Miss Nikkey Centenário: Cláudia Ando’s 2008 schedule in Japan and Brazil
Crowned in April 2008, Cláudia Yuri Ando accepted dozens of invitations during the Centennial of Japanese Immigration and was greeted by then-Crown Prince Naruhito.
Published
Cláudia Yuri Ando was crowned Miss Nikkey Centenário 2008 on April 6 in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture. Through the end of June, she kept a packed schedule at the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil. Alongside producer Daniela Nishikawa, the organizer of Miss Nikkey Japan, she accepted dozens of invitations and represented Brazilian beauty in Japan.
As the winner, she was greeted by then-Crown Prince Naruhito, now Emperor of Japan, in Kobe and in Paraná. At meetings with officials and Japanese Brazilian leaders, Daniela was able to publicize positive aspects of the Brazilian community in Japan. According to her, Cláudia stood out at every event she attended.
Crowned in Komaki
Cláudia won the seventh Miss Nikkey Japan and Brazilian Festival in the auditorium of the Komaki Shimin Kaikan. One hundred contestants from 18 of Japan’s prefectures competed in front of more than 6,000 people. Besides the sash, she received the title of ambassador of Brazilian beauty in Japan.
On April 14, she received the ¥1 million prize by bank transfer, along with gifts, sightseeing trips around Japan and a plane ticket to Brazil.
In Kobe, with Prince Naruhito
On April 27, Cláudia went to the Emigration Festival at Meriken Park in Kobe, organized by CBK – Comunidade Brasileira de Kansai and attended by about 5,000 people.
On the 28th, she was at the official opening of the Centennial celebrations at the former seat of the Hyogo prefectural government (Hyogo Ken Koukan). The ceremony, limited to a few guests, was presided over by Naruhito. That same day, at the Japanese government’s banquet for about 500 guests at the Hotel Okura, she was personally greeted by the prince and spoke with him. Read about the meeting in Kobe.
Nagoya, Tokyo and Komaki
On May 5, Cláudia was a special guest at the Ekitopia Nagoya Matsuri, a festival honoring the Centennial that drew thousands of people to downtown Nagoya. It meant two days of photos and autographs.
On May 9, in Tokyo, she did a photo shoot in a professional studio for the advertising campaign of the Asakusa Samba Carnival 2008, for which she would be the muse. The carnival had already been held in the city for more than two decades.
On May 14, Komaki Mayor Naoteru Nakano congratulated Cláudia and commended Daniela for the beauty and integration event she promoted. Nakano formalized his support for the festival and announced that Miss Nikkey was becoming part of the city’s Official Calendar of Events. The date of the eighth Miss Nikkey, in 2009, was also set.
May, in São Paulo
On May 15, Cláudia and Daniela flew to Brazil on American Airlines, the sponsor of the seventh Miss Nikkey. The May schedule:
May 17: the Miss Centenário Brasil–Japão pageant at the Ibirapuera Gymnasium. Alongside Daniela, Cláudia was greeted by Miss Brazil Natália Guimarães. She also congratulated the winner, Karina Eiko Nakahara, and met celebrities.
May 20: more than an hour live on Rádio Banzai in São Paulo, talking about the event in Japan and answering listeners’ questions.
May 22: Clube Nippon’s Centennial gala dinner in Arujá, São Paulo state, with an appearance on stage before about 1,000 guests.
May 23: unveiling of the Rainbow Monument (Monumento Arco-Íris) by visual artist Yutaka Toyota, honoring the Centennial, with officials and Japanese Brazilian figures from São Paulo.
May 24: Centennial dinner of the Casa da Esperança Kibo-no-Iê charitable society at Expo Barra Funda, with a concert by Guilherme Arantes. Cláudia appeared on stage.
May 25: the Bunka Matsuri, the Japanese Culture Festival, in the Liberdade neighborhood, with an appearance on the main stage and a visit to the Immigration Museum.
June: TV, Birigui, Guarulhos and Anhembi
June 5: Daniela gave an interview to journalist Luiz Bacci at the headquarters of the SBT network in Osasco. There, she spoke with the production teams of shows such as Hebe and Domingo Legal, which were interested in interviewing the winner.
