Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival 1

The 1^st Annual Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival was held on Friday, July 15, 2022, with four steel guitarists and steel guitar ensembles from Japan performing. The festival was incorporated into the weeklong Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week. Emcee was Hawai‘i Japanese radio KZOO personality Maggie Jackson who provided announcements in both English and Japanese. The event was livestreamed and featured Masami "Matt" Kobayashi, Noriko and Shuji Tomita, the Lion Ladies Steel Guitar Ensemble, and Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi.

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• Alan Akaka with festival host Maggie Jackson.
• Hula dancer Kapuanani, Alan Akaka, and Maggie Jackson.
• Maggie Jackson, Hawaiʻi Japanese Radio Station KZOO personality and festival emcee.
• Alan Akaka and Haruko Ozeki.
• Hovey Lambert, bass player for steel guitarist Matt Kobayashi.
• Steel guitarist Masami ʻʻMattʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Leonard Jenkins, ʻukulele player for Matt Kobayashi.
• Ernie Morikubo, guitar player for Matt Kobayashi.
• Hovey Lambert, Matt Kobayashi, Leonard Jenkins, and Ernie Morikubo.
• Leonard Jenkins and Ernie Morikubo.
• Matt Kobayashi.
• Hovey Lambert, Matt Kobayashi, Leonard Jenkins, and Ernie Morikubo.
• Caroline Affonso danced hula.
• Caroline Affonso.
• Caroline Affonso frequently appears with Leonard Jenkins at local Hawaiian music establishments.
• Hula dancer Kela Cuban joined Caroline Affonso.
• Kela Cuban.
• Hula dancers Kela and Caroline.
• Caroline and Kela in sync.
• Caroline Affonso and Kela Cuban.
• Maggie Jackson. Her announcements were in both English and Japanese.
• Shuji Tomita.
• Steel guitarist Noriko Tomita.
• Alan Akaka provided guitar backup for Noriko and Shuji.
• Helene Woodward provided accompaniment on the upright bass.
• One of the cameras used for the livestreamed broadcast.
• The technical crew. From let: Monte McComber, Cultural Director for the Royal Hawaiian Center, the centerʻs sound technicians, and Scotty Wong of Huana Productions that provided the video livestream services.
• Monte McComber, Cultural Director for the Royal Hawaiian Center.
• Kapuanani Kumiko Greene provided hula for Noriko and Shuji Tomita.
• Hula by Kapuanani.
• Noriko Tomita.
• Steel guitarist Noriko Tomita, husband Shuji Tomita on vocals, with Helene Woodward, Alan Akaka, and Kaipo Asing providing accompaniment.
• Livestream video feed.

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Photography by Don Touchi ©2022 by Don Touchi Photos and HIMELE.