Miyazaki Kenjinkai of America Celebrates 50th Anniversary

By JUN NAGATA
Rafu Staff Writer

The Miyazaki Kenjinkai of America, founded in 1976, recently held a 50th-anniversary ceremony and celebration at the Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach in Torrance.

Welcoming a 14-member delegation from the prefecture — including Vice Gov. Toshiro Hinokuma — approximately 240 people, including local attendees, grandly celebrated this half-century milestone.

With deep affection for their home prefecture in their hearts, members pledged to put the ceremony’s theme — “Bridging Generations, Connecting to the Future” — into practice as they took a new step toward the next 50 years.

According to President George Mori, the association was co-founded by three volunteers: himself, his older brother Rocky, and the late Shinzo Kadokawa. Despite the difficulty of locating natives of the prefecture, they gathered 26 people and launched the group as the Southern California Miyazaki Kenjinkai. They deepened friendships through annual picnics and, marking their 10th anniversary, renamed the group Miyazaki Kenjinkai of America.

Focusing on community engagement, the association collaborated with the speaker of the Miyagi Prefectural Assembly in 1999 to establish the America-Miyazaki Cherry Blossom Association. Starting with the donation of cherry trees to the City of Simi Valley in 2000, they organized tree-planting ceremonies and cherry blossom festivals at local parks, schools, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.

Their tree-planting efforts, totaling 300 trees, bore fruit in 2004 with a friendship tree-planting event involving Miyazaki Prefecture and Simi Valley held in Saito City.

The association has also worked closely with the prefecture to support the promotion of Miyazaki products. In the past, it supported a showcase shop within the former Yaohan store in Little Tokyo, and currently, members volunteer at Miyazaki product exhibitions held at venues such as Mitsuwa Marketplace and Japan House.

Additionally, the association made donations when Miyazaki dairy farmers were struck by the hoof-and-mouth disease crisis.

Beyond holding commemorative ceremonies for its 30th and 40th anniversaries, the association hosted Cherry Blossom Festivals at the Reagan Presidential Library on two occasions.

In 2016, Mori assumed a leadership role in the Southern California Prefectural Associations Council (Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai); since then, he has collaborated with other member associations to foster the development of both the Japanese American and larger American communities.

The association currently has 34 members who deepen their bonds at events like the New Year’s party and engage with other groups by participating in the council’s annual joint picnics and bowling tournaments.

In his address, Mori expressed his gratitude for the immense support received from members who worked hard to organize the event, members of Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai, and many other stakeholders.

Reflecting on the past 50 years, he remarked, “Fortunately, pioneers from Miyazaki founded this association and kept it running, allowing us to reach this day.”

He also introduced the prefecture’s promotional campaign, “Miyazaki: Japan’s Land of Sunshine,” explaining that its warm climate and abundant sunshine offer the most favorable weather conditions among all Japanese prefectures, including Okinawa and Kagoshima.

Highlighting the region’s natural beauty, he added, “It is lush and green with magnificent scenery. I encourage everyone to visit Miyazaki and see its many beautiful attractions.”

Regarding shochu, he drew cheers from the audience by declaring — after first offering a playful apology to Kagoshima Prefecture — that Miyazaki Prefecture ranks number one in Japan for production and shipment volume.

He then introduced three shochu makers from Miyazaki that had set up booths at the venue and encouraged attendees to sample their products. He urged the audience to purchase Miyazaki’s local products, noting that a wide variety of them are available at Mitsuwa Marketplace.

He emphasized the strength of the bond with their home prefecture, stating, “Compared to associations from other prefectures that boast histories spanning over a century, ours is quite small and relatively young at just 50 years old; however, we receive support from Miyazaki Prefecture. I have been collaborating with Gov. Shunji Kono on exporting prefectural products to the U.S. for about 20 years, dating back to before he even took office.”

He concluded by saying, “Today, we have reached a major milestone — our 50th anniversary. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who has offered their congratulations.”

Congratulatory speeches were delivered by distinguished guests, including Vice Gov. Hinokuma, Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai President George Howard, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, and Vice Consul General Naoko Kamitani. Each speaker paid tribute to the 50 years of dedication shown by the association’s members and expressed their hopes for the group’s continued growth and success.

Hinokuma explained a policy adopted at the World Miyazaki Prefectural Association Convention held in the prefecture the year before last: to foster greater interaction with the younger generation participating from various countries.

