The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii was full of hustle and bustle Tuesday in preparation for a morning visit by Prince Akishino, the second son of Japan’s Emperor Akihito, and his wife, Princess Kiko.
The Japanese royal couple was greeted with lei and a children’s taiko drum performance, then watched a kendo martial arts demonstration before touring “Okage Sama De: I am what I am because of you,” the center’s permanent exhibition documenting the Japanese-American experience in Hawaii.
The prince and princess were in Hawaii on their first official visit together to the U.S. as part of a yearlong celebration of the 150th anniversary of Gannenmono, the first group of Japanese immigrants to the isles.
“It was an amazing, unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience to be able to greet the prince and princess and introduce them to the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii and the vision of our founders, the kinds of activities we’re involved in to preserve the history of Japanese in Hawaii, but also to pass on and celebrate the traditions and cultural arts,” said Carole Hayashino, the center’s president and executive director. “The values of our issei immigrants are thriving, and will continue for future generations.”
Hayashino said it was a wonderful experience for the keiki of Somei Taiko and the Kenshikan Kendo Club to perform for the royal couple.
“It was really a wonderful experience to share that with them, and they were delighted,” she said. “They were very engaging.”
Both the prince and princess smiled at the performances, listened carefully to the docent-led tour of the exhibit and thanked the performers upon their departure from the cultural center.
“This is a historic moment for the Japanese Cultural Center, for the Japanese community and for me, personally,” said Hayashino. “I grew up being taught to be proud of being Japanese and of my ancestry, and this is a reminder of that, of taking pride in our culture and history as persons of Japanese ancestry.”
Next on the itinerary was a tour of the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Holt Gallery, which features contemporary Hawaii art, followed by a luncheon hosted by Mayor Kirk Caldwell and a tree-planting ceremony at St. Thomas Square.
At the museum the royal couple was also able to view several Hawaiian quilts on special display.
“The Honolulu Museum of Art is deeply grateful to the Their Imperial Highnesses for visiting the museum and to showcase highlights from the museum’s collection,” said Director Sean O’Harrow in a statement. “Hawaii and Japan have shared people and ideas for 150 years. As the stewards of one of the most significant holdings of Japanese culture outside of Japan, we understand and dedicate ourselves to the great responsibility of ensuring that we educate people from around the world.”
The royals toured Iolani Palace on Tuesday afternoon and ended the day with dinner hosted by Gov. David Ige at Washington Place.
This morning the royal couple is expected to attend the opening ceremony of the 59th Convention of Nikkei & Japanese Abroad Symposium at the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, followed by a visit to Kuakini Hospital and a viewing of the “Gannenmono: A Legacy of Eight Generations in Hawaii” exhibit at Bishop Museum.
On Thursday the couple will attend the Gannenmono 150th Anniversary Commemoration and Symposium in Waikiki and visit the University of Hawaii at Manoa. On Friday they plan a visit to the Hawaii Okinawa Center.
