News

News Archive: 2025 | 2024| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017

Visit this page to see the latest news from the Center for Japanese Studies.

J-Current: our ongoing newsletter series can be viewed on our newsletter page.

2026-2027 Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Application

[Friday, September 5, 2025]

The Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation (CPAS) is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. This award is open to American graduate students at UH Mānoa pursuing study in subject area leading to better understanding between Japan and the U.S. Deadline to apply is on October 31, 2025 (Friday).

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UHM Japan Studies Librarian quoted in article remembering Donald Keene’s time in Hawaiʻi and at UH

[Friday, August 29, 2025]

Donald Keene, a renowned scholar of Japanese literature, had his ashes scattered in the sea off Honolulu by his adopted son, Seiki Keene. The ceremony, which took place on June 6, 2025, was a tribute to Keene’s love for Hawaiʻi, a place that held special significance for him.

Seiki Keene (R) and Mitsutaka Nakamura (L) at Hamilton Library at UH

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Inaugural Year of UHM Summer Kabuki Training Institute

[Tuesday, August 26, 2025]

This was a two-week intensive training (August 1-18) with eight-generation Kabuki Master, Ichikawa Monnosuke, and the first of many more summer workshops with Monnosuke-san. We are grateful to Julie Iezzi, the main organizer of the showcase, and Monnosuke-san for his dedication and commitment to continue supporting kabuki at UHM through this rare and rich opportunity to train with a kabuki master and professional.

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In memory of a dear friend and supporter: Dr. Genshitsu Sen

[Wednesday, August 20, 2025]

We are sad to share news of the passing of Dr. Genshitsu Sen, 15th-generation tea master, a dear friend and supporter of our Center.  We will provide a more complete report shortly. Click here for the report on News@UH.

Genshitsu SenRead more..

2025 EPIC Interns featured on Local News in Ehime, Japan

[Thursday, June 19, 2025]

The 2025 Ehime Prefectural International Center (EPIC) summer interns, Alexandra (Allie) St. Sauveur and Jeffrey Toko, recently met with Governor Tokihiro Nakamura of Ehime Prefecture. Their meeting was featured in a local newspaper and on a local TV.

Meeting with Governor Tokihiro Nakamura of Ehime Prefecture

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Spring 2025 Japanese National Honor Society Inductees

[Thursday, June 19, 2025]

The Center for Japanese Studies congratulates the UH Mānoa students inducted into the Japanese National Honor Society-College Chapter (JNHS-CC) this Fall 2024. This prestigious honor recognizes their high achievement in Japanese language studies.

Spring 2025 Japanese National Honor Society Inductees

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2025 EPIC Summer Interns Arrive in Ehime

[Wednesday, May 28, 2025]

The 2025 Ehime Prefectural International Center (EPIC) summer Interns, Ms. Alexandra St. Sauveur (UHM undergraduate student, Art Studio major and Japanese minor) and Mr. Jeffrey Toko (UHM undergraduate student, Exploratory major program), arrived in Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture on May 19, 2025 (Monday).

EPIC summer interns have arrived in Matsuyama

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Prince Akihito Scholarship Awards Ceremony

[Friday, May 16, 2025]

The 2025 CPASF Awards Ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at the Consulate-General of Japan in Honolulu, in honor of the 2025-2025 scholars, Joseph Iseri and Shion Sasaki, as well as past award recipients, Hiroko Saito (2019-2021) and Ryo Dobashi (2021-2023). Congratulations to the scholars!

The Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Awards Ceremony

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2026 MEXT Research Student Scholarship Application

[Friday, May 9, 2025]

The 2026 Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Research Student Scholarship is now open to accept scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. Deadline for the application is on May 23, 2025 (Sunday).

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Japanese Language Instructor awarded Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching

[Wednesday, May 7, 2025]

Congratulations, Mito-sensei, on receiving the Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching, by the Board of Regents as a tribute to faculty members who exhibit an extraordinary level of subject mastery and scholarship, teaching effectiveness and creativity and personal values that benefit students.

Congratulations Mito-sensei!

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Congratulations to 2025 MEXT Research Student Scholarship Awardee

[Wednesday, May 7, 2025]

Congratulations to Emily Pham, a UH Mānoa graduate (B.A. in Computer Engineering) for receiving a prestigious MEXT Research Student (Kenkyuu Ryuugakusei) Scholarship. Emily will be attending the Institute of Science Tokyo to conduct research in the field of Information and Communication Engineering from April 2025 until March 2027.

Consulate General Kodama and Emily Pham

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Inaugural U.S.-Japan Leaders-in-Residence program with Glen S. Fukushima

[Thursday, April 10, 2025]

We were honored and delighted to host Mr. Glen S. Fukushima, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington D.C. and Vice Chair of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, as our inaugural visitor in March 2025. His visit set a strong foundation for the program. We look forward to building on the experience and looking toward additional opportunities for future residencies that continue to foster collaboration with leaders in the field.

Glen S. Fukushima giving a talk

Glen S. Fukushima at Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii

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Dr. Genshitsu Senʻs Visit and Lecture at UHM

[Thursday, February 20, 2025]

The UHM Center for Japanese Studies was honored to welcome back Dr. Genshitsu Sen for a lecture and reception at UH Mānoa on Monday, February 10, 2025 in the Loulu Conference Room at Bachman Hall, with nearly one hundred attendees at the lecture.

Grand tea master, Dr. Genshitsu Sen, giving lecture to a crowd of people

Dr. Genshitsu Sen giving lecture

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Spring 2025 CJS Graduate Students Mixer

[Friday, January 31, 2025]

The Center for Japanese Studies hosted a graduate student mixer on January 30, 2025 at Tokioka Room (Moore 319). This fun and informal mixer brought together over 25 graduate students from various departments at UH Mānoa who are interested in Japanese-related studies.

Director Levin and the graduate students laughing in a casual setting

Spring 2025 CJS Mixer

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Hatsudate Shiki-First of Year Tea Ceremony 2025

[Tuesday, January 28, 2025]

The Tea Club of the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa hosted Hatsudate Shiki (first of the year tea ceremony) took place on January 26, 2025 (Sunday) at the Jaku’an Tea House on UH Mānoa campus. We extend our sincere gratitude to Akiko-sensei and the Way of Tea Club for their hospitality and dedicated efforts in making the event a success.

Hatsudate Shiki 2025

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Ehime Maru Memorial Cleanup

[Tuesday, January 21, 2025]

The CJS staff and students and community members came together and participated in  the semi-annual cleanup of the Ehime Maru Memorial in Kaka’ako Waterfront Park on January 18, 2025 (Saturday). We would like to show gratitude to the participants for making it a successful cleanup as this was our highest turnout since we started participating in the community service.

Ehime Maru Memorial Cleanup, Jan 2025.

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2025-26 Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Awardee

[Tuesday, January 7, 2025]

Joseph Iseri, a PhD student in the East Asian Languages and Literatures (EALL) department and an Advanced Graduate Certificate student in Second Language Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, has been awarded the prestigious Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship.

A congratulatory post for Joseph Iseri who received a prestigious Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship for 2025-26

2025-26 Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Recipient, Joseph Iseri

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