The Grand Parade was held on the evening of Sunday, March 13, 2016, on Kalakaua Avenue. The performers performed from Saratoga Road and headed toward the east about 0.8 miles long where the Honolulu Zoo, the end point is located. Not to mention, a lot of spectators have gathered along the roadside.

Also, the opening performances were set-up at the following 4 locations, which started from 4 p.m.

• Starting point on Saratoga Road
• In front of Waikiki Shopping Plaza
• In front of Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa
• In front of Pacific Beach Hotel

 

The children of Ohana Arts sang the american national anthem at the starting point. They’ve performed the musical, Peace On Your Wings which is about the life of a girl named Sadako Sasaki, who became the model for the Children’s Peace Monument in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The spectators gave warm regards to those children that were beamed with smiles.

Also, there were performances such as various dances including hula and juggling at each respective location. Lots of camera shutter sounds echoed along the roadside.

The Grand Parade began with a parade by JAL (Japan Airlines) flight attendants with their wonderful smiles.

Then, it was followed by a military band, marching band and Chigasaki Soshu-Mikoshi.

The children of Ohana Arts who sang the American national anthem for the opening rode on the ‘Oli ‘Oli Walker as they paraded on Kalakaua Avenue.

Also,Rimi Natsukawa who is a Japanese singer appeared on the scene! She will be performing for the after event called Ryukyu no Kaze in Hawaii~ Okinawan Harmony~ which will be held on the next day March 14. She greeted her fans with a beaming smile as the spectators cheered along the roadside.

Then, next appeared were various beauty pageant winners, who sat in the convertible and waved to the spectators as they made a gorgeous entrance.

Furthermore, there were various performances such as hula dance, baton twirling, hand bells, mikoshi and Japanese drums which captivated the spectators. The performers were encouraged by the warm cheers. To share the joy and to entertain others were the motivation of the performers, which made the parade more spirited and memorable.

Minna Unicycle Club is a group consists of local girls. Occasionally, the children and adults held their hands for a spin, which was adorable and memorable.

BIBAK Hawaii’s traditional costume attracted special attention. They promote to preserve the cultural heritage of the Igorots.

Next appearance was the Flag Wavers from Faenza which they performed in medieval uniforms with their flags of Faenza (consist of white, yellow, black, red and green colors). Also, their flag wavers and the musicians are one of the top-notches in Italy, which they’ve won over 30 championships. There was a big round of applause every time when the flag waver catches the flag that was thrown high in the air.

Ritsumeikan University dig up treasure captivated the spectators with their speedy, dynamic and acrobatic moves while performing Double Dutch.

BestBody International in Honolulu showed off their sculptured bodies.

Moreover, there were various Japanese performing arts which were uniquely blended with traditional and modern styles. Also, the members of Getappers from Waseda University performed a tap dance wearing the Japanese traditional footwear called “geta”. They were filled with enthusiasms and bright smiles which spread toward the spectators.

Shotenryu (rising dragon) made a powerful appearance flying up high in the sky of Waikiki.

The gigantic Shotenryu is about 164 feet tall which was brought by Saitama Ryujin Matsuri Kai. It attacked furiously toward the spectators along the roadside from left to right as a performance, which thrilled them. The scene was filled with excitement and great cheers.

The sunset has started and the Grand Parade was about to reach its climax.

The surprising performance was brought by Akita Kanto Festival which they reappeared with many lanterns that were brightening the night. Those soft lighted lanterns were hanged from a bamboo pole and each celebrant held and balanced them by their forehead, shoulders and back which showed incredible skills.

The Grand Parade was about 4 hours long. The last 2 performances were the Hirosaki Neputa and Honolulu Daijayama.

The impression of those performances can be a lot different during the night which is intriguing.

Watching the Neputa with Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach in the background gave an indescribable impression, which felt the harmonization the beauty of Hawaii and Japan.

The Honolulu Daijayama made a powerful appearance as it moved forward with sparks of flame in the moonless night. Their performance was shown in front of the VIP seats and the show reached its climax. At last, it passed by Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, Waikiki Beach with its strong looks. Both the spectators and performers looked accomplished, even though they were saddened by the fact that the parade had ended.

We are looking forward to new performances next year!