Posted on March 29, 2026. Revised on April 25, 2026.
TORRANCE, CA — A diverse community of educators, artists, diplomats, local and cultural leaders gathered on Saturday, March 28 at the Toyota Meeting Hall in the Torrance Civic Center to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Shinichi Hirokawa, a beloved educator and tireless ambassador of Japanese culture. Approximately 200 people attended the four-hour memorial, reflecting the breadth of Hirokawa’s impact across academic, cultural, and community spheres.
The event, titled Celebration of Life for Dr. Shinichi Hirokawa, honored a man whose life defied easy categorization. Known affectionately as Shin-san or Hirokawa-san, Hirokawa was at once a business professor, community organizer, volunteer leader, and accomplished performer of Japanese folk music. His ability to connect people across cultures and generations was evident in the wide range of organizations and individuals represented at the memorial, including a Japanese diplomat in Los Angeles, prefectural associations, and grassroots performing arts groups.
The program opened with a Buddhist Heart Sutra recitation led by Rev. Yoichi Shimizutani of Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, setting a contemplative tone. Musical tributes that followed reflected Hirokawa’s non-traditional and inclusive spirit, ranging from a Christian gospel chorus to Okinawan folk songs and instrumental performances, culminating in a sing-along and circle dance with the well-known Japanese ballad “Ue wo Muite Arukō,” widely known in the United States as “Sukiyaki.”
A poignant highlight of the end of the program was the screening of the documentary MARCH, which depicts the efforts of rebuilding an elementary school marching band in Fukushima Prefecture following the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. The film was included in recognition of Hirokawa’s support for disaster recovery efforts in Japan and his commitment to raising awareness through education and culture.
Dr. Hirokawa was born on August 1, 1963, in Niigata, Japan, and passed away on December 24, 2025, at the age of 62. After graduating from Tokai University with a degree in English literature, he began his career in Japan before moving to the United States in 2002. There, he earned an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and later completed a Doctorate in Business Administration from Argosy University. From 2020 until his passing, he served as an Assistant Professor of Business at Westcliff University in Irvine, where he became known for his dedication to students and his belief in education as a tool for empowerment.
Speakers throughout the day emphasized Hirokawa’s generosity and resilience. Dr. Raymond Briggs, his academic mentor, described him as a specialist in statistics who never forgot the encouragement he once received and sought to extend the same support to others. Representatives from the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles and JETRO Los Angeles also shared condolences, recalling Hirokawa’s leadership within the LA Kansai Club and his role in fostering ties between Japan and Southern California.
The program unfolded in multiple parts, blending remembrance with active participation. During an intermission, attendees were invited to offer prayers at a simple altar. Later segments featured traditional dances such as Sado Okesa from Niigata and Ashibinaa from Okinawa, as well as sing-alongs that transformed the memorial into a shared cultural experience rather than a passive observance.
Music remained central throughout the afternoon. Hirokawa’s love for Japanese ballads and folk songs was well known, and performances by community musicians echoed his belief that music could dissolve barriers and bring people together.
Part three of the event focused on Hirokawa’s support for victims of disasters in Tohoku, Japan in 2011. Ryosuke Sato explained Hirokawa’s commitment to revive the site of former Okawa Elementary School in Miyagi Prefecture. In conjunction of Tohoku disasters in 2011, the documentary MARCH about a story of the elementary school marching in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, was shown, followed by sing-along and taiko performances that emphasized themes of resilience and renewal.
Beyond his academic career, Hirokawa was a passionate cultural organizer. He co-founded Team Kawachi Ondo in 2019, helping revive and localize the lively Osaka folk tradition in Southern California. Under his leadership, the group performed at venues ranging from a Buddhist temple’s ritual dance event to annual festivals, including Nisei Week and Cherry Blossom Festival at Shoseian Teahouse in Glendale. His final performance took place in Disney Resort in Anaheim just days before his passing in December 2025.
Dr. Shinichi Hirokawa will be remembered not only for his professional accomplishments, but for his warmth, humility, and extraordinary ability to connect people through education, culture, and music. As many speakers noted, his legacy lives on in the communities he strengthened and the countless individuals he inspired.
