The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ballroom dance team won its third consecutive national title at the (NCDC), in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 27–29.

Competing against 37 colleges, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa once again took first place for “highest point average,” as well as a close second place for the overall team championship, asserting its place among the nation鈥檚 top ballroom dance college teams. Winning top honors in the highest point average requires most team members to perform exceptionally well in all events.

The dancers of the Ballroom Dance Club @糖心Vlog官方M—a registered independent organization at 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa—are trained and coached by Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti. Narayan and Sumukti also represented Hawaiʻi in the senior age division placing 1st in several events.

“We are no longer the underdogs, so all the other colleges are looking at us as the team to beat,” said Narayan, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa . “The bar is getting raised higher and higher each year, but we prevailed once again. We are incredibly proud of the dedication of our dancers who put in many hours to prepare for this competition. We are grateful for the incredible support we have received from the entire ballroom community in the state of Hawaiʻi.”

The Ballroom Dance Club @糖心Vlog官方M was formed in September 2022, and the team took first place for “highest team average” in 2024 and 2025.

“Nationals was an amazing and eye-opening experience for me,” said Caleb Zerbe, who competed in the nationals for the first time. “Getting to see so many people dance and enjoy themselves on the floor made me realize how fun dancing can be, even at the highest stages. It was a moment that helped me build a lot of confidence, and one that I will never forget.”

Christopher Ramirez, who competed on all three victorious 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa teams, added, “Given the opportunity to compete at my third nationals, there is always something new to learn. Winning for the third year in a row has reminded me just how incredible it is to be a part of this team.”

Tough competition

NCDC is a grueling competition with events starting at 7 a.m. every morning. It consisted of multiple events based on proficiency (bronze, silver, gold, etc.). Each student danced in up to 32 different events at the bronze and silver skill levels. They competed in all four styles of ballroom dance including International Standard (waltz, tango, viennese waltz, foxtrot and quickstep), American Smooth (waltz, tango, foxtrot and viennese waltz), American Rhythm (chacha, rumba, swing, bolero and mambo) and International Latin (samba, chacha, rumba, paso doble and jive).

Several students took individual first place awards in their respective divisions defeating up to 70 other competitors in some events. This trip was designed to give the team exposure to a collegiate competition, as Hawaiʻi has no statewide collegiate ballroom competitions.

More about the Ballroom Dance Club

The Ballroom Dance Club offers beginner classes to all 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa students, faculty and staff in studio 2 in the athletics department from 6—7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. No dance experience is required. For more information, or visit their Instagram page @bdcuhm.

The team would like to thank the Department of Information and Computer Sciences, 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa Department of Athletics, Student Activity and Program Fee Board, Associated Students of the University of Hawaiʻi, USA Dance Honolulu and the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for facility and financial support.

糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa 2026 nationals collegiate and adult team roster:

• Ravi Narayan, faculty (computer science), coach and alumnus
• Synthia Sumukti, coach and alumna
• ʻAulani Wagner, library science and American studies
• Alexander Picken, Earth science
• Amanda Kanthack, psychology and Japanese
• Caleb Zerbe, computer science
• Christopher Ramirez, linguistics
• Christopher Wright, electrical engineering
• Courtney Hisamoto, computer science
• D’Elle Martin, architecture
• Elijah Saloma, computer science
• Gregory Snyder, mechanical engineering
• Hannah Madiam, kinesiology
• Iris Calauan, pre-nursing
• Jonathan Bona, civil engineering
• Julietta Lopez, architecture
• Kanaru Ebi, psychology
• Karl Merritt, mechanical engineering
• Luis Hernandez, electrical and computer engineering
• Lyndsey Moku, political science
• Maya Ito, psychology
• Michaella Villanueva, computer science
• Noah Asano, computer science
• Samantha Reed, computer science
• Shaelyn Loo, computer science
• Tessa Heidkamp, journalism and political science
• Andrew Lin, computer science alumnus
• Sydney Kim, computer science alumna
• Jason Aguda, computer engineering alumnus
• Matthew Rummel, political science and business alumnus
• Ariel Ramos, cinematic arts animation alumna
• Yong-Sung Masuda, computer science alumnus
• Wilson Tran, computer science alumnus
• Florence Liu, faculty, mathematics

