The East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai will celebrate the arrival of the “Year of the Boar” at its annual luncheon meeting on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Honpa Hongwanji Hilo Betsuin Sangha Hall.
A short business meeting conducted by Kenjin Kai president Jon Arizumi will begin at 10:30 a.m. At that time, the Beiju celebrants — those members reaching the auspicious age of 88 in 2019 — will be recognized. They will include Lester Fushikoshi, Albert Idemoto, Shigeno Kawamoto, Chiyono Kinoshita, Ernest Kubota, Herbert Marutani, Kimiyo Marutani, Nancy Matsui, Akiko Miyashita, Robert Y. Ouye, Lynne Yoshie Shimazu, Shizue Tanaka, Tsutomu Ueno, Emiko Watanabe and Janet Yamashiro. Family members and friends of the honorees are encouraged to attend the luncheon and support their Beiju celebrant.
This year’s entertainment will feature a mini Kohaku Uta Gassen, or Red and White Song Festival, with a few men and women competing for the team title.
The 2018 East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai scholarship recipients will present short reports. The recipients are Deylen Nekoba and Jairus Iwasaki. Deylen, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa, is the son of EHHKK members Darrell and Lori Nekoba. Jairus is the son of EHHKK members Alan and Patsy Iwasaki. He is a freshman majoring in elementary education at UH-Mänoa. Information on the educational scholarships awarded to the children and grandchildren of EHHKK members, as well as applications, will be available at the luncheon.
Dillon Tsuchiya, the 2018 East Hawaii Hiroshima Kenjin Kai delegate to the Hiroshima International Youth Exchange Program, will report on his visit to Hiroshima last summer.
Shinnen enkai chair Michelle Soga said the gathering is open to those with ancestral roots in Hiroshima or an interest in Hiroshima and Japan. The New Year’s luncheon is $15 for the kaiseki bento. For tickets or membership information, call Tommy Goya at (808) 989-5953, Jon Arizumi at (808) 896-8172 or Gareth Makino at (808) 443-4597.
