The passing of a legend - Hanayagi Jusuke III

The Hanayagi Dancing Academy Hawaii Foundation would like to extend our deepest condolences on the passing of our Iemoto, Hanayagi Jusuke III on May 23, 2007 at 11:33 am. She was 72 years old.

Thousands of students and friends attended Iemoto-san’s funeral on June 28, at the Tsukiji Hongwanji. At the funeral, Chief Mourner, Hanayagi Yoshijiro V announced that he will be assuming the name of Hanayagi Jusuke IV and succeeding his cousin as Iemoto of the Hanayagi Ryu school of dance. A day before the funeral, on June 27, the Shumei Hiro recital was held for Hanayagi Yoshijiro V, Hanayagi Sosuke and Hanayagi Asuka. Hanayagi Yoshijiro V assumed the name Hanayagi Kan-ou, Hanayagi Sosuke succeeded him as Yoshijiro VI and Hanayagi Asuka became Hanayagi Tsuru.

The kai was a spectacular event. The curtains opened to reveal 64 women in matching montsuki and obi from the Nagauta association, singing and playing “Ayatsuri Sambaso.” The unusual dance, mimicking Bunraku puppets, featured Jusuke IV as Okina , Asuka as Chitose, Yoshijiro VI as Sambaso and Miyake Ukon as koken.

The second number was “Hana no Dan” featuring Fujima Murasaki as Sachiko, Hanayagi Sumi as Yukiko and Hanayagi Tsuru as Taeko.

The finale was a fantastic production entitled “Ibaragi.” Ichikawa Danjuro danced the part of Watanabe no Tsuna and Jusuke VI, the role of the ogre, Ibaragi doji, who later appears as the hag, Mashiba.

The 76 year-old Hanayagi Yoshijiro V’s intentions were to retire and retreat from the limelight after naming his successor, Yoshijiro VI.

In a sad but phenomenal turn of events, Yoshijiro V will now become Iemoto, a life far from the quiet retirement he had dreamed of. He laments that he was Hanayagi Kanou for one day, but has awakened a new commitment and mission as Iemoto to preserve and perpetuate the ideals of classical Japanese dance and Japanese culture for present and future generations.

Honolulu Family Festival

After a successful inaugural Honolulu Family Festival in 2006, Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the non-profit group Honolulu 100 decided to continue with the festival this year.

The 2007 Honolulu Family Festival, which was held at Magic Island from Thursday, March 29 to Sunday, April 1, 2007 was a four-day festival that was free and open to the public.

Mahalo to Mitsukayo-san for affording HDAHF this opportunity to fund raise and the many HDAHF members and volunteers for helping with the ice-cream booth.

Alexandra Carlyle
Paul Carlyle
Renee Carlyle
Hansen Cheng
Bryson Goda
Linda Goda
Hanayagi Itsue
Hanayagi Mitsuai
Hanayagi Mitsukayo
Hanayagi Mitsukyo
Hanayagi Mitsutamae
Hanayagi Mitsuyasu
Gordon Hata
Lynn Hata
Stacie Hata
Leanne Kau
Corinne Murakami
Courtney Nakahara
Craig Nakahara
Craig Nishida
Jill Nishida
Sherri Okinaga
Ruth Tagawa
Kris Yoakum
Susan Yokota

HJJCC Heritage Fair

Our own Stacie Akemi Hata is pictured on the poster of the upcoming Heritage Fair sponsored by the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce.

The Heritage Fair will be held on Saturday, 3/10/2007 from 9 AM - 3Pm at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.

Hele on down for ono food, great entertainment and a Cosplay Costume contest sure to draw anime fans from around the island.

A general meeting for the HDAHF will be held

Date: April 22, 2007 Sunday
Time : 11:00 a.m.
Place: Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha (1239 Olomea Street off Houghtailing)

A Brief History of the Hanayagi Dancing Academy Hawaii Foundation

Viola Ikie Hosokawa, eldest daughter of Zenjiro Hosokawa (Shusui Hisamatsu) and Mitsue Hosokawa (Mitsue Hisamatsu), was born and raised in Honolulu.

