Public concert hosted by Okinawa Association of America, 3/7/15 at 7:00pm (PST). One night only, singer/songwriter, Takane Kochihira will be performing. 16500 S Western Ave., Gardena, California 90247. Admission: 2014–2015 OAA Members FREE. Non-members $7.00 at door. Limited seating. RSVP at oaalive@gmail.com. Info about Kochihira http://www.kochihiratakane.net OR http://www.oaamensore.org
The OAA Bunka-bu (Culture Committee) will be hosting a free screening of Chie Mikami’s documentary “The Targeted Village” (標的の村) on Saturday, February 28th, 10AM ~ 12PM! Parking and seating are VERY LIMITED.
Click here for more information.
[Note: This article, “Boxing: Fatalities in Hawaii, December 7, 1941,” by Joseph R. Svinth, was first published in Journal of Combative Sport, December 2000. It is republished here with Mr. Svinth’s kind permission. -editor]
Joseph R. Svinth, right, and Tomu Arakawa, 1991.
Contributors:
Although the marble wall at the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center at Pearl Harbor lists only the sunken battleship’s 1,177 dead crewmen, the Remembrance Exhibit on the back lawn is dedicated to all 2,338 Americans killed or mortally wounded on December 7, 1941, a number that includes 48 civilians.1
Four of the dead civilians were boxers. They were:
LaVerne was injured at or near Pearl Harbor’s Red Hill underground fuel tank construction project and died of injuries several days later. Additional details of his death are not available. The other three men were killed or fatally injured by a single blast at the Cherry Blossom Saimin Stand on Honolulu’s South Kukui Street. (Saimin are noodles, but this was essentially a diner.) The men were on their way to a weigh-in, and the cause of the explosion was an improperly fused US Navy anti-aircraft shell.4 The naval shells were fused to explode after 3-8 seconds in the air, but if improperly set or malfunctioning, then they exploded on impact with the ground.5 Continue reading
If you’re free this Sunday, you might want to see this — IT’S FREE!
Center for Okinawan Studies
School of Pacific and Asian Studies
University of Hawai’i at Manoa
1890 East-West Road, Moore Hall 316
Honolulu, HI 96822-2318
Webpage: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/okinawa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/UHCenterforOkinawanStudies
Twitter: twitter.com/UHCOS
Updated 2/13/15
[Note: This article, “Karate Pioneer Kentsu Yabu, 1866-1937,” by Joseph R. Svinth, was first published in Journal of Combative Sport, June 2003. It is republished here with Mr. Svinth’s kind permission. -editor]
Joseph R. Svinth, right, and Tomu Arakawa, 1991.
Acknowledgments: An earlier version of this article appeared in Journal of Asian Martial Arts, 2001, volume 10, number 2, pp. 8-17. The following people provided assistance necessary for completing this article: Michel Brousse, Michael Colling, Charles Goodin, Richard Hayes, Eric Madis, Graham Noble, Robert W. Smith, Curtis Stanley, Homer Yasui, and Miyuki Yabe Yasui. The financial support of the Japanese American National Museum and the King County Cultural Heritage Authority is also gratefully acknowledged.
During the late 1990s, I was researching sumo and judo in the Pacific Northwest before World War II, and this got me in touch with Homer Yasui of Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center. One day, Homer asked, “By the way, are you interested in karate, too? My wife’s grandfather did karate.”
Sure, I replied, I’m interested in all kinds of things. So who was grandpa?
“Kentsu Yabu,” replied Homer. “Ever heard of him?”
Actually, I had. He was a well-known Shorin-ryu karate teacher of the early twentieth century, a peer of Funakoshi and others of that generation. He was supposed to have introduced karate to Hawai’i during the 1920s, but as far as I knew, there weren’t too many pictures or reliable English-language about him.
“Oh,” said Homer. “Would you like some?”
