Pan-Pacific Festival

Our niece's soroban class participated in the Pan-Pacific Festival this year. (In Japanese, the abacus is called Soroban - ??, ????, lit. "Counting tray". It was imported from China around 1600. The 1/4 abacus appeared circa 1930, and it is preferred and still manufactured in Japan today even with the proliferation, practicality, and affordability of pocket electronic calculators. The use of the Soroban is still taught in Japanese primary schools as a part of math).Matsuri in Hawaii began in 1980 as a cultural exchange between Japan and Hawaii. Matsuri in Hawaii was originally intended as a cultural bridge: visiting participants from Japan would be able to enjoy the familiarity of Japanese music, crafts, traditions, and foods, while Hawaii residents and other visitors would gain a deeper appreciation of Japanese sensibilities and cultural heritage. In 1996, the festival expanded to include groups representing many cultures of the Pacific Rim. To recognize this wider focus, the event name was changed to Pan-Pacific Festival Matsuri in Hawaii. This year marks the 8th anniversary of the cooperation agreement signed with the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission signed in 1998. In the past, the two groups held their events on different June weekends. Now, both festivals are on the same weekend in June.Next year's festival will be June 5-7, 2009.