Having begun her early classical dance (buyo) training in Hawaii, she furthered her training in Japan under dance master Sannosuke Hanayagi and received her teaching degree and professional name of Mitsuaki Hanayagi. She has also studied shamisen and singing under the Nagauta master Tokichi Kineya and was conferred the professional name of Satoshi Kineya.

Hanayagi Mitsuaki also received the teaching name of Sosui Hosokawa from the Urasenke School of Tea Ceremony and the name of Shunyo Hosokawa from the Sogetsu School of Flower Arrangement.
Following seven years of training in Japan, Hanayagi Mitsuaki returned to Hawaii and founded the Hanayagi Dancing Academy. Her dedication, devotion and tutelage of the Japanese performing and cultural arts have inspired many of Hawaii’s young people to become natoris, teachers and masters of the dance and shamisen. In 1990, she was the recipient of the “Tokubetsu-sho” award from Iemoto Hanayagi Jusuke III.
Endearingly known to her students as Oshisho-sama, Hanayagi Mitsuaki has left an indelible mark in the hearts and minds of all she touched with her spirit and passion committed to enriching, fostering and perpetuating the Japanese cultural arts.

Clara Chitose Hosokawa, youngest daughter of Zenjiro and Mitsue Hosokawa, was also born and raised in Honolulu. Together with her sister, she began her early buyo training in Hawaii. She also received training in Japan under Sannosuke Hanayagi and 2nd generation Iemoto (Headmaster) Jusuke Hanayagi. Having graduated, she received her teaching degree and professional name of Chitoshi Hanayagi.

Upon the passing of Hanayagi Mitsuaki in October of 2004, Hanayagi Mitsuyuri (Karen Fujishima-Lee) assumed the role of the Academy’s principal in accordance with the wishes of the late Hanayagi Mitsuaki.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Hanayagi Mitsuyuri received extensive training in dance and shamisen under Hanayagi Mitsuaki since 1952 and received her professional dance name in 1970 and professional shamisen name (Kineya Satsugiku) in 1982.
In 2006, Hanayagi Mitsuyuri was granted the name of Hanayagi Mitsuaki II by Iemoto, Hanayagi Jusuke and continues to expand her training and repertoire through teachers in Japan and remains firmly committed to honoring and fulfilling the legacy of our founder, Hanayagi Mitsuaki.

HDAHF Garage Sale

Hanayagi Mitsuaki II Shumei Sakazuki

Akemashite omedeto gozaimasu and best wishes to all for a year filled with peace and happiness.

Our principal, Hanayagi Mitsuaki II’s shumei sakazuki was held on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at Kyoya restaurant in accordance with ancient tradition.

Shumei or name succession is widely used in the inheritance of traditional performing arts in Japan and is a way of heralding a succession by passing the name, artistic traditions and prestige down through the lineage. This practice increases the status of the performer who receives the name of an illustrious master. Shumei preserves and keeps Japan’s oldest traditions vibrant and popular, by introducing the new while affirming the old.

The practice of shumei goes back to the Muromachi period (1333-1568), where it is documented in "Fushi-kaden,” written by the noh master, Zeami, that a family cannot be a family unless it has someone to inherit it, and a man cannot be a man unless he is a person of knowledge. This means talent is needed to succeed in carrying on the secrets of an art, even if one is the child of the master. A family name is inherited only after the knowledge of the art is passed down.
For the Japanese, sake is considered a sacred drink. The Shumei sakazuki ceremony is performed by partaking sake from the same sakazuki or sake cup to seal the bonds, in this case, between shisho and natori.
By exchanging sakazuki cups, the natoris pledge their loyalty and support to the new head of the organization. This is significant, because this ceremony bonds two people who are considered complete strangers as members of an artistic family.

The ceremony concluded with Hokushu, an auspicious dance, which is a shiken dance for Shihan Dance Master certification. Omedeto gozaimasu.