A Wonderful Life
November 16, 1943
Donald Takayama was born in Waikiki, Honolulu, HI
1949
Takayama started surfing during his kindergarten year at Waikiki on the south shore of Oahu, Hawaii At 45 pounds, his 95-pound redwood surfboard was too heavy to carry home. Takayama decided he would have to keep his surfboard at the beach, so he buried it in the sand for safe keeping.
1955
Dale Velzy discovered Takayama while surfing at Makaha Beach. Velzy noticed Takayama surfing one day and said, "Who shaped your board?" to which Takayama replied, "I did". Impressed, Velzy told Takayama that if he ever got to the mainland, there would be a job waiting for him. Takayama bought a plane ticket to Los Angeles, at twelve years of age, with money saved from a newspaper delivery route. Takayama worked for Velzy/Jacobs Surfboards and lived in the loft of Dale Velzy's Venice, California surf shop.
1965
Takayama made a move to Jacobs Surfboards when Velzy bought Jacobs out of the partnership; Longboard Magazine named the 1965, Jacob's Donald Takayama model surfboard, "one of the most functional and aesthetically appealing boards ever made.
1966/1967
Donald Takayama won 2nd place in the 1966 United States Surfboard Championships held in San Diego Ocean Beach and in the 1967 Championships held in Huntington Beach.
1971-1973
Donald Takayama wins first place in the Masters Division US Surfing Championships.
Late 1970s
Founded Hawaiian Pro Designs
1990
Takayama introduced Surfer's Choice, a teriyaki sauce derived from a family recipe. Takayama commented to the Los Angeles Times, "Some people dunk doughnuts in it, others put it on their hash browns and eggs. One of my friends can't eat cottage cheese without it, and one guy wrote to me saying he even drinks the stuff," Takayama said. Most people use it with fish, poultry and meat dishes either as a sauce or marinade. The Surfer's Choice label featured a graphic of Takayama nose riding a wave.
2007
Takayama was honored and inducted into the Surfer's Walk of Fame.
2012
After the passing of DT on October 12, admirers around the world from Japan to California, held floating memorials around the world called paddle outs, celebrating the legend's life.
