The University of 惭腻苍辞补 Campus Center Ballroom transformed into a colorful hub of games, workshops and music on November 7, as more than 800 people gathered for Nippon Culture Day. The annual event, hosted by the Department of (EALL), offered a full day of hands-on activities highlighting Japanese language, art and community traditions.

东精影业ees moved from table to table, trying everything from calligraphy and gift-wrapping to traditional Japanese card games such as hanafuda and karuta. Students practiced koto (Japanese string instrument) and sanshin (Okinawan string instrument), folded intricate origami and tested their skills at manga (comic book) character drawing and katakana (character) recognition game. Members of the Japanese Culture Club also supported a station, helping guests of all ages jump in.

“Our department has long been engaged in the study of Japan,” said Hiromi Uchida, a Japanese language instructor. “We see this event as a valuable opportunity for both learning and community building, and we hope to continue making Nippon Culture Day an exciting and enjoyable experience for all students and the community.”

Traditions up close

Nippon is the Japanese word for Japan. Culture-focused workshops ran throughout the morning and afternoon. Visitors sat for abacus lessons, learned the basics of ikebana (flower arrangement) in small-group sessions and experienced the quiet focus of a tea ceremony inside Jaku鈥檃n, the campus tea house.

Information tables connected students with academic and professional opportunities tied to Japan. Representatives from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (COS), , Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program and spoke with attendees about travel and study opportunities. Japan Airlines also provided details about career tracks.

As the afternoon continued, the event shifted to live performances featuring koto and sanshin demonstrations. The day ended with a bon dance, inviting everyone to celebrate together.

Nippon Culture Day is co-sponsored by the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 and COS. Located within the , the EALL department has hosted the free event for more than 20 years.

Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki paid a special visit to the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 on August 31, during his trip to Honolulu for the 43rd Annual Okinawan Festival and the 125th anniversary of Okinawans in Hawaiʻi.

Accompanied by his wife, Chieko, and an entourage, the governor toured exhibits throughout the library and viewed rare materials from the Hawaiian Pacific, Maps, Hawley and Hawaiʻi Karate Museum Collections. He expressed particular interest in the karate holdings, reflecting the deep cultural ties between Okinawa and Hawaiʻi.

“It was a great honor to welcome Gov. Tamaki, his wife and the delegation from Okinawa to Hamilton Library to see our Okinawan collection,” said University Librarian Clem Guthro. “Our connection to the local Okinawan community and to Okinawa is long standing and represents our rich shared history. We will continue to build on our shared collaboration and know that our collection will help build understanding of Okinawan history and culture here, in Okinawa, and with the global diaspora.”

Tamaki thanked Guthro and presented him with a traditional Ryukyuan woven textile and 2026 Okinawan calendars. In return, Guthro gifted the governor an executive notebook embossed with the Hamilton Library logo.

The visit was coordinated by Okinawan studies librarian, Lynette Teruya, who prepared a presentation in Japanese.

“I am grateful to the Okinawa Prefectural Government for arranging to have Gov. Tamaki and some of the other officials come to visit our library,” said Teruya. “We got to share some of the most valued treasures in the Okinawan collections at Hamilton Library, and they were genuinely interested in our collections.”

More than 800 students and community members filled the Campus Center Ballroom at the on October 25 for the annual Nippon Culture Day. The event showcased a vibrant blend of traditional and contemporary Japanese culture. Organized by the Japanese section of the (EALL), the annual showcase offers cultural immersion for Hawaiʻi high schoolers, college students and members of the public.

Participants had the chance to dive into various Japanese art forms and practices through interactive workshops on topics such as calligraphy, ikebana (flower arranging), Okinawan language and manga/anime drawing. For those interested in strategy, there were sessions dedicated to igo, a classic Japanese board game.

“What we hope to accomplish with Nippon Culture Day is to expose students and the community to Japanese culture in all its dazzling diversity. Many are learning Japanese language and interested in pop culture products like anime and manga, but here they will get a taste of everything from daily cultural rituals to ancient court music,” said Andre Haag, a professor of Japanese literature and associate chair at EALL.

Perpetuating classic sounds

Audiences were treated to the soothing sounds of the koto, a 13-stringed zither, and the sanshin, an Okinawan three-stringed instrument. Three student musicians from 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (COS) were featured sanshin performers on stage.

Adding depth to the event, a high school student visiting from Japan offered insights into classical Japanese literature, discussing how iconic Japanese authors drew heavily from nature to help shape their narratives.

Nippon Culture Day is co-sponsored by the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 and COS. Located within the , the EALL department has hosted the free event for more than 20 years.