Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival 1

The 3^rd Annual Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival was held on Friday, July 12, 2024, with seven steel guitarists and steel guitar ensembles from Japan performing. The festival was incorporated into the weeklong Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week. Emcees were Masami Sato and Shuji Tomita. The event was livestreamed and featured Yukio Katagiri, Noriko and Shuji Tomita, Paul Okubo, Shinichi and Kumiko Kakiuchi, Masami "Matt" Kobayashi, Masami Sato & Makana, and Kiyoshi "Lion" Kobayashi with his student Hajime Takahashi.

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• Co-emcees Masami Sato and Shuji Tomita.
• Shuji Tomita.
• Backup musician Helene Woodward on upright bass.
• Backup musician Alan Akaka on ʻukulele.
• Featured Japanese steel guitarist Yukio Katagiri with Bobby Ingano and Kaipo Asing.
• Steel guitarist Bobby Ingano provided complementary accompaniment.
• Yukio Katagiri.
• Yukio Katagiri.
• Featured Japanese steel guitarist Noriko Tomita.
• Noriko Tomita was accompanied by husband Shuji on vocals. Bobby Ingano and Kaipo Asing assisted.
• Noriko Tomita.
• Noriko and Shuji Tomita with Helene Woodward, Alan Akaka, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing.
• Some of the festival guests.
• Featured Japanese steel guitarist Paul Okubo with Bobby Ingano and Kaipo Asing.
• More festival guests.
• More festival guests.
• Paul Okubo.
• Kumiko Kakiuchi with Yoshiko Gohda, Mariko Aikawa, and Mieko Matsuda. Shinichi Kakiuchi is in the rear.
• Paul Okubo with Helene Woodward, Alan Akaka, Kaipo Asing, and Bobby Ingano.
• Featured Japanese steel guitarist Shinichi Kakiuchi with wife Kumiko, accompanied by Bobby Ingano and Kaipo Asing.
• Helene Woodward, Shinichi and Kumiko Kakiuchi, and Bobby Ingano.
• Hula dancers Mieko Matsuda, Yoshiko Gohda, Kumiko Kakiuchi, and Mariko Aikawa danced for Shinichi.
• Mieko Matsuda, Yoshiko Gohda, Kumiko Kakiuchi, and Mariko Aikawa dance during Shinichi Kakiuchiʻs performance with Helene Woodward and Bobby Ingano.
• Shinichi and Kumiko Kakiuchi with Bobby Ingano. Kaipo Asing is hidden.
• Kumiko Kakiuchi with Bobby Ingano and Kaipo Asing.
• Featured Japanese steel guitarist Masami ʻʻMattʻʻ Kobayashi with Leonard Jenkins.
• ʻUkulele player Leonard Jenkins.
• Upright bass player Hovey Lambert.
• Guitarists Pokiʻi Vaughan and Ernie Morikubo.
• Ernie Morikubo.
• Hovey Lambert .
• Matt Kobayashi, Leonard Jenkins, Pokiʻi Vaughan, and Ernie Morikubo.
• Leonard Jenkins and Pokiʻi Vaughan.
• Hovey Lambert, Matt Kobayashi, Leonard Jenkins, Pokiʻi Vaughan, and Ernie Morikubo.
• Festival guests.
• Caroline Affonso danced hula for Matt Kobayashi.
• Caroline Affonso.
• Caroline Affonso and Masami ʻʻMattʻʻ Kobayashi.

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Photography by Don Rostow ©2024 by Don Rostow and HIMELE.