***
The eldest son of Kenten Yabu and Morinaga Shun, Kentsu Yabu was born at Shuri-shi, Yamakawa-cho, Ni-chome #8, in 1866. Known in childhood as Kamadu, Kentsu Yabu had three brothers, three sisters, and three half-sisters.1 Second brother Kencho, a graduate of the Ishi Isei Kyoshujo (Medicine and Biology Institute), died at age 25. Third brother Kenkyu was a well-known painter and calligrapher whose pen names included Kinto and Muka Sanjin (Yabu, 1986, 98-99). Continue reading
Updated 2/7/15
You have to be smarter to be a teacher in Okinawa. In “One in 5.7 pass teacher employment examination,” Japan Update reports that the competitive rate for being a teacher in Okinawa is 11.5, the highest in Japan. Miyagi is next with 10.9. The rate is based on the national teacher employment exam, which is required for all public school teachers. The 11.5 translates to 1 in 11.5 of test takers.
Julie Woolery: “Bingata is a form of painting on fabric that uses stencil patterns and multiple colors of paint. It has been part of Ryukyu history for 500 years…. While it’s a very unique gift to buy for family and friends, it’s even more fun to paint yourself! My favorite place for a fun and meaningful bingata experience is at Bingata Kijimuna in Nago” (“Bingata Kijimuna,” Okinawa Hai!, 2/4/15).
Michelle Camina: “The Mēgā Gama Cave Tour offers visitors an opportunity to go spelunking with tour guides along a precarious but well-mapped area of cave that stretches one kilometer long and takes approximately one hour to complete. For a nominal fee of 500¥ (in addition to the regular admission fee) visitors are encouraged to rent a jumpsuit, boots, and gloves to protect one’s clothing and hands” (“Matsuda Mēgā Gama Cave Tour,” Okinawa Hai!, 1/23/15).
“We have a new ‘debut’ album from the three other original members of Nenes who reunite under the group name Unaigumi. It’s a bit like having the original Nenes back after nearly 20 years as only Yoshida is missing, her place taken by Emiko Shimabukuro. The others (Misako Koja, Namiko Miyazato and Yukino Hayane) are still in strong voice and the album is produced by Kazuya Sahara the keyboard player responsible for much of the original Nenes sound” (“Unaigumi: Unaijima,” Power of Okinawa, 1/28/15).
“In February, the annual Okinawa International Orchid Show takes place at Expo Park in Motobu. It is here that orchids from around the world are put on display in an array of beauty to be judged for competition. If you are a flower lover, then this is one event you don’t want to miss. According to their website, there are at least 10,000 entries from around the world” (“The Okinawa International Orchid Show – Expo Park,” Map It! Okinawa, 2/1/15).
Click image to enlarge.
For many years when I was at my Aunty Annie’s (dad’s twin sister) apartment across from Punahou School and went to the bathroom, I used to pass some family pictures that hung on her hallway wall. I would sometimes stop for a moment and look at the pictures and wonder who these people were. After my aunty passed away, copies of those pictures came into my possession.
I took them to my dad to see if he knew who they were. He said the picture below is the Okinawa Inafuku family taken just before my grandmother left Okinawa in 1912 for Hawaii to be with my grandfather. In the picture, she is sitting between the two gentlemen standing. The young gentleman is my grandfather’s younger brother, Uncle Hoso. Uncle Hoso’s wife, Kama, is the young lady on the right. The gentleman with the hat is my great-grandfather.
The Okinawa Inafuku family just before my grandmother left Okinawa in 1912 for Hawaii to be with my grandfather. She is sitting between the two gentlemen standing. The young gentleman is my grandfather’s younger brother, Uncle Hoso. Uncle Hoso’s wife, Kama, is the young lady on the right. The gentleman with the hat is my great-grandfather.
My dad lived in Okinawa during the early ’20s for 2 1/2 years when he was 8 to 10 years old. My grandmother, Aunty Annie, and my dad left Kauai to go to Okinawa to take back my grandfather’s remains for placement in the Inafuku family tomb in Haneji. My grandfather died from influenza in Waimea, Kauai, two years earlier. During the last years of his life, I spent many hours talking with my dad about that time in Waimea and Okinawa. Below is a picture of my dad when he was about 8 years old, standing in front of the Japanese school in Kekaha, Kauai, I believe. It was taken just before he left for Okinawa.
My dad when he was about 8 years old, standing in front of the Japanese school in Kekaha, Kauai, I believe. This photo was taken just before he left for Okinawa.
