Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival Kick-Off Breakfast

A welcome and kick-off breakfast for the 2025 Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival was held on Friday, July 11, 2025, hosted by Hula Grill Waikīkī. Many musicians and dancers from Japan were welcomed to Hawai‘i and the festival by Michelle Whitton, General Manager of Hula Grill Waikiki. Hawaiian entertainment was provided by steel guitarists Alan Akaka and Bobby Ingano, NextGen steel guitarist Isaac Woodward, Schuyler Woodward, and backup musicians Helene Woodward, David Kekoa Woodward of Walea, and Kaipo Asing. Hula Grill Waikiki tote bags and copies of John Troutman's book "Kika Kila: How the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Changed the Sound of Modern Music" were given away as door prizes.

• 2025 J-FESTA Kickoff Breakfast at Hula Grill Waikiki. Front: Michiko Makiuchi, Masami Sato, Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi, and Alan Akaka. 2nd Row: Noriko Otani, Kazuko Ishii, Yoshiko Konno, Kazuko Tanaka, Michyo Fujita, Kumiko Kakiuchi, Machiko Kobayashi, and Reiko Katagiri. 3rd Row: Masao Otani, Yoshiko Yokoyama, Paul Okubo, Michiko Akaka, Masami ʻʻMattʻʻ Kobayashi, Sakae Machida, Ayumi Kato, Masako Wakamatsu, Haruko Ozeki, Shinichi Kakiuchi, and Yukio Katagiri.
• Alan Akaka, David Woodward, and Kaipo Asing.
• Helene Woodward.
• David Woodward, Schuyler Woodward, Alan Akaka, Isaac Woodward, and Bobby Ingano.
• Helene Woodward, David Woodward, Alan Akaka, Isaac Woodward, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing.
• David Woodward with Schuyler Woodward and Isaac Woodward.
• Michiko Akaka and Helene Woodward.
• Alan Akaka presents a framed copy of Beyond the Reef sheet music to Michelle Whitton, General Manager of Hula Grill Waikiki. David Woodward, Schuyler Woodward, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing look on.
• Kozaburo Kobayashi, Machiko Kobayashi, and Masami ʻʻMattʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Paul Okubo, Reiko Katagiri, and Yukio Katagiri.
• Yoshiko Konno, Masami Sato, Masao Otani, and Noriko Otani.
• Michiko Makiuchi, Ayumi Kato, Kazuko Ishii, and Kazuko Tanaka.
• Masako Wakamatsu, Sakae Machida, Haruko Ozeki, and Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Hajime Takahashi, Johnny Crash (Fabio Martins), and Lecy Sartori at the buffet line.
• Alan Akaka, Lecy Sartori, Johnny Crash, and Schuyler Woodward.
• Lecy Sartori and Johnny Crash from Brazil.
• Helene Woodward, David Woodward, Schuyler Woodward, Isaac Woodward, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing.
• Schuyler Woodward.
• Helene Woodward, David Woodward, Schuyler Woodward, Isaac Woodward, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing.
• Helene Woodward.
• David Woodward and Schuyler Woodward.
• Noriko Otani, Kazuko Tanaka, Michiko Makiuchi, Kazuko Ishii, Ayumi Kato, and Masami Sato at the buffet line.
• Helene Woodward, David Woodward, Alan Akaka, Isaac Woodward, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing.
• Isaac Woodward.
• Isaac Woodward.
• Helene Woodward, David Woodward, Isaac Woodward, Schuyler Woodward, Bobby Ingano, and Kaipo Asing.
• Alan holds up John Troutmanʻs book ʻʻKika Kila: How the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Changed the Sound of Modern Musicʻʻ as Michiko Akaka describes the book to Welcome Breakfast guests. Isaac Woodward looks on.
• Prize time! Isaac Woodward calls out the winner. Alan Akaka holds the prize as Michiko Akaka looks on.
• Masako Wakamatsu shows off a Hula Grill Waikiki bag.
• Alan Akaka and Shinichi Kakiuchi with another bag.
• Alan Akaka and Masako Wakamatsu.
• Alan Akaka and Kazuko Ishii with John Troutmanʻs book.
• Alan Akaka and Yoshiko Yokoyama with John Troutmanʻs book.
• Alan Akaka and Sakae Machida.
• Alan Akaka, Lecy Sartori, and Johnny Crash.
• Schuyler Woodward.
• Makana (Michiko Makiuchi, Ayumi Kato, Kzauko Tanaka,Yoshiko Konno, Masami Sato, Kazuko Ishii) and Johnny Crash.

Back to Gallery: 2025 Japan-Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival

Photography by Don Rostow ©2025 by Don Rostow and HIMELE.