photos by Night.Sky.Creative
Houston, TX — February 21, 2026 — The Japan-America Society of Houston (JASH) proudly presented the 37th Annual Houston Regional Japanese Language Speech Contest at the University of St. Thomas.
Now in its 37th year, the Houston Regional Contest remains a cornerstone of Japanese language education in the Greater Houston area. Each year, students gather to demonstrate their Japanese language proficiency, cultural understanding, and confidence on stage — and this year was no exception.
Celebrating Kabuki: Performance, Discipline, and Courage
This year’s contest theme celebrated Kabuki, the iconic traditional Japanese performing art.
During the opening ceremony, remarks highlighted the parallels between Kabuki performers and speech contestants. Kabuki is known not only for its striking costumes and dramatic poses, but also for the discipline, repetition, and courage required to perform before a live audience. Likewise, contestants spent weeks refining pronunciation, memorizing texts, practicing projection, and preparing to present with clarity and confidence.
Students were encouraged to embrace their moment on stage — to stand tall, project their voices, and deliver their speeches with conviction.
Competition Highlights
Division 1 – Poetry Recitation
Contestants performed memorized Japanese poems with careful attention to pronunciation, rhythm, and expression.
Division 2 – Haiku Presentation
Participants recited classic haiku poems, explained their literary meaning, and presented original compositions inspired by seasonal themes.
Division 3 – Free Speech (High School)
High school contestants delivered original speeches on topics ranging from cultural identity to personal reflections, followed by impromptu Q&A with the judges.
Division 4 – College & University Presentation
University-level participants delivered original presentations accompanied by visuals and responded to judges’ questions, demonstrating advanced Japanese language skills and thoughtful perspectives.
Participation & Division Breakdown
This year, twenty-seven (27) contestants gathered to compete across four divisions:
(i) Division 1 – Poetry Recitation
(ii) Division 2 – Haiku Presentation
(iii) Division 3 – Free Speech High School Aurora
(iv) Division 4 – Free Speech College/University Presentation
7 students competed in the Poetry Recitation division, performing TANIKAWA Shuntaro’s “Morning Relay” (朝のリレー) with careful memorization, pronunciation accuracy, and expressive delivery.
4 students competed in the Haiku division, reciting classic seasonal haiku before presenting original works inspired by traditional poetic forms.
6 students competed in the Free Speech High School Aurora division, delivering original speeches and responding to judges’ questions in Japanese.
8 students competed in the advanced College/University Presentation division, presenting original research and cultural analyses accompanied by slides and engaging in thoughtful Q&A sessions.
Original speeches reflected an impressive range of interests and perspectives. Topics included global interconnectedness through the KAKEHASHI Project, cultural differences in the concept of freedom, Japanese accounting systems, public health comparisons between Japan and the United States, linguistics, procrastination, photography, multilingual identity, and even the fascinating pronunciation of 「ん」.
Throughout the afternoon, students demonstrated not only strong language skills, but also creativity, intellectual curiosity, and poise.
2026 Houston Regional Winners
DIVISION 1 - POETRY
1. Mu-Song CHENG– 11th, William P. Clements High School
2. Ellie HAU – 9th, William P. Clements High School
3. Shirley SUN – 9th, William P. Clements High School
DIVISION 2 - HAIKU
1. Aleeza SAJEEL – 10th, William P. Clements High School
2. Jewel UBOM – 10th, William P. Clements High School
3. Emma SUWAN – 9th, James E. Taylor High School
DIVISION 3 - FREE SPEECH HIGH SCHOOL AURORA
1. Dylan TING – Holding Time for an Instant– 12th, William P. Clements High School
2. Matthew DIEC – Airsoft & Me – 12th, William P. Clements High School
3. Ian CHUDI-UWANNA – My Experiences Living In Two Different Cities – 11th, Bellaire High School
DIVISION 4 - COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY PRESENTATION
1. Emma DUNN – Everyday Health – Junio, Texas A&M University
2. Franz ZHENG – The Origins of Japanese Words– Sophomore, Rice University
3. Aryaman PUROHIT – The Mysterious 「ん」 – Junior, Rice University
In keeping with this year’s Kabuki theme, first-place winners also received special prizes including Fandango gift cards to view KOKUHO, Japan’s highest-grossing live-action film celebrating the world of Kabuki.
DIVISIONS I & II: POETRY and HAIKU (Beginner & Intermediate)
1st place: $25 gift card, Fandango gift card for two, & a Kabuki Furoshiki
2nd Place: $15 gift card & a Kabuki Furoshiki
3rd Place: $10 gift card & a Kabuki Furoshiki
DIVISIONS III & IV: FREE SPEECH High School and University
1st place: $50 gift card Fandango gift card for two, & a Kabuki Furoshiki
2nd Place: $25 gift card & a Kabuki Furoshiki
3rd Place: $15 gift card & a Kabuki Furoshiki
First and second place winners in each division will also advance to represent Houston at the 2026 Texas State Japanese Language Speech Contest on March 7 at Rice University.
Gratitude to Our Community
JASH extends sincere appreciation to:
University of St. Thomas Center for International Studies, the Taiwan and East Asia Studies Program, and the Mandarin Center for sponsoring the contest
Daido Market for generously providing participation prizes for the contestants as well as refreshments
Kinokuniya Books for donating gift cards
Judges representing JASH, the Japanese Teachers Association of Texas, and the Consulate-General of Japan in Houston
The dedicated teachers, supportive families, and volunteers who make this annual program possible
Most importantly, we celebrate every student who stepped onto the stage. Presenting in another language before a live audience requires preparation, courage, and determination — and each contestant demonstrated these qualities with distinction.
お疲れ様でした to all participants!
We congratulate you on your hard work and commitment to the study of Japanese.
We look forward to cheering on our Houston representatives at the Texas State Contest next month.
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS:
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR JUDGES:
Tomoko INOUE - JTAT
Yuko KUDO - Instructor, JASH Japanese Language Program
Yuki JOHNSON - Volunteer, JASH
Hiroko SATO - Board Member, JASH
Hiromi TAKAYAMA - Instructor, Rice University
Sho WATANABE - Volunteer, JASH
Teppei SATO - Consul, Consulate-General of Japan in Houston
SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL PARTICIPATING JAPANESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS IN HOUSTON:
Yoshimi SHERIDAN
Satoko SHOU
Madison STEAKLEY
Hiromi TAKAYAMA
Yuki WAUGH
Mami YOKOTA