1985 CENTENNIAL OF JAPANESE IMMIGRATION TO HAWAII WITH KANJI HALLMARK

One of the highlights of the Japanese Centennial was that Governor George R. Ariyoshi, the first Japanese governor of Hawaii, appointed BVNH to be his goodwill ambassador to Japan. For approx two months, BVNH traveled throughout Japan visiting the governors of the prefectures (states) that the immigrants came from. Everywhere he went the Japanese shared their memories and fielded questions about their family’s new adopted home in Hawaii. Most days started with an official function, visiting the local sites, including Hiroshima and the devisting museum devoted to the effects of the atomic bomb. The highlight of the goodwill tour was visiting the governor of each prefecture. While BVNH took a good supply of Japanese Commemoratives to present to each Governor as omiagi (traditional gift giving) he was not prepared for the grandeur that such a gesture would generate. The official gifts from the governors were as amazing as the different people BVNH met. Every day was a marvel. Every day was filled with a surprise. The most amazing surprise was that a Japanese medal manufacturer engraved a Kanji hallmark on 100 bronze commemoratives. It was placed in the field of the obverse die. BVNH brought some of the special Kanji hallmarked pieces back to Hawaii. And while most of the Kanji Centennial Dalas were given to Governor Ariyoshi and other dignitaries in Hawaii involved in the Centennial Celebration, none were ever sold. This is a very unique item. NOT PREVIUOSLY OFFERED FOR SALE