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A tale of artistry, innovation, and lasting legacy! Makoto Hagiwara, a Japanese American landscape architect, transformed a World’s Fair exhibit into San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden. It's the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States, still cherished as a place of peace and natural beauty. Makoto was also the inventive mind behind the modern fortune cookie! Despite wartime hardships and lost recognition, his creativity, friendship, and tasty experiments turned a simple crunchy cookie into a sweet symbol of good fortune enjoyed around the world.

Go to the episode webpage: https://jonincharacter.com/makoto-hagiwara/          

Get a free activity guide on Makoto Hagiwara:  https://dorktalesstorytime.aweb.page/ep121freePDF 

This episode of Dorktales Storytime is presented by Red Comet Press, and their hardcover children’s book, Fortune Cookies for Everyone: The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat by Mia Wenjen with illustrations by Colleen Kong-Savage. This Smithsonian collaboration unwraps the mystery of the fortune cookie and the immigrant stories behind it: https://www.redcometpress.com/nonfiction/fortunecookie

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS STORY, try this playlist of Asian American Hidden Heroes of History who were belonging builders and community creators like Makoto Hagiwara: https://bit.ly/belonging-and-community  

CREDITS: Hidden Heroes of History is a Jonincharacter production. Today’s story was written and produced by Molly Murphy and performed by Jonathan Cormur. Sound recording and production by Jermaine Hamilton at Pacific Grove Soundworks.

It's not too late to join our Kooky Spooky Countdown challenge and win fun rewards! Get more details and grab your tracker: https://jonincharacter.com/kooky-spooky-countdown/

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