Editor’s note: This article was previously published in the Hawaii United Okinawa Association’s Uchinanchu Newsletter, May/June 2025. It has been edited for publication in the San Times.
An estimated crowd of 500 people gathered at the Kukui Grove Shopping Center Food Court on Saturday, May 10, 2025, for the 2025 Kaua‘i Okinawan Festival. Hui Alu, the Kaua‘i Okinawan club, welcomed the audience with an enthusiastic “Aloha!”
The crowd was then reminded that this was an Okinawan festival, prompting a loud, “Haisai!”—an Okinawan greeting used by men in the Uchinaaguchi language. They also learned that women say, “Haitai” Another shout of “Mensore!”—meaning “welcome!”—rang out, officially kicking off the festivities.
Ryukyu Koten Afuso Ryu Ongaku Kenkyu Choichi Kai USA – Hawaii opened the festival with five musical selections, led by Grant “Masanduu” Murata Sensei and Sean Sadaoka Sensei, accompanied by members from Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Maui, and California.
Kauaʻi was also treated to the graceful and precise movements of the dancers from Tamagusuku Ryu Senju Kai Hawaii, led by Hawaii United Okinawa Association’s own president, Frances Nakachi Kuba Sensei. The island was further energized by the powerful rhythms and booming drums of Oʻahu’s Chinagu Eisa Hawaii. Their colorful costumes and lively movements had the audience moving to the beat.
Local Kauaʻi performers also contributed to the vibrant festival atmosphere, including dancers from Azuma Kotobuki Kai, led by Carolyn Morinishi Sensei, the drummers of Taiko Kauai, and the Men of the Koi Dynasty.
Azuma Kotobuki Kai performed six dances, one of which was choreographed by a group member. Another dance was set to the song “The Flower That Shattered the Stone” by John Denver and Minami Kosetsu.
The Men of the Koi Dynasty—a group formed fifteen years ago to encourage more men to learn bon dancing—performed two spirited and “manly” pieces: “Sōren Bushi” and “Shimanchu nu Takara.”
They were followed by the drummers of Taiko Kauai, an adult taiko group from Kauaʻi’s west side. The group began by practicing on old car tires fashioned into drums and eventually progressed to crafting their own. Taiko Kauai performed five numbers, concluding with “Fukushima Ondo,” during which everyone was invited to dance. It was the perfect way to kick off the Japanese Bon Dance portion of the festival!
The festival also featured Eisa Bon dancing, with music provided by Grant “Masanduu” Murata Sensei, Sean Sadaoka Sensei, and other sanshin musicians from Oʻahu. This was a special moment for Kauaʻi’s Eisa dancers and drummers, as they rarely have the opportunity to perform on their home island. The Kauaʻi community was treated to the lively rhythms and spirited shouts of iya saa saa—distinctive elements of Eisa dancing.
Like all Okinawan gatherings, the Kauaʻi Okinawan Festival concluded with a lively kachāshī. Everyone was invited and encouraged to join in this joyful celebration of Okinawan culture. Nearly the entire food court area was either dancing or waving their arms in rhythm. One enthusiastic visitor from California, who eagerly joined the kachāshī with his friends, told Hui Alu that the Kauaʻi Okinawan Festival—and especially the kachāshī—was the most fun event he had experienced in Hawaiʻi.
In addition to the stage program, Hui Alu members prepared and served two traditional Okinawan dishes: pig’s feet soup and andagi. Thanks to Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Hui Alu was able to cook in the center’s parking lot. Shoppers walking in from the lot could see the food being prepared on-site. The tantalizing aromas must have done their job—both dishes sold out by the end of the festival!
The event also featured a cultural room that showcased the history of Hui Alu, a collection of handcrafted Okinawan dolls, the group’s shishimai (lion dance) costume, and the head of Miruku, the Okinawan god of happiness and prosperity.
The 2025 Kauaʻi Okinawan Festival didn’t end with a goodbye, but with the Okinawan saying: Ichariba Chōde—“Once we meet, we are family.” Everyone who attended—whether as audience members, customers, or volunteers—became part of our extended Hui Alu ʻohana.
A heartfelt Ippee Nifee Debiru (thank you very much) to all the members and friends of Hui Alu who gave their time and energy to make the 2025 Kauaʻi Okinawan Festival a success. It was a lot of work—but it was also a lot of fun!
