Good Day Atlanta viewer information: January 8, 2025
ATLANTA - Restaurant owner reflects on family’s ties to President Jimmy Carter:
The official business relationship between Japan and the state of Georgia was launched in 1973, during then-Gov. Jimmy Carter’s time in office. According to the owner of Atlanta's Nakato, the restaurant was there to help "feed" that exciting new partnership.
Nakato Japanese Restaurant first opened in 1972 and brought an authentic taste of Japan to Atlanta. It became a key gathering place for the city’s Japanese population.
"My grandmother was doing a southern tour and fell in love with Atlanta," says current owner Sachi Nakato Takahara. "Before she even went back to Japan, she already had the property staked out and was ready to start a business at the young age of 62."
Not only did the public immediately take notice of the unique new restaurant, but so did then-Gov. Jimmy Carter.
"He was trying to influence international businesses to come to invest in Georgia," says Takahara. "We didn't have a Japanese Embassy in Atlanta yet, and so we were that hub of cultural exchange and meetings, and my grandmother loved being a part of that and helping other immigrants and expats to come to Georgia."
According to the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta, official business ties were established in 1973 with the opening of the Georgia State Department of Industry, Trade, and Tourism office in Tokyo. That was followed in April 1974 by the creation of the Consulate General of Japan in Atlanta.
Those ties remain strong today, as we learned from JapanFest Atlanta spokesperson Yoshi Domoto during our visit to the popular event last September.
"Now there are over 600 Japanese-affiliated companies here in Georgia, and they've invested $11 billion in our state's economy," said Domoto.
Today, Sachi Nakato Takahara says she’s proud of her family’s legacy and its connection to the man who became the 39th president of the United States.
"I feel like I'm part of history," she says. "I’m in awe of how he acted locally, statewide, nationwide, and globally throughout his career. So, it's very inspiring."
Atlanta's The Vortex pays tribute to Elvis
Burgers with Buck and Atlanta's iconic The Vortex are celebrating Elvis Presley's with a tasty tribute fit for a king. Juan Alcocer, kitchen manager of The Vortex Midtown, and Emmy Arnold, manager of The Vortex Little Five Points, joined Buck in the Good Day kitchen to make The Fat Elvis Burger.
The Vortex visits Burgers with Buck in the Good Day kitchen: Get sucked into The Vortex and try the Fat Elvis Burger. On what would've been Elvis' 90th birthday, Buck Lanford tries the Fat Elvis burger from The Vortex. To find a location near you, click here.
Casting Call with Tess Hammock: Calling all background extras, executive assistants and video coordinators. Tess Hammock has some auditions and job openings that may interest you. Keep up with her on social @castingcallwithtesshammock
Shoniqua Shandai talks new music and 'Harlem'
Shoniqua Shandai is not only a powerhouse actress best known as ''Angie'' on ''Harlem,'' she's also a talented musician. She's starting 2025 out with a bang, and she stopped by Good Day to talk to Joanne Feldman about the show's upcoming season and her new, soulful track.
"Harlem's" Shoniqua Shandai’ talks season and new music: "Harlem" follows a group of college girlfriends who embrace their lives together. Season 3 premieres Thursday, Jan. 23. Shandai's new single "Feel My Love" was released on Jan. 6, 2025.
Coriya Burns, aka the "GoalDigger Coach," gives five ways to start your year strong:
1. Start with the end in mind
2. Think big, but start small
3. Consider your why
4. Schedule it out
5. Utilize systems