Luis Hernandez and Maya Ito dancing the American Cha-cha in the Collegiate Team Match where 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Elijah Saloma and Michaella Villanueva dancing the International Quickstep in the Collegiate Team Match where 糖心Vlog官方 Mānoa placed 3rd. (Video courtesy: Calvin Ota)

Coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti dancing the Mambo in the Senior IV American Rhythm Championship final. (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

Students cheering for their coaches Ravi Narayan and Synthia Sumukti (Video courtesy: Ravi Sundaram)

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 is giving readers and researchers a window into Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Nisei experience by acquiring the archives of Milton Murayama (1923–2016). Murayama, a Maui-born Nisei author, playwright and MIS veteran, captured the struggles and triumphs of Japanese American families through his novels and plays.

, available in the library and online, includes drafts of novels, short stories and plays, unpublished works, correspondence, photos and other materials.

Murayama is best known for his novel tetralogy All I Asking for Is My Body (1975), Five Years on a Rock (1994), Plantation Boy (1998) and Dying in a Strange Land (2008), which fictionalize his family鈥檚 emigration from Japan and life on a Maui sugar plantation.

“We were honored to partner with Dawn Murayama [the author鈥檚 wife] in preserving Milton Murayama鈥檚 tremendous legacy, which will enrich the social, intellectual and cultural fabric of our community for generations to come,” said Leilani Dawson, manuscript collections archivist.

Dawn Murayama donated his papers along with a gift to support the archive鈥檚 work.

“My late aunt dedicated her life to her husband鈥檚 work. She wanted to be sure it was preserved and made accessible to future writers and researchers,” said grand-nephew David Wakukawa. “It鈥檚 important because it brings to life the Japanese American immigration experience of coming to Hawaiʻi.”

Project archivist Tiffany Zarriello spent months processing, digitizing and organizing the collection. “Throughout this project, it has been an absolute joy and privilege to get to know Milton Murayama through the documents he鈥檚 left behind,” she said. (.)

The collection is now available online, with some materials requiring library access. Contact archives@hawaii.edu for details.

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The University of 惭腻苍辞补 Campus Center Ballroom transformed into a colorful hub of games, workshops and music on November 7, as more than 800 people gathered for Nippon Culture Day. The annual event, hosted by the Department of (EALL), offered a full day of hands-on activities highlighting Japanese language, art and community traditions.

Attendees moved from table to table, trying everything from calligraphy and gift-wrapping to traditional Japanese card games such as hanafuda and karuta. Students practiced koto (Japanese string instrument) and sanshin (Okinawan string instrument), folded intricate origami and tested their skills at manga (comic book) character drawing and katakana (character) recognition game. Members of the Japanese Culture Club also supported a station, helping guests of all ages jump in.

“Our department has long been engaged in the study of Japan,” said Hiromi Uchida, a Japanese language instructor. “We see this event as a valuable opportunity for both learning and community building, and we hope to continue making Nippon Culture Day an exciting and enjoyable experience for all students and the community.”

Traditions up close

Nippon is the Japanese word for Japan. Culture-focused workshops ran throughout the morning and afternoon. 糖心Vlog官方ors sat for abacus lessons, learned the basics of ikebana (flower arrangement) in small-group sessions and experienced the quiet focus of a tea ceremony inside Jaku鈥檃n, the campus tea house.

Information tables connected students with academic and professional opportunities tied to Japan. Representatives from 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (COS), , Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program and spoke with attendees about travel and study opportunities. Japan Airlines also provided details about career tracks.

As the afternoon continued, the event shifted to live performances featuring koto and sanshin demonstrations. The day ended with a bon dance, inviting everyone to celebrate together.

Nippon Culture Day is co-sponsored by the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 and COS. Located within the , the EALL department has hosted the free event for more than 20 years.

The University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (WCDI) has released new online tools uncovering Japanese war crimes in Asia and the Pacific during World War II.

