Queen Stephanie Misa Doi and court embark on year-long JA journey

The AMC Kabuki 8 in San Francisco’s Japantown was packed for the 2022 Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Program April 9, signaling a return to form for the annual program for young professional Japanese American women. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a major break in tradition as the in-person festival was canceled in 2020. The […]

NorCal Cherry Blossom Queen Program introduces 2022 candidates

The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival Queen Program presented its 2022 queen candidates during its inaugural virtual preview press conference March 9 over Zoom. The program, a highlight of the city’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival, will take place April 9 at the AMC Kabuki 8. The candidates are: Katy Akiko Drennan, Stephanie Misa Doi, Michelle […]

Nicole Tachiki named 2018 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen

San Francisco’s 51st annual Cherry Blossom Festival crowned its 2018 queen April 14 during the ceremony held at the AMC Kabuki 8 in the city’s Japantown. The program, emceed by KTVU-TV reporter Jana Katsuyama and KGO-TV reporter David Louie, had Lauren Kieva Matsuno, Rachel Mika Kawawaki, Maya Hernandez, Nicole Tachiki and Emiri Sakurai vying for […]

2015 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen candidates announced

With the 48th annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival a month away, the Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Program introduced its four candidates for 2015 queen March 14 at the Union Bank Community Room in San Francisco’s Japantown. The program, to be held April 11, will select the new queen and court on the first […]

2013 Northern Calif. Cherry Blossom Queen Program candidates announced

The five candidates who will compete for the title of Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen were introduced to the public for the first time on Saturday, March 16 at the Union Bank Community Room in San Francisco’s Japantown. Michiko Marie Maggi, Jamie Sachiko Martyn, Tiffany Sieu Okimura, Kimberly Miya Sasaki and Kelly Yuka Walton will […]

Japanese government honors NorCal Cherry Blossom Festival leaders

Dozens of community members associated with the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival gathered at the official residence of Consul General of Japan in San Francisco Hiroshi Inomata on the evening of May 30 to honor the work of the festival’s General Committee. The evening celebrated the presentation of the Commendation of the Minister for Foreign […]

Japanese government honors Benh Nakajo

The 2012 Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Program took place on April 14 at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas in San Francisco’s Japantown. Along with the crowning of Queen Asaki Osato, the program’s longtime chairman, Benh Koreyoshi Nakajo, was also honored. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan bestowed on Nakajo a commendation for his years […]