Essays on Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

In 1986, Henry Lee joins a crowd outside the Panama Hotel, once the gateway to Seattle’s Japantown. He’s drawn to the place by memories of his father, who died when Henry was only a child.
The Panama Hotel holds a special place in Henry’s heart because it was there that he met Keiko Okabe, a Japanese-American girl who was forced to leave Seattle during World War II.
Keiko and Henry were only children when they met, but they shared a special bond. Henry’s father had been killed in the war, and Keiko’s family was sent to an internment camp.
Despite the distance between them, Henry and Keiko remained friends, exchanging letters and postcards over the years.
Now, Henry is hoping to find Keiko again, and he’s determined to save the Panama Hotel from demolition.