When my dad arrived in Okinawa, his Inafuku grandfather and grandmother had already passed away, so their house in Oyakawa village in Haneji was empty. But the house was small, big enough only for my grandmother and my Aunty Annie. So my dad lived with Uncle Hoso Inafuku and his wife, Kama, a few houses away. Only two of them lived in there. They had no children. Continue reading
Special thanks to Ed for sharing the link to this precious photo of two U.S. Marines, during the Battle of Okinawa, protecting an Okinawan child orphaned by the battle.
Marine Corporal Earl Brunitt (left) and Private Genare Nuzzi share a fighting hole and a couple of ponchos on Okinawa with a war orphan. April 1945. Sgt. W.A. McBride or Sgt. Howard S. England. (Marine Corps ) Exact Date Shot Unknown . NARA FILE #: 1127-N-118933 WAR & CONFLICT BOOK #: 881. Photo and caption source.
Updated 1/27/15, 23:00
I was told by my cousin, Yasuo Inafuku, who lives in Taira village, Haneji, Okinawa, that the photo below is of the Haneji Community Center, which was located next to Oyakawa village.
Panel 1. Haneji Community Center, Haneji, Okinawa. Click image to enlarge. This is the left side (panel 1) of the Haneji Community Center. The right side (panel 2) is below. Created 3 enlarged photos of sections in each panel — see below. If your family is from Haneji, see if you recognize any of your relatives. You may want to send the URL of this article to your relatives in Haneji to see if they can recognize anyone.
Panel 2. Haneji Community Center, Haneji, Okinawa.
My dad, Ronald Inefuku, had wanted to send this photo back to Yasuo. However, at that time he had no idea what Yasuo’s address or phone number was. He asked me to help him out. So I asked my friend, Gima, who is from Okinawa but works in Tokyo, to see if he could look up my cousin’s Haneji address and phone number.
Well, he not only found my cousin’s address and phone number, he called Yasuo and had a nice talk with him. The rest is history. Yasuo called my dad, and after 40 years (since the late ’60s), they had a nice nephew-to-uncle talk. After my dad passed away in 2010, my wife and I went to Okinawa and met Yasuo for the first time. I am forever indebted to Gima for helping our Inafuku family. He was instrumental in bringing together the families in Okinawa and Hawaii. Continue reading
Published on YouTube 4 Sep. 2014.
Asato: “Video Taped about a dozen Okinawan Bon Odori Dances at the Yagura (Tower). This is just the raw format; need to move your video bars to dance (Odori) and song (Uta) of your choice. Naturally started filming with my favorite, Song of Okinawa, Asatoya Yunta … ;-)”
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Updated 5/25/15
From: Eric
To: Ukwanshin Kabudan
Date: 1/8/15
Classes (sanshin, shimakutuba etc) begin January 12
First Shimakutuba class (Okinawan language) will be this coming Monday 12 January at Jikoen 7:30. Good time to bring your friends and family to join in our classes.
Okinawan Lunar New Year Celebration! February 21st, Saturday, Jikoen Hall 6pm. Come welcome in the Year of the Sheep
If you haven’t already sent in your RSVP, please do so as soon as possible for our annual Okinawan lunar new year celebration. $15 per person admission includes dinner.
This year we will have a special celebration “Tachi Ujumun Iyaware” (Awakening and blessing of the Dragon). In LooChoo/Okinawa, the Dragon is a symbol of prosperity, good luck, and a powerful guardian. The dragon is connected with the king as was given permission by the emperor of China and honored as a very sacred symbol of LooChoo. This is why there are only 2 traditional sacred dragons in Okinawa that are only used for special events and festivals. One is in Shuri and the other in Gushikawa. Ukwanshin will be keeping this tradition with Hawaii’s first LooChoo Dragon for the Okinawa community. Unlike the Shiisa that you see often, this Dragon will only be used for special occasions and events for the community. In China and Okinawa, the dragon is sometimes seen with the lions as powerful guardians expelling bad luck and bringing good fortune.
