Well-known Japanese-American Sculptor creating stone Usu in Japantown San Jose.

Late November 2012, Jeff Sakai came to Ken Matsumoto's sculpture studio and asked him if he could make a stone usu. Since Ken didn't know what an "usu" was, Jeff explained that an usu was used to pound the rice for making mochi and drew a rough sketch with the dimensions. Ken purchased a granite boulder and using the machinery he's created to make art objects, Ken fashioned a large bowl that is an usu.