Punahou School recently hosted a special cultural and musical exchange at Twigg-Smith Auditorium, bringing together students from Tamagawa Gakuen and Punahou’s 8th Grade Hawaiian Music program. Organized by Toshi Mori, Lauren Chang ’01 Williams and Kumu Mia Porreca, the “Ho‘oku‘i Project” celebrated the meaningful intersection of Hawaiian and Japanese traditions.
The program featured a rich blend of performances and cultural learning, including traditional Nihon-buyo dance showcasing kimono culture and classical storytelling through pieces such as “Shimano Senzai” and “Reimei,” which conveyed themes of harmony, renewal and hope. The audience also experienced a cultural presentation tracing the Hawaiian aloha shirt to its Japanese roots in Edo-komon textile patterns, highlighting the deep historical connections between the two cultures.
Tamagawa students demonstrated their craftsmanship and musicianship with hand-crafted ʻukulele performances, featuring songs like “Kaimana Hila,” honoring Diamond Head, and a creative fusion of “Hamabe no Uta” with “Aloha ‘Oe,” the beloved composition by Queen Liliʻuokalani.
A collaborative rendition of “Sakura Sakura” combined music and dance to reflect the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms, while the program concluded with a heartfelt joint hula performance of “Nada Sōsō (Ka Nohona Pili Kai),” inspired in part by the work of Kealiʻi Reichel. This final piece beautifully united both cultures through themes of memory, love and connection.
The event was further enriched by the behind-the-scenes support of renowned ‘ukulele artist Jake Shimabukuro, a Punahou parent whose son, Chase Shimabukuro ’31, is a current seventh grader. Earlier this year, Jake Shimabukuro performed in Japan, where Tamagawa Gakuen students had the opportunity to perform alongside him – further strengthening the cultural and musical connections celebrated in this exchange.
Mahalo to our guests from Tamagawa Gakuen, our talented Punahou students, and the faculty who made this collaboration possible. The “Ho‘oku‘i Project” exemplifies the power of cultural exchange in fostering understanding, friendship and lasting connections.
View the entire performance here: