In 1995, the 44th Cherry Blossom Festival took a step forward in the perpetuation of the Japanese culture by organizing the first Cherry Blossom Festival Essay Contest. Its goal was to provide knowledge and insight about the Japanese culture through the personal writings of each entrant. Each year, the essay contest gives all high school students statewide a chance to sharpen their writing skills while learning more about the Japanese culture. To qualify, participants must write an original essay, no longer than two typed, double spaced pages. Qualifying essays are then judged on content, style and structure by a panel consisting of three judges. Each essay contestant worked diligently to convey what they perceived as important about the Japanese culture in Hawaii. To inspire their creative minds, this year’s topic was a challenging one: What aspects of the Japanese culture are unique, and how has the culture evolved over time? Every year, the Cherry Blossom Festival Essay Contest strives to have an excellent panel of judges with a range of diverse backgrounds. The judges enthusiastically volunteered many hours of their precious time to help make the essay contest a reality. After reading and reviewing every qualifying essay, the judges selected the following student as the winner of the year's Essay Contest: First Place: Jakara Mato, Iolani School Winning Essay: Ancient glory, modern strides The 54th Cherry Blossom Festival congratulates each of the Essay Contest finalists and extends its gratitude or kansha to every student who submitted their work. Without the participation of all the students who took the time to write an essay, the teachers who gave guidance to their students, and the judges who volunteered their time, the Cherry Blossom Essay Contest would not be as successful as it is today. • Meet the Essay Judges