nwasianweekly.com
May 31, 2008

Photo by Curtis Mah

Erina Tami Aoyama was crowned Queen and was also the recipient of the Talent Award and the Sakura Spirit Award.

Pageant crowns new Japanese Queen

By James Tabafunda

NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY

Erina Aoyama can now start working on her grand plan. A 20-year-old senior at the University of Washington, she once studied abroad in Japan, where she decided she would one day reach out to the Japanese American community back in Seattle.

Crowned 2008 Greater Seattle Japanese Community and Cherry Blossom Festival Queen, she can now carry out that plan as the city’s newest Asian American ambassador. She won the title, five scholarships totaling $8,700 and several prizes on May 24 at the Museum of History and Industry’s McEachern Auditorium. About 100 people attended the 49th annual coronation.

Michaela Kusumi, 18, was crowned First Princess, winning $6,700 in scholarships and prizes. Amber Mines, 20, was crowned Miss Tomodachi, winning $3,800 in scholarships and prizes.

“It’s such a great honor. The other girls were amazing young women as well. And so, I’m just really excited and honored to have this privilege,” said Aoyama about her selection.

Among their several duties, Aoyama and her court will represent the Greater Seattle Japanese Community at several community events, participate in the Seafair Scholarship Program and serve as representatives to Seattle’s sister city Kobe, Japan.

All three contestants dressed in colorful kimonos during the kimono competition at the beginning of the pageant.

Aoyama is majoring in international studies with a minor in Japanese and will graduate in the spring of 2009. She enjoys studying languages. In addition to studying Japanese for many years, she has also started learning French. She likes to travel, do yoga and work on crossword puzzles.

Her goal is to pursue a career with the U.S. Foreign Service or an international non-government organization.

Mistress of ceremonies Julie Ogata announced Aoyama is a lifelong Seattle Mariners fan and remembers watching the team play in the 1995 division championships. During the pageant’s question-and-answer portion led by master of ceremonies Terry Nakano, Aoyama said her favorite player is Kenji Johjima.

Graduating from Hazen High School in Renton, Kusumi will attend the University of Washington in the fall. An outdoor enthusiast, she likes to go camping, hiking, kayaking and spelunking (exploring caves). She looks forward to traveling around the world to such countries as Japan, Spain and Africa. She has performed Cambodian dancing and has recently started learning break dancing. Her favorite drink is strawberry bubble tea, and her favorite food is tempura sushi.

“I feel so excited and relieved that it’s over,” said Kusumi after the pageant. “I had so much fun though. I thought I was going to be really nervous, and I had butterflies in my stomach right before, but the whole time, I was just having fun.”

She looks forward to bonding with Aoyama and Mines as well as others representing Seattle’s sister cities.

“Friendship to me is the most important. It’s not just going out and parading and everything,” said Kusumi. “It’s about the friendships.”

Mines is a sophomore at Western Washington University. She said about her long commute from Bellingham to Seattle, “Although it was very difficult every Friday to sit in traffic in Everett and Northgate, it was well worth it to be here and be a part of this competition.”

Before the pageant, she said, “As a representative of the court, I would strive to project a positive image for the court and the community as well as share the pride we have in our rich and colorful Japanese culture. Being a part of this court will enable me to use and improve my leadership, teamwork and commitment skills which I will continue to use throughout my life.”

During the pageant’s talent competition, Mines sang “When You Believe” from the 1998 movie, “The Prince of Egypt.”

She loves animals and has two Chihuahua dogs. One day, she hopes to own a French bull dog which she has already named “Willy.” She enjoys musicals; her favorite one is “Aida.”

The judges were Tanya Jimale, a civil engineer and owner of JTS Manage Services; Lawrence Matsuda, a consultant who taught as a visiting professor at Seattle University; Barbara Mizoguchi, executive director of the Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center project; and Douglas S. Palmer, Jr., an attorney at Hillis Clark Martin & Peterson.

“I think I’m looking forward both to community events in Seattle and learning more about our sister cities throughout the West Coast. I think that will be a great learning experience as well,” Aoyama said.n

James Tabafunda can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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