Nobuko Miyamoto and Atomic Nancy; Team Kawachi Ondo.
Atop the yagura, Karin Noriko, Akira Fujimoto and Yoshi Okita sing classic enka songs.
Four-legged friends joined fun; Shirley Omori and Yosakoi San Diego.
Pop singer Rayko Takahashi.
Popular character Rilakkuma.
2026 Nisei Week court and L.A. Bando Ryu lead the dancing.
Steve La of Ryujin Taiko keeps time for dancers.
Outgoing Nisei Week Foundation President Helen Ota (center), who was First Princess of the 1989 Nisei Week Court, was joined by fellow court members, from left: Gina Nader, Sharon Maeda (Wada), Kim Nader (Yoshida), Stacy Jasmin (Yamato), Joyce Tahira (Arakawa), and Queen Sandra Ninomiya (Fukushima).
Junko Goda
Former L.A. City Councilmember Jan Perry.
Marc Amba and his band of ondo dancers show their spirit.
Photos by MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS, JUN NAGATA and J.K. YAMAMOTO

The 2026 Nisei Week Japanese Festival ended on Aug. 23 with the Closing Ceremony and Street Ondo on First Street in Little Tokyo.

With Junko Goda (inset below) and James Okazaki serving as emcees on the yagura, speakers included 2026 Nisei Week Foundation President Helen Ota, Japan Airlines Vice President and Regional Manager Linus Lee, and 2027 Nisei Week Foundation Co-presidents Sarah Fukui and Sara Hutter.

The 2026 Nisei Week Court was introduced: Queen Kara Kimiko Chu, First Princess Ai Grace Kusayanagi, Miss Tomodachi Jacqueline Fujiko Naito, Princess Emiliy Kaori Gruhn, Princess Meagan Sueko Pham, Princess Kailah Julianne Tokushige, and Princess Deena Maiko Umeda. The 2025 court was also recognized.

Performers included L.A. Taiko Collective, Ryujin Taiko, Yosakoi San Diego, and Team Kawachi Ondo/L.A. Kansai Club.

Pop singer Rayko Takahashi performed “Sunset Road,” “Big City Girl Ondo” and the classic “Ue o Muite Arukou,” also known as “Sukiyaki.”

Nobuko Miyamoto , Atomic Nancy and the Fandango Obon Band introduced a new song, “120,000 Stories,” dedicated to Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II, and also performed “Banbutsu no Tsunagari” and “Mottainai,” which have become Obon standards.

The popular bear character Rilakkuma was on hand for photo ops.

Dance groups participating in the ondo:

L.A. Bando Ryu; 2026 and 2025 Nisei Week Courts; San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center’s Meiji Dance Club; Nisei Week Public Ondo Dance Group/Sanjo Kabuki Dance Company; Fujima Kansuma Kai; Japanese Speaking Parents Association of Children with Challenges/Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program; Bando Kyo no Kai; Sun Valley Japanese Community Center; Go For Broke National Education Center; Hoshun Kai; San Fernando Valley Japanese Language Institute; Japanese American National Museum volunteers and staff/Little Tokyo Historical Society; Boyle Heights Community Partners; The Minnies; Kotobuki no Kai; Long Beach Ondo Club; Little Tokyo Dance Club/Skid Row-Kyo Mission; Team Kawachi Ondo/L.A. Kansai Club

As evening fell, one last gathering for a photo and three-clap tejime ritual to bid farewell until next year, as the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans classic “Happy Trails” echoed along the street.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *