Nadeshiko-kai Hosts Coming-of-Age Ceremony in Gardena

Nineteen Japanese American young adults took part in a traditional Seijin-shiki organized by Nadeshiko-kai on Jan. 11 at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, with about 100 family members and community supporters in attendance.

Nineteen Japanese American young adults raised in Los Angeles marked a coming-of-age milestone at a traditional Seijin-shiki on Jan. 11 in Gardena. The ceremony was organized by Nadeshiko-kai and held at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute. About 100 family members and community supporters attended. Nadeshiko-kai has held annual ceremonies since 2013 to pass on the cultural meaning of Seijin-shiki to new generations. Key details: - 19 participants, most U.S.-born second-generation Japanese Americans, included fourth-generation sisters who traveled from Northern California. - The program opened with the Japanese and U.S. national anthems sung by minyo singer Marisa Kosugi and included a video message from Kosei Murota, consul general of Japan in Los Angeles. - Congratulatory remarks came from Yasuyuki Okazoe and George Howard, and Mika Kuroda, president of Nadeshiko-kai, presented commemorative certificates and spoke about ichigo ichie and gratitude. - Performances by L.A. Taiko Ichiza and UMA-MIX combined traditional drumming with contemporary music, reflecting both tradition and modern expression. - Nadeshiko-kai is a Los Angeles nonprofit founded in 2011 by kimono master Takako Sasaki that promotes kimono and traditional arts within Southern California. Summary: The ceremony reinforced efforts to pass Japanese cultural traditions within the Southern California Japanese American community and highlighted a blend of tradition and contemporary expression. Undetermined at this time.