Hawaii United Okinawa Association

What Hawaii United Okinawa Association does

Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1951 in Waipahu, Hawaii, dedicated to promoting, perpetuating, and preserving Okinawan culture for the Uchinanchu diaspora. It functions as an umbrella federation of 50 member clubs whose combined membership exceeds 40,000 individuals across Hawaii, supplemented by a broader audience described as 'Uchinanchu at heart' that participates in public programming. The organization operates the Hawaii Okinawa Center, a 1990-built physical campus that houses administrative offices, cultural classrooms, a museum, and The Legacy Ballroom, a premier banquet venue operated by A Catered Experience (a division of Zippy's Restaurants).

HUOA's product portfolio is a diversified platform of cultural programs rather than a unified product. Core offerings include the bi-monthly Uchinanchu Newsletter (8,000+ households), the monthly Purple Blast email newsletter, the Hawaii Okinawa Today TV show on 'Olelo Community Media NATV 53, the HUOA Hour on KZOO AM 1210, and the official YouTube channel. Signature events include the 44th Annual Okinawan Festival (scheduled September 5-6, 2026 at the Hawaii Convention Center), the Legacy Award Banquet, the Senior Health and Fitness Fair, the Warabi Ashibi Children's Day Camp, the Annual Hawaii Okinawan Invitational Golf Tournament, and the Heritage Tour to Okinawa ($3,759-$4,999). Recurring cultural classes cover sanshin, ikebana, karaoke, karate (Shorin-ryu Seibukan), Uchinaguchi language, and Okinawan dance. The organization also runs the Hawaii-Okinawa Student Exchange Program (35 years), a scholarships and grants program, and operates the ShopHUOA e-commerce storefront.

Revenue is generated through a diversified non-profit mix rather than a single pricing model. Streams include donations (annual giving and Kokua In Kind vehicle donations), event ticket sales (e.g., $65 adult / $15 child for the Uchinanchu of the Year Banquet, $25 for Kugani Warabi performances, $160 for golf tournament entry), Legacy Ballroom facility rentals, Uchinanchu Newsletter advertising, e-commerce merchandise sales, and heritage tour fees. Go-to-market is community-led: HUOA reaches constituents primarily through its club network and direct cultural programming rather than paid acquisition. The organization maintains formal partnerships with the Okinawa Prefectural Government, the Hawaii State Government (sister-state relationship since 1985), six Japanese sister cities, JTB for tour operations, 'Olelo Community Media, KZOO Radio, and Zippy's Restaurants. Headcount is stated as 11-50, and the president is Clarisse Kobashigawa.

Name

Hawaii United Okinawa Association

Legal name

Hawaii United Okinawa Association

Website

https://huoa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hawaii United Okinawa Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1951 that promotes Okinawan culture in Hawaii through a federation of 50 member clubs, signature events like the Okinawan Festival, media programming, cultural classes, and the owned Hawaii Okinawa Center facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Heritage Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Alumni Relations & Alumni Engagement Programs (EDALAOAA)

Keywords

• Okinawan cultural preservation
• Heritage community programs
• Cultural festival organization
• Community banquet facilities
• Heritage newsletter publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Waipahu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Annual Giving: The organization relies heavily on donations through annual giving programs to support ongoing classes, virtual programs, international student exchanges, and preservation of the Hawaii Okinawa Center.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from ticket sales to cultural events, festivals, banquets, and programs including the Okinawan Festival, Legacy Award Banquet, and various cultural celebrations.
3. Banquet Facility Rental: The Legacy Ballroom serves as a premier banquet venue generating rental revenue, operated through A Catered Experience.
4. Newsletter Advertising: The bi-monthly Uchinanchu Newsletter serves over 8,000 households and accepts advertising, with rates available for organizations and businesses.
5. Car Donation Program (Kokua In Kind): Vehicle donation program where HUOA receives proceeds from resale of donated cars less fees.
6. E-commerce Sales: Online shop (shophuoa.com) selling merchandise including festival T-shirts, bon dance towels, and cultural items.
7. Heritage Tours: Organized tours to Okinawa with pricing from $3,759 (land only) to $4,999 (with air), generating revenue through tour fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hawaii United Okinawa Association is a non-profit cultural organization that promotes, perpetuates, and preserves Okinawan culture in Hawaii. It delivers this through cultural festivals (Okinawan Festival), educational programs (cultural classes, youth camps, student exchanges), media (newsletter, TV show, radio show), event hosting (Legacy Ballroom), scholarships, and coordination of a 50-member-club network representing over 40,000 community members.

Product overview

Hawaii United Okinawa Association (HUOA) is a non-profit cultural organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services to promote, perpetuate, and preserve Okinawan culture in Hawaii. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected cultural offerings rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include the Uchinanchu Newsletter (bi-monthly print publication serving 8,000+ households) and Purple Blast email newsletter for community communications. Media programming includes the Hawaii Okinawa Today TV show on 'Olelo Community Media and HUOA Hour on KZOO Radio. The Hawaii Okinawa Center serves as the physical hub, featuring The Legacy Ballroom as a premier banquet venue. Cultural programming encompasses the Hawaii-Okinawa Student Exchange Program, Warabi Ashibi Children's Day Camp, and regular classes in Sanshin, Ikebana, karate, and other Okinawan arts. Annual signature events include the Okinawan Festival, Craft Fairs, Senior Health and Fitness Fair, and Heritage Tours to Okinawa. The organization coordinates a network of 50 member clubs representing over 40,000 members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Legacy Ballroom: A premier banquet venue at the Hawaii Okinawa Center, handled by A Catered Experience, a division of Zippy's Restaurants.
• Uchinanchu Newsletter
• Purple Blast
• Okinawan Festival
• Hawaii Okinawa Today

