A series of golden anniversaries were celebrated in Waikiki Wednesday night, as the Emperor and Empress of Japan joined 1,600 invited guests for a special dinner.
Wednesday's banquet celebrates half a century spent perpetuating the relationship between the U.S. and Japan, along with giving some Japanese-Americans a chance to have dinner with Their Majesties.
Halfway through their three-day stay in the islands Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko were given a royal welcome to celebrate a momentous occasion
Led by the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, Their Majesties were ushered into the Coral Ballroom at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for dinner.
The Emperor and Empress joined 16-hundred guests to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation which is named after the emperor and established as a wedding present for the royal couple.
"It really gave me the chance to show me that I could do science and get really passionate about it and so it really kick stared my career," Scholarship Recipient 1989-1990 Darren Okimoto said.
Each year two Japanese graduate students and two American graduate students are awarded the scholarship as a part of a student exchange program to promote relations between Japan and America.
"It was just a wonderful opportunity it gave me a chance to meet with my Japanese counterparts and you know I still maintain those friendships til this day," Okimoto said.
In addition to celebrating the anniversary of the scholarship program Their Majesties are also commemorating their golden wedding anniversary of fifty years.
And what better place to spend your anniversary than in the state that is also celebrating 50 years...of statehood.
"We are hoping that they can stay a little more that they can relax. We are very sorry they are so busy," Japan America Society of Hawaii Masamichi Kato said.
His Majesty Akihito is also celebrating his 20th anniversary of enthronement as Emperor of Japan.
