Japanese culture centerpiece of Pan-Pacific

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

The Pan-Pacific Festival began nearly a quarter-century ago to encourage Japanese performers to travel to the Islands. Scenes from past years include, from top: drummers pounding an insistent cadence at Ala Moana Center; bon dancers encouraging audience participation in the ho'olaule'a; taiko drums going in marchers' arms, in the parade. Pan-Pacific Festival photos

The event features a parade with pageantry and artistry from Japan; a street ho'olaule'a with more music, crafts, a moving bon dance and food; a half-marathon for the health-inclined; and a handful of cultural performances, vocal and instrumental, to sample and applaud.

It may sound like the weekend Kamehameha Celebration, albeit with a more international spin, but it's not.

Then what exactly is the Pan-Pacific Festival, and why the high concentration of Japanese participation? And, why here?

Russell T. Oki, the key planner here, said the event evolved as an attraction to encourage Japanese performers to travel to the Islands to celebrate and share their culture.

"It was started by a travel agency that sought to market a different kind of traveler to Hawai'i, of performers rather than the usual sightseers," said Oki, president of Royal Hawaiian Advertising. "The original intent was not to convince people who already were coming to Hawai'i, but those performers who weren't considering travel to Hawai'i."

The cultural exchange mission remains the same after nearly a quarter century, but world affairs — 9-11, the Iraq war, a SARS scare, the limp economy — have affected this year's celebration somewhat.

"We're half of what we used to be," said Oki of the numbers expected to be here from Japan. Usually, at least 2,000 make the journey; 1,000 are expected this year.

Also, financing has vanished for one of the event's biggest attractions, the Onbashira float, a 30-foot-long number created from large mountain trees in Nagano.

But another popular item for the shutterbugs, the 12-foot-long Ushioni float, featuring the head of a demon and the body of an ox, will parade down Kalakaua Avenue during Sunday's Matsuri parade.

"They're arriving a day late for the ho'olaule'a (which is scheduled tonight in Waikiki), (therefore) they're not in the block party," said Oki.

Five stages between Lewers Street and Kai'ulani Avenue will host a variety of acts.

Over the years, the Pan-Pacific Festival has taken on a mixed-plate, international flavor, a trend that continues. Besides visiting taiko drummers and bon dancers (who will encourage local participants to jump in and dance for a block or two or three), other ho'olaule'a and parade participants include the gallery of local ensembles, including the Halla Huhm Korean dancers, the Myung Woo Dahn dance studio, a Formosa dance group and Los Amigos Ballet Folklorico Ensemble.

Local acts such as the Ka'ala Boys will provide island sounds at the ho'olaule'a.

A block party isn't complete without kaukau, so about a dozen food vendors have been enlisted, including Ezogiku, Saigon Express, Furusato Restaurant, Hawaiian Brian and a kettle-corn vendor. Crafters will show everything from Asian clocks to Chinese knotted jewelry, from Blinkies (body lights) to locally made soap.

A croquetlike game, Ground Golf, is planned for tomorrow and Sunday at Ala Moana Beach Park.

Pan-Pacific Festival — Matsuri in Hawai'i

It's a cultural celebration rekindling the relationship between Japan and Hawai'i.

Admission is free unless otherwise indicated; 265-6225 or www.pan-pacific-festival.com.

Today:

• Performances, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Ala Moana Centerstage.
• Pan-Pacific Ho'olaue'a, 6:10 to 10 p.m., Kalakaua Avenue, between Lewers Street and Ka'iulani Avenue. Five stages of entertainment, food vendors and crafts will be featured.
• Ballroom dancing, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Ala Wai Palladium. $4 nonmembers, $2 members. 234-1672.

Saturday:

• Performances, noon to 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Ala Moana Centerstage.
• Pan-Pacific Hula Festival, 1 to 3 p.m., Ala Moana Centerstage, featuring halau from Japan and Hawai'i.
• Performances, 2:30 to 6 p.m., Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center Fountain Courtyard.
• Ballroom dancing, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Ala Wai Palladium. $5. 234-1672.

Sunday:

• Hawaiian Half Marathon, from 5 a.m., Magic Island to Kalakaua Avenue, then through Kahala, finishing at Kapi'olani Park. 265-6161
• 5-Mile Fun Run/Walk, from 6 a.m., Monsarrat Avenue, looping around Diamond Head, finishing at Kapi'olani Park. 265-6161
• Ground Golf, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ala Moana Park; a croquet-like variation of golf; includes two rounds of eight holes.
• Performances, 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Ala Moana Centerstage.
• Performances, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center Fountain Courtyard.
• Pan-Pacific Matsuri Parade, 5 to 7 p.m., from Fort DeRussy to Kapi'olani Park; featuring taiko drummers, bon dancers, cultural dancers and musicians.