Products and services

• Uchinanchu Newsletter
• Purple Blast Email Newsletter
• Hawaii Okinawa Today TV Show

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaching over 40,000 community members through 50 member clubs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hawaii Okinawa CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990The Hawaii Okinawa Center, constructed in 1990, serves as the primary physical home of HUOA. The 35th anniversary is celebrated in 2025. The facility houses administrative offices, the Legacy Ballroom, cultural classrooms, and a museum.
• A Catered Experience (Zippy's Restaurants)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerA Catered Experience, a division of Zippy's Restaurants, handles operations of the Legacy Ballroom banquet facility at the Hawaii Okinawa Center.
• 'Olelo Community Media (NATV 53)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBroadcast partner for 'Hawaii Okinawa Today' TV show. Episodes premiere 4th Friday monthly at 7pm with Saturday repeats. All shows streamed on olelo.org and available on-demand.
• KZOO Radio AM 1210coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRadio partner for 'HUOA Hour' - weekly Sunday 4:00-5:00pm show featuring Okinawan culture, music, voices, stories and community conversations.
• JTB (Japan Travel Bureau)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTour operator partner for HUOA Heritage Tours to Okinawa. Contact: JTB at 808-979-0111 or [email protected].
• Okinawa Prefectural GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for Leadership Tours and cultural exchange programs. Partnered since 1980 for young leaders tours and ongoing student exchange initiatives.
• Hawaii-Okinawa Sister State Relationship (established 1985)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner40th anniversary celebrated in 2025. Formal sister state relationship supporting cultural exchange, clean energy partnership, and community ties between Hawaii and Okinawa.
• Sister City RelationshipscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple sister city relationships including Honolulu-Naha (65 years, 1960), Maui-Miyakojima City (60 years, 1965), Kauai-Ishigaki City (62 years, 1963), Hawaii County-Nago City (39 years, 1986), Hawaii County-Kumejima (14 years, 2011), Honolulu-Kin Friendship City (5 years, 2020).
• Hawaii Convention CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for the Annual Okinawan Festival. The 44th Annual Okinawan Festival scheduled for September 5-6, 2026 at the Hawaii Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bishop Museum: Honolulu-based cultural and natural history museum focused on Hawaiian and Pacific Island heritage with exhibits, educational programming, and event venues. Comparable as a Hawaii-based cultural-heritage institution with museum programming, educational offerings, and facility-rental events.
• Japanese American National Museum: Los Angeles-based national museum dedicated to preserving Japanese-American heritage through exhibits, education, and community programs. Comparable as a larger, established Japanese-heritage cultural institution with museum programming, educational offerings, and donor-supported model.

Direct peers

• Okinawa Association of America (OAA): Los Angeles-based nonprofit serving the Okinawan diaspora on the U.S. mainland with cultural festivals, Okinawan language classes, and member clubs. Direct peer in mission (Okinawan cultural preservation) with parallel club/festival/membership model.
• Korean American Association of Hawaii: Hawaii-based nonprofit serving the Korean-American community with cultural festivals, language classes, and senior programming. Comparable peer in mission (Asian-American cultural preservation in Hawaii), programming structure (classes, festivals, senior services), and nonprofit funding model.
• Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii: Honolulu-based nonprofit preserving Japanese-American heritage in Hawaii through cultural programs, festivals, classes, and a community museum. Highly comparable to HUOA as a Hawaii-based ethnic-heritage cultural organization with a physical center, festivals, and educational programming.
• Filipino Community Center, Inc. Honolulu-based nonprofit serving the Filipino-Hawaiian community through cultural events, classes, and a community center facility. Comparable as another Hawaii ethnic-heritage nonprofit with a physical center, festival programming, and member-driven governance model.

Others

• Hawaii Japanese School (HJS): Saturday Japanese-language and culture school serving Hawaii's Japanese-heritage families. Comparable as an adjacent Japanese-heritage educational institution in Hawaii that supports intergenerational cultural transmission similar to HUOA's youth programs.
• Okinawa Prefectural Government Tourism & Cultural Affairs Division: Okinawa Prefecture government body running sister-state exchanges, heritage tourism, and cultural preservation programs. Comparable as a long-standing strategic partner with parallel cultural-preservation and exchange-program objectives tied to the Okinawan diaspora.

Regional players

• Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce Hawaii): Hawaii-based Japanese-heritage civic organization running community programs, networking events, and cultural exchanges. Comparable as a regional Japanese-heritage umbrella organization with overlapping target audience and Hawaii-based event programming.
• Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii: Honolulu-based nonprofit supporting the Chinese-American community in Hawaii through cultural events, business networking, and heritage programs. Comparable peer as an Asian-heritage Hawaii-based umbrella organization with membership, festivals, and heritage programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQabjJxRQB58rPyZL_cYSTg
• Facebookfacebook.com/HawaiiUnitedOkinawaAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/okinawanfestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hawaii-united-okinawa-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hawaii United Okinawa Association