Launched in 2019, WCDI is housed in and led by historians, librarians and Geographic Information System specialists. Using digital humanities–computational analysis of the humanities–they map, contextualize and analyze data on Japanese military operations and war crimes. The initiative鈥檚 research draws from more than 2,240 Allied war crimes trials conducted across 51 locations in Asia and the Pacific between 1945 and 1952, with the goal of making complex historical evidence accessible to students, scholars, and the public.

“WCDI鈥檚 projects illuminate the scale and patterns of WWII Japanese war crimes in Asia and the Pacific,” said Theodore Kwok, geospatial librarian in Hamilton Library鈥檚 Government Documents and Maps department. “They expose students and researchers to primary sources, information and data otherwise hidden or difficult to discover.”

The new resources include:

Interactive ArcGIS map, War Crimes against Ethnic Chinese: A Case Study of Group-Selective Violence by the Japanese during the War in the Pacific, 1941–1945, visualizes postwar Allied trials involving crimes against ethnic Chinese communities. It shows how Japan鈥檚 war with China (1931–1945) spread into the Pacific, revealing patterns of targeted violence and intimidation.

Text-searchable archive, Imamura Statements: The 8th Area Army Commander鈥檚 Apologia for Japanese War Crimes at Fortress Rabaul, digitized using Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) standards, offers access to two statements from General Imamura Hitoshi鈥檚 1947 trial in Australia. His testimony sheds light on prisoner abuse around Rabaul and his perspective on the postwar Allied war crimes trials.

StoryMap exhibit (coming soon), The Sook Ching Massacre: Promises and Limitations of a British Singapore War Crimes Trial, March 10–April 2, 1947, explores one of the most infamous massacres of ethnic Chinese civilians and how Allied trials sought—often with mixed results—to deliver justice.

糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 history professor Yuma Totani, who leads WCDI, praised the collaboration with Hamilton Library. “WCDI has a terrific team of librarians whose expertise in digital technologies, knowledge in the humanities, and commitment to collaborative work have been invaluable,” she said.

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Roland Kotani鈥檚 (1985) has been digitized and is now available through the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 . The release marks the 40th anniversary of the landmark publication, long regarded as a cornerstone of 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

“Kotani broke new ground by telling a history of Japanese and Okinawans in Hawaiʻi that centered stories of resistance to oppression in a form that was very accessible,” said Kyle Kajihiro, assistant professor of ethnic studies.

Kotani was a writer, historian and community advocate who also served as a member of the Hawaiʻi State House of Representatives. He dedicated much of his work to shedding light on the journey of Japanese and Okinawan immigrant communities, highlighting a century of resilience, labor activism and community building. Through his storytelling, Kotani captured how Japanese and Okinawan workers helped transform plantation life and shape 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈鈥檚 modern society.

Kotani鈥檚 legacy preserved

Hamilton Library received permission from Kotani鈥檚 daughter, Mariko, and his brother, musician Ozzie Kotani, to make the work publicly available.

“This book is foundational in its clarity and continues to be used in ethnic studies classes,” said Jodie Mattos, Hawaiian Collection Librarian and Department Chair of the Hawaiian and Pacific Collections. “This year marks 40 years since the publication of Kotani鈥檚 book, and its longevity is noteworthy.”

Mattos expressed appreciation to the Kotani family and Vince Watabu of the Hawaii Hochi, the book鈥檚 publisher, for helping make this important resource freely available to future generations.

Access the digitized book through .

On November 1, Sanrio鈥檚 beloved character Hello Kitty celebrates her 50th anniversary. To mark this milestone, Christine Yano, professor emerita of at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, offered her insights into the character’s lasting appeal and significant role in shaping kawaii (cute) culture worldwide. Known for her expertise in cultural anthropology and Japanese popular culture, Yano authored , which explores the icon’s journey as both a commercial phenomenon and a cultural symbol.

What sparked your interest in studying Hello Kitty?

In 1997, while teaching a course on Japanese popular culture at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, I casually included a lecture on Hello Kitty. The students loved it, but it was a conversation with our department secretary, Elaine, a huge fan, that made me realize how deeply Hello Kitty resonated with everyday people. That curiosity led me to research Hello Kitty further鈥攂oth the corporate side and the fanbase.