The awakening and blessing ceremony will be done at the New Year Celebration according to traditional Chinese and Okinawan customs. Continue reading
Stephen Mansfield, “Isolation Helps Preserve Ishigaki’s Unique Charm,” Japan Times, 12/27/14 – A different past was evident in the older back streets of the port town, which were like dusty medinas — crooked lanes of salt-eroded cement homes covered in leprous paint — or older residences, whose timber had dried into a rigor mortis of stiffened and cracked clapboard…. Tony’s Cafe was not air-conditioned, but the door was left permanently ajar and an ancient electric fan stirred up a little freshness…. Where alcohol in many countries makes people talkative, introspective, sullen or violent, it inflames Okinawans in a different way, making them want to dance. And the dance is always the traditional kachāshī. Dancing is considered good social manners in Okinawa.
Michelle Camina, “Onna-son (Onna Village) Akama Athletic Park,” Okinawa Hai!, 12/19/14 – In this writer’s opinion, the best feature of Akama Sports Park is the soft rubberized running path encircling both stadiums and a parking lot. There are altogether four designated paths one may choose to run depending on the intensity of the desired workout. And each path takes full advantage of the scenic views of the coastline, mountainside, and river that feeds into the picturesque moated area nearest the track and soccer stadium.
“75-year-old Okinawan Woman Attains a Karate Black Belt,” Ryukyu Shimpo, 12/11/14 – 75-year-old Tsuneko Machida from Uechi Style Ageda Women’s Karate School in Adaniya, Kitanakagusuku Village passed a level four test. Tsuneko joined the Karate School when she was 63 years old. For 12 years, she regularly attended practices on Wednesdays and Fridays and showed a lot of discipline. It is rare for a 65-year-old person to start learning Karate, and pass the test at 75-year-old.
“National Theater Okinawa Introduce Cultures from Miyako and Korea for Its 10th Anniversary,” Ryukyu Shimpo, 12/17/14 – The National Theater Okinawa held its 10th anniversary special performance “Sacred Songs from Miyako and Chindo Ssit-kkim-gut from Korea” and introduced contrasting folk cultures. While Miyako’s sacred songs are simply performed only with songs, performers of Ssit-kkim-gut play instruments loudly to arouse emotions.
Louie Sanchez, “Hatsumode, New Years at the Naminoue Shrine,” Map It! Okinawa, 12/27/14 – The Naminoue Shrine is without question the most popular Shinto Shrine in the Ryukyu Islands. Many people visit here on New Year’s Day.
“Excited by Characteristic Formative Arts! Unknown Charms About ‘Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum,'” Okinawa Clip, 1/3/15 – “View of Naha Trading Port and Shurijo Caslte Folding Screen.” It is very rare that foreign vessels were described on a screen in those days. Please recall the present Naha Port and imagine the port town in the 19th century, and the image will assume even greater proportions!
Click image for the large PDF. Click here for the HUOA site.
Harrison Inefuku, Iowa State University Library’s first Digital Repository Coordinator. See the story, “ISU Staffer Champions Free Digital Library of Research” (by MacKenzie Elmer, Des Moines Register, 12/29/14). Harrison, from Hawaii Kai, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Inefuku.
Updated 12/26/14
Excerpts from the Ryukyu Shimpo, 12/7/14: “Former US soldiers of Okinawan descent; war destroys all.”
“[Yoshinobu Oshiro, 86] who was born and raised in Hawaii, experienced the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. He was enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946 after the end of the war. When he was assigned as an interpreter-soldier of the CIC in Japan under U.S. military occupation, he undertook interrogation of former Japanese soldiers who had returned from Siberia.”
“[Takejiro Higa, 91,] was raised in Kitanakagusuku Village, the home of his parents, after he was born in Hawaii. He returned to Hawaii in 1939, avoiding enlistment into the Volunteer Pioneer Youth Army of Manchuria and Mongolia. When he was stationed in Leyte Island, the Philippines, in 1944, he was shocked to see a photograph of Okinawa just after the U.S. military carried out air strikes on October 10. About 90 percent of buildings in Naha City, the capital of Okinawa, were lost to fire and abandonment.”
Read the full article, with photo, here.
