting when you go to your own city and they’re throwing things away.” Especially when it costs the city around $350 for a single banner and that is at the lower end of the scale.

After gaining approval from the Japantown Business Association Board of Directors, a few test runs and an increased interest in the banner bags, Sakamoto and Uchida-Sakai finally set up shop this July. They came up with the name Sak n’ Sak, a play on words with their line of bags and the first three letters of their last names.

Although it was a natural process for the two women who love bags and are both active in the Japantown community, it has also been a time-consuming endeavor.  Both women are busy with other jobs. Uchida-Sakai has three businesses, owner of Uchida Travel, Tengu Sushi and now Sak n’ Sak. Sakamoto as the chair for this year’s Spirit of Japantown festival and the executive director for Japantown Business Association, also squeezes in time into her tight schedule to hand wash the bags. Both women sew some of their smaller products such as Christmas stockings and wallets, while contracting the larger items like their popular medium canvas bags to local company City Canvas.

Uchida-Sakai admitted, “It does get difficult to do it at times. I don’t know how we do it but we’ve been managing so far.”

Sakamoto agreed saying, “There are those times-It’s midnight and you could either sew for a half hour or go to sleep.” But she also said, “We really have a lot of fun!”

In addition to helping the environment, they find joy in creating something unique and the attention their products bring. When Sakamoto was at the airport with bag in tow, the agent at the counter asked where she got it and how she could get one.

“People kept asking where I got my bag, really excited. I love to see the sparkle in their eyes,” she laughed.

The bags have also helped to foster a sense of community. Sakamoto often brings them to meetings and around Japantown.  She said, “People who are really involved in working to keep Japantown alive are our best customers.”

Lydia echoed the sentiment saying, “And there are some people who specifically like the banners and the bags that have Japantown on it.”

Sakamoto and Uchida-Sakai have already donated their bags as raffles and auction prizes for events. They are also hoping to obtain more banners outside of Japantown to help other areas recycle their banners. In addition, repeat customers and friends are asking them to add zippers, adjustable straps and create an evening and a ukulele bag.

Six months and four generations of bags later, Sakamoto and Uchida-Sakai are continuing to work on growing their business. They are enjoying the process, getting to know one another better, and experiencing the satisfaction of not only making a difference in the environment but also in their community.

For more information on Sak n’ Sak, visit their website at www.saknsak.com or drop by their store at 198 Jackson St. in San Jose.