Japan Week at the Seattle World's Fair (Century 21 Exposition) opened on July 23, 1962, with a celebration at the Plaza of States including music, dancing, speeches, and the national anthems of Japan and the U.S. played by Jackie Souder's World's Fair band.

The "Royalty" of the Japanese community also participated in the festivities. Seafair Royalty have been a part of Seattle's annual summer celebration since the festival's beginnings in 1950. Young women are chosen for the court to represent their neighborhood and/or ethnic community and are awarded academic scholarships. Here, Queen Judi Nakao, with fan, sits with Princesses Brenda Taniguchi (left) and Sharon Hagimori, all in traditional Japanese attire, to watch the Bon Odori dancers during the ceremonies beginning Japan Week. The three women also joined in the festive dancing.

Caption information source: "Bon Odori Dancers Whirl in Plaza," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 24, 1962, p. 8
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.