Ukwanshin Kabudan 御冠船歌舞団

We’re off to a busy summer season, helping out the Young Okinawans of Hawaii with eisaa, bon dances in Honolulu.  Also on the schedule is Lahaina Maui, Rinzai Zen Mission Paia, Maui with the Maui Ryukyu Culture Group, Hawi Jodo Mission with the Kohala and Kona Okinawa clubs, and ending in August with a workshop, [...]

“Preserving Identity Through    Music, Dance, & Stage”
Come with us on this historical, musical journey of our roots.
Have you ever wondered about the sugar cane fields that once spread over the Ewa plains and throughout the countryside?  What happened to them and the people who worked there?  What experiences did our first generation immigrants [...]

Kumu Kahua’s production of the play “Voices From Okinawa”, by Jon Shirota, brings to the forefront, the many problems Okinawans are facing and with the reality of hardships, decisions and the continued treatment of them as second class citizens in the Japanese society .
The story takes place in modern day Naha Okinawa and Ginoza village. [...]

Toshimitsu Matayoshi, a past obuchi scholarship recipient and foreign exchange student from Okinawa, got married in Ryukyu traditional costume this past weekend.  The ceremony and reception was held at the Shuri Nikko Hotel Grand Castle.  The ceremony was followed by an elaborate 8 course dinner which took 2 hours to complete.  During the dinner, the [...]

The Young Okinawans of Hawaii have started their bon dance season already, but this year, there’s an obvious change in appearance and purpose. With the help of Ukwanshin Kabudan, they have learned what obon is all about, and the importance of connecting this season with their ancestors through the songs and dances that have [...]

Base expansion in Okinawa is continuing, as Okinawa is still being sacrificed and used by the Japanese Government to carry the burden of base expansion by holding out the golden carrot of money to the local government officials. Most recently, a 5400 page environmental report was released by the ministry of defense, and presented [...]

June Arakawa, a staunch supporter of Okinawan tradition, and culture, passed away on the evening of August 27th, in the midst of her family at home.  She has been a great supporter of Ukwanshin, and was one of our valuable assets to our local Okinawan history and culture.  She never asked or made herself to [...]

Laughter, tears and a flood of memories filled the Mamiya Theater for the LooChoo nu Kwa show. The cast was greeted with a standing ovation as the final curtain [...]

bingataworkshop1.pdf bingataworkshope3.pdf bingataworkshop2.pdf Saturday and Sunday, August 9th and 10th, a total of 35 Hawai`i residents enjoyed and experienced the art of making the royal cloth of “katachiki” or bingata stencil dyed fabric. This workshop is in conjunction with Yuhske Yokoi’s exhibit at the Academy Arts Center Linekona, which is running through August 20th.  [...]

doris-duke-poster.pdf   Click this link to see the poster and information for this event.