Emperor's Birthday Celebration

On Thursday, February 22, Consul General Osumi and his wife hosted a reception at their official residence in celebration of the Emperor of Japan’s birthday. The reception was attended by approximately 200 people from various fields, including Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.
 
Following a performance of American and Japanese national anthems by the Japanese choir Chorale May, Consul General Osumi began his remarks by expressing his gratitude for the support of the people of California following the Noto Peninsula Earthquake that struck Japan on New Year's Day. Consul General Osumi then introduced the reception, which was attended by many representatives of the Northern California Japanese American community, as well as Speaker Emerita Pelosi, a longtime supporter of the Japanese American community in the region. Consul General Osumi also described the strong ties between Japan and California, mentioning last year's economic mission to Japan led by California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis and the upcoming California State Senate delegation to Japan. He also noted that the reception was attended by officials from the City of San Francisco and other cities around the Bay Area, as well as many sister city officials who support the relationship with Japan through grassroots efforts. He then spoke about His Majesty the Emperor, including his activities such as visits to disaster-stricken areas, and stated that he hoped the reception would display the resilience of Japan and that guests would enjoy Japanese food, sake, and culture.
 
Speaker Emerita Pelosi mentioned in her congratulatory remarks her visit to Hiroshima when she was Speaker of the House of Representatives, her audience with His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, and her receiving the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, as well as California’s deep respect for the Japanese American community. She expressed her hope for the success of Prime Minister Kishida's official visit to the United States in April, saying that Japan and the U.S. have close ties and that the two countries would like to promote cooperation not only in the economic and security fields but also in the arts.
 
California State Senator Scott Wiener, in his remarks, noted the long and deep relationship that California and San Francisco have with Japan, and that strengthening the Japan-U.S. relationship is important for promoting peace and prosperity in the world. He also mentioned that next month’s State Senate visit to Japan will be the 20^th.
 
Then, State Senators Steve Glazer, Bill Dodd, and Josh Becker came to the front and introduced a certificate of recognition from State Senate Majority Leader Lena Gonzalez wishing His Majesty the Emperor a happy birthday.
 
In addition, Mayor Juslyn Manalo of Daly City also presented a Certificate of Recognition to Consul General Osumi on the occasion of the Emperor's birthday.
 
After the kagami-biraki (a festive sake barrel-opening ceremony), San Francisco Chief of Protocol Maryam Muduroglu gave a toast.
 
At the venue, Ms. Chieko Sasaki and Ms. Kaori Sasaki of the restaurant "Kimagure Chaya Chieko" in Iitate village, Fukushima Prefecture, promoted "Hakuro," unfiltered Nigori sake from Fukushima Prefecture. In addition, local representatives introduced “Ten-no-tsubu,” a specialty rice grown in Fukushima Prefecture. The reception also featured a Gekkeikan sake tasting booth.
 
The official residence was decorated with beautiful ikebana arrangements by the Ohara school, and on the balcony, the Kagami-kai performed mochitsuki, a festive custom of pounding rice cakes.