What contributed to Hello Kitty鈥檚 global popularity?

Hello Kitty’s enduring appeal lies in her simplicity and adaptability. Her minimalist design, with no mouth, allows fans to project their own emotions onto her, making her a personal and emotional icon for people from all walks of life. Since her debut in 1974, she has crossed cultural boundaries, with Sanrio keeping her relevant through subtle design updates and innovative products like Hello Kitty wine. This balance of familiarity and innovation keeps fans engaged. Unlike Barbie, Hello Kitty remains a comforting and non-threatening symbol of sweetness and nostalgia, ensuring her lasting presence.

Is there anything during your research that surprised you?

I was surprised by many things, but the one that made global headlines was the revelation that Hello Kitty is not a cat. This came up during my work on the 2014 exhibition at the Japanese American National Museum. While writing labels, I referred to her as a feline, but Sanrio asked me to change it to “a friend” or “a girl.” When I mentioned this to a reporter, it became a viral story, shocking fans worldwide. A decade later, that headline is still making news, especially with Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary.

How does Hello Kitty’s popularity in Hawaiʻi differ from other places?

In Hawaiʻi, she鈥檚 part of everyday life, woven into the cultural landscape. We don鈥檛 need her to symbolize minority identity like Japanese Americans in California might. One fun example: Sanrio released a version of Hello Kitty that “tans” as the summer progresses, which was a huge hit with Japanese tourists!

As an anthropologist, what鈥檚 your final take on Hello Kitty鈥檚 significance?

As an academic, I鈥檓 trained to be critical. But in today鈥檚 world, Hello Kitty brings joy and empathy, and I think there鈥檚 value in that. It鈥檚 comforting to see something so simple evoke such positive emotions.

Two students majoring in at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 have been awarded the MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) Scholarship by the Japanese government. Koy Yoshizumi and Marques Batoon, are among only four students in the country to receive the highly regarded scholarship this year, and began their yearlong studies in Japan this October.

“I feel truly blessed to receive this scholarship,” said Yoshizumi, who is taking classes at Keio University in Tokyo. “I want to take every opportunity that comes my way, and I guess I want to ‘put myself out there’ a little more.”

Yoshizumi, who grew up in Kapolei, first became interested in Japanese culture through anime, a passion that has fueled his academic journey.

Batoon, a double major in Japanese and , is studying at Doshisha University in Kyoto. His year abroad offers him the chance to work on a unique project.

“One of my goals is to complete my Japanese language study app game and play it with the classmates here who are also studying Japanese,” Batoon said.

His fascination with the language began in the fourth grade when his best friend, moved to Hawaiʻi from Japan and spoke English and Japanese.

Both Yoshizumi and Batoon represent the thriving (EALL) department at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补, the largest of its kind in the nation, offering courses in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. The department continues to produce globally engaged graduates, many of whom go on to work in fields ranging from academia to government service.

“I hope that the awardees will make a year in Japan as MEXT scholars a fruitful one, by studying hard, by experiencing different aspects of Japanese society and culture firsthand, and by growing as individuals,” said Miki Ogasawara, an instructor who teaches Japanese at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

In 2023, two more EALL students at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 were among the four recipients nationwide to be awarded the MEXT scholarship.

EALL is housed in the 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 .

Kuchi-e prints are a distinctive genre of Japanese woodblock illustrations that were inserted inside of popular literary magazines during the Meiji and Taish艒 periods, reflecting the rich cultural landscape of late 19th and early 20th-century Japan. The has recently acquired a unique collection of more than 200 Kuchi-e prints, generously donated by Nanako Yamada, a scholar and collector based in Honolulu.

The Yamada Collection showcases works by renowned ukiyo-e artists such as Hanko Kajita and Toshikata Mizumo, who used traditional techniques to produce stunning frontispieces for early modern magazines, most notably Bungei Kurabu.

An avid collector, Yamada is the author of nine books on Kuchi-e, including Woodblock Kuchi-e Prints: Reflections of Meiji Culture.

