ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
In 1953, a small group of courageous and dedicated individuals organized the first Cherry Blossom Festival in Hawaii. These individuals were the founding fathers of the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce (HJJCC), who each invested $1,000 of their own money to create the Festival, which has become one of the most recognized ethnic Festivals in the state.
This year, the HJJCC is proud to present the 56th Cherry Blossom Festival. While times have changed, the purpose of the Festival continues to be the perpetuation of Japanese culture, and to enrich the lives of young women of Japanese ancestry. It is with great pleasure and a strong sense of tradition that we present this year's Festival.
The theme of the 56th Cherry Blossom Festival is "Magokoro o komete – With a Sincere Heart." This best describes the motivation of those associated with the Festival – our sponsors, private donors, organizers and volunteers all participate in and support the Festival out of the goodness of their hearts. They continue to give their time and resources with the sincere belief that the Festival contributes to the good of the community. In turn, we hope to inspire the 56th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Contestants, and the community, to live and act with sincere hearts as well.
In the months ahead, the festival will include many activities and events, such as the Public Appearances of the Queen Contestants at our local shopping centers, the Heritage Fair with its demonstrations and exhibitions of Japanese arts, and the Festival Ball at the Sheraton Waikiki, where a new Cherry Blossom Festival Queen and Court will be selected. We invite you to join us at all of our events!
