It is with great sadness that the Center for Okinawan Studies shares the passing of Jean Masako Sakihara. Mrs. Sakihara was a retired Japanese culture instructor at UH Manoa Laboratory high school, having taught Japanese language and culture for more than forty-years. She was also the visionary for the UH Manoa Laboratory high school’s Kimono Culture Program. Over the years, she impacted the lives of hundreds of children by dressing them in Kimono for major life events such as senior graduation and Shichi-go-san.
Mrs. Sakihara was also a recipient of the “Imperial Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays” by the Emperor of Japan in 2009. This prestigious award specifically recognized Sakihara-sensei for her outstanding contributions to the promotion of Japanese culture, specifically in Kimono culture, in Hawai’i.
The Center for Okinawan Studies fondly remembers the late emeritus history professor Dr. Michael Mitsugu Sakihara, husband of Jean Masako Sakihara. During Professor Sakihara’s juusan-kaiki in 2014, Mrs. Sakihara established an endowed scholarship to honor his life. The Michael Mitsugu Sakihara Endowed Scholarship in Honor of His Life and Remembrance for All Those Deceased from WWII in Okinawa provides scholarships to graduate students at UH Mānoa who are studying Okinawa-related subjects. More than ten years after its establishment, the scholarship continues to support students who, like Dr. and Mrs. Sakihara, appreciate the pursuit of the mind.
The Center for Okinawan Studies extends our sincere condolences to Mrs. Sakihara’s daughter, Mana Sakihara.
A memorial service for Mrs. Jean Masako Sakihara will be held on Monday, August 25th at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Visitation begins at 5:00 PM with the Service to follow at 6:00 PM. Please refer to Mrs. Sakihara’s Obituary for ways to send your condolences.