Crown Prince Naruhito greets Miss Nikkey Centenário 2008 in Kobe

On April 28, 2008, in Kobe, then-Crown Prince Naruhito, now Emperor of Japan, greeted Miss Nikkey Centenário Cláudia Yuri Ando and producer Daniela Nishikawa. That day, he officially opened the celebrations of the Centennial of Japanese Immigration to Brazil.

A toast at 5:55 p.m.

The date coincided with the departure of the Kasato Maru, the ship that had left the port of Kobe a century earlier carrying the first Japanese immigrants to Brazil. At the exact time of the departure, 5:55 p.m., the prince raised a toast with about 500 guests gathered at the banquet hosted by the Japanese government at the Hotel Okura. Afterward, he broke protocol and greeted some of those present.

Daniela and Cláudia were among those he greeted, and they spoke with him. Daniela told him about the Brazilian beauty and integration event she promoted in Japan and about the pageant Cláudia had won on April 6, with 100 contestants from all over the country.

Cláudia wore her Miss Nikkey Centenário 2008 sash at the banquet, as a guest at the main ceremony of the Japanese government’s official celebrations. The two also took part in other official ceremonies attended by Naruhito.

The day before, April 27, also in Kobe, they attended the Emigration Festival at Meriken Park, which the first immigrants passed through as they departed for Brazil. Produced by CBK – Comunidade Brasileira de Kansai, the event drew more than 5,000 people.

Meet Miss Nikkey Centenário

A native of Paraná, Cláudia Yuri Ando was 17, stood 1.75 meters tall and lived in Kani City, in Gifu. Her crowning on April 6, 2008, in Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, was applauded by more than 6,000 people. With the title, she became the official ambassador of Brazilian beauty in Japan.

Throughout 2008, she took part in several Centennial events, including in Brazil. On June 22, in Paraná, she met Naruhito again; he remembered their meeting in Kobe and spoke with her in Japanese.

See Miss Nikkey Centenário’s schedule in Japan and Brazil.

A festival dedicated to the Centennial

The seventh Miss Nikkey was entirely dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Brazil. The edition also honored 20 notable figures with the Citizenship and Honor to Merit Trophy, marking 20 years of Brazilian presence in Japan.

Produced by Daniela Nishikawa since 2002, Miss Nikkey reached its seventh consecutive year in 2008. The event was free to the public and aimed to encourage integration and show the Japanese positive aspects of Brazil.

Besides the beauty pageant, the program featured dozens of performances by artistic and cultural groups. At the same time, a large business and services expo took place, with the participation of the Brazilian business community in Japan.