Community Focus

Sachie Saigusa-Sensei and her Sumie Society of Hawaii students marked the conclusion of their 16th annual exhibition of Japanese brush paintings at Honolulu Hale with an awards luncheon on April 27 at the Ala Moana Hotel. During the program, which was organized by the Makua Alii chapter, Saigusa-Sensei presented an Intermediate certificate of achievement to....

Ryukyukoku Matsuri Daiko Hawaii, the youthful and energetic eisä taiko group, and the Pacific Cultural Interchange Association will present “Ko-Ryukyu: The Dawn of Ryukyu,” a presentation of Okinawan cultural arts and pre-Ryukyuan history, on Tuesday, July 24, at 7 p.m. at the Hawaii Okinawa Center. RMD Hawaii was founded by Akemi Martin-Sensei, who continues to....

Close to 600 people, including 44 World War II AJA veterans, turned out for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team’s 75th anniversary banquet on March 18 at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel. The event, themed “Celebrating with Gratitude and Pride,” opened with the 442nd veterans filing into the Hawaii Ballroom, followed by family members of deceased veterans....

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i recognized four organizations and three individuals at its annual “Sharing the Spirit of Aloha” gala dinner on June 16, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom. Taiko master and previous “Sharing the Spirit” honoree Kenny Endo opened the event with an attention-catching taiko performance. JCCH board chair Christine Kubota....

June 5–Feb. 24, 2019: “Gannenmono: A Legacy of Eight Generations in Hawai‘i” exhibit. This exhibit features historic documents and illustrations, cultural objects and first-hand accounts of the Gannenmono. The exhibit also includes the genealogy of one Gannenmono whose family today spans eight generations and contains more than 800 names. Picture Gallery in Hawaiian Hall at....

Members of the Kuakini Medical Center Auxiliary and the Kuakini Health System administration gathered at Honolulu Memorial Park in Nu‘uanu on May 29 to honor the memory of the Gannenmono, who arrived in Hawai‘i in 1868, and the 141 Issei who once resided at what was originally the Japanese Home of Hawaii. They offered prayers....

The Rotary Club of Hiroshima South in Japan presented a $20,000 check to its sister club in Hawai‘i, the Rotary Club of Hilo, to support the Puna relief efforts resulting from the ongoing Kïlauea volcano eruption. The donation was made at the Rotary Club of Hiroshima South’s meeting on June 1. The funds will be....

The Honolulu Hiroshima Kenjin Kai held its annual membership meeting and shinnen enkai on March 11 at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i’s Manoa Grand Ballroom. The thunderous taiko sounds of Dragon Beat opened the program. Emcees Megumi Honami and Koshin Soga, both dressed in dog costumes in celebration of the “Year of the Dog,”....

The following are corrections to the Bon dance schedule that was published in the May 18, 2018, edition of The Hawai‘i Herald. We apologize for any inconvenience the errors may have caused. BIG ISLAND • July 21 (Sat.): Honokaa Hongwanji bon dance will begin at 7 p.m., following the 5:30 obon service.

Living on Hawai‘i’s sugar and pineapple plantations meant never wasting food or other valuables. With that in mind, Hawaii’s Plantation Village will hold a special session on Saturday, July 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to demonstrate how leftover vegetables, fruits, fish and meat were preserved to stretch meals. Each ethnic group had creative....