June 7: at the Immigration Festival of Clube Nippo de Birigui, São Paulo state, Cláudia walked the main stage. Daniela spoke to those present about the integration event she produced and about the Brazilian community in Japan.
June 12: Daniela met with the management of Cumbica Airport in Guarulhos, with Infraero and with the Associação Nipo Guarulhense. They agreed that the winner would attend the unveiling of the Centennial monument.
June 13: opening of the Brazil/Japan Cultural Week at the Anhembi Convention Center, a week of arts, Japanese traditions and symposiums.
June 16: installation at Guarulhos International Airport (Cumbica) of Tomie Ohtake’s sculpture honoring Japanese immigration. The work is 9 meters in diameter and stands on land donated by Infraero, in the outdoor area. Cláudia presented certificates of merit to dozens of honorees on behalf of the Guarulhos Association for the Centennial Celebration.
June 19: at Anhembi, Daniela attended the launch of the Centennial coin and stamp, at a ceremony with officials and Japanese Brazilian leaders. The event was coordinated by federal Deputy Walter Ihoshi (DEM-SP), who had requested the issue of the stamp and the minting of the coin. Present were Carlos Henrique Custódio, president of Correios, the Brazilian postal service, and Kokei Uehara, president of the Brazilian Society of Japanese Culture. The Central Bank was represented by its director of administration, Anthero de Moraes Meirelles, and the head of its currency department, João Sidney de Figueiredo Filho. Also attending was Caio Carvalho, president of the São Paulo Municipal Commission. São Paulo Mayor Gilberto Kassab was also invited.
June 21: at the Anhembi Sambadrome, Daniela attended the event of the Association for the Centennial Celebration, with about 25,000 people and Naruhito in attendance.
In Paraná, meeting Naruhito again
On June 18, Cláudia was a special guest at the Centennial celebration at the Ney Braga Exhibition Park in Londrina, Paraná. The event was organized by the Paraná Commission for the festivities of the 100th anniversary of immigration.
On June 22, she and Daniela joined the celebrations in Londrina, Rolândia and Maringá, attended by Naruhito. They were present at the unveiling of the Imin-100 Paraná Monument, the laying of the cornerstone of the Yume Theme Park and an ecumenical service. In Rolândia, the monument by architect Marcos Kenji Fujisawa stands 12 meters tall. It is made of raw concrete, which symbolizes the hardships of the first immigrants in the state.
The celebration drew more than 30,000 people. As in Kobe, Cláudia was personally greeted by the prince. He remembered their first meeting and spoke with her in Japanese for several minutes.
On Programa da Hebe
On June 30, Cláudia was interviewed by Hebe Camargo on Programa da Hebe, at SBT’s studios. She talked about Miss Nikkey in Japan and her two meetings with Naruhito. Daniela, who booked the appearance, also invited the winner of Miss Centenário Brasil–Japão, Karina Nakahara.
The two were interviewed alongside the Brazilian country music duo Edson and Hudson, the band Inimigos da HP and model Isabelli Fontana. The show aired the same day, nationwide.
Back in Japan, Cláudia already had new commitments: she would be the muse of the Asakusa Carnival in August and of another festival in Tokyo.
Guests invited to Programa da Hebe TV host Amaury Jr. and Cláudia Ando Centennial in Londrina, Paraná Miss Nikkey Centenário Brasil and Miss Centenário Japão with Daniela Nishikawa Jô Takahashi, organizer of the Brazil/Japan Cultural Week General Obara, Brigadier Juniti Saito and officials at Guarulhos Airport Event in Birigui Event in Birigui, São Paulo state Cláudia Ando with Prince Naruhito in Brazil Cláudia Ando and Daniela Nishikawa with Miss Brazil Natália Guimarães Cláudia and Daniela with artist Tomie Ohtake Ceremony at the Clube Nippon Country Club Interview with journalist Luiz Bacci at SBT TV Bandeirantes Casa da Esperança Kibo-no-Iê Sambadrome in São Paulo: reception for the prince Singer Guilherme Arantes Hebe Camargo’s show Official winners of Brazil and Japan Maurício de Souza and Miss Nikkey Cláudia Ando Ney Braga Pavilion in Londrina, Paraná Governor of Fukuoka and Japanese officials Support from the mayor of Komaki, Japan Wanderlei Nascimento, SBT producer