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Related article from Ryukyu Shimpo:
Okinawan American veteran used Uchinaguchi to save local residents during the Battle of Okinawa
OPG to interview Okinawan Americans who worked for the U.S. military during the Battle of Okinawa
Ryukyu Shimpo, Ota Masahide, Mark Ealey and Alastair McLaughlan, “Descent into Hell: The Battle of Okinawa.”1 The Asia-Pacific Journal, Vol. 12, Issue 47, No. 4, December 1, 2014: “Those who had not been able to take their own lives with grenades were worried about being left alive. They had to find other ways to kill themselves, and the former ward chairman’s behaviour had set the example. Some used scythes and razor blades to slash themselves, while others strangled themselves with lengths of rope. As the mayhem unfolded, they found all sorts of ways to kill, some bashing others to death with rocks and sticks. Men bashed their wives and parents bashed their children, young people killed the elderly and the strong killed the weak. What they felt in common was the belief that they were doing this out of love and compassion.”
Anna Fifield, “In Japan’s Okinawa, saving indigenous languages is about more than words,” Washington Post, 11/29/14: “‘Someone told me that my playing was fine but my Okinawan sounded American, even though I don’t speak any English. Maybe it was because I don’t look Japanese or Okinawan,’ Fija said after class, wearing a traditional Japanese outfit with an Okinawan pattern. His Okinawan pronunciation, he said, was the equivalent of a Japanese person singing in English ‘I rub you’ instead of ‘I love you.'”
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1 “This article has been adapted from Descent Into Hell – Civilian Memories of the Battle of Okinawa, which is based upon the Senka o Horu series of articles published by the Ryukyu Shimpo from 1983-85. The English translation was published in 2014.” – Ryukyu Shimpo.
“[Japan’s] Supreme Court rejects residents’ demand for new Okinawa base relocation assessment,” Japan Times/Kyodo, 12/12/14. “The central government is pushing for the planned relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from the densely populated area city of Ginowan on Okinowa Island to a coastal area of Nago farther north, but local residents want the base moved outside the prefecture.”
“South American students of Okinawan descent come to Urasoe student exchange,” Ryukyu Shimpo, 11/24/14. “Elisa Mary Higa Morikawa and Bruna Mariko Oshiro are students from a training project for descendants of Okinawan migrants to South American countries. They have been selected for the program for the fiscal year of 2014 organized by Urasoe City.”
Rin Ichino, “Japan’s persisting gender gap leaves many single moms in poverty,” Japan Times/Bloomberg, 12/10/14. “Half of all one-parent families live below the poverty line. The OECD ranks Japan — the world’s third-largest economy — last among its 34 members for the financial well-being of single working parents, and the greatest hardship falls on mothers.”
“TripAdvisor names Naha 6th most popular city,” Japan Update, 12/8/14. “Naha City was selected as the 6th most popular city in the world, in addition of being the 4th among the cities of the Asian countries.”
“Record number of runners took part in Naha Marathon,” Japan Update, 12/8/14. “The 30th Naha Marathon took place Sunday [12/7], with the full marathon course taking the runners through five cities and towns in the southern part of the island…. This year, a lottery system for selecting runners to participate was adopted for the first time because the number of applicants exceeded 30,000. 40 percent of participants came from outside of Okinawa. Over 800 people from Taiwan ran in the race, which is an all-time record.”
“Shifting Boundaries and Changing Surfaces,” Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 12/10/14. “New research published in the Proceedings of The Royal Society A by members of the Mathematical Soft Matter Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University examines the energies at work in a closed flexible loop spanned by a soap film.”
“Rinsho Kadekaru: Katayabira Shimauta Dan,” Power of Okinawa, 12/3/14. “This first CD is a live performance which took place on the 28th August 1974 at Osaka Festival Hall and was part of the original ‘Ryukyu Festival: Katayabira Shimauta’. It was previously released as an LP at the end of that year. Kadekaru is accompanied by his son Rinji and by musicians such as the young Sadao China and Tetsuhiro Daiko.”
“Sugar Ride Kumejima cycling event held,” Ryukyu Shimpo, 12/1/14. “At Ojima on November 30 . . . Over the 125 kilometer-Challenge course, the participants did three laps of the island. For the 90 kilometer-Athlete course, they did two laps. In the 45 kilometer-Tourist course, the cyclists went around the island once. The event had 107 participants, with 103 people completing the courses.”