He expressed his enthusiasm for deepening ties with the association, stating, “There are also young people from Miyazaki traveling to various parts of the world, so I ask that you help, encourage, and support one another.”

He also shared recent updates regarding the prefecture, noting that next year it will host the National Sports Festival and the National Sports Festival for People with Disabilities for the first time in 48 years, and that kagura — an ancient local Shinto music and dance ritual — is being nominated for inscription on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Furthermore, he mentioned preparations for the prefecture’s 150th anniversary seven years from now, stating, “I want to build an even better Miyazaki Prefecture by incorporating the diverse views of members of the prefectural association,” and invited them to visit the prefecture.

Although Gov. Kono was unable to attend the ceremony in person, a video of his congratulatory remarks was shown. Addressing the members, the governor praised their efforts: “Despite your busy daily lives and careers, the unsparing passion you have poured into the association’s activities over the years is an invaluable asset to your home prefecture of Miyazaki. I wish to use this ceremony to honor your immense contributions to the prefecture’s initiatives and the growth of the association.”

He noted, “Thanks to your activities, the Miyazaki brand has spread and gained recognition in the United States.” He cited prime examples such as Miyazaki beef — served at the Academy Awards after-party since 2018 — and honkaku (authentic) shochu, which has held the top spot for shipment volume in Japan for 11 consecutive years.

He urged the attendees to continue supporting promotional efforts in the U.S., noting that authentic shochu still has significant room for growth.

“Let us use this major milestone of the 50th anniversary as a fresh starting point to further strengthen the bond between the United States and Miyazaki Prefecture,” he said, calling for continued cooperation.

Following this, Mamoru Toyama, speaker of the Miyazaki Prefectural Assembly, took the stage to lead the toast.

For lunch, Miyazaki beef steaks — shipped directly from the prefecture — were served, allowing attendees to savor the rich flavor of the marbled meat.

A representative from the prefecture’s International and Economic Exchange Division gave a presentation promoting tourism and prefectural policies, highlighting the charms of Miyazaki.

The prefecture and the association exchanged commemorative gifts, reaffirming their strong bond. The prefecture presented Governor’s Awards to the association and individual members in recognition of their long-standing dedication.

Meanwhile, the association honored Tak Nishi of Kagoshima Kenjinkai and Mack Miyazaki of Gunma Kenjinkai — both advisors to Nanka Kenjinkai Kyogikai — for their contributions.

For the entertainment program, Beikoku Shodo Kenkyukai member and calligraphy instructor Ayako Kawakami powerfully brushed the single character “san” (meaning “radiance”), while Mikaela Kai performed flamenco and Matsutoyo Kai presented Miyazaki folk songs, ”Hietsuki Bushi,” “Shan Shan Uma Dōchū Uta,” and “Kariboshi Kiri Uta.”

Fukuoka Kenjinkai’s taiko group, Kogen Kai, energized the crowd with a performance of Kokura-style taiko.

During “Banba Odori” — a Miyazaki Bon dance led by the Kansai Club — participants formed a circle and paraded through the venue, filling the atmosphere with a celebratory spirit.

Reflecting on the ceremony, President Mori said, “Receiving words of congratulations and encouragement from the attendees has motivated me for the next 50 years.”

Regarding future operations, he expressed his aspirations: “I want to deepen friendships among members and continue the kind of family-oriented camaraderie unique to a small kenjinkai. We also intend to engage in exchanges among the younger generation — an area the prefecture is prioritizing — and participate in the World Convention of Miyazaki Prefectural Associations seven years from now.”

Akemi Yamamoto, chair of the 50th-anniversary executive committee, worked tirelessly on tasks ranging from coordinating with the prefectural government to securing sponsors and soliciting advertisements for the commemorative publication.
“It was truly a lot of work, but I am so glad we were able to celebrate this major milestone,” she said with a smile full of a sense of accomplishment.

She also edited the commemorative publication. “I researched the history of the association and President Mori’s family, allowing us to preserve these valuable experiences as a record. I hope this book serves not only to look back on our history but also to pass our sentiments on to the next generation.”

The commemorative ceremony was attended by presidents of Miyazaki prefectural associations from across Japan as well as from the U.K., Seattle, and Hawaii — leaders with whom bonds had been strengthened during the Next Generation Conference held in Miyazaki last November.

“I am delighted that people have joined us from distant countries. I hope to use this opportunity to deepen ties with Miyazaki associations around the world and to involve the younger generation while preserving our traditions,” Yamamoto said.