Clark Taketa was an important figure in San Jose Japantown during the last half of the 20th century. Some old timers called him “The Mayor of Japantown.” Besides participating in J-town sports, his barber shop was a popular hangout for the Nisei, The young Japanese of Pre-War Japantown often had affectionate names for each other. Japantown-native Moffet Ishikawa tells how Clark got his name.