The 2026 Nisei Week queen candidates took center stage today for their first official public appearance at the 84th Nisei Week Festival Opening Ceremony, held at the Japanese American National Museum Democracy Center on July 12, 2026.
The seven candidates will vie for the prestigious title of Nisei Week Queen on Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. during the Coronation and Awards Celebration. The event will take place at the Los Angeles Theatre Center’s Tom Bradley Theatre (514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles). Tickets are available for $105 (orchestra) or $75 (balcony) per person. For ticket information, visit NiseiWeek.org.
Upon official coronation, the 2026 queen and court will represent the Nisei Week Foundation at this year’s festival and other community events locally and nationally throughout the year.
Kailah Julianne Tokushige (Gardena Evening Optimist Club) is 26 years old and holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce with a concentration in international business strategy from the University of Calgary.
She currently works at Aiya America Inc. / Aiya Matcha as a sales assistant, supporting the retail division by placing products in grocery stores and maintaining key account relationships.
She hopes to grow her skills through more analytical projects and compete in an Excel competition.
Kailah enjoys staying active through pickleball, training for HYROX competitions and marathons. To develop her storytelling skills, she is exploring photography and videography to capture and share her travels and life experiences.
She chose the Terasaki Budokan as her platform.