Nisei Week Fetes 2006 Award Winners
By MICHIKO TAMURA
Rafu Staff Writer
Saturday, Aug. 19, 2006

MARIO G REYES/Rafu Shimpo
The 2006 Nisei Week Court, from left, Colleen Suyenaga, Lisa Shimabukuro, Liane Takano,
Chelsea O’Neill, Callen Kitaura and Stefanie Fujinami, join, front row from left, Tamlyn Tomita
and honorees, Noritoshi Kanai, Leslie Ito, June Kuramoto, Mack Miyazaki and Nisei Week
President Foundation Michelle Suzuki at the 66th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival
Awards Dinner Monday at The New Otani Hotel.

About 180 people attended the 66th Annual Nisei Week Japanese Festival Awards Dinner Monday at The New Otani Hotel in Little Tokyo.

Introduced by Mistress of Ceremonies Tamlyn Tomita, the evening opened up with a greeting by Consul General Kazuo Kodama who delivered a congratulatory address to this year’s award recipients: Noritoshi Kanai, June Kuramoto, Orange County Japanese American Association and Visual Communications.

“Through all these areas of media, history, cultural, music, social services and entertainment, these honorees exemplify the finest of the Japanese American community and are role models for all generations,” said 2006 Nisei Week Foundation President Michelle Suzuki in her welcoming speech.

Among the distinguished guests, Councilmember Jan Perry congratulated the honorees by presenting recognition awards on behalf of the County of Los Angeles, as well as, City of Los Angeles.

After the dinner, the Nisei Week awards were presented to each honoree by Suzuki and 2006 Nisei Week Queen Liane Kristen Takano.

Visual Communications, an Asian Pacific media arts center, received a community service award for their dedicated contribution to the community.

“We’ve worked very closely with Nisei Week over 30 years of our history. Our missions are so close, as far as preserving culture for the future generations,” remarked Leslie Ito, executive director for Visual Communications.

Another community service award was presented to Orange County Japanese American Association, the only Japanese-English bilingual nonprofit social service agency in Orange County. 

“Orange County Japanese American Association happens to be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, which means we have just become an adult in Japan. We call it seijinshiki that we celebrate adulthood,” said Mack M. Miyazaki, representing the organization.

The Nisei Week Marshals were also honored at the event.

This year’s Parade Marshal, June Kuramoto, koto player for the popular jazz fusion band Hiroshima, said, joining the parade was a “very emotional” moment.

“I never realized how it feels until I went through it,” she said. “People are just so wonderful, beautiful and warm, and I really appreciate all their responses and supports.”

Kanai, president of Mutual Trading Company, told The Rafu Shimpo related his experiences as Grand Marshal.

“When I participated in the 1985 Nisei Week parade as the president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, there were more people coming to the parade, but most of them were Japanese,” Kanai said. “But, yesterday at the parade, I realized that there were many people who aren’t Japanese,” he said. “It is very important for us to introduce not only our business but also our culture and tradition to the American people, and I think this Nisei Week is a good way of letting people know about it.”