Ceremony Celebrating the Conferment of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, on Ms. Kiyoko Morita Caine, President of the Massachusetts Hokkaido Association (March 6, 2026)
March 11, 2026
On March 6, Consul General Takahashi held a ceremony at the official residence to celebrate the conferment of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, on Ms. Kiyoko Morita Caine, former Lecturer of Japanese Language at Tufts University and current President of the Massachusetts Hokkaido Association.
Since 1979, Ms. Morita has dedicated herself to Japanese language education. Beginning in 1993, she served as a full-time lecturer in Tufts University’s Japanese Language Program for 23 years. Her significant achievements include establishing the “Japan in Boston Program,” an educational internship in which students of Japanese teach Japanese language and culture at local public schools. She also played a pivotal role in creating the “Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (Master’s Program),” notably the first of its kind in the United States.
Furthermore, Ms. Morita has been instrumental in fostering the Massachusetts-Hokkaido sister relationship and the Boston-Kyoto sister city relationship for many years. She has also championed the promotion and appreciation of the art of incense (Kodo), consistently hosting “Incense Meetings” across the United States.
In recognition of these contributions, Ms. Morita was named a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, on November 3, 2025.
Since 1979, Ms. Morita has dedicated herself to Japanese language education. Beginning in 1993, she served as a full-time lecturer in Tufts University’s Japanese Language Program for 23 years. Her significant achievements include establishing the “Japan in Boston Program,” an educational internship in which students of Japanese teach Japanese language and culture at local public schools. She also played a pivotal role in creating the “Japanese Language Teacher Training Course (Master’s Program),” notably the first of its kind in the United States.
Furthermore, Ms. Morita has been instrumental in fostering the Massachusetts-Hokkaido sister relationship and the Boston-Kyoto sister city relationship for many years. She has also championed the promotion and appreciation of the art of incense (Kodo), consistently hosting “Incense Meetings” across the United States.
In recognition of these contributions, Ms. Morita was named a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, on November 3, 2025.