LA Tanabata “Love” theme community kazari on display at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center August 15 – 23. Eight foot kazari are from Sendai, Japan 2026 Festival
The 18th Los Angeles Tanabata Festival returned to the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in Little Tokyo and concluded on Aug. 23 as part of the 84th Nisei Week Japanese Festival.
The kazari decorations created by the community were on display on the JACCC balcony along with the spectacular 8-foot award-winning giant kazari decorations from Sendai.
Forty kazari were entered in the contest from the community representing kenjinkai members, nonprofit organizations and individuals/families as part of the 2026 festival with the theme “Love.”
The People’s Choice Award was determined by voting from the attendees on Aug. 22 and 23. Ninety ballots were counted and it was a close contest. The winner was Junko Yonezawa for her kazari featuring the “Love theme. She has participated in all 18 Tanabata Festivals.
Three categories were offered as part of the festival with entrants vying for three awards in each category: first place ($100), second place ($50 and third place ($30).
Individuals/Families — First-time entrants captured the first two awards: First place, Sara Mei-Yuen Wang and Angelica Ubungen; second place, Fritz Lauer. Third place was a tie between Miyako Kadogawa and Poppy Kwong.
Kenjinkai (Japanese prefectural associations of Southern California) — First place, Kanagawa Kenjinkai (Frank Kawase); second place, Hiroshima Kenjinkai (Minnie Yoshinaga); third place, Nanka Fukuoka Kenjinkai (Yuriko Hasegawa).
Nonprofit Organizations — First place, Japanese Community Pioneer Center; second place, NALC USA; third place, Japanese Community Pioneer Center.
The judges: Shige Higashi, Cultural News; Julie Zhu, JACCC; Coleen Uchida, Japanese American National Museum; Lilly Simmering, JACL executive director; Nancy Takayama, JACL Pacific Southwest governor; Kisa Ito, Little Tokyo Community Council; Michael Okamura, Little Tokyo Historical Society; Kihei Ohtani, Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogi Kai; Helen Ota, Nisei Week Foundation president; Kimiko Fujita, Orange County Japanese American Association; Susan Yokoyama, Pacific Citizen and Maria Kwong, Japanese American National Museum.
JACCC was the facility sponsor for the festival.
Corporate sponsors ($1,000) — Japanese Village Plaza, Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogi Kai, Nisei Week Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Yoshito Yonezawa
Amanogawa (Milky Way} ($500) — Horatio and Gaylord Lamb, Junko Yamaguchi, Kiyo Fukumoto, Miyako Kadogawa, Momo’s Kids
Orihime (Weaver Princess) — Ann Peifer, Anne Altherr Templeton, Ayako Kadogawa
Hikoboshi (Cow Herder) — Bunkado, Leiko Dahlgren, Eigikutei, Trish Johnson, Francis Kawase, Go For Broke National Education Center, Little Tokyo Pharmacy, Midori Matcha Café, Mr. and Mrs. Musashi Kanemori, Nanka Miyagi Kenjinkai, Oomasa, Psyndicated Arts, Allen and Uzuko Shiroishi, Deborah and Jim Mullen Nix-Smith, Theresa Wong, Kiyoko Kanemori and Ervin Widiaja, Larry Shepherd Teovaas, Kathleen K. Yonezawa-Perez, Kirk and Phelan Yonezawa, Tsuyoshi and Akira Yonezawa.
Tanzaki (Wishing Paper) — Jay Sudo, Jay and Ryder Kanemori, Juve and Lisa Kanemori, Korey Kito, Nanka Fukuoka Kenjinkai
Tomodachi (Friends) — Alysan Sachiko Kanemori, Masashi Kobayashi, Mayumi Toida, Nancy Price, Patricia Page, TT Boys
Special thanks to kazari sponsor Shiramatsuga Monoka.Confectionery, which provides the award-winning kazari from the 2026 festival in Sendai to display in Little Tokyo during Nisei Week.
L.A. Tanabata Festival provides workshops on how to make kazari at their office at the JACCC, 244 S. San Pedro St., Room 405A. For more information, contact Miyako Kadogawa at miyako1@att.net. For office appointments, call Junko Yonezawa at (323) 742-2494 or (323) 721-8523.
Follow the L.A. Tanabata Festival at https://tanabatalosangeles.com.
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