The Nisei Week Court joins Miyako Kadogawa (fourth from left) and Cynthia Quinones, chair of the L.A. Tanabata Festival.
The 16thLos Angeles Tanabata Festival returned to the Japanese American National Museum on Aug. 10 as part of the Nisei Week Japanese Festival.
The kazari created by the community were unveiled in the Aratani Central Hall and will remain on display through Aug. 29. They can be viewed free of charge. The 10 award-winning giant kazari decorations sent from Sendai will remain on display as well.
Community Kazari on display include entries from NALC USA and Culver City High School Japanese language class and show diverse creativity.
Fifty-three kazari were submitted by the community as part of the 2024 festival with “Peace” as the theme for the contest. Three categories were offered this year: kenjinkai/Japanese prefectural associations of Southern California, nonprofit organizations, and families and individuals. Cash prizes for each category were awarded: $100 for first place, $50 for second place and $30 for third place. The overall first place winner of the three categories received an additional $100 for the Founders Award.
Founders Award– Renri Kenkyusho USA
Kenjinkai— First place, Akita Kenjinkai; second place, Kanagawa Kenjinkai; third place, Miyagi Kenjinkai
Families/Individuals— First place (two winners), Poppy Kwong and Taishi Judo Club; second place, Yoshihito Yonezawa
Nonprofit Organizations— First place, Rinri Kenkyusho USA; second place, Culver City High School Japanese Language Class; third place, Sam Deims: Girl Scouts Gold Award
Judges from the community included Kihei Ohtani, Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogi Kai; Kimiko Fujita, Orange County Japanese Cultural Center; Kelli-Ann Nakayama, Japanese American National Museum; Susan Yokoyama, Pacific Citizen; Michael Okamura, Little Tokyo Historical Society; Yumi Ouchi, The Rafu Shimpo; and Gail Matsui, L.A. Tanabata Festival.
Festival sponsors included:
Corporate — Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai; Nisei Week Foundation; Yoshihito Yonezawa
Amanokawa (Milky Way) — Gray-Chan and Junko; Miyako Kadogawa, in memory of Nancy Kikuchi and Momo Nagano
Orihime (Weaver Princess) — Keiro; Maedaen, in memory of Momo Nagano
Hikoboshi (Cow Herder) — Leiko and David Dahlgren; Go Kizuna; Keiko and Kenji Irie; Hisamori Iwashita, in memory of Joan Kuniko Kawase; Nanka Miyagi Kenjinkai; Mr. and Mrs. Kiyomi Yonezawa; L.A. Kayo Club; MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art); Psyndicated Arts; Allen and Uzuko Shiroishi; Richard Watanabe; Kirk and Phelan Yonezawa
Tanzaku (Wishing Paper) — Yoshihiko Ehara; Jax and Ryer Kanemori; Shon Kanemori; Yoko Nakajima; Pass the Exam; Hiroko Takano; Midori Walters; Brandon Tsuyoshi Yonezawa
Tomodachi (Friends) — Anonymous; Miyuki Guterres; Hiroko Oyama; Toshiko Yamashige; Hitomi Matsuyuki; Dr. Yoshio Homma, DC; Katelynn Kiyoko Kanemori; Kory Kito
Kazari on display represent the work of many organizations, individuals, families and Kenjinkai Japanese prefectural groups. These are only a sampling of the creativity exhibited for this year’s Festival with the chosen theme “Peace.”
Special thanks to kazari sponsor Shiramatsuga Monoka, Confectionery, who provides the award-winning kazari from the current Tanabata Festival in Sendai to display in Little Tokyo during Nisei Week; and the Quon Yick Noodle Company, facility sponsor.
L.A. Tanabata Festival provides workshops on how to make kazari at their office at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center, 244 S. San Pedro St., Room 405A. For more information, contact Miyako Kadogawa at [email protected]. For office appointments, call Junko Yonezawa at (323) 742-2494 or (323) 721-8523.
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