This month I want to feature the efforts of our Sangha to communicate and share information about and with each other through the Echo, our monthly MVBT
Newsletter.
The Echo was first published in March of 1961 with George Makishima serving as its first Editor. The name for the ‘Echo’ was chosen by Rev Sensho Sasaki. ‘E-Ko’ in a Buddhist Sutra meaning sound back,
reverberate and turn back, hence ‘Echo’ was selected as the name of the monthly newsletter. (paraphrased from the 25th Anniversary Echo publication). Sounds very similar to Echo in the English language! Subsequent to George Makishima, George Abey served as Echo editor.
Does anyone remember the “Echo Room”? This was in the current classroom in YBA Hall and housed the reproduction
machinery and typesetting materials that were required to create the Echo in its original form. Prior to our YBA Hall remodel, it was also the prep location for our Obon’s Nigiri Sushi and YBA’s Spam Musubi.
Prior to computers, the newsletter had to be typed on a manual typewriter (anyone remember those?). Reiko Tsuchida recalls having to make sure to type articles in a particular size and shape in order to literally cut and paste articles to be reproduced!
Coming into the 2000s, our first online Echo was generated in January 2009 by Laurie Iwami.
Our current Echo editor is Steve Tsuchida. The Echo Staff besides Steve includes Reiko Tsuchida, David Kariya, Alice Ishida, Sadao Ishida and Russ Nakano. Doug Sawamura coordinates emailing the Echo to the MVBT mailing list, Randy Sato forwards emails to the Dharma School Families and Curt Fukuda uploads the Echo to the mvbuddhisttemple.org website.
Many thanks to all involved on the Echo staff as well as Echo article contributors to keep our community connected!
In Appreciation,
Julie Satake Ryu
2025 MVBT President