Ed Fuentes

Nisei Week Ondo, the traditional Community Dance Celebration, highlights the closing ceremonies of Nisei Week.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The nine days of Nisei Week closed Sunday in Little Tokyo, capped off by the annual Ondo Community Dance and Closing Ceremonies. Dancers wearing traditional – and not so traditional – garb circled around 1st street after a second weekend of Japanese cultural exhibitions.

The 2009 Nisei Week choreographer was Madame Sanjo Kangiku. On Sunday she was there to offer help to those who jumped in from the crowd to join the dance.

On Saturday, Joey Chestnut kept his Gyoza eating contest crown, an International Federation of Competitive Eating sanctioned event, by downing 181 dumplings. He did not try to beat his world record of 231 gyoza, set last year at this same competition.

He slowed his pace as he breezed past his competition, some of whom, well, without going into details, dropped out.