Celebration of Life Program
故 廣川真一博士 追悼式
Part 1 (13:03 – 13:58) / 第1部
13:03 Saxophone – Ken Yanai: Tears in Heaven
13:03 サックス – Ken Yanai：「Tears in Heaven」
13:05 Opening Remarks – Akira Fujimoto
13:05 開会の辞 – 藤本章（元関西クラブ会長・現日本歌手協会会長）
13:09 Chant & Reflection– Yoichi Shimizudani: Heart Sutra
13:09 読経 – 清水谷耀一：般若心経と説教
13:18 Gospel Choir – Cornerstone Gospel Choir: 君は愛されるために生まれた
13:18 ゴスペル – コーナーストーン合唱団：「君は愛されるために生まれた」
13:23 Life Tribute Video
13:23 ライフムービー
13:28 Condolences – Yamagata Consul
13:28 弔辞 – 山方領事
13:38 Music – Naomi & Mai: Gabriel’s Oboe by Tulips in Harmony
13:38 演奏 – 小澤奈緒美＆竹内マイ：「ガブリエルのオーボエ」
13:43 Condolences – JETRO Akira Kajita
13:43 弔辞 – 梶田朗JETRO所長
13:46 Shigin – Araki Kokusho: 追悼詩
13:46 詩吟 – 荒木国：「追悼詩」
13:53 Healing – Miyuki Matsunaga (Onsa)
13:53 ヒーリング – 松永幸（音叉）
13:58 Family Video – Message from Family
13:58 ご家族のメッセージと映像
Part 2 (14:03 – 14:57) / 第2部
14:03 Dance – Kawachi Dancers: Sado Okesa
14:03 踊り – 河内ダンサーズ：「佐渡おけさ」
14:08 Song – LA Dreams Harmony: A Thousand Winds
14:08 歌 – LAドリームズハーモニー：「千の風になって」
14:14 Okinawan Music – Cho Ichi Kai: Ashibinaa
14:14 沖縄音楽と盆踊り – 朝一会：「アシビナー」
14:21 Talk – Yamaguchi Atsushi
14:21 スピーチ – 山口淳（CPA・関西クラブ相談役）
14:26 Song – Allie & Tombo: Time to Say Goodbye
14:26 歌 – アリー＆トンボ：「タイム・トゥ・セイ・グッバイ」
14:31 Song – Yoshikuni Okita: Chanchiki Okesa
14:31 歌と盆踊り – 沖田義邦：「チャンチキおけさ」
14:37 Song – Amy & Higashi: 今夜は離さない
14:37 歌 – エイミー＆東：「今夜は離さない」
14:44 Talk – Wesley Nishinaka
14:44 スピーチ – 西中ウェスリー
14:50 Dance – Lantern Song
14:50 踊り – ランタンソング
14:57 Song – Rayko Takahashi: 上を向いて歩こう
14:57 歌と盆踊り – 高橋礼子：「上を向いて歩こう」
Closing Remarks – Fumio Maruyama
閉会の辞 – 丸山史緒（パートナー・関西クラブ現会長）
Part 3 (15:02 – 16:29) / 第3部
15:02 Opening – Sato Ryosuke
15:02 開始 – 佐藤涼介（Westcliff University准教授・関西クラブ副会長）
15:07 Talk – Rev. James Pike: Recovery Effort in Japan
15:07 講話 – ジェームズ・パイク牧師：日本での復興活動
15:09 Talk – Naomi Ozawa: Tulips in Harmony
15:09 スピーチ – 小沢直美：チューリップス・イン・ハーモニー
15:11 Moment of Silence
15:11 黙祷
15:14 Video – Message from Japan
15:14 日本からのメッセージ映像
15:49 Film – MARCH
15:49 映画「MARCH」
16:24 Chorus – Karin & Keiko: 花は咲く
16:24 合唱 – カリン＆ケイコ：「花は咲く」
16:29 Taiko – Ryujin Daiko: Kore Kara
16:29 太鼓と踊り – 龍神太鼓：「これから」