THE Saipan Awaodori Team has earned recognition as an independent Japanese cultural group, now known as Saipan-ren.
For the first time in 17 years of participating in Awaodori festivals in Japan, the team performed from July 9 to Aug. 27, 2025, at various locations across the Asian country under its own name.
Saipan Awaodori founder and Kinpachi Restaurant president Misako Kamata explained that for the past 17 years, the group had been privileged to perform in Japan’s highly regarded cultural events under the care of Tokyo Tensui-ren, the Saipan team’s parent group.
“Becoming an independent team with its own title, Saipan-ren, had to be earned,” Kamata said. “That’s why this year’s trip was our biggest success. It was very different from our previous participations in the last 17 years, because we are now independent from our parent team, Tokyo Tensui-ren. We now stand on our own as Saipan-ren.”
Because of this recognition, the Saipan-ren performers were given the honor of carrying their own takahari (team banner) with their name written on it.
This year’s Saipan-ren members included Marcela “Momo” Heben, Connie V. Mettao, Julianne V. Mettao, Ina V. Mettao, Ai Nonogaki, Jonathan B. Agulto, Brayden B. Songsong, Leon Lexon Wabol, and O’Ryan Wabol. They were led by founder Kamata, along with chaperones Sheena Kang Saures and Zacarias Sakisat.
Kamata said she was very proud of the group.
She stressed that throughout the years of traveling to different cities in Japan, “our only purpose was to represent Saipan in the Awaodori festivals. Of course, the children would enjoy the trip, but they always kept in mind that the main purpose of their travel was to perform Awaodori.”
That was why, she added, the team needed to always practice, keep themselves in good condition, and conserve their energy in preparation for the festivals.
The results were rewarding, Kamata said. Audiences in every city they visited were surprised to see children from Saipan performing the Japanese cultural dance with grace and precision. She also praised the team’s character, saying Saipan’s young performers “were friendly, they always smiled at everybody, and touched many hearts.”
Two Tokyo spectators, Mr. and Mrs. Fujii, were so impressed that they invited the group to Noda City, where Mayor Yuu Suzuki welcomed them. The young performers also toured a nursing home, a milk farm, and a soy sauce factory — an unscheduled but memorable part of their trip.
Connie Mettao, who had performed in Japan before, said she was thrilled to learn new Awaodori beats and styles. “We also learned more about Japanese culture and way of life,” she said. “I was surprised to see my fellow Saipan team members who traveled for the first time perform so well.”
For Leon Wabol, this year’s journey stood out. “This trip was my favorite because of the whole new things we learned,” he said. “In our performances, we had to adapt to new styles of dancing. I was proud to represent Saipan in the different Awaodori festivals in Japan.”
Noda City Mayor Yuu Suzuki, center, poses with Saipan-ren Awadori dancers.
The Saipan-ren Awaodori dancers with Noda City couple, Mr. and Mrs. Fujii, and other Noda City residents. Also in photo is Saipan Awaodori founder, Misako Kamata, left, seated.
Saipan-ren member Leon Wabol holds Saipan’s own “takahari” during the Koenji Awaodori Festival on Aug. 23, 2025.
