I am honored, humbled, and excited beyond belief to have been invited by Hawaiian Airlines for their inaugural flight for their new route to Osaka, Japan.  I’m a fourth-generation Japanese-American, or yonsei, and it’s taken me 24 years of life before venturing to what my hapa friends and I refer to as “the fatherland” (as most of us have Japanese fathers and Caucasian mothers!).  Though I’m only staying for a few nights, I’m going with one goal in mind: Don’t feel like I didn’t take enough photos.

Okay, maybe a goal-and-a-half: Don’t feel like I didn’t take enough photos, and feel good about the ones I do take.

It’s my photography that got me invited in the first place, which has been a greatly validating feeling. I can’t complain – I’m going somewhere I’ve always wanted to go because of (and for the purpose of doing) what I love most!  With fashion as my second passion in life, I admit to having muddled over what clothes to bring, but with Japan having incredibly hot summers, at least much of my Hawaii wardrobe will translate.  That’s left me with fussing over what gear to bring and carry on my own, since the husband is sitting this one out.

I’m also lucky enough to be traveling with some of Hawaii’s social media giants:

• Toby Tamaye, @atmarketing, of AT Marketing
• Esme Infante Nii, @esmeinfantenii, of Moms in Hawaii
• Burt Lum, @Bytemarks, of Bytemarks.Org/BytemarksCafe.Org
• Mari Taketa, @NonStopMari, of NonstopHonolulu.Com

Follow any of us on Twitter (I’m @dallasnagata, of course!) or the hastage #HAOsaka to follow our adventures over the next week!  I will also be blogging my personal impressions and photos here on this blog, while posting photo galleries of my more artistic scene captures on my Nonstop Honolulu blog, Moments Around.

I got a haircut so I don’t look too unruly, I’ve gained 5lbs in the last week in preparation of eating my way through Osaka, had my dollars exchanged for yen, and I think I’ve decided what camera lenses to bring. I should probably start packing.