The Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for the 58th Cherry Blossom Festival queen contestants. The annual festival is the longest, continually running festival in Hawaii and celebrates Japanese culture and heritage.

Applicants must have at least 50 percent Japanese ancestry, be between the ages of 19 and 26 years old, single, a U.S. citizen and Hawai‘i resident. A completed registration form, proof of Japanese ancestry through a birth certificate and a $30 application fee is required.
Contestant applications are available online at www.cbfhawaii.com and will be accepted until Aug. 1.

Sponsored by the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce, the festival will span from January to April 2010, featuring several community events open to the public including: contestant appearances across O‘ahu, golf tournament, fashion show and contestant reception, and the highly anticipated festival ball in March 2010 at which a new Cherry Blossom Festival queen and court will be crowned.

Additionally, for the ninth year in a row, one of the contestants will be awarded the annual Violet Niimi Scholarship – receiving $5,000 to go toward continuing her education. The Violet Niimi Scholarship – established in honor of the very first Cherry Blossom Festival queen – is given to the contestant who demonstrates exemplary community service involvement.

“We hope to infuse a spirit of change in the 58th Cherry Blossom Festival with new events and initiatives,” said Merrissa Uchimura, Cherry Blossom Festival co-general chair. “We will continue to honor the traditions of past festivals while also striving to create a meaningful experience and lifelong memories for participants.”

In January 2010, the 58th Cherry Blossom Festival queen contestants will be announced to the public. In the months leading up to the festival, contestants will take classes in Japanese culture and heritage, develop their public speaking and leadership skills, and participate in community service projects. After being crowned, the Cherry Blossom Festival queen and court are actively involved in community, and promote and perpetuate Japanese-American culture by participating in cultural events across the state.

“The wonderful opportunities I’ve had as queen have been much more than I ever dreamed of – and I would highly recommend that others consider applying for next year’s festival,” said 57th Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Kristine Akemi Wada. “It has been an amazing experience – inspiring me to celebrate my Japanese ancestry while honing leadership and networking skills.”

The festival also has an international reach, partnering each year to host five special sister chapters from Japan: Kobe, Odawara, Kurashiki, Kojima and Tamashima.

The Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce first convened in 1949 with the mission of developing young Japanese-Americans into civic-minded citizens. Currently, the HJJCC aims to foster young leaders through professional development, community service and the perpetuation of Japanese culture.

For more information on the festival or chamber, call 949-2255.