2019 / Nisei Week Queen : Title of Japanese American communities’ representative at large goes to Juli Yoshinaga, sponsored by Japanese Restaurant Association of America

(Photo Caption) From left: Princess Ariel Mei Imamoto (San Fernando Valley), Princess Emily Yuiko Ishida (West Covina), First Princess Mia Masae Lopez (Venice), Queen Juli Yoshinaga (Japanese Restaurant), Miss Tomodachi Kara Chizuru Ito (Orange County), Princess Marika Kate Gotsschall (Pasadena), and Princess Kayla Sachiyo Igawa (Gardena). Cultural News Photo

The Nisei Week Foundation presented the Nisei Week Queen Coronation, highlight of the 9-day Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles, at the Aratani Theatre in the evening on Aug. 10.

The title of Nisei Week Queen 2019, Japanese American community’s representative at large went to Juli Yoshinaga, 23-year-old, sponsored by the Japanese Restaurant Association of America.

The first Nisei Week Queen was selected by popular votes in 1935. After the World War II, Nisei Week Queen candidates are sponsored by local Japanese American community centers and organizations.

The Nisei Week Queen Program is the only publicly recognized activity unites local Japanese American community centers and organization in the Greater Los Angeles area.

The Nisei Week Queen Program is also only publicly recognized activity connects Japanese American communities in Honolulu, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

The Nisei Week Queen and Court 2019 start their roles of Japanese American communities’ representative at large in the Grand Parade of Nisei Week on Sunday, Aug. 11 when they will appear on the Nisei Week Queen and Court float.

The 2018 Nisei Week Queen and Court appeared at 150 events from August 2018 through July 2019 including local community celebrations, Japan Day events at major league stadiums, Honolulu Cherry Blossom Festival, San Francisco Cherry Blossom festival and Nagoya Festival in Nagoya, Japan.

The Japanese Restaurant Association is a relatively new organization in the Japanese American communities. The JRA started 20 years ago. Juli Yoshinaga is the second JRA – sponsored Nisei Week Queen.

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Seven candidates are sponsored by the following organizations: San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center, East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center (West Covina), Venice Japanese Community Center & Venice -West Los Angeles Japanese American Citizen League, Japanese American Restaurant Association of America, Orange County Nikkei Coordination Council, Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute, and Gardena Evening Optimist.