J-FESTA 2026 Kick-Off Breakfast

A welcome and kick-off breakfast for J-FESTA 2026 was held on Friday, July 10, 2026, hosted by Hula Grill Waikiki. Many musicians and dancers from Japan were welcomed to Hawai‘i and the festival by Michelle Whitton, General Manager of Hula Grill Waikiki, and MaryLou Foley, Community Outreach for TS Restaurants (Hula Grill Waikiki, Duke's.) Hawaiian entertainment was provided by steel guitarists Alan Akaka, NextGEN steel guitarist Isaac Woodward, NextGEN musician Schuyler Woodward, and backup musicians Devin Nakahara and David Kekoa Woodward.

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• Dr. Michiko Akaka, Alan Akaka, and MaryLou Foley.
• Alan Akaka and MaryLou Foley.
• Alan Akaka, Michelle Whitton, and Mary Lou Foley.
• Sachiyo Hatamoto, Boo Takagi, and Kauro Yoneshima.
• Row 1: moani ito, Boo Takagi, Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi, Masami ʻʻMATTʻʻ Kobayashi, Paul Okubo. Row 2: Reiko Katagiri, YUKIO KATAGIRI, Kazuko Tanaka, Michiyo Fujita, Sakae Machida, Masako Wakamatsu, Machiko Kobayashi. Row 3: Sachiyo Hatamoto, Kaoru Yoneshima, Moana, Yoshiko Yokoyama, Toshiko Konno, Michiko Makiuchi, Ayumi Kato, Kazuko Ishii, Masami Sato, Haruko Ozeki.
• Front: Alan Akaka. Row 1: moani ito, Boo Takagi, Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi, Masami ʻʻMATTʻʻ Kobayashi, Isaac Woodward, Paul Okubo. Row 2: Reiko Katagiri, YUKIO KATAGIRI, Kazuko Tanaka, Michiyo Fujita, Sakae Machida, Masako Wakamatsu, Machiko Kobayashi. Row 3: Sachiyo Hatamoto, Kaoru Yoneshima, Axtyn Yam, Moana, David Woodward, Yoshiko Yokoyama, Toshiko Konno, Michiko Makiuchi, Ayumi Kato, Kazuko Ishii, Masami Sato, Haruko Ozeki, Devin Nakahara.
• Kazuko Ishii, Ayumi Kato, and Toshiko Konno.
• Michiko Makiuchi, Kazuko Tanaka, and Moana.
• Masami ʻʻMATTʻʻ Kobayashi, Machiko Kobayashi, and Kozaburo Kobayashi.
• Paul Okubo, moani ito, Reiko Katagiri, and YUKIO KATAGIRI.
• Sakae Machida, Yoshiko Yokoyama, and Michiyo Fujita.
• Haruko Ozeki, Masako Wakamatsu, and Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Masami Sato, Michelle Whitton, and Alan Akaka.
• Paul Okubo, YUKIO KATAGIRI, Reiko Katagiri, Sachiyo Hatamoto, Kaoru Yoneshima, and Yoshiko Yokoyama.
• Devin Naklahara, Alan Akaka, and David Woodward.
• Devin Nakahara.
• Alan Akaka.
• David Woodward.
• Alan Akaka.
• Devin Nakahara, Alan Akaka, and David Woodward.
• Dr. Michiko Akaka and Dara Woodward.
• Haruko Ozeko, Sakae Machida, Masako Wakamatsu, and Koyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Sachiyo Hatamoto. Boo Takagi, and Kaoru Yoneshimai.
• Kazuko Ishii, Ayumi Kato, and Toshiko Konno.
• Masami Sato, Michiko Makiuchi, Kazuko Tanaka, and Moana.
• Masami ʻʻMATTʻʻ Kobayashi and Machiko Kobayashi.
• Paul Okubo, moani ito, Reiko Katagiri, and YUKIO KATAGIURI.
• Harokuo Ozeki, Sakae Machida, Masako Wakamatsu, and Kiyoshi ʻʻLionʻʻ Kobayashi.
• Devin Nakahara, Alan Akaka, and David Woodward.
• Schuyler Woodward.
• Yoshiko Yokoyama and MIchiyo Fujita.
• Schuyler Woodward.
• Devin Nakahara, Isaac Woodward, and David Woodward.
• Devin Nakahara.
• Isaac Woodward.
• Isaac Woodward.

Back to Gallery: 2026 Waikīkī Steel Guitar Week

Photography by Don Rostow ©2026 by Don Rostow and HIMELE.