In recognition of Amagasaki Municipal High School brass band’s long years of cheering on teams representing Okinawa at Koshien, Governor Tamaki presents the band with a certificate of thanks. (11no25)

Splendor of Okinawa: Mexican Petunia, roadside Uruma, 9no25


For long years at the spring and summer High School Baseball Koshien Tournaments, the brass band of Amagasaki Municipal High School in Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture has performed to cheer on teams representing Okinawa.


On 5 November, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki presented the brass band squad a certificate of thanks for its support.


The conductor of the school’s brass band and a former teacher at the school,  Yasutaka Haneji (77) is a native of Miyakojima City on Okinawa Prefecture’s Irabu Island. Since increasing transportation fees for sending a cheerleading squad had become onerous, an Okinawa Prefectural citizens grip held discussions with him and he began his cheerleading band performances in 1981. Since 1997, while at the same school, he has cheered on teams at over 150 games with his music.


So, on 5 November, when Governor Denny Tamaki visited the high school, he was welcomed by the brass band, led by Conductor Haneji, with a performance of Haisai Ojisan (Ryukyuan: Hi, Granpa) and other Okinawan cheering  tunes.


Band Leader Mihiro Ineno (a senior) said that  she joined the school’s brass band squad just so she could cheer for the team representing Okinawa. She gushed, “All 150 squad members joined the spring and summer performances. I was there for Okinawa Sho Gaku’s victory. I was full of joy!”


At the certificate presentation ceremony, Governor Tamaki passed on the gratitude of his prefecture, noting, “In the shadows of the teams we call our champions, who’ve represented Okinawa, you all stand tall with your steadfast support. Make no mistake about it, You’ve been the bulwark of the spirit of the teams representing Okinawa!”


At last summer’s 107th National High School Baseball Championship Tournament, Okinawa Sho Gaku achieved its first championship in the tournament. The brass band performed at all 6 of its games, cheering on the Okinawan players’ feats.


Original Japanese article: Asahi Shimbun, published Wednesday 5 November 2025 at 20:00. Byline: Masaki Takebe

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/834ca5002d2b308afe99f86bcb70b746643946ea


Denny in the News:

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 


This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 


Any suggestion on improving the translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.


Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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