People often ask me why I participated in the annual Cherry Blossom Festival 10 years ago.
It’s never a simple answer.
Truth is, I didn’t grow up wanting to be part of the annual ethnic festival that, for decades, was more like a beauty pageant than the cultural experience it is today.
I had no business running in a beauty pageant — can’t wear high heels, legs scarred up from run-ins with asphalt, swearing problem — and, besides, the festival didn’t allow half-Japanese women like me to participate.
Until 1999, when Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce, which oversees the festival, decided to open it up to multiethnic Japanese-American women. It was a controversial but necessary (at least in my opinion) move, as the festival better reflected the multiethnic community of which it was a part.
Now I had no excuse.
What sold me was the cultural aspect of the festival. As a contestant, you get the opportunity to learn about the Japanese culture in hands-on classes such as ikebana, calligraphy, sushi-making, tea ceremony, kimono-dressing and — my favorite — taiko drumming.
The surprise was, though, that I gained lifelong friends, the kind you know will always support you no matter how ridiculous your ideas are, who know exactly how to make you laugh, and who, when you see them after months, it’s like you just saw them the other day.
That kind of friend.
And not just with my fellow contestants, either. Since volunteering with the festival after my stint on court, I’ve been fortunate enough to make these same strong friendships with other volunteers, who all believes in this festival, too.
The 60th Cherry Blossom Festival is currently seeking applicants — hence, the blog — and if you know a Japanese-American woman between 19 and 26 who’s interested in learning about their culture, gaining professional development and networking experience, and open to making friends for life, tell her to apply. (Application here. The deadline has been extended to Aug. 15.)
It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
Here’s a sample of what the contestants go through during the six months leading up to Festival Ball:
13 Comments
awesome! trely an unforgettable experience! they shouls do a “STOMP” routine this year! that would be cool-a-mundo! How about putting up that video again of the lovely and talented contestant who could speed paint Bruce Lee portrait with her toes!! Fabulous!
typo-truly…an unforgettable experience,- is what i was intending. oops, and another one–they SHOULD do stomp. yes, “cool-a-mundo” is a word….right? haha
There’s no talent portion in Cherry Blossom. Good thing, otherwise I would’ve tanked!
It’s tough. Only the most dedicated need apply. Six grueling months of training, then Festival Ball Night. Brush up on your public speaking. If selected as Queen or a Princess, one year of promotional and community activities at least once a week, including travel to L.A., San Francisco, Seattle, and Japan. But what a ride!
Yep, and it’s free. (Most of it, anyway.) We should calculate the value of being a contestant… Wonder how much the entire six-month experience — including classes, professional development, appearance dress, gown, shoes, alterations — are worth…
OK, had to Google Catherine Toth and Cherry Blossom Festival because that is my nature. According to an article I read you were the 49th Queen and Miss Congeniality. How cool was that? I remember it from when I was living there before and it was kind of fun. Ethnic drumming is indeed cool. I’ve experienced the djembe from Africa, kettle drums in Jamaica man, Bongos, and Congos. A friend at Microsoft in seattle had a store that sold djembe he imported from Senegal. It is sort of natural to beat on drums, all of us seem to do it. Thanks for making sure everyone knows it isn’t just a ‘beauty pageant’ because it is way more than that. Frankly of all the things learned I suspect the networking skills are the most valuable.
Uh, not a beauty pageant — at least not when I ran! LOL! 🙂
Modest eh? 🙂
Nice Article! As a former Cherry Blossom Festival General Chairman I must also acknowledge that you don’t need money or come from a well to do family to run. Many contestants think that the winners are from well to do families. Only until the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce started to allow women to join that they better understood it. They have even had women become General Chairman of the Festival which is also a tremendous experience as well.
Once selected as Queen and Court there is a lot of commitment that is required both in Hawaii and abroad and requires a lot of patience and understanding from their families and employers. After all they are representing the State of Hawaii and our Japanese Community.
The applicants as well work very hard in preparing for the event which is very time consuming as well as hectic.
As a whole the experience learned by everyone is irreplaceable and will be one of the most memorable time in their lives!
My Congratulations to the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce for their 60th Year of perpetuating the Japanese Culture for all to enjoy in the State of Hawaii!
Hey, thanks for stopping by! Nice to hear from you! You’re totally right about the assumptions out there. You don’t really know what it’s all about until you’ve done it. Thanks for sharing!
This is a fantastic celebration of culture and of life itself. Thank’s for the insider’s look at the preparations, event, cameraderie, and legacy.
You’re welcome! Notice I didn’t use photos from my year! LOL!
Great story! The perception out there is that it is a beauty pageant, but its so the opposite. Its been 9 years since I participated and I’m still around because of great people like you! We are apart of the Cherry Blossom sisterhood.