Matsuri Kauai

Who: Kauai Japanese Cultural Society’s Matsuri Kauai Festival

Where: Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall, Lihue

When: Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023

Features this year: Anime and Cosplay, make-up demonstration (traditional like kabuki, and cosplay), besides the tea ceremony, mochi pounding, bonsai, origami, shodo, Kimono Dressing, mini bon dance, kanzashi hair pin making, anime drawing, yatai food village.

We will add to list as we have more confirmations of activities.


Shihō Yumeori (Mayu Langford), Natori dancer, Traditional Japanese Dance

Mayu comes from a lineage of Japanese dance teachers, her late grandmother Miyama Toyomine and late mother Shihō Maisen, who shared a dojo in northern Japan with her grandfather who was a blackbelt kendo and iaido master. Yumeori is her natori (master dancer) name meaning Dream Weaver. While receiving an American education, Yumeori was born and raised in Japan in this unique bicultural environment. She has been on stage since the age of 4. Professionally trained as a musician and music therapist, Mayu graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston and has been featured in over 30 singles, albums, and vinyls worldwide. As a board-certified music therapist and holistic health practitioner, Mayu has provided services to a diverse range of clientele, from infants and children on the autistic spectrum to adults in DV and homeless shelters to nursing homes and hospice care. Since moving to Hawaiʻi, her focus has been on farming and creating natural products. As a former owner of a popular natural parenting store on Oʻahu, she has been manufacturing and retailing natural herbal products for over a decade. Along with her husband, she is currently the co-owner of Māmaki Skin, an organic skincare company featuring native Hawaiian healing herb mamaki.
Yumeori is dancing two pieces at Matsuri:
1) Omatsuri Mambo (Misora Hibari)
Sung by the iconic post-war era singer Misora Hibari, Omatsuri Mambo tells the tales of Matsuri festival goers, Edokko (local east side Tokyoites) uncle and aunty whose house burns down and burglarized, respectively, while they are too busy partying. The song ends with the phrase “Atono Matsuri” which is the Japanese equivalent of “don’t cry over spilled milk,” literally translated to “after the festival is over.” The movements in the dance include the carrying of the Omikoshi (miniature shrine), with the mikoshi-carrying call, Wasshoi.
2) Nada Sousou / Ka Nohona Pili Kai (BEGIN/Kealiʻi Reichel)
Nada Sousou is a song remembering a loved one who has passed on, originally written and performed by Okinawan group BEGIN. Nada Sousou means flowing tears in the Okinawan dialect. Flipping through an old album, whispering thank you, searching for the loved one in the sky… until they meet again. Mayu recorded this arrangement herself with the additional segment in Hawaiian (written by Kealiʻi Reichel).
Yumeori will also be a guest dancer for one of Torao’s performances during his program.

Ayumi Miyashiro, Sculptor, Painter, Make-Up Effects Artist, Hair and Make-Up Artist

Ayumi grew up in a family of hairdressers and watching Hollywood monsters horror and fantasy films with her parents. An award-winning nail artist, she got a diploma for haircut, bridal hair/make-up, mail and Kitsuke for kimono. She also received 3rd place out of 8,000 contestants in the Vidal Sassoon Hair Cuttings competition. As a nationally licensed cosmetologist in Japan, she worked in a hair salon in Tokyo as well as Vancouver, Canada, where she was the supervisor for bridal hair and make-up. After 12 years in the salons, she studied to become a special effects make-up artist and studied under world-renowned special effects sculptor Akihito Ikeda. She made her first Hollywood debut as a sculptor for Harbinger Down, followed by an extensive roster of feature films, from two Maze Runner films to Independence Day: Resurgence, IT, Annabelle: Creation, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, The Predator, and the Nun. She is also credited for 2017 Netflix films, Bright and Rakka.
Ayumi will be demonstrating traditional Japanese make-up at her make-up booth at Matsuri.

Thank you to the Supporters, Donors, Entertainers, Demonstrators and volunteers for making the Matsuri a success.

Dillon Ancheta
Taiko Kauai
Kauai Shin Buyo Kai
Kauai High School Japanese Class & Club
Madoka Kai
Mitsusumi Dance Studio
East Minyo Dance Club
Natori Mayu Langford
Tsunami Daiko
Azuma Dance Group
Hidemi Matsumoto-Nankin Tamasudare
Cosplay & Anime
Kauai Ondo Taiko
Night Darling
Noriko Hunter – Koto
Torao Hikariyama
Demonstrators
Kauai Bonsai
Ayumi Miyashiro=Traditional Japanese Make up
Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii
Yuriko Kihara, Ed Justus- Anime Drawing, Karuta Card Game
Urasenke Dokokai Kauai
Crystal Morinaka-Hirata – Kanzashi Flowers
Miyazaki Family & Brian Yamamoto – Mochi Making
Rev. Kohtoku Hirao-Calligraphy
Rie Umbrello-Kado
Madoka Kai-Shamisen
Suo-Oshima, Japan
Iwaki City, Japan
Aya Miranda -Calligraphy
Natsumi Yamasato-Calligraphy
Yasuko Fujimoto- Ningyo Making

Donations
KIUC
Kukuil’ula South Shore
Lorna Nishimitsu
Kauai Coffee
Sandi Kato Klutke
Maryanne Kusaka
Japanese Grandma’s
Talk Story Book Store
Crow’s Nest
Aloha Spice Co
Banana Patch Studios
Bubbah’s Toy Box
Addison Bolosan
Faith Soto
Susan Metivier
Sandy Takaezu
Jan Sueoka
Jane Kaneshiro
Ann Hashisaka
Ruth Hashisaka
Anonymous Donors

Tamisa Aawapuhi
Keith Aoki
East Minyo Dance Group
Night Darling
Miyazaki Family
Randall Francisco
Ida Fujimoto
Sandra Fukuda
Beverly Gotelli
Ann Hashisaka
Gerald Hirata
Rhan Honjo
Ed Justus
Kauai Shibuyo Kai
Sandi Kato-Klutke
Urasenke Doko kai Kauai
Kauai High School Key Club
Yuriko Kihara
Malia Klutke
Max Klutke
Mayu & Douglas Langford
Lihue Lions Club
Carolyn Lum
Susan Metivier
Yukari Moana Mikami
Nobuko Miyamoto
Lorna Nishimitsu
Steven Nishimura
Annie Rellin
Gloria Shimizu
Kanako Noguchi
Rie Ombrello
Ramona Roberts
Kinsen Ryu Kauai Shibu
Faith Soto
Karyle Soto
Jan Sueoka
Vera Tabe
Sandy Takaezu
Rev. Takaaki Tanabe
Boy Scouts Troop 148
George & Rie Tsukamoto
Shirley Wilke
Brian Yamamoto
James Yamamoto
Natsumi Yamasato
Aaron Yamasato
Jackie Yoshii
Deanna Starinski

Funded By:
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Kauai Visitors Bureau