A Kapa‘a High School junior will be in the spotlight when she takes the stage in Japan during Golden Week, the country’s mid-year vacation period, according to the county’s Office of Economic Development. Daphne Sanchez, 16, of Kapa‘a, has been
A Kapa‘a High School junior will be in the spotlight when she takes the stage in Japan during Golden Week, the country’s mid-year vacation period, according to the county’s Office of Economic Development.
Daphne Sanchez, 16, of Kapa‘a, has been invited to sing as special guest at Spa Resort Hawaiians, Japan’s largest Hawaiian and Polynesian resort and amusement park.
Sanchez will perform at the resort’s newest attraction, Waiwai Ohana Waterpark for children, which features Hawaiian anime character Kaimana and his pet turtle, Lino.
Last year Kaua‘i artist Chris Faye from Kekaha was commissioned to create the character, a young Hawaiian boy. To plan for Kaimana and the waterpark’s one year anniversary, Spa Resort Hawaiians Marketing Director Takashi Wakamatsu visited Kaua‘i recently to talk with Sanchez who met him at Matsuri Kaua‘i festival last year.
According to Wakamatsu, this is the first time Spa Resort Hawaiians has invited a performer from Hawai‘i who is not a Hawaiian musician or hula dancer. Although Sanchez sings Hawaiian and dances hula, she’s known for Christian, gospel, country, pop and R&B music.
Since 1991, the resort has hosted many entertainers and crafters from Kaua‘i, including Nick Castillo, Doric Yaris, Mandy Thronas-Brown, Robbie and Puamohala Kaholokula, Nalani Brun, Chuckie and Pammy Chock, Kahanu Smith, Kara Chow and many others.
Located in Iwaki City, Japan, Spa Resort Hawaiians was developed and built in 1966 after the demise of the city’s coal mining industry in 1964. Iwaki is located 120 miles northeast of Tokyo.
At the waterpark, Sanchez will sing its theme song, “Kaimana,” accompanied by resort hula dancers. The hula is choreographed by Shelby Dabin of Kapa‘a. Sanchez will also be featured in a Polynesian revue.
The resort is expecting 14,000 visitors per day during Golden Week.
Last year, Spa Resort Hawaiians was the principle location for the Japanese movie “Hula Girl,” which garnered four Academy Awards in Japan and featured Hawai‘i ‘ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro on the movie soundtrack.
“Hula Girl” premiered on Kaua‘i at the historic Waimea Theater during the Hawai‘i International Film Festival last September.
Kaua‘i and Iwaki City have a standing relationship. Following Hurricane ‘Iniki, the Iwaki Hawai‘i Exchange Association and the resort donated $4,000 to the county’s ‘Iniki Disaster Fund. In 2002, Mayor Bryan Baptiste dedicated a commemorative tree at Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall to honor an Iwaki mayor.
