2007 Nisei Week court introduced at official opening ceremony.
Photos by JUN NAGATA/Rafu Shimpo
The 2007 Nisei Week Court, from left, Christine Wai Lan Kimoto, Mandy Michiko Kusumoto, Jennifer Kiku Minami, Saki Uechi, Monika Taniguchi Teuffel and Yoshie Margaret Okada.
The Nisei Week Foundation, a nonprofit organization, officially commenced the 67th Nisei Week Japanese Festival with its annual Opening Ceremony event on Sunday, July 15. The 2007 Nisei Week Japanese Festival will take place from Aug. 18-26 beginning with a line up of cultural and entertaining events, including the Nisei Week Queen’s Coronation at the Aratani Japan America Theatre. Nisei Week Coronation tickets are available at the Golden Circle level (includes a banquet at the New Otani Hotel at 5:30 p.m., prior to the Coronation at 7 p.m., and preferred orchestra seating) at $160 per person; orchestra seats are $75 per person; or balcony seats only at $55 per person. “On behalf of the Nisei Week Foundation and all its volunteers, it is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the 67th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival,” said Keith Inatomi, 2007 Nisei Week foundation president. |
“This year we are especially excited to add the Nebuta float from Japan to our Grand Parade, which is beginning at 6 p.m. this year to accommodate the spectacular illuminated Nebuta float. In addition, we’re bringing back the ‘Nisei Week Carnival’ on Aug. 25-26 from 2-10 p.m. with community food and game booths – just like the ‘old days’ when the carnival was the place to be. We look forward to celebrating nine days of Nisei Week fun with everyone—young and old—from all over the Southern California region.”
The Japan Business Association sponsored the ceremony held at the Japanese American National Museum. The annual invitation-only opening ceremony to welcome another year of Nisei Week drew local dignitaries, including Los Angeles Consul General of Japan Kazuo Kodama; Rep. Lucile Roybal-Allard, and Councilmember Jan Perry.
This year’s program included a special ondo demonstration of “Kuroshionobu no Ichiban Matoi” by Shinobu Otoba choreographed by the 2007 Nisei Week Parade Choreographer Madame Hanayagi Rokumine. This year’s free ondo lessons will be held on every Tuesday and Thursday, starting July 24 from 7 – 8 p.m. at the Japanese American Community and Cultural Center Plaza.
To bless and bring success to the Nisei Week Festival, the Rev. Alfred Tsuyuki of Konko Church of Los Angeles conducted the annual purification ceremony. 2006 Nisei Week Queen Liane Takano was the event’s mistress of ceremonies, which was attended by friends and family of the current candidates, their sponsors, and community members and dignitaries. Additionally, the 2006 Nisei Week court was in attendance.
The Opening Ceremony also officially introduced the 2007 Nisei Week Court to the community, media, family and friends. The 2007 Nisei Week queen candidates are:
Christine Wai Lan Kimoto (Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council), a 24-year-old first grade teacher; Mandy Michiko Kusumoto (East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center), 25, a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology; Jennifer Kiku Minami (Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Loft Hawaiian Restaurant), 24, a student at Cal State Long Beach majoring in liberal studies/elementary education; Yoshie Margaret Okada (Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California), 24, a member of Zenshuji Zendeko Taiko and graduate of UC San Diego; Monika Taniguchi Teuffel (West Los Angeles Japanese American Citizen League & Auxiliary & Venice Japanese Community Center), 243, a graduate from UC Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in international studies, and a triple minor in Japanese language and literature, art history, and management and Saki Uechi (Little Tokyo Lion’s Club), 25, a former member of the UCLA women’s golf team with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and Japanese.
For Queen Coronation tickets, call Michael Lee at 310-508-8097 or Gerald Fukui at (213) 626-2778. The 2007 Nisei Week Japanese Festival takes place in Little Tokyo from Aug. 18-26. For calendar of events and volunteer information on the 67th Nisei Week Festival, please log onto www.NiseiWeek.org or call the Nisei Week Foundation office at (213) 687-7193.
Source: Rafu Shimpo Online, Sunday, July 22, 2007