60th Cherry Blossom Festival Contestant
Nicole Yuriko Kinney
Parents: David and Cora Kinney
High School: Pearl City High School 2003
College: University of Hawai’i at Manoa 2012
Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a focus in Public Relations
Occupation: Student and Journalist
Ambition: Explore the world and live to write about it.
Interests: Globetrotting, needlework, organic gardening, writing, making videos
Prone to wanderlust, it’s easy to find myself embarking on grand adventures to far-off destinations. Whether the climate requires warm clothes or the culture calls for modest dress, there is still one basic necessity that never leaves the top of my packing list: Omiyage. I have taken Kona coffee across the globe, to host-families in Europe and to employers in Asia, always with a reserve stash of macadamia nuts tucked away just in case. The more I travel, the more I understand that I am also an ambassador, not just of my home, but of my heritage. The tradition of omiyage is one that I always carry with me, sharing it no matter where I am. It is a way for me to perpetuate the Japanese culture though the simple act of giving, and that’s a principle that I strive to embody. Be thoughtful, be thankful and give.