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Blackened Canteen ceremony honors fallen at Pearl Harbor

By Craig T. Kojima

Dec. 6, 2018

National Park Service Chief historian Daniel Martinez seems overwhelmed as he is given a replica of Blackened Canteen by Dr. Hiroya Sugano, who has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for Americans and Japanese veterans and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, left, has trouble opening the whiskey bottle. He asked Japanese Consul General Koichi Ito to open it. Sugano's wife Yoko is seen above. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for Americans and Japanese veterans and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
The blackened canteen is filled with whiskey. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano carries a blackened canteen, a U.S. relic from an air raid over Shizuoka, Japan, in 1945 in which two bomber crews were killed in a collision. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano waits for the tour boat to arrive at the USS Arizona Memorial. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, middle, has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going, starts pouring whiskey into harbor just off USS Arizona Memorial. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, center, has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going every year. Sugano pours whiskey into the harbor with Colonel Edwin Hawkins, Jr., left, USAF Ret., and executive director for Business and Economic Development for the City and County of Honolulu and Consul General Koichi Ito, Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
National Park Service Chief historian Daniel Martinez seems overwhelmed as he is given a replica of Blackened Canteen by Dr. Hiroya Sugano, who has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for Americans and Japanese veterans and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, left, has trouble opening the whiskey bottle. He asked Japanese Consul General Koichi Ito to open it. Sugano's wife Yoko is seen above. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for Americans and Japanese veterans and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
The blackened canteen is filled with whiskey. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano carries a blackened canteen, a U.S. relic from an air raid over Shizuoka, Japan, in 1945 in which two bomber crews were killed in a collision. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano waits for the tour boat to arrive at the USS Arizona Memorial. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, middle, has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going, starts pouring whiskey into harbor just off USS Arizona Memorial. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, center, has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going every year. Sugano pours whiskey into the harbor with Colonel Edwin Hawkins, Jr., left, USAF Ret., and executive director for Business and Economic Development for the City and County of Honolulu and Consul General Koichi Ito, Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
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Video by Craig T. Kojima and William Cole / ckojima@staradvertiser.com, wcole@staradvertiser.com
The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
2/9
Swipe or click to see more
National Park Service Chief historian Daniel Martinez seems overwhelmed as he is given a replica of Blackened Canteen by Dr. Hiroya Sugano, who has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
3/9
Swipe or click to see more
The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
4/9
Swipe or click to see more
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, left, has trouble opening the whiskey bottle. He asked Japanese Consul General Koichi Ito to open it. Sugano's wife Yoko is seen above. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
5/9
Swipe or click to see more
The blackened canteen is filled with whiskey. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
6/9
Swipe or click to see more
Dr. Hiroya Sugano carries a blackened canteen, a U.S. relic from an air raid over Shizuoka, Japan, in 1945 in which two bomber crews were killed in a collision. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
7/9
Swipe or click to see more
Dr. Hiroya Sugano waits for the tour boat to arrive at the USS Arizona Memorial. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
8/9
Swipe or click to see more
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, middle, has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going, starts pouring whiskey into harbor just off USS Arizona Memorial. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
9/9
Swipe or click to see more
Dr. Hiroya Sugano, center, has kept the Blackened Canteen tradition going every year. Sugano pours whiskey into the harbor with Colonel Edwin Hawkins, Jr., left, USAF Ret., and executive director for Business and Economic Development for the City and County of Honolulu and Consul General Koichi Ito, Consulate General of Japan in Honolulu. The Blackened Canteen ceremony is a way for American and Japanese military members and observers to extend a hand of continued friendship, peace and reconciliation by pouring whiskey into Pearl Harbor as an offering to the fallen spirits.
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