Finding a new home

In addition to the woodblock prints, Yamada has also donated dozens of accompanying literary magazines, particularly issues of Bungei Kurabu. These magazines were designed to attract readers, especially women and young adults, with the Kuchi-e illustrations serving as a captivating intersection between visual art and modern Japanese literary history.

“The images by some of the most talented artists of the Meiji-Taish艒 period, representing iconic scenes in magazine-serialized novels, functioned to draw readers into the tales and fuel their imaginations,” explained Andre Haag, professor of Japanese literature at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补.

The Yamada Collection also highlights the meticulous technique of inserting frontispieces into each novella, which has broader implications for fields such as bookbinding and museum studies. Graduate students across the departments of the will be able to utilize the collection as a new resource for their research this fall.

After considering various possible homes for her rare and unique collection, Yamada chose 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 Library due to the expertise and dedication of Mitsutaka “Mitsu” Nakamura, Japan studies librarian, and Sachiyo Kawaiʻaeʻa, Japanese cataloger.

“The research value of these prints is immense,” said John Szostak, professor and Japanese art historian at 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补. “Ms. Yamada did an excellent job in gathering prints by prominent artists and kept them in wonderful condition.”

Plans for digitization, public display

Plans to digitize the Kuchi-e collection are currently being explored through grant opportunities aiming to make the collection accessible to a wider audience. Nakamura was recently awarded the 2024 Karl Lo Award and will receive $7,000 from the to assist with the digitization project.

In the near future, the collection will also be exhibited in the library鈥檚 galleries for the public to visit.

The Yamada Collection is housed in Hamilton Library鈥檚 Asia Collection. to view the collection.

A three-year collaboration between faculty and students in the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 (EALL), scholars in Japan, and the Honolulu Museum of Art has borne fruit: a bilingual cross-platform publication that focuses on 18th century scrolls recently discovered inside a collection at the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA).

Nestled within the Lane Collection, an archive curated by the late art dealer and 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 alumnus Richard Douglas Lane, lay a two-scroll set known as the J奴ban Mushi-awase, or A Match of Crickets in Ten Rounds of Verse and Image.

“These scrolls depict a literary event in 1782 Edo (Tokyo), where poets and painters gathered to explore the relative virtues of two humble insects—the bell cricket and the pine cricket,” said Robert Huey, a 糖心Vlog官方 惭腻苍辞补 EALL professor emeritus. “In East Asian literature, these insects have long symbolized the sadness of autumn and the pain of separation.”

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: 18th century Japanese poem contest thrills 糖心Vlog官方 scholars, September 26, 2023

Seeds of collaboration

The project鈥檚 seeds were planted in 2020, when EALL scholars Huey, Assistant Professor Andre Haag, PhD students Hilson Reidpath, Tanya Barnett and alumna Francesa Pizarro teamed up with researchers in Japan to explore the rare scroll set.

“Many of the Japanese scholars we were collaborating with were specialists in these 18th century literary figures and the forms of poetry we were examining,” said Barnett, a PhD candidate who specializes in modern Japanese literature. “The breadth of their knowledge was astounding and a real privilege to learn from.”

Minami Kiyoe, who oversees the Lane Collection at the museum, works closely with the 糖心Vlog官方 and Japan research teams.

• Related 糖心Vlog官方 News story: Japanese literature students prepare to catalog rare book collection, November 1, 2022

Showcasing scholarly perspectives

Thanks to a generous grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the teams officially embarked on their collaborative journey in 2021. This spring, their efforts culminated in the publication of bilingual book .

The book features a transcription of the original text, a modern Japanese translation and a full English translation. In addition, all the team members wrote essays or research papers related to some aspect of the work.

“These elements together fulfilled one of the goals of the project, which was to truly showcase distinct approaches taken to the same material by Japanese and American scholars,” said Huey.

On display

This April, HoMA included the scrolls in the exhibit “.” The exhibit runs through July 28.

All images of paintings in this article are from the Collection of the Honolulu Museum of Art. Purchase, Richard Lane Collection, 2003 (TD 2011-23-415).