The Nenchosha Ian Engei Taikai event, organized by the United Japanese Society of Hawaii (UJSH), was held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Hawaii Okinawa Center in Waipio. This annual event honors seniors who have reached the age of 80. This long-standing tradition started in 1962 and has become a significant cultural event in the Japanese community of Hawaiʻi.
This year’s honorees were born in 1944, the last year that Hawaiʻi was under martial law during World War II. They were members of social clubs and were in high school when Hawaiʻi became a state on Aug. 21, 1959. They remember the Lucky Luck Show, Elivs Presley’s arrival in Hawaiʻi, and grew up with hamburgers and hot dogs; and many did seasonal summer work at Dole Cannery – affectionately known as “the cannery days.”
This year there were 28 honoree who have made significant contributions to the community. The honorees were:
CENTRAL OAHU KUMAMOTO KENJIN KAI
- Bertrand Y. Kobayashi
- Naomi Ohara
HAWAII FUKUOKA KENJIN KAI
- Jean Kumamoto
HAWAII UNITED OKINAWA ASSOCIATION
- Ann Asakura
- Linda Kiyomi Hatori
- Ellen Higa
- Ione Tokishi
- Paula Kurashige
- Patrick & Winona Miyashiro
- Larry Nishihara
- Jane Oda
- Norma Oshiro
- Joanne Richardson
- Barbara Takamoto
- Ronald & Sharon Tomasa
HONOLULU FUKUSHIMA KENJIN KAI
- Toshiko Sato
- Sadie Watanabe
HONOLULU HIROSHIMA KENJIN KAI
- Takao Fujimoto
HONOLULU YAMAGUCHI KENJINKAI
- Betsy Hata
- Judy Nakamura
lWAKUNI ODORI AIKO KAI
- Marion Kanemori
- Myrtle Kobayashi
- Ralston Nagata
LANAKILA JAPANESE CULTURAL CLUB
- Patricia Ching
- Eloise Frank
LANAKILA OKINAWA NENCHOSHA CLUB
- Diana Kawaguchi
Each honoree was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a large swag bag containing items donated from various kenjin kai including delicious treats, commemorative booklets and practical items.
The program began with an energetic call to celebration performance by Chinagu Eisa Hawaii. Master of Ceremonies introduce UJSH President David Ryo Jones to give a welcome speech to recognize all of the honorees, followed by a congratulatory message from the Consul General of Japan Yoshinori Kodama.
In between each of the four groups’ certificate presentations, guests enjoyed entertainment by Madoka no Kai, Chinagu Eisa Hawaii, Jane Higa (president of Lanakila Okinawa Nenchosha Club), and Hanayagi Mitsusumi Dance Studio. Other fun highlights included a trivia game led by Clyde Matsumoto and every one got up to do a few bon dance numbers – “Furusato Yamaguchi,” “Shamisen Boogie,” and “Shiawase Ondo” led by the Iwakuni Odori Aiko Kai.
Event Chair Karen Kuba-Hori thanked everyone for helping to make the event a success and David Arakawa helped bring the celebration to a close with a rhythmically joyful tejime (celebratory hand clapping at the end of an event).
UJSH is dedicated to preserving Japanese traditions and promoting goodwill between Japan and the U.S. The organization hosts a variety of other events throughout the year, including its Installation and Recognition Banquet, where it honors community members for their leadership and contributions.
