Taiko drummer Hisashi Sakamoto of Shinnyo-En Daiko,
foreground, raised his sticks to the gods to dedicate the
new year during the seventh annual New Year's Festival,
presented in Moiliili today by the Japanese Cultural Center
of Hawaii. The event also included activities such as koto
performances, mochi pounding and calligraphy demonstrations.
Below, Shigeo Yoshinaga teaches the basics of the Japanese
martial art of kendo to Jordan Schmidt, left, age 5,
and Evan Masutani, age 6.