Faces of CulturalFest: Let’s Meet Sarara

Hello, I’m Sarara, and I’ll be serving as the MC for this year’s CulturalFest showcase!

A little about my background—I was born in Hyogo, Japan, right next to the area famous for Kobe beef. When I was one year old, my family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where we lived for six years. I went to local schools and spoke only English at the time. After moving back to Japan, I’ve spent most of my life there—and both the American and Japanese culture have become essential parts of who I am.

Although English was my first language, I never had the chance to study abroad again—until now. At 28, I took a break from my career and came to the University of Washington to finally pursue that long-held dream.

I’ve always loved getting to know other cultures too. So far, I’ve traveled to 29 countries, and one of my favorite things to do is explore local markets and soak in the unique colors and flavors of each place.

In Japan, I worked as a TV reporter and program director for over five years. I covered stories from big events like the G20 Summit, the Tokyo Olympics, national elections, and even broadcasted live from Expo 2020 in Dubai.

Ironically, I used to be super shy. Back in elementary school, I would cry whenever I had to speak in front of the class. But things changed when I started joining English speech contests in middle and high school. That experience gave me the courage to speak up—and eventually led to my career in broadcasting.

Ever since then, public speaking has become something I genuinely enjoy, so I’m really excited and honored to be your MC.

There’s a Japanese proverb that I truly believe in: 「好きこそものの上手なれ」 (suki koso mono no jouzu nare). It means “What one likes, one will do well.” In other words, when you genuinely love something, you naturally become better at it. I believe passion is one of the most powerful drivers in life.

That’s why I think events like CulturalFest are so special. When people come together to share what they love, it creates a positive energy that can truly move hearts. I hope this event brings a spark of joy and inspiration to your day—and maybe even opens up a new way of seeing the world.

Date: Saturday, April 19

Time: Expo starts 4:00 pm, performances start at 7:00 pm

Location: Benaroya Hall