“Hong Kong’s major investment group to tap into Okinawan markets,” Ryukyu Shimpo, 11/30/14. “The decision to invest in Okinawa came about as a result of a steady increase in Chinese tourists including Hong Kongers coming to the island. The investing company plans to buy existing hotels, and build new ones, mainly in Naha and Ishigaki Island. These hotels will be targeted at Chinese tourists.”
Click image to enlarge.
Updated 12/5/14, 6/5/15
“Warabi-gami,” like “Hana,” reaches deep into the soul of Okinawa.
童神 (Warabi-gami) – 古謝 美佐子 / God Child – Misako Kojya Eng Sub. Uploaded to YouTube by Kazu H on 3/16/12.
“Warabigami” (Children of God) performed by Koja Misako (古謝美佐子). This Okinawan lullaby was written by Koja and composed by Sahara Kazuya.
Added 6/5/15: “上間綾乃 Ayano Uema 童神 Warabi-gami / A Child of God” uploaded by 上間綾乃専用 on 5/17/14.
『童神』 warabigami ☆ 古謝美佐子 ☆ 夏川りみ ‘Natsukawa Rimi.’ Uploaded to YouTube by 夏川りみ [Natsukawa Rimi] on 4/8/12.
This version is performed by Koja and Natsukawa Rimi. Natsukawa’s version is the more standard Japanese (Yamatoguchi) lyrics (see below) while Koja’s is decidedly Uchinaguchi.
Romaji (Yamatoguchi version)
Lyrics Koja Misako, Music Sahara Kazuya
Ten kara no megumi ukete kono hoshi ni
Umaretaru waga ko inori kome sodate
IRAYOO HEI IRAYOO HOI
IRAYOO Kanashi umi nashiguwa
Nakunayo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Teida no hikari ukete
Yuuiriyo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Sukoya ka ni sodate
Atsuki natsu no hi wa suzukaze wo okuri
Samuki fuyu kureba kono mune ni daite
IRAYOO HEI IRAYOO HOI
IRAYOO Kanashi umi nashiguwa
Nakunayo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Tsuki no hikari abite
Yuuiriyo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Sukoyaka ni nemure
Arashi fuki susamu wataru kono uki yo
Haha no inori kome towa no hanasakaso
IRAYOO HEI IRAYOO HOI
IRAYOO Kanashi umi nashiguwa
Nakunayo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Ten no hikari ukete
Yuuiriyo~ya HEIYOO HEIYOO
Ten takaku sodate
“Warabi-gami” by Yukari, Mat-chan, & Miyo. Uploaded to YouTube by Gary Joe Wolff on 12/12/09
Note from Wolff: Sat. Dec. 12, 2009. Live and Dining Bar Reef, Koenji, Tokyo. Hula Dancer: Yukari, Sanshin: “Mat-chan” Tomotaka Matsuda, Ukulele: Miyo.
Blaisdell Concert Hall, Dec. 5, 2014, 8 p.m. Friday, $20-$60. Info: (808) 768-5252, blaisdellcenter.com. Shimabukuro also plays Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Kahilu Theatre in Kamuela, Hawaii. Go to Jake’s homepage. See Steven Mark’s “Shimabukuro reunites with former bands” (Star-Advertiser, 12/4/14). Click image to enlarge.
Jake Shimabukuro
Goya Salad Recipe, Cooking with Nao, Japan Update, 12/2/14
Sweet and Tender Simmered Pork Recipe, Cooking with Nao, Japan Update, 12/2/14
Video below — “Family Ingredients – Wahiawa,” uploaded to YouTube by Hawaiian Skies on 12/2/14. Note from the video: “Enjoy this episode of ‘Family Ingredients,’ a traveling food show hosted by local Chef Ed Kenney. This particular story takes us to the Nakasone family reunion as Chef Kenney visits with Hawaiʻi’s famed Chef Alan Wong in his hometown of Wahiawa, located in Oahu’s central valley. As we see here in Hawai’i, food is at the heart of family gatherings and connects the generations to family values, tradition and culture.”
Ojima Fish Market, Power of Okinawa, 11/30/14
Eric Johnston, U.S. base move casts big shadow over election in Okinawa, Japan Times, 12/2/14
3rd Annual SCORE! Science Fair, Saturday, December 13, 2014 (All day), OIST Auditorium, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, Japan 904-0495. Everyone is welcome! Come to see high school student compete for big prizes! More information or contact community-relations@oist.jp
Okinawa Clip — for the latest events on Okinawa
Updated 8/13/15, 9/5/15
Click image to enlarge. More info.
Saturday, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
Festival Festivities begin at 9:00 am
Most food booths & tents close at 6:00 pm
Only select food booths open until 8:00 pm
Live Entertainment at Kapiolani Park Bandstand: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Enjoy continuous live performances by entertainers from Okinawa
and local Okinawan groups from Hawaii.
Bon Dance at Kapiolani Park Field: 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Pull out your kimono and happi coats and join the HUOA community at the
annual Festival Bon Dance! Hundreds of participants dance the night away
honoring their ancestors. Don’t worry about not knowing how to bon dance,
bon dancing is not only fun, it is easy to learn!
Sunday, SEPTEMBER 6, 2015
Festival Festivities begin at 9:00 am
Craft Gallery and Children’s Games close at 4:30 pm
Most food booths & tents close at 5:00 pm
Live Entertainment at Kapiolani Park Bandstand: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Another great day of continuous live performances by Okinawan groups from Hawaii at the Kapiolani Park Bandstand. Local taiko, traditional Okinawan dance, sanshin, koto and karate groups show their stuff on Sunday.
Saturday-September 5, 2015 (subject to change)
9:00am – RYUKYU SOKYOKU KOYO KAI HAWAII SHIBU
Jane Kaneshiro & Bonnie Miyashiro, Co-chairs
Jane Kaneshiro Sozan Kai
Bonnie Miyashiro Soho Kai
Toma Toyoko Sokyoku Kai
Kaya Hatsuko Sokyoku Kai
Yamashiro Yoneko Sokyoku Kenkyu Kai
Yasuko Arakawa Aki no Kai
Sunny Tominaga Sokyoku Sanyuukai
Chieko Miyasato Sokyoku Kai
9:30am – RYUKYU KOTEN ONGAKU NOMURA RYU ONGAKU KYOKAI HAWAII SHIBU
Seiichi Yagi, Chapter President
10:00am – HAWAII TAIKO KAI
Terry Higa, Instructor
10:20a – OPENING PROCESSION HUOA Banners, Shishimai, Chondara, Paranku Clubs of Hawaii
10:50am – FORMAL OPENING CEREMONY
11:30am – HOOGE RYU HANA NUUZI NO KAI NAKASONE DANCE ACADEMY
Lynne Yoshiko Nakasone, Grand Master and Director
Noon – RYUKYUKOKU MATSURI DAIKO HAWAII
Akemi Martin, Regional Director
12:30pm – JIMPU KAI USA KIN RYOSHO RYUKYU GEINO KENKYUSHO HAWAII SHIBU
Cheryl Yoshie Nakasone, Artistic Director
1:00pm – RYUSEI HONRYU RYUKO KAI
Mitsuko Toguchi Nakasone, Kaishu
1:30pm – RADIO OKINAWA’S 2015 MIUTA TAISHO WINNER-RITSUKO SHIBAHIKI
2:10pm – NAKAGUSUKU GOSAMARU DRUMS
Hiromi Arakaki, Kaicho
2:50pm – SHORIN RYU HAWAII SEIBUKAN
Masakazu Teruya, Kancho
3:20pm – RYUKYU KOTEN AFUSO RYU ONGAKU KENKYUU CHOICHI KAI HAWAII
Grant “Sandaa” Murata, Chapter President
4:10pm – YOKO HIZUKI
4:50pm – KACHASHI
OKINAWAN FESTIVAL BON DANCE
5:30pm – Opening/Welcome – Emcee David Arakawa
5:45pm – Hawaii Eisa Shinyuu Kai, Melissa Uyeunten, President
6:45pm – Aiea Taiheiji Yagura Gumi, Todd Imamura, President
7:20pm – Hawaii Shin Kobukai, Betty Dela cuesta, Head Instructor
7:55pm – Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai, Marion Kanemori, Vice-President & Dance Committee Chair
8:30pm – Young Okinawans of Hawaii, David Jones, President
9:20pm – KACHASHI
Sunday-September 6, 2015 (subject to change)
9:00am – KILAUEA OKINAWA DANCE CLUB
Toshiko Neumann, Leader
9:20am – NUUANU SHORIN-RYU / SHINDEN-RYU KARATE ASSOCIATION
Mitchell Shimamura Sensei
9:50am – HAWAII OKINAWA CREATIVE ARTS
Jon Itomura, President & Eric Nitta, Vice-President
10:20am – HUI OKINAWA KOBUDO TAIKO
Troy Sakihara, Leader
10:50am – SHINSATO SHOSEI KAI
Katsumi Shinsato Sensei
11:20am – CHINAGU EISA HAWAII with NAHA DAIKO & NANKURU EISA-
Lisa Tamashiro, President (Chinagu Eisa Hawaii)
Jin Yonaha (Naha Daiko)
Koh Sakiyama (Nankuru Eisa-)
Noon – OKINAWA YUIBUYO SUISHIN KYOGIKAI
Kiyoshi Miyagi, President
12:40pm – KANESHIRO DANCE STUDIO & HUI O LAULIMA CHURAKAAGI ANGWATAA
Alfred Yama Kina, Representative
1:10pm – TAMAGUSUKU RYU SENJU KAI FRANCES NAKACHI RYUBU DOJO
Frances Nakachi, Shihan, Master Instructor, Director
1:40pm – RYUKYU SOKYOKU HOZON KAI HAWAII SHIBU, SARINA SOKYOKU KENKYUSHO
Sarina Udd, Chapter President & Shihan
2:10pm – NIDAIME TEISHIN KAI HAWAII SHIBU & HUOA SANSHIN CLASS
Ryosei Oshiro, Director
2:50pm – YOKO HIZUKI
3:30pm – NAKAGUSUKU GOSAMARU DRUMS
Hiromi Arakaki, Kaicho
4:10pm – OKINAWA MINYO KYOKAI HAWAII & URIZUN MINYO GROUP
Derek Ichiro Shiroma Sensei
4:50pm – KACHASHI
(Click here for the official program in PDF. See 2015 Okinawan Festival in Honolulu: Opening Procession.)
* * * Original Post 12/2/14 * * *
Photo from 2014 festival.
sponsored by Hawaii United Okinawa Association
Kapiolani Park
Waikiki, Hawaii
Center for Okinawan Studies
University of Hawai‘i at Manoa
ASAN 320O Asian Nation Studies: Okinawa:
Multidisciplinary examination of Okinawa; cultural, social, economic, and political lives of its people. Prerequisite: 201 and 202, or consent.
JPN 472 Okinawan Language and Culture II: The second of a series of two courses (JPN 471-472) focusing on Okinawan literature, language skills, heritage, and cultural understanding. Prerequisite: JPN 471 or consent.
DNCE 306 Okinawan Dance I: Performance and techniques. Prerequisite: upper division standing or consent.
DNCE 406 Okinawan Dance II: Performance and techniques at intermediate level. Prerequisite: 306 or consent.
MUS 311F Okinawan Music Ensembles I: Performance and literature for ensembles. Prerequisite: upper division standing or consent.
The people of Hawaii are invited to join governor-elect David Ige as he takes office Monday, December 1, at noon at the Hawaii State Capitol. The ceremony kicks off his statewide inauguration tour. Public events on Hawaii Island, Maui, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai will be announced soon.
Here are the Oahu activities planned for the public. Both the inauguration ceremony and festivities are free:
Monday, December 1
Inaugural Ceremony
Hawaii State Capitol Rotunda
At noon, Governor-elect Ige and Lieutenant Governor-elect Shan Tsutsui will take the oath of office in the Rotunda. A traditional Okinawan blessing with drums and Shishimai lion dogs in front of the Governor’s office will immediately follow the oath of office.
